A restaurant all to your self

Dear friend of mine Mimi and I kvetched at bistro Tinoco's last night. It is right next, I daresay connected, to the Arts Factory - the breaking ground of First Friday.

Someone misinformed me that this restau was an American bistro. Not so much - more like Italiano. It is a perfect date spot - warm colors, cozy seats, small space. The tables are in the shape of an art palette with splotches of paint streaked across. The thin, wooden menu is adorned with a single slim paint brush. Unlike Macaroni Grill, Tinoco's keeps it classy, not deigning to actually allow its restauranteurs to paint on the table.

I'm late to this game; Tinoco's has been around for awhile now. But I'm glad I finally went. The food was very well done (not overly delicious, but not stale either). I spent my entire month's dining-out allowance here as dinner is considerably more expensive than lunch. It was worth it in ambiance and chilling with the amie.