You've been wanting to change up the date-night blueprint a little bit lately.

Not completely messing with your patented "dinner + drinks + witty repartee" formula or anything.

Just ensuring that said drinks are sake.

Which is why you're heading to Tawara Sake Dining, home of extensive sake lists and the Japanese plates that pair with them, now open in the Mission.

You and your chosen date-night companion will duck into this intimate little spot through a canvas partition, appreciating the starkly pleasing white panels accented with dark wood as you're led to your table.

Musings on the benefits of restrained interior design aside, you and your date will next peruse a menu of dishes inspired by the chef's childhood favorites. You'll start with bagna cauda, a Japanese take on the Italian favorite with garlic miso sauce, before moving on to shrimp toast, fried chicken and grilled beef tongue.

While all that ordering and eating goes down, you'll also be scanning the extensive sake list, trying different options like the "Pure Snow" unfiltered junmai nigori. 

And there's wine and beer, too, like the yuzu ale from Hitachino. You know, should your date prefer those to sake.

Or prefer them with sake.