There’s been a lot of talk recently of jazzin’ up date night. Oprah and The Today Show are all over “adventure dating”--wherein couples forgo dinner for skydiving or tattoo-getting--and that Michael Webb guy is getting rich off his creative dating guides. But whatever happened to dinner and a show, that classic combo that satisfies your belly and your brain? Call us old-fashioned, but we kinda miss dressing up, eating well and then taking in a little theater. We decided to bring back this old-school outing by pairing 22 great Twin Cities restaurants with this winter’s 22 most anticipated local plays. For those of you doing the math at home, that’s 22 culture-packed nights during which you won’t be pressured to get a dolphin tattoo that you’ll regret in the morning (unless of course you want a dolphin tattoo; we don’t judge).

• DINNER: El Amanecer Kick off your cultural fieldtrip with the camarones a la michoacana--shrimp sautéed in jalapeños, onions and tomatoes--at this criminally overlooked District Del Sol staple. [194 Concord St., St. Paul; 651.291.0758]
  AND A SHOW: How I learned to Drive, Theatre Unbound This local troupe, which creates theater about the lives of women, tackles Paula Vogel’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play about child abuse. [11/7–23; The Neighborhood House in the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center, 179 Robie St. E., St. Paul; 612.721.1186; theatreunbound.com]
   
• DINNER: Jake O’Connor’s Public House Start your western suburban evening on the shores of Lake Minnetonka in this cozy Irish pub, featuring the best shepherd’s pie in town and an ornate bar built by Irish woodworkers. [200 Water St., Excelsior; 952.908.9650; jakeoconnors.com]
  AND A SHOW: Goodnight Moon, Stages Theatre Company Dedicated to children’s theater education and performance, Stages puts on the musical version of one of our favorite bedtime stories. [1/16–2/15; Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Main St., Hopkins; 952.979.1111; stagestheatre.org]
   
• DINNER: Tam-Tam’s African Restaurant Immerse yourself in Cedar Riverside’s immigrant culture at Tam-Tam’s for some excellent Pan-African cuisine. We recommend the whole tilapia, Ghanaian palm-butter stew and a side of chapatti bread. [605 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.339.0854; tamtamsrestaurant.com]
  AND A SHOW: Ching Chong Chinaman, Mu Performing Arts Filled with satire and mocked stereotypes, this comedy--which premiered at last year’s NYC fringe fest--tells the story of a Chinese-American family far removed from their heritage and brought back to reality by an indentured servant, Ching Chong, from China. [2/14–3/1; Mixed Blood Theatre, 1501 S. 4th St., Mpls.; 612.338.0937; muperformingarts.org]

• DINNER: Restaurant Alma Avoid downtown parking by dining at this hidden gem, featuring one of the best chef-driven menus in town. Try the tasting menu (made up of diverse flavors from around the globe), then walk it off across the Stone Arch Bridge just in time for curtain. [528 University Ave. S.E., Mpls.; 612.379.4909; restaurantalma.com]
  AND A SHOW: Happy Days, The Guthrie Theater The curtain rises on Winnie, a chipper, chatty 50-something woman who is buried in the ground to her waste and can’t figure out how she got there. By the second act, things have gotten even more absurd, as only a Samuel Beckett play can. Perfect for anyone waiting for more Godot. [2/14–3/08; 818 S. 2nd St., Mpls.; 612.377.2224; guthrietheater.org]
   
• DINNER: Palomino Grab an early three-course dinner of sophisticated and varied European/American cuisine Sunday–Thursday between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. for just $25, then follow the black-paved road to the Orpheum. [825 Hennepin Ave., Mpls.; 612.339.3800; palomino.com]
  AND A SHOW: Wicked, Broadway We’re total suckers for this smash Broadway hit that chronicles the life and times of the witches of Oz. [11/5–12/7 Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave., Mpls.; 612.339.7007; hennepintheatredistrict.org]
   
