Valentine’s Day Dining Guide 2015
Let’s get right to the point — Valentine’s Day is not the holiday to be scrambling for last minute dinner reservations. If you want to start the evening off on the right foot and avoid all the drama, make sure you have a table firmly squared away at deliciously romantic restaurants, like Batard in Tribeca, chic spots like Pearl & Ash on the Bowery, or quaint & cozy eateries, like Brucie in Brooklyn.
Batard
For $125 per person, you can enjoy four elegant and Austrian-tinged courses courtesy of Marcus Glocker at the critically acclaimed Tribeca restaurant, Batard. Did we mention the killer selection of burgundies? Yep. As for food, think Braised Artichoke with Barley, Poached Hen’s Egg and Eiswein Sabayon, Rouget with Carrot Fondue, Endive, and American Caviar, Beef Short Rib accompanied by Cauliflower, Confit Turnip and Crosnes, and a rich Chocolate Torte, flavored with smoky Black Cardamom and paired with silky Hazelnut Semifreddo.
Read MorePearl & Ash
Don’t want to make a big thing of it but still impress? For a relatively reasonable $95 per person, Richard Kuo is preparing a seven course feast of sexy small plates, including Oyster with Cauliflower and Capers, Hamachi with Fennel and Kumquats, Striped Bass flavored with Almond, Jalapeno and Lime, Tea Smoked Chicken served with Ginger, Carrot and Kale, Beef Skirt with Salsify, a Grapefruit Sorbet palate cleanser, and French Toast with Chocolate, Cherries and an exotic hint of Lemongrass for dessert.
Read MoreThe Elm
Much buzzed about chef, Paul Liebrandt, will be serving a tasting menu at his exclusive, eight-seat chefs counter (for $135 per person), and a three-course prix fixe in his ultra-modern dining room (for $75 per person) in Brooklyn. But no matter where you choose to sit, expect gorgeously plated dishes, such as Foie Gras with Persimmon, Cashew and Maitake, Strozzapreti with Winter Pesto, Razor Clams and Almonds, and Lobster paired with Cauliflower, Bone Marrow and Citrus, followed by Liebrandt’s signature Gold Bar dessert — a slim, sticky lozenge comprised of Chocolate Ganache, Huckleberry and Red Fruit Sorbet.
Read MoreAquavit
Currently the only female chef in New York with two Michelin stars (and only one of two in the country), this has been a banner year for Emma Bengtsson, the new top toque at Scandinavian-bent Aquavit. So you’d be wise to put yourself in her hands for Valentine’s Day, when she’ll be preparing a 4-course menu for $150 per person, featuring dishes like Hay-Smoked Gravlax, Diver Scallop and Sunchoke, Foie Gras and Sea Buckthorn and Langoustine and Almonds.
Read MoreWallflower
Co-owned by the former head bartender at Daniel, Wallflower is offering a 5-course, $95 tasting menu with beautifully crafted cocktails, too (of course). Dinner will start with an array of especially luxurious snacks, including Moonshoal Oysters, Chevre Crostini, Wagyu Beef Tartare and Cured Sea Trout, followed by a dish of Sturgeon and Sunchoke, cloaked with bubbly Champagne Beurre Blanc, and Hen Egg with Wild Mushrooms and Sherry Emulsion, plus your choice of either Roasted Poisson with Foie Gras, or succulent Maine Lobster Risotto, followed by Coffee Pot de Crème, Bread Pudding, or Fruit Sabayon for dessert.
Read MoreBrucie
Don’t expect your standard stuffy prix fixe at this quirky, but tasty Italian trattoria in Cobble Hill — this year, they’re offering a tongue in cheek, 5-course V-Day menu, dedicated to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. (Yes, really!) For $100