ELLIOT C.: 36 / analyst, on career break
What makes him a catch: He’s extremely chatty — easy to talk with and relate to.
His hobbies: Tennis, skiing, hiking
MARGARET S.: 30 / lawyer
What makes her a catch: She’s a great conversationalist.
Her hobbies: Rowing, running, swimming
7 P.M. BRASSICA KITCHEN + CAFE, JAMAICA PLAIN
Breaking the Ice
Elliot On the drive over, I thought of an icebreaker: So how much do you care about the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce engagement? I did not use it, though.
Margaret I did my hair and makeup, and wore a cute outfit. I had no expectations going in — I could hold a conversation with a brick wall.
Elliot We actually walked in within 10 seconds of each other. I was immediately attracted to her and liked her slim physique, long legs, and her smile. I liked that she had a nose ring and a few earrings.
Margaret He was well dressed and cheerful. I was glad that he put effort into his appearance — that’s definitely a green flag.
A Chatty Connection
Elliot We talked about how neither of us had ever been on a blind date. She said that she could “enjoy anything for one or two hours” and I really liked this sentiment.
Margaret We spent some time covering the basics. This was my first blind date, so I didn’t realize how much time it would take to talk about all of that stuff. Something I prefer about the apps is that you already know about the basics, so you can cover more interesting topics.
Elliot She recently completed an ironman, a triathlon, and a half marathon. She does not like running, but seems to do a good number of races despite purporting not to like it.
Margaret We’re both pretty close with our families, which I liked. I also think that we’re both pretty active and have a lot of hobbies.
Elliot We got cocktails and shared four dishes: black cod, Brussels sprouts, a lobster dish, and pork belly.
Margaret The food was excellent, and I liked the cozy atmosphere.
Elliot I was consistently interested, but it was hard to get a read of how she was feeling about me. I was a little confused about the romantic connection and if there was one.
Margaret I don’t think there was any kind of instant “spark.” He was divorced. And he’s more religious than me. Neither is a deal breaker, but both gave me a little bit of pause.
Elliot I felt very comfortable the whole date. I was definitely attracted to her but wasn’t getting cues about her being romantically interested in me.
Margaret He was a good conversationalist. He made a good initial impression that lasted through the night. I think we got more comfortable as the night went on because we had some common ground.
No Small Talk
Elliot We walked out together, exchanged numbers, and hugged. It felt more than friendly, but not overly romantic.
Margaret Dinner naturally came to a close and we were both ready to leave. I had an early flight to catch the next day.
Second Date?
Elliot I would go out again. We had a lot in common and I’m interested to see if there is chemistry.
Margaret Maybe! We exchanged numbers.
Grading the Date
Elliot / B+
Margaret / B
Go on a blind date. We’ll pick up the tab. Fill out an application at bostonglobe.com/cupid.