• DINNER: Meritage The Billi Bi soup (a magical concoction of mussels, wine, cream and more) at this bad-ass bistro is worth the price of admission alone. The fact that everything else is just as good is green tomato jam on the pork chop, so to speak. [410 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651.222.5670; meritage-stpaul.com]
  AND A SHOW: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Park Square Theatre Robert Louis Stevenson’s timeless psycho drama gets Jeffrey Hatcher-fied this month. Hatcher is a local playwright known for his sense of humor and attention to historical detail, so this show should be wicked good fun. [1/16–2/8; 20 W. Seventh Place, St. Paul; 651.291.7005; parksquaretheatre.org]
   
• DINNER: W.A. Frost It’s 5 p.m., the sun is setting and there’s ice on the windshield. What better way to warm your wintry heart than to cozy up to the fireplace at Capitol Hill’s most acclaimed restaurant? Turn up the heat further with a spicy Bordeaux, a sampling of regional cheeses and something grilled (we get the filet mignon). [374 Selby Ave., St Paul; 651.224.5715; wafrost.com]
  AND A SHOW: Black Nativity, Penumbra Theatre White Christmases are overrated. For more than 20 years, Black Nativity has been the Penumbra’s most popular production, and the tradition continues this year as some of the Twin Cities’ best choreographers and gospel singers remind us that this season is all about the soul. [11/28–12/28; 270 Kent St., St. Paul; 651.224.3180; penumbratheatre.org]
   
• DINNER: Tanpopo Noodle Shop The succulent soba noodles at this traditional home-style Japanese eatery will cure anything that ails you and may just cause you to live forever. [308 Prince St., St. Paul; 651.209.6527; tanpoporestaurant.com]
  AND A SHOW: A Servants’ Christmas, The History Theatre Explore familial traditions of a different sort at this History Theatre original, in which a young Jewish girl takes up residence with a strict Christian household in St. Paul circa 1900. [11/20–12/28; 30 10th St. E., St. Paul; 651.292.4323; historytheatre.com]

• DINNER: Sanctuary With a flair for design (different local artists’ works grace the walls throughout the year) and drama (tuxedo-clad maître d’)—not to mention damn good New American fare—Sanctuary delights with the fun side of fine dining. The menu changes frequently, so we like the five-course tasting menu for $35, Monday–Thursday nights; you can add a matching wine flight for $14. [903 Washington Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.339.5058; sanctuaryminneapolis.com]

AND A SHOW: Twelfth Night, Ten Thousand Things Hold on to your plumed hats; this zany theater group infuses Shakespeare’s holiday comedy with a stellar all-female cast, led by legendary Twin Cities thespian Sally Wingert. [10/31–11/02; Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave. S., # 301, Mpls.; 612.215.2650; tenthousandthings.org]

• DINNER: Spill the Wine A giant wine list (try the Luzon Monastrell/Syrah) and a menu filled with tasty American cuisine means everyone will be full and happy before the show. [1101 Washington Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.339.3388; spillthewinerestaurant.com]
  AND A SHOW: By the Bog of Cats, Frank Theatre One of our favorite local theater groups brings the story of a woman whose lover is about to marry another woman who will bring him money, land (and a little respect) to the Guthrie’s Dowling Studio. [3/12–4/5; Guthrie Theater Dowling Studio, 818 S. 2nd St., Mpls.; 612.377.2224; franktheatre.org]
   
• DINNER: 20.21 Start off your arts-oriented evening in Wolfgang Puck’s digs at the Walker Art Center, featuring Asian-influenced dishes and fantastic views of downtown (works best with a group, as dishes are portioned family-style). [1750 Hennepin Ave., Mpls.; 612.253.3410; wolfgangpuck.com]
  AND A SHOW: Perfect Pie, 20% Theatre Company 20%, which focuses on producing works by female and transgender artists, shows us how seemingly life-long friendships can fall apart and later be brought back to life through the simplest of actions with this Judith Thompson play. [1/16–1/31; Minneapolis Theatre Garage, 711 W. Franklin Ave., Mpls.; 612.227.1188; tctwentypercent.org]