Op-Ed
Love (of Food) Is Blind
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Don't Miss Out
February 15, 2007 - 1:39amThe other day, I came home to find this e-mail in my Inbox:
Dear Missy,
I enjoyed your Daily Sun column “A Table for Two” and I want to help you with your research. In particular, you should do research on a male PhD student, and I would be an optimal research subject. Let ME take you out to dinner!
Sincerely,
The Grad Student
The fact that some men have been seeking out the only woman at Cornell whom they should probably be avoiding — the date critic — is an interesting testament to the nature of males. Whereas I thought they’d be running away faster than if I had B.O., I was apparently wrong. The Grad Student (TGS), for example, risked his pride for the sake of a publicly chronicled date in The Sun. Either that, or he thought I looked kind of cute in my picture (in which case, I thank you).
TGS’s bold initiative already put him half-a-star ahead of the game in my book, so I gratefully accepted his dinner offer.
He showed up at my door promptly at 7:30 p.m. Our first interaction when he arrived was admittedly awkward, considering that — Facebook profile aside — I had never seen this man before. And here we were, about to go on a date. Upon accepting his offer the week before, my imagination naturally wandered to worst-case scenarios: he’s a she; he has weird secret fetishes; he’s covertly going to publish a critique on my dating ability. But, these pre-blind-date jitters were quelled as soon as I saw that he at least appeared to be relatively normal.
Our date only improved from that point on. TGS was cool, calm and collected as he opened the door to his pick-up truck and politely shut it behind me. Off we drove to his unusual restaurant pick: Rogue’s Harbor Inn on East Shore Drive in Lansing, about fifteen minutes from Collegetown.
The drive to Rogue’s was an experience in and of itself. We followed Triphammer Road until we were no longer in Ithaca and turned on to Route 34 — a two-lane highway surrounded by barns and horse stables. During periodic bouts of awkward silence in the car, I counted the number of deer-crossing signs that we passed. Eleven. It’s amazing how quickly you can reach the middle of nowhere from Ithaca.
Once I became confident that TGS wasn’t planning to kidnap me, I found our change of scenery to be somewhat refreshing. An evening away from the student bustle of Collegetown or the Commons is necessary every now and then, and Rogue’s Harbor provides just the perfect escape.
We rolled up to the quaint brick building, which could have been mistaken for a colonial school house. Rogue’s Harbor Inn, built in 1830, has retained its old-world charm and acquired a rich history since its founding. Edward Ruloff, the notorious murderer, was supposedly confined there when the county jail was full, and Rogue’s was also a stop on the Underground Railroad. Now the bed and breakfast is owned by Eileen Stout, a Cornell alumna who has made Ithaca her home.
Nowadays, walking into Rogue’s Harbor is like entering a time warp. Grandma’s flowery curtains cover the old windows. There’s a traditional saloon with wooden booths and stools to the right and a home-style dining area with artistic lamps hanging over each wooden table to the left.
The floor boards creaked under our feet as TGS and I headed toward our table for two. After asking whether I prefer red or white wine, he immediately ordered a bottle of Chardonnay for us to share (big ups for TGS). There’s a reason that wine is considered the ultimate social lubricant, particularly on a blind date. Conversation was flowing easily and enjoyably with TGS after just one glass.
A short wait later, our dishes were delivered by a young, friendly waitress. I’d ordered the balsamic duck: boneless duck breast grilled and served over wilted greens with a balsamic reduction glaze, served with a side salad with homemade vinaigrette ($16). TGS tried the House Sirloin: 10 oz cut char broiled, served with baked potato and a side salad as well ($18).
Both of us were delighted with our choices, though the mouth-watering collection of entrees and appetizers on the menu made our decisions somewhat difficult. Some other dishes I was eyeing included the baked brie appetizer: brie cheese drizzled with honey and almond slivers, baked and served warm with crostini ($8); zucchini parmesan ($15.50); sirloin and spinach salad ($11); sun dried tomato chicken ($13); and the famous Rogue’s Burger ($9). To culminate our pleasant evening, TGS and I indulged in a Belgian Chocolate Truffle ($5) to share — a perfect finale to a perfect meal.
Considering the delightful atmosphere, friendly service and delectable food at Rogue’s, I would certainly make the trek through the boondocks again just to try those other dishes. Unlike the youthful restaurants you’d find on College Ave or Aurora Street, I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant to a large, rowdy group ready to celebrate their friend’s 21st. However, if you’re looking for a quiet evening away from it all with a significant other or special friend, Rogue’s is just the place for you.
As for TGS, his blind date far exceeded my expectations. Granted, we had little in common: he is an engineering PhD student from the deserts of southern California and I, a senior communication major from Long Island. Nevertheless, we shared an enjoyable evening of getting to know each other over dinner and wine.
TGS debunked my long-held stereotype of overly serious grad students and engineers and also managed to reduce my fear of blind dates. Once I became comfortable with our contrived circumstances, I was able to let loose and enjoy a pleasant evening with someone unlike any guy I’ve dated in the past. I suppose the beauty of the “blind date” is the opportunity to be exposed to something completely different and new.
Despite the rocky start, it was an A+ evening. The food was delicious, and as far as I can tell, TGS isn’t hiding any weird fetishes. In fact, he might even make the cut for a second time around.
The Restaurant?
Rogue’s Harbor
A quaint oasis in the barren boondocks.
The Date?
The Grad Student
Polite and confident. A pleasant surprise.
Missy Kurzweil is a senior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be contacted at mek37@cornell.edu. Don’t Miss Out appears alternate Thursdays.