爱思英语编者按：洁白的桌布，浪漫的蜡烛，醇香的美酒(superb wines)…这些都是影视作品中常见的浪漫约会必备因素。然而现实生活中，没有了这些美好事物的点缀，情侣们是否能营造出一样的浪漫约会呢？如果是你，你更喜欢哪类约会场所？是优雅昂贵的高级餐厅还是温馨随意的街边小馆？

DATING in New York, as countless films, TV shows, magazines, and blog articles have shown, is no picnic. Traditionally, the date night dinner must meet certain standards: a good restaurant (not necessarily fancy, but a refined one, at least), with a white tablecloth, candles, and gracious, discreet service.
在纽约约会，就像无数电影、电视剧、杂志和博文中所说，并不是件简单的事情。照惯例，约会的晚餐必须达到某种标准：一家好餐厅（不一定要昂贵，但至少要环境优雅），有洁净的桌布，浪漫的蜡烛和亲切细心的服务。

Things might be changing though: Melena Ryzik, a culture reporter for The New York Times, has discovered that the new New Yorker`s idea of a romantic meal is more approachable. "There`s a whole new class of mood-inducing dining," Ryzik says in an article.
然而，这个传统似乎正在改变：《纽约时报》文化类记者Melena Ryzik发现，如今，纽约人关于浪漫大餐的定义更加平易近人了。“时下正流行一种新群体，他们的就餐完全受心情引导，”Ryzik在一篇文章中写道。

That can mean a burger, or Korean fried chicken, or an underground bar. All these are desirable, even romantic, date spots, since there`s a sense of adventure or discovery.
也就是说，“浪漫大餐”可以是一个汉堡，韩国炸鸡或者是一家地下酒吧。所有这些都可以成为浪漫的约会场所，因为有一种冒险、探索的感觉。

No tablecloth
没有桌布

"One of the things that we`re seeing happen is that a broader range of places are considered date places," Adam Rich told The New York Times. Rich is the founder of Thrillist.com, a website that offers advice on new restaurants and bars. "People fetishize food more than they did before. So the pressure isn`t to find the whitest tablecloth and white gloves kind of place anymore."
“如今，我们看到的是很多场所都被人们纳入约会场所的范畴，” Adam Rich在接受《纽约时报》采访时说。Rich是Thrillist.com网站的创始人。该网站专门提供针对新餐馆和酒吧的建议。“人们比以往更迷恋食物。因此，压力并不在于去寻找那些铺着白桌布，服务生也戴着白手套的餐馆。”

On Thrillist.com`s list of "Ten Most Popular Restaurants", seven are casual places such as a Japanese ramen restaurant with an open kitchen, or a to-go style sandwich shop with communal tables-obviously no white tablecloth or candle holders.
Thrillist.com网站上公布了“10大流行餐馆”排行榜。上榜餐馆中的7家都是比较随意的场所，例如：有开放式厨房的日本拉面馆，只有公共桌子的三明治外卖店--很明显，这些店都没有白桌布和蜡烛台。

It seems that casual is the new sophisticated and paper napkins and communal tables are the new standard.
这样看来，这种休闲式约会的新标准就可以概括为精致、餐巾纸和公共桌子。

Places like a cocktail bar, wine bar, or small plate restaurant are popular for one reason: they`re a safe choice, especially for those who just start dating. After all, there are times when you go out with someone, then decide not to go on: either that person is boring or you two just don`t fit.
像鸡尾酒酒吧、小酒馆或小餐馆这类的场所很流行的原因之一是：它们都是安全的选择，对那些刚开始约会的人来说尤是如此。毕竟，很多时候你与别人出去约会，但后来决定不再继续发展--或者对方很无趣，又或者你们两人不适合。

In such cases, the communal tables and the open kitchen can smooth over awkward silences. Also, communal tables have a bonus: if your date`s boring, just turn and talk to the person at the table next to you.
这种情况下，公共餐桌和开放式厨房都能减少沉默带来的尴尬。而且，公共餐桌还有个好处：如果对方很无趣，你大可以转身和邻桌的人聊天。

Money is also a consideration. Whitney Hurst, 25, is a news producer who lives in Brooklyn, New York. She told The New Yorker that, "It`s awkward to have somebody spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on dinner before you really know that you like him." Hurst prefers "izakayas" on the second floors in Koreatown, because they`re cheap, casual and fun. And, more importantly, places like that can give you something to talk about.
此外，金钱因素也是原因之一。Whitney Hurst，25岁，是居住在纽约布鲁克林的新闻制片人。在接受《纽约客》杂志采访时，她表示，“在确定你喜欢他之前让对方花几百甚至上千美元请吃饭很令人尴尬。” Hurst更喜欢韩国城二楼的izakayas，因为那里比较便宜，也很随意有趣。更重要的是，这类场所能让人有讨论的话题。

