For most people, going out to eat is something of a special occasion. For Adam Platt, it's HIS JOB. And he takes it seriously.

"If you're a professional glutton, you've got to bring your A game every night," explains the New York Magazine restaurant critic.

Adam brought his A game to this Valentine's Day edition of The Sporkful podcast, and we covered the best time to arrive at a restaurant, where to sit, ordering strategy, and the crucial issues of scented soaps and the napkin collar tuck. Plus we talked about the more and less sensuous ways to share food, and how you can use this information to tell whether your date is a cold fish or a hot tamale.

We also discussed Adam's recent decision to "out" himself on the cover of New York Magazine, rejecting the silly charade in which critics pretend to be regular diners and restaurants pretend not to recognize them.

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Photo: Flickr CC / dalbera