The First Date Series will take a look at restaurants in Montreal where you might want to go -- or might not want to go -- on a first date. Part 1 takes you to the newly opened Bocata Wine Bar in Old Montreal.

It can be tricky to find a restaurant that will facilitate good conversation while providing and a somewhat seductive ambiance with a semi-stranger. We think that Bocata might be just the place.

Humble and discreet, there's no sign outside indicating Bocata's presence. Upon entering, however, I found an extremely enchanting old European ambiance. Low lighting comes from rococo-inspired lamps and abundant candles, and grey stone walls are exposed.

Knick-knacks, books, and wine bottles rest on shelves that run along moldings, and cursive-lettered wine lists are written on hanging blackboards. Cozy burgundy leather-upholstered booths line one side of the room, and a table of wine, cheese, and charcuterie sits in the centre.It looks like you'd need a fairytale ladder to access the floor-to-ceiling wine shelf behind the bar. Even though romantic is a subjective term, I dare say the ambiance at Bocata fits the bill.

Opened a few months ago by owners of the neighbouring restaurant Barocco, the menu at Bocata offers tapas-style dishes made for sharing, which can benefit any first date in my books. What brings people closer than sharing? Not that all first dates need that kind of help, but the pressure to make small talk can make even the most intelligent and entertaining person come off as a bumbling fool.

My companions and I (we weren't on a date, per se, rather a reconnaissance mission) ordered a bunch of the small dishes, and all were outstanding. The duck and arugula salad was excellent: smoked confit de canard on a bed of greens covered in a walnut-based dressing.The tuna tartare was impeccably spiced, and the beef cheeks arrived in a bowl of a flavour-infused potato puree. A baby butcher's block hosted a tomato-fennel soup alongside chorizo grilled cheese sandwiches, miniature triangles with the crusts cut off.A runny yolk waiting to be broken crowned the bacony cavatelli carbonara, and the highlight of the meal was the chestnut and grouper soup: a chestnut and salsify purée topped with a scoop of super light honey-tinged mousse, beneath which hid a tasty chunk of grouper.

The desserts, though not unsatisfactory, did not live up to the caliber of the savoury main dishes. We sampled two desserts, a chestnut cake served with fruit salad, and a chocolate bread brioche. The latter was the better of the two, topped with homemade caramel and glazed bananas. The chestnut cake had a fairly robust texture and was swimming in a custard-like sauce.My vote is that Bocata is a pretty suitable first date venue. Old Montreal is a calm backdrop for two people getting to know each other, the modest exterior renders the restaurant somewhat mysterious, and the place is relatively small, and generally populated just enough to ensure that awkwardness isn't intensified by an empty restaurant. The service was attentive but unobtrusive. The prices are reasonable, and the extensive wine list arrives in the form of bible-sized book. What better way than that to embark on an amusing first-date encounter?Bocata is located at 310 rue St. Paul Ouest and open Tuesday through Saturday from 7pm. Check out Bocata's website for more details and menu.

Do you have suggestions for other fun first date places that Midnight Poutine should take a look at? Leave a comment below!