LAST week at Meet Market, we set up Jenny,24,a fun-loving production assistant, with Ryan,26,an outgoing

sales guy.We sent them off to the famous Mulberry Street Italian spot Grotta Azzurra,one of New York ‘s oldest – and chicest – restaurants.

Of course,we knew the food and service would be spectacular – it always is when Meet Market makes your reservation – but what we didn ‘t know was whether our,er,happy couple would get along.

To find out for yourselves how the great date went,read on.

She said:

Of course,I got to the restaurant about half an hour late. However,I did make sure I called the restaurant to tell Ryan I was going to be late.When I walked in the door,I thought he looked like a very nice guy. What caught my attention was that he was all smiles.

Ryan got the conversation going right away by telling me that he didn ‘t have any fashion sense.I totally agreed with him – but he looked nice,even though he didn ‘t match.

I broke the ice by apologizing for being so late.

Then we just started talking. The restaurant was great,such a wonderful place,and the staff were awesome,too.I had never been there before.

Now that I know all about the history of the restaurant,I definitely want to go there again really soon.

We ordered a bottle of wine and I suggested we had to try the famous calamari,so we did. Well,like I said before,my date is a very nice person.

He seems like someone that would not hurt a fly.He is very easygoing and kept up a good conversation.

Ryan had a good conversational manner.He asked a lot of questions – maybe too many!

It was still early when we finished dinner,so we went to a local bar right near our restaurant. It was funny,I actually went to the same bar the next night,and the bartender and some of the staff remembered me and asked about my experience.

We certainly talked a lot,but I ‘m not sure if there were any sparks in my department.I don ‘t really know if we hit it off or not.

We may or may not see each other again,I don ‘t know.

We did exchange numbers, though.

Rating: two hearts

He said:

I got to Grotta Azzura 15 minutes early,and Jenny was 30 minutes late.

By the time she got there,I almost felt like I had been on one date already,because I was chatting so much to the bar staff and waitresses!

When she arrived,we had a drink at the bar,and then went and sat down.So far so good. We had delicious food and wine,and I was thinking that she is really nice and that this is all going well for a blind date set up by a newspaper.

Then we finished dinner and decided to get a drink somewhere nearby.This is where things started to get interesting.

We walked down the street together,and there was some guy on the street that was trying to sell us a rose.

He was like, “Ten dollars!” I was a bit shocked about the ridiculous price,but I thought, well,OK then,she ‘s a cool girl – so I pay $10 for the rose.

Then she looked down the street and saw a bar where she said her friend was having a birthday party the next day,so we decided to go and check it out. I ordered some drinks,and then all of a sudden she meets some guy that she knew at the bar.

Well,they were just having a great time. She was telling me what a great artist this guy is,and I am like, “Oh,wow,that ‘s great.”

Then she said that she had to talk to this guy alone.

She went off to speak to him in private,while I was left sitting at the bar with this damn 10-buck rose sitting in front of me.

This goes on and on for quite some time.

Then she comes back and she is now going to take off with this guy!

So I was like, “Oh,right,OK then.”

And she ‘s meanwhile still telling me what a brilliant artist this guy is. So they walked off,but then she came back and asked if I wanted to go with them. I was thinking, “Not really,” but I go out anyway. Then we get outside,and she

said, “Oh,it ‘s a bit late,I am going to go home actually.”

I asked if she needed me to get her a cab or anything,and she says, “No,no.I am fine.”

I got the message that she wanted me to go.

I said goodnight and I walked off.But when I got round the corner,I waited a moment,and then turned back and looked back atthe bar.Jenny was still sitting there,on the curb.At that point I just kept going -I didn ‘t want to

feel like a stalker.

I ended up at my local bar, Asylum,and I told my friend Brian the bartender all about my date,and he ended up buying me shots all night long.He was very sympathetic about the whole thing.

So,overall,it was not a good date! And the weird thing is,I chose Jenny because,from her answers,I thought she seemed the most compatible.

Well,compatibility sucks.

I think I should just go back to choosing on the basis of looks.

Rating: Zero stars

YOUR PICK: THE GIRLS

Elyse 80%

Jennifer 11%

Leslie 9%

Results from nypost.com