With love a key ingredient in most every recipe, what better way to showcase passion than with food and drink?
While the city that sleeps offers limitless romantic date night possibilities for Valentine’s Day, here are a few noteworthy suggestions for romantic dinners -- to eat in or take out.
Menus include edible aphrodisiacs including oysters, pomegranates, juicy, red steak, get-in-bed with charcuterie and cheese gift baskets.
And don’t forget the chocolates.
L&W Oyster Co.
Champagne & Caviar: A luxurious, no-fuss, no prix-fix Valentine's Day.
The newest restaurant in the growing portfolio of the winning foodie team of Chef Jason Weiner and his Eric Lemonides. And with champagne and oysters front and center, these two Homegrown gourmands surely know their way around a decadent, romantic menu.
For $95, guests can relax at one of the restaurant's cozy, intimate booths and indulge in a 1 oz. portion of American sturgeon caviar (with all traditional accouterments: boiled egg, toast points, capers, lemon) and a half-bottle of Champagne while playing w/ Valentine's Day-themed magnetic word art on the booth's walls.
For reservations: 212.203.7772
254 Fifth Avenue
Almond
A Sexy 4-Course Pomegranate-themed Valentine's Day Dinner
At Almond – so named for Chef Jason’s artful and beautiful wife. Awwww… there is more love-inspired dishes. And for the East End residents, there is Almond restaurant in Bridgehampton. 631-537-5665 as featured in this Examiner’s book, The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook.
Almond restaurant, a bustling American bistro in the Flatiron District, will serve a 4-course pomegranate-themed Valentine's Day prix fixe.
The antioxidant-dense superfruit will be featured in many forms like in a Butternut Squash Soup with pomegranate mascarpone and apples; Montauk Pearl Oysters with iced pomegranate-sherry granita; Warm Goat's Milk Ricotta with pistachios, pomegranate seeds and fried sage; Peconic Bay Scallops with pomegranate hollandaise, crispy Brussels sprouts and quail egg; Pomegranate-Glazed Spanish Mackerel with fennel three ways; and Mocha Pomegranate Tart (for two) with espresso ice cream and pomegranate granite
$60 | Reservations recommended: 212.288.7557 | Almond (12 East 22nd Street; www.almondnyc.com)
At il Buco Alimentari & Vineria there is the delicious dilemma of whether to dine in or take out.
For those enjoying Valentine's Day dinner at home, the market offers a selection of the finest house-cured salumi, house-baked breads, cheeses, roast chicken with sides (carrots and potatoes), pastry and more.
It's also a perfect place to put together a Valentine's Day gift basket for your loved one, with local and imported artisan items like il Buco's olive oils, salts, vinegars, Pugliese tomatoes, jams, conserved veggies, mostardas, anchovies, tuna, and colatura.
Valentine's Day Items from the Alimentari:
- Salumi and Cheese (priced by weight)
- Housemade Bread by Baker Kamel Saci ($5-$8.50/loaf): Ciabatta, Cereal, Cracked Wheat, Lentil, Country, Filone, Raisin Walnut, Fig Hazelnut, Rosemary Focaccia, Focaccia Fino
- Roasted Whole Chicken ($9.95/lb)
- Sides ($7) Carrots, Potatoes
Dolci
- Olive Oil Cake ($30)
- Dark Chocolate / Ganache Loaf ($40)
- Fruit Crostata ($35)
- Bomboloni ($5)
- Assorted Biscotti ($12/dozen)
- Assorted Cookies: Pignoli or Rosemary Semolina ($10/dozen)
Gift Basket: (custom)
- Build your own gift basket for your foodie Valentine with items from the market, or pick up our Breakfast Basket below for a delicious breakfast in bed.
