When we paired up Aaron, 25, with Amanda, 27, we assumed the two Upper Manhattan residents would enjoy meeting someone from the same neighborhood, especially at Rusty Mackerel, one of the area’s buzziest restaurants. Our only concern was that Amanda is a vegan, and Aaron is a proud meat eater. In the end, their taste for each other mattered most. Find out why Amanda and Aaron left hungry for more.
He said:
The Rusty Mackerel was packed when I showed up, but the server was friendly. I grabbed a Manhattan — it was excellent — while waiting for Amanda.
She is pretty stunning. She has bright red hair and luminous pale eyes. We broke the ice quickly after ordering more drinks. We talked about empiricism, our mutual interest in science and psychology. Empirically, scientifically — I liked her!
We were ready for the food to arrive. Hers was a cauliflower dish stacked like a wedding cake, and I got the “steak frites,” with fried yucca. Everything was delicious.
At the end of our date, I scribbled my number on a napkin and put it in her pocket. I’d like to see those eyes again.
She said:
When I first met Aaron, I was happily surprised. He was cute and seemed sweet. I was pleased. The more we talked, the more I thought I should take the date seriously. His family’s from Argentina, and when he started speaking Spanish I swooned a tad!
The big difference I noticed is our diets. I am a vegan, and he’s a steak man. I like to cook for a guy when I’m dating him, so I wouldn’t know what to make!
The Rusty Mackerel was great. The drinks and food were solid. The service was friendly and didn’t rush us, so we definitely took our time.
During dinner, Aaron wrote his number on a napkin, old-school style — and “laid claim” to another date. I think it went pretty well and I look forward to seeing him again soon.