Rafael is chic, dimly lit, and perfect. It's the kind of place I would like to be invited to go on a date and where I observed many in progress. One young couple, both drinking Negronis, were consigned to flirting mostly with their eyes as they stumbled through a conversation half in English, half in Spanish. I eavesdropped on this first date during the bread course fresh, warm sourdough served with a small dish of whipped goat cheese dip, a spiced cherry jam, very thinly sliced ham, and butter. I ordered ceviche (at last) and it was extraordinary and blessedly traditional: fresh flounder, clams, and creamy scallops, a medallion of sweet potato with a smoky flavor, large-kernel Cusco corn, and thinly julienned red pepper - just the right amount of heat - all bathed in the biting tang of citrus juice. For the main course, I had prawns with corn ravioli in a velvety white truffle butter sauce. Although I didn't order dessert, the waiter brought a small plate with three coffee-chocolate truffles, which were deliciously cold, almost pudding-like rings, an earthy jolt to the palate. - Nina Renata Aron