The elegant, romantic restaurant we've been looking for! We're native San Franciscans in our 60s who moved to Durham six months ago. We've been very disappointed by the lack of "real" restaurants -- everything seems to be ultra-casual or at least "casual" -- hard to...find a place that has tablecloths, flowers on table, warm, soft lighting, lovely decor and ambiance -- and in general, no one seems to train wait-staff here (I've actually had cutlery set on the wrong side of the plate in a restaurant where it was $250 for the 2 of us...and when you ask about an elegant restaurant, people rave about Angus Barn -- a local fixture which is truly appalling. It's like being trapped in a Disney production called "Steak, Gingham, Masson Jars & Haybales" -- and all that tackiness and kitsch is also HUGELY expensive. Last week a number of restaurants in "the Triangle" offer discounts (S.F. does the same during the slow months of January with their "Dine Around Town" program). I'd heard good things about Parizade (the owner owns a number of restaurants in the area -- I'd been to 2 of them and liked them). I went with 2 of my women friends. IT IS BEAUTIFUL! It's a very LARGE restaurant with a nice bar and bar area with tables. It also has outside seating on a brick patio in front of the restaurant. The ambiance is warm and elegant and relaxing. The service was excellent -- as was the food. I came home and told my husband "I've found the restaurant we've been looking for!" This is the perfect place for an "expense account" dinner, a romantic date or anniversary or birthday -- or anytime, of course. But it feels special, thank goodness. I'm tired of spending o$200 for 2 and feeling like I ate in a diner where NO attention was given to decor, lighting, service, etc. NOTE: ALLOW EXTRA TIME FOR PARKING& you may have to walk. Parizade is loated on the floor level of a LARGE, multi-building, multi-use complex. Condos, offices -- with restaurants on the walk-in level. You are likely to have to search/wait for parking (which is free and no valet, which would be a fine idea, actually!) I have now been there 2x and both times finding an empty parking spot was difficult and I had to walk a bit -- just mention this because parking is usually such a breeze in Durham (at least compared to S.F., where you're used to paying $25 or walking two city blocks!)More