It was a special Saturday for us this weekend… our annual date night! Maybe we go on a date more than once a year, but not a fancy one where Dave puts on actual pants and there’s candlelight involved.

We decided to check out Acqua Al 2, a Tuscan ristorante that opened a location on the Hill about two years ago. We asked Poppi (Dave’s dad) to watch the girls but, since he can’t be trusted, Nana and Aunt Dana came over too. The girls couldn’t wait for us to leave so they could start a dance party (oh, I can’t wait until they’re in high school).

We took a romantic stroll through Lincoln Park to the restaurant. And by romantic I mean, I complained the whole time that Dave was walking too fast. When we got there, we were taken to a tiny, candlelit table near the back. I sat beneath a plate decorated by Congresswoman Pelosi– DC really knows how to set the ambiance, don’t they?

“Let’s get this party started with a bottle of wine!” I shouted a little too enthusiastically.

We ordered a bottle of Nobile di Montepulciano and, suddenly, the date became fun (whew).

They brought bread and olive oil without any cheese or spices, which is never ideal. But I got over it because, once we ordered the Specialita, the food didn’t stop coming for the next two hours. First the three salads, then five pastas, then (the highlight) three to-die-for steaks. It’s funny how I can go from vegan cleanse to triple steak dinner in only a week. We got the five-dessert plate but decided to stop before the final cheese course.

During all of this, we managed to have some wonderfully adult conversation. Ever wonder what parents talk about when they’re out on dates by themselves? I always do, so I’ll share. We talked about the meaning of life, how much we adore each other and how to fix everything that’s wrong with the world. Just kidding. Here’s what really went down at our table: me making fun of Dave for moving his arms like a pterodactyl, him telling me how drinking makes me less of a nag, and lots of discussion about whether the pasta was homemade or Barilla. We also, of course, talked about the girls. It’s like going out with people from work and trying not to mention work. We couldn’t help it.

The bill was $200. Two hundred dollars?!?! I mean, the bottle of wine was $70, but I’m not sure what else happened. I suppose we could have been much more economical about it. Like, maybe if we just got a salad and some pasta? Of course, we could cut out the wine, but what kind of a date would that be?

Thoughts on the meal itself: Everything was good, but the steak was exceptional: one was in a balsamic reduction, one in peppercorn cream sauce and one on a bed of arugula topped with parmesan.  I, personally, didn’t love the desserts and ate brownies when I got home (don’t judge).

We walked (ok, stumbled) back home and thanked Nana and Poppi for making it all possible. Can’t wait to start planning our next date… 2013 here we come!