Successful date night and a couple of recommendations

[dreamshark]

We did end up seeing "District 9" at the Riverview last night and it was very good. It's a very creative small movie produced by Peter Jackson, written and directed by a talented newcomer from South Africa, Neil Blomkamp. Although about half the movie is CGI, it is a true science fiction movie, not just some mindless CGI-fest. It's only $4 at the Riverview - a true bargain.

We had dinner at the Town Talk Diner on East Lake Street, and we both heartily recommend that as well. It's yet another of those unpretentious-yet-hip neighborhood restaurants with high-end food at middle-brow prices, presented along with a uniquely quirky ambience. The quirks at this particular place are:

• An old diner space sort of half-transformed into a modern bistro: formica-topped diner tables and checkered linoleum mixed with raw brick walls and heavy cloth napkins. It's noisy, but cheerful. The only thing I really disliked about the space was the bizarre entrance. You have to enter through a tiny doorway, push past a hanging red curtain (?!) and then slither through the cramped little wine bar into the restaurant proper. Definitely not handicapped-accessible, and not very pleasant for borderline claustrophobics like myself.

• A gregarious owner who likes to say hello to every table full of diners.

• Quick, friendly service. In fact, the staff is so exceedingly warm and friendly that you feel vaguely guilty not inviting them home for dinner with you. They're not excessively familia, just exceptionally smiley and all "Thanks so much for eating here! Come back again!"

The food leans heavily towards upscale, creative versions of familiar comfort food (free-range burgers, yuppie meatloaf, that sort of thing). We had two appetizers: tempura asparagus and a baked brie platter, which included fresh grapes and a couple of kinds of home-made chutney. Richard ordered the seared sea bass and I got the meatloaf (again with the home-made sauces and chutneys on the side). We split a whiskey bread pudding for dessert. All of it was delicious, although erring just slightly on the side of sweetness. The total bill (before tip) was about $50: not a bad deal for two appetizers, two entrees and a dessert that was plenty big enough for two.