Full House
A Date-Friendly Cottage in Wynwood

Checklist for a solid first-date restaurant.

Space: rustic, dimly lit.

Food: killer.

Location: hot.

So allow us to suggest a spot with wood and stone. Peruvian-ish cuisine. In Wynwood.
 
Say hello to Jean Paul’s House, a new bungalow for wooing, wine and expertly cured fish, soft-opening this Friday and fully open on Monday.

First, the name. That would be chef Jean Paul Desmaison—you might remember him from the Gables Peruvian spot La Cofradia. Now he’s resurfaced with this cottage in the middle of the gallery district, brimming with meticulously scuffed chairs, farmhouse tables and an L-shaped bar. Sort of like a Hamptons hideaway in the shadow of the skyscrapers downtown. Meaning: your date will love it.

So after Saturday night’s art walk, you’ll want to hit the outdoor patio, lined with flowerpots and fragrant with basil and rosemary plants, to refuel with small plates of flounder tiradito and veal meatballs. And bookmark this spot for a quick bite before a performance at the Arsht. Or just when you feel like treating someone to pork belly braised in pisco and a few bottles of Chilean syrah (and when don’t you).

In a few weeks, you’ll find the back room outfitted with an Italian pizza oven and a wine-tasting counter where you’ll come for thin-crust pies and tumblers of chianti.

Which covers your third-date checklist.