Blind date: ‘I spilled salsa roja down my cleavage. He looked away as I cleaned it off. Gentleman’

Sam on Zillah

What were you hoping for?
Probably not to find my future wife, but wouldn’t have minded if I had.

First impressions?
Good-looking and smiley. Very confident and quite chatty, which was a relief because I was pretty nervous.

What did you talk about?
Our families. Jobs. Her recent trip to Mexico. My recent trip to Kazakhstan. It was her birthday the next day so we talked about parties. I get the feeling she’s been to better parties than I have.

Most awkward moment?
I wasn’t able to pronounce WKD, but she seemed to find it funny, so I think I got away with it.

Good table manners?
It was tacos, so we ate with our hands, which didn’t make it easy. But I think we both managed.

Best thing about Zillah?
She’s easy to talk to – we had very few awkward pauses.

Would you introduce Zillah to your friends?
Of course. She’s very nice and so are almost all my friends.

Describe Zillah in three words.
Smiley, chatty, Londoner.

What do you think Zillah made of you?
She probably thought I had a small bladder as I went to the loo a lot. I don’t think she saw me in a romantic light but I could be wrong!

Did you go on somewhere?
Yeah, we went to a cool pub in Soho.

And … did you kiss?
No – wasn’t really the vibe I felt.

If you could change one thing about the evening what would it be?
Maybe to meet before the restaurant. It’s strange going straight to eating with someone you’ve never met.

Marks out of 10?
7.

Would you meet again?
I would but I felt the sparks didn’t fly in a romantic sense.

Blind date is Saturday’s dating column: every week, two strangers are paired up for dinner and drinks, and then spill the beans to us, answering a set of questions. This runs, with a photograph we take of each dater before the date, in Saturday magazine (in the UK) and online at theguardian.com every Saturday. It’s been running since 2009 – you can read all about how we put it together here.

What questions will I be asked?
We ask about age, location, occupation, hobbies, interests and the type of person you are looking to meet. If you do not think these questions cover everything you would like to know, tell us what’s on your mind.

Can I choose who I match with?
No, it’s a blind date! But we do ask you a bit about your interests, preferences, etc – the more you tell us, the better the match is likely to be.

Can I pick the photograph?
No, but don't worry: we'll choose the nicest ones.

What personal details will appear?
Your first name, job and age.

How should I answer?
Honestly but respectfully. Be mindful of how it will read to your date, and that Blind date reaches a large audience, in print and online.

Will I see the other person’s answers?
No. We may edit yours and theirs for a range of reasons, including length, and we may ask you for more details.

Will you find me The One?
We’ll try! Marriage! Babies!

Can I do it in my home town?
Only if it’s in the UK. Many of our applicants live in London, but we would love to hear from people living elsewhere.

How to apply
Email blind.date@theguardian.com

Zillah on Sam

What were you hoping for?
A hot date and/or a laugh.

First impressions?
Younger than I was expecting.

What did you talk about?
Porn. Kazakhstan. Dead Dads.

Most awkward moment?
When the restaurant couldn’t find our reservation and I had to explain what a Guardian Blind Date was. The waiter was more nervous than me.

Good table manners?
I accidentally spilled salsa roja down my cleavage and he looked away as I cleaned it off. Gentleman.

Best thing about Sam?
He had a good sense of humour, a taste for travel and languages, and likes sharing food.

Would you introduce Sam to your friends?
Yes, but I can’t see it happening.

Describe Sam in three words.
Intelligent, chatty, outgoing.

What do you think Sam made of you?
Maybe that I was double-bluffing, telling him I was porn star. Did you Google it after, Sam?

Did you go on somewhere?
We went to the pub and weren’t lost for words

Related: Blind date in Sydney: ‘I thought I was a huge Taylor Swift fan, but Todd out-Swiftied me!’

And … did you kiss?
No.

If you could change one thing about the evening what would it be?
I felt we were an odd match and not romantically compatible. Other than that, nothing. We had a great time.

Marks out of 10?
10 as a mate, 6 as a date.

Would you meet again?
I don’t see why not (platonically).

Sam and Zillah ate at El Pastor Soho, London W1. Fancy a blind date? Email blind.date@theguardian.com