First dates are all about setting the tone of a relationship. It's hard to beat the Aster Cafe for sending a strong LTR signal. The Aster is couched on prime St. Anthony Main real estate — possibly the most romantic place in the city. The locale enjoys the best of all four seasons — the trees outside drop snow-like seeds in the spring, there's a cool breeze off the river on the patio in the summer, they'll fire up a wood-burning stove in the fall, and even on the coldest winter days the bar scene inside is warm and inviting. The food does first-date duty well: The flatbreads, cheese plates, and salads have an understated sophistication (and it won't hurt the pocketbook too badly if the date turns out to be a dud). If things are going well, dinner can segue nicely into a show at St. Anthony Main Theatre, or a stroll along the cobblestones and over the bridge toward the future.