3 Great Dinner Dates at Restaurants in the Minneapolis Area

Minneapolis is a city with many choices in dining. From Afghani to Vietnamese, from $4 for the "Juicy Lucy" to a $40 butter-knife steak, your destination dining desire can be found in the city of lakes. The three detailed below are tested, tried, and true dating experiences for couples.

1) A picnic dinner near Lake Nokomis: As a date, the picnic dinner is inexpensive but endlessly romantic when done correctly. Accept the simplicity of a table without chairs, and opt for a pizza from nearby Fat Lorenzo's at 56th and Cedar. Available for just over $14 for the Fat's Combo (beverages not included), the cheesy, saucy pizza is some of the best you'll find in the metro and incredibly convenient to your destination, Lake Nokomis. Enjoy the spring/summer evening on a blanket with this greasy treat and your sweetheart. Just be sure to pack the mosquito repellant if staying out past 8pm. For more information, visit fatlorenzos.com

2) Singapore: Conveniently located on the corner of 55th Street and 34th Avenue South, this Ethiopian and South-Asian restaurant touts the "Best Rice Noodles" in the city. Only minutes north of the Crosstown and Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, the family-owned business delivers on their awarded entree, a noodle with mixed vegetable in a mildly spicy, beefy sauce with only a hint of curry. (Unfortunately, they don't deliver to your door.) If you and your date share the noodles and an entree, the experience will cost less than $30. You may even have leftovers. The casual attire (jeans okay) and friendly, personal service are offered at no additional cost.

3) The Oceanaire Seafood Room: You're all groaning at this obvious choice for a dinner date. It is fabulous, but not affordable or convenient, and thus reserved for special occasion dining only, right? Wrong. On your next visit, sidle up to the bar wearing head-to-toe black (the accepted downtown attire). Order one drink per guest, add an appetizer (like oysters on the half shell) and...voila! Your total tab equals less than $50. If you prefer more filling fare, grab a table and order water or soda. Share an appetizer, a mid-priced entree (no surf 'n turf), side dish, and dessert for a grand total of under $80. Sure, it's twice as expensive as Applebee's...but it's three times as tasty. For directions, visit www.oceanaire.com

Minneapolis offers a buffet of dining options (no pun intended) for locals and visitors. Start with one of the three recommendations to impress your next dinner date and then explore the flavors of the city on your own.