Isn`t it romantic?
这难道不浪漫么？

FOR young Chinese couples, especially students who have no income, the answer to the question about where to go for a romantic dinner might be practical, but that doesn`t stop them from trying to be romantic. Just ask these folks:
中国的年轻情侣，尤其是没有收入的学生情侣，去哪里享受浪漫大餐这一问题很现实，但这一点儿也不妨碍他们享受浪漫。问问下面这些人就明白了：

Zhu Wenbin, 21, college student, Beijing
朱文斌，21岁，北京大学生

My girlfriend and I don`t really spend much money on food at all.
我和女朋友很少在食物上花很多钱。

First, we only have a limited monthly budget from our parents. Even though we go to better places like Pizza Hut on weekends-it`s only once in blue moon, like when we have something to celebrate. It`s still a bit expensive for us.
首先，我们每月从父母那里拿到的零花钱数目有限。即便如此，我们周末还是会去必胜客之类的好地方--当然了，去那种地方的频率极低，只有当有事庆祝时才会去。因为，对我们来说它仍然有些贵。

Besides, when we go out, food isn`t that important to us. Sometimes, we may buy some snacks from a convenience store and walk to a park, or sit in a book store the whole day. Or, we could go to a roadside stand anywhere and have a bite to eat. For us, being together and having fun is the most important thing.
其次，一起外出的时候，食物对我们而言并非那么重要。通常，我们会在便利店买些零食，然后走到公园或在书店待一整天。又或者，我们会随便找个路边摊吃点东西。对我们来说，两个人快乐地在一起才是最重要的。

Regular date spots: KFC, McDonald`s, Ajisen Ramen, Dairy Queen, no-name restaurants off campus.
约会常去场所：肯德基、麦当劳、味千拉面、DQ和校园外叫不上名字的小餐馆。

Average cost per meal (for two): 70-100 yuan
两人每餐平均消费：70至100元

Jin Didi, 24, bank clerk, Shanghai
金弟弟，24，上海一名银行职员

Several times, my boyfriend took me to fancy restaurants-on special occasions, such as my birthday, or our anniversary. The food quality was certainly high, but so was the price-a simple meal for two would cost nearly 1,000 yuan.
我男友曾带我去过几次高档餐厅--在一些特别的场合，例如我的生日或我们的纪念日。那里的食品质量确实很高，但是价格也很高--两人点了一顿简单的饭菜就花了将近1000元。

The whole atmosphere there was killing me: It was inappropriate to take a picture of the dishes, which I like to do. And most of the time, I had to "behave".
而且那里的整体气氛简直让我抓狂：在那里给饭菜照相显得很失礼，但我却真的很想照。而且，大多数时候我不得不“举止端庄”。

So, now, when it comes to special occasions, I`d tell him beforehand: "You know what? A cupcake with a candle on it is romantic. A fish burger at McDonald`s, with a strawberry sundae afterward, would also be great!"
所以现在一有什么特殊事情我就提前告诉他：“你知道么？一个插着蜡烛的纸杯蛋糕就很浪漫。麦当劳的鱼香汉堡加上一个草莓圣代也很赞！”

Regular date spots: TGI Friday`s, Haidilao Hotpot, Bellagio Cafe, Awfully Chocolate.
约会常去场所：星期五餐厅、海底捞火锅、鹿港小镇、Awfully Chocolate。

Average cost per meal (for two): 150-200 yuan
两人每餐平均消费：150至200元

相关词汇   更多信息请访问：http://www.engbus.cn/

no picnic 不轻松，不是容易的事
 
once in a blue moon 偶尔，罕见
 
dining 吃饭
 
folk 人们，朋友们
 
limited 有限的
 
refined 优雅的
 
sophisticated 精致的
 
beforehand 预先，提早
 
cocktail 鸡尾酒
 
discreet 言行谨慎的
 
gracious 亲切的
 
approachable 平易近人的
 
artisan 手艺人
 
awfully 非常地
 
bodega 酒窖，酒铺
 
communal 公共的
 
cupcake 纸托蛋糕
 
fetishize 迷恋
 
inducing 有诱导作用的
 
izakayas 居酒屋，一种日式餐厅
 
ketchup 番茄酱
 
napkin 餐巾纸
 
snack 小吃，零食
 
sundae 新地冰欺凌
 
uniqueness 独特性