Eat Drink Play:
Date night calls with seven fabulous pairings that take the concept of “dinner and a show” to a higher level.
Netflix and pizza might cut it sometimes, but romance can fade when you’re on the couch every evening. Date night calls, and we’re answering with seven fabulous pairings that take the concept of “dinner and a show” to a higher level: Chic chaat, for example, paired with a theatrical, time-traveling extravaganza about colonial India and modern cricket, Burning Man art and craft cocktails, and pre-flamenco tapas.
Here are seven dazzling ideas for date nights this fall. 1 ‘The Art of Burning Man’ + cocktails at Sister, Oakland
Experience the wild creativity of Burning Man, without having to trek into the desert or get sand in your food.
THE SHOW » From Oct. 12 to Feb. 16, the Great Hall at the Oakland Museum of California will transform into a Burning Man block party filled with art, sculptures and interactive installations from Burning Man, the spectacle that draws 70,000 people to Nevada’s Black Rock Desert each year. There’s even a 40-foot-tall outdoor temple.
THE RESTAURANT » Discuss all that interactive, eclectic art afterward at Sister, located in the former Boot & Shoe Service restaurant near the Grand Lake Theater a couple of miles away, where you can nibble wood-fired pizzas and sip farm-to-glass craft cocktails on the patio.
DETAILS » Tickets to “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man” are $12-$21; museumca.org. Sister is open Tuesday-sunday at 3308 Grand Ave., Oakland; www.sisteroakland.com.
2 ‘Testmatch’ + August 1 Five, San Francisco
If cricket and colonial India intrigue you, then we have the perfect date night, which pairs a modern Indian dinner and a premiere by Kate Attwell.
THE SHOW » Attwell’s thought-provoking play bounces back and forth between a modern-day cricket match between the English and Indian women’s teams and the 1800s, when British administrators in India obsessed over cricket rules to the exclusion of everything else. “Testmatch” runs Oct. 24-Dec. 8 at American Conservatory Theater’s Strand Theater.
THE RESTAURANT » A 10-minute stroll away, you’ll find August 1 Five — the name commemorates the date of India’s independence from British rule. The kitchen here uses organic seasonal ingredients to craft elevated takes on regional Indian street food, including gorgeous gol guppa and bison keema.
DETAILS » Tickets for “Testmatch” are $15-$100; www.act-sf.org. August 1 Five is open for dinner Tuesday-sunday at 524 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco; www.august1five.com.
3Madeleine Peyroux + La Note Restaurant, Berkeley
What better pairing than Parisian songs, preceded by a romantic French dinner?
THE SHOW » Peyroux is American, but she got her start singing on the streets of Paris and her albums always feature at least one classic French cover, from “La Vie en Rose” to “J’ai Deux Amours.” Catch her at Berkeley’s Freight & Salvage Oct. 3-6.
THE RESTAURANT » Long heralded as a brunch staple, La Note is equally adept at Provencal-style dinner classics, from ratatouille borghetti and steak frites persillade, made with organic grassfed Niman Ranch flat iron steak, to proscuitto- or Camembert-topped crostini. Best part? It’s half a mile from Freight & Salvage.
DETAILS » Freight & Salvage tickets are $45 to $60; www.thefreight.org. Dinner reservations recommended for La Note, which is open for dinner Thursday-saturday at 2377 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley; www.lanoterestaurant.com.
4 ‘Harry Potter’ + The Cavalier, San Francisco
Apparate over to the Curran theater for a magical evening that continues the Harry Potter story, then savor all that British goodness with drinks and elevated pub grub.
THE SHOW » When last we saw our favorite wizard, author J.K. Rowling was sending Harry and Ginny’s sons off to Hogwarts, and that’s where this new tale begins. The five-hour “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” which is split into two parts, begins an open-ended run Oct. 23 at the Curran.
THE RESTAURANT » The Cavalier is a London-inspired brasserie from the same talent behind Leo’s Oyster Bar and Park Tavern. Look for killer apps, like Scotch duck egg, and classic entrees, like fish and chips with minted peas, in a beautiful interior that features dark wood and tufted saffron banquettes.
DETAILS » Tickets to “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” are $59-$199 per part; sfcurran.com. The Cavalier is open daily at 360 Jessie St., San Francisco; thecavaliersf.com.
5 ‘Die Fledermaus’ opera + Naschmarkt, San Jose/campbell
Care for a little flirtation, lighthearted deceit and elaborate revenge — with Viennese schnitzel on the side?
THE SHOW » Opera San Jose has launched its 2019-20 season with Johann Strauss Jr.’s madcap masterpiece, “Die Fledermaus.” Conducted by Michael Morgan, the frothy operetta runs through Sept. 29 at San Jose’s California Theatre.
THE RESTAURANT » Named after the largest open-air produce market in Vienna, Campbell’s Naschmarkt specializes in all the Austrian goodies, from smoked pork bratwurst and beef goulash to Wiener schnitzel with lingonberry sauce, in minimalist, family-friendly digs.
THE DETAILS » Tickets for “Die Fledermaus” are $55-$195; www.operasj.org. Naschmarkt is open Tuesday-sunday at 384 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell; www.naschmarkt-restaurant.com.
6 ‘Off Menu’ exhibit + dessert at Lottie’s, Walnut Creek
Hungry? You will be after viewing this Bedford Gallery exhibit that reflects our culinary passions. Feast your eyes, then follow it with — what else? — dessert.
THE SHOW » “Off Menu: Contemporary Art About Food” features 12 Salvador Dali prints and an international roster of artists who reveal our love of food over the centuries. And yes, Wayne Thiebaud’s iconic desserts are in the mix. The opening reception — 3-5 p.m. Oct. 6 — includes pop-up tastings from Broderick Roadhouse, Heritage Eats and more, and the exhibit runs through Dec. 5.
THE SWEET SPOT » Dip into small-batch ice cream as you discuss artist James Ostrer’s sweet foodie hell (waffle cone devil horns — shudder) by strolling over to Lottie’s Creamery for whiskey coffee crunch, apricot honey or vanilla salted almond toffee by the scoop or sundae.
DETAILS » Bedford Gallery tickets are $3-$5; www.bedfordgallery.org. Lottie’s is open daily at 1414 N. Main St., Walnut Creek (and also in Palo Alto and Danville); www.facebook.com/ Lottiescreamery.
7 Maria del Mar Moreno flamenco + tapas, San Francisco
Feel the romance and passion in the staccato rhythms of Moreno and a formidable cast. Complete the experience with tapas or paella.
THE SHOW » “Maria del Mar Moreno: Direct from Spain” hits San Francisco’s Brava Theater Center on Oct. 25. Moreno, who comes from the Andalusian flamenco hotbed of Jerez de la Frontera, is one of the city’s most celebrated dancers, embracing the tradition’s deepest currents.
THE RESTAURANT » Esperpento, the Spanish eatery on 22nd Street, less than a mile from Brava Theater, is closed while its building undergoes a seismic retrofit. Reopening day is set for Monday, but if Esperpento is still closed, you can get your paella and sangria fix at nearby Picaro, a mile and a half from the show.
THE DETAILS » Tickets for Moreno are $35 to $75; www.brava.org. Picaro is open daily at 3120 16th St., San Francisco; www.picaro.com.