From Santorini to Beijing, 19 Years and Still Madly in Love

advertisement

Remember when you first met your partner and were so excited to see them for something as simple as dinner and a movie? Well, as married parents, the need for ‘date nights’ are still as important as ever, as they remind you of when you first fell for each other, and the fact that outside of your roles as parents, you’re still lovebirds at heart.

According to relationship experts, the top five reasons why couples need to leave the kids at home and set aside date nights just for each other are communication: giving couples time to really talk to each other away from the distractions of children and careers; novelty: breaking out of your daily patterns and routines where after a while, you start taking each other for granted; ‘that spark’: creating magic moments where you the world just melts away and you only have eyes for each other, which are important reminders of why you fell in love in the first place; to de-stress: as intimate conversation helps cultivate healthy emotional support and thus lower mental stress; and finally, commitment: date nights help couples reconnect with each other and help build deeper bonds as a couple, and nurtures a strong sense of ‘we-ness’.

Sizzling king prawns

To see how the real pros do it, we tagged along on a date night with Lise and Francesco Floris at Made in China. The Flores couple have been married for 19 years and are proud parents to three kids: Simon (20), Samuel (18), and Rebecca (15). The couple met in Santorini, Greece in 1995 where Lise was working in a shop and Francesco was the good-looking tourist who caught her eye.

Made in China has been famous for its delicious Peking duck for over a decade, but they were also the first hotel restaurant to offer an open noodle bar where guests could watch chefs at work while slurping up freshly made noodles. The restaurant caters to locals and expats alike, offering exquisitely prepared Beijing cuisine and a few signature flares that leave guests craving for more. Even more unusual: since they first opened back in 2003, Made in China hasn’t changed its central menu. According to Executive Chef Anish Padgaonkar, even though they do introduce occasional seasonal dishes, their guests have remained so in love with the original Made in China menu that the restaurant kept on bringing back their favorites. Now, after 17 years in operation, Made in China offers a trued-and-tested, curated list of all-time guest favorites.

Made in China’s famous Peking duck

Starting off the couple’s date night is a plate of spinach with sesame sauce rice vinegar (RMB 50). This classic Beijing cold dish is a must-have, arriving within minutes of ordering, and giving you something tasty to nibble on while you wait for your show-stoppers.

Advertisement

For seafood lovers, Made in China’s sizzling king prawns (RMB 465) is a sight to see (and taste). The fragrance of the prawns fill the entire restaurant and turns heads as the waitress gracefully parades them from the kitchen to your table. Talk about giving everyone else food envy! For a healthy seafood option, the simple ingredients of the steamed blue cod (RMB 395) help to amplify the natural sweetness of the codfish, giving you a guilt-free healthy course.

Spinach with sesame sauce rice vinegar

Of course, a trip to Made in China isn’t complete without a taste of their Peking duck, and unless you’ve got a really big appetite, half a duck (RMB 265) is more than enough for two people to share on a date night. Made fresh in their wood-fired oven, each duck is carved table-side and served with the classic pancakes and Peking duck condiments.

A chef prepares the duck table-side

As Lise and Francesco finish off their night at Made in China, we couldn’t help but ask the couple for a bit of marriage advice. Lise admits that for some reason, the couple often ends up arguing while on date nights. “I’ve heard that’s common because we get to ‘dig into’ some discussions and practical, family and life topics.” Lise tells beijingkids “Thankfully we always make up before the end of the date.” And what about a tip for new couples? Their secret to a long happy marriage is to always be able to talk openly and honestly, even about the difficult stuff. “Oh, and physical attraction doesn’t hurt either,” she adds with a laugh.

Advertisement

Photos: Uni You

Hot Topics This Week