Breakfast Basket ($75)
- Local Amber Maple Syrup (from Old Field farm)
- Whole Grain Farro Pancake Mix (Bluebird Farm Washington State)
- La Colombe Coffe (12oz Whole Bean Dark Roast)
- Jar of Imported Italian Jam or Marmalade
- Bag of Housemade Biscotti
- Loaf of Housemade Bread
Il Buco Restaurants:
Il Buco
AMUSE
ostriche - cadillac petite oysters, american grinnell caviar
APPETIZER
foie gras - seared Hudson valley foie gras, fuyu persimmon, hazelnuts, frisee
Storione - house cured Columbia River sturgeon, cucumber, citrus, fennel
PRIMI
risotto - principato di lucedio carnaroli rice, Maine sea urchin, espellette, chervil
agnolotti - house made egg pasta parcels, Jerusalem artichokes, shaved black truffle
SECONDI
agnello - roasted saddle and seared chop of elysian fields lamb, hubbard squash puree, cipollini onions, brussels sprouts, mint
pesce - poached filet of turbot, baby carrots, leeks, meyer lemon butter, bottarga di muggine
DOLCI E CAFFE
chocolate truffles and choice of:
mascarpone cake - kumquats, mandarine sucre, manadarine sorbet
chocolate caramel tart - passion fruit gelato
Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria
ANTIPASTI
insalata - watercress, cauliflower, cara cara orange, cured black olives
crudo - hamachi, green apple granita, trout caviar
ballontine - rabbit, nantes carrots, green raisin mostarda
PRIMI
gnocchi - forest mushrooms, parmigiano reggiano
agnolotti - Maine lobster, coral and crispy artichokes
SECONDI
branzino - pan roasted sea bass, green strawberries, cucumber and marcona almonds
agnello - wood roasted lamb saddle, green chick peas, fresh cheese and coriander
vitello - breast of veal, spring onion petals, turnip petals and radish
DOLCI
ricotta caramello - caramelized ricotta, dark chocolate crumbs, citrus agrumata
bicerin - chocolate budino, espresso mousse, whipped mascarpone
Please reserve by calling 212-837-2622
Jimmy's No. 43
This casual, old world New York tavern is serving a la carte oysters, champagne & edible aphrodisiacs. You will love the dark booths and tables, just made for canoodling.
Empellon Taqueria:
There are three seatings; six courses, $75 per person, with Cava, Spanish wine.
Eclectic menu with food adventures skating from octopus, black trumpet mushrooms, guaje seeds, lobster with field corn and epazote, shortrib pastrami taco, chocolate flan with cinnamon ice cream, passion fruite tart with Mezcal and meringue.
Empellon Cocina has two seatings: $75 (six courses) and $110 per person (eight courses) with wine.
Lovers will adore the myriad sexy menu selections: Ruby Red Shrimp with Sea Urchin, Foie Gras Terrine Taco, Tortilla Soup with Chicharrone and Pasilla, Quail with Chorizo. And who could resist Chocolate Ganache with avocado, licorice and lime?
Romantic Rose Crush Cocktail
Grace Bay Club and Stix on Grace Bay the first pop up in the Caribbean have whipped up a festive concoction that is simple to replicate at home and is sure to make your significant other swoon.
The Rosé Crush showcases a Minuty Rosé and incorporates fresh fruits, offering a sweet finale to your Valentine’s Day celebration.
Rosé Crush
Ingredients:
2 Scoops of Crushed Ice
2 Shots of Rosé Wine (Minuty is used at Stix on Grace Bay but other Rosés will also work)
1 Shot of Orange Juice
1 Shot of Cranberry Juice or Raspberry Juice
Fresh Cranberries, Fresh Raspberries and Fresh Mint to Garnish
Method:
Add crushed ice to a martini glass.
Pour 2 shots of Rose and 1 shot each of orange and cranberry or raspberry juice in a mixer and shake.
Pour over ice and garnish with cranberries, raspberries and a sprig of mint
Chocolates
This Examiner has lovingly and respectfully written about Kee’s creative hand-made chocolates. They are simply the best. Kee Ling Tong’s SoHo confectionary uses the best ingredients. You may, in fact, skip dinner and just start nibbling these heavenly sweets.
Willy Wonka gone upper east side is Dylan’s Candy Bar. It’s just so much fun, too.
Love and roses and champagne kisses tonight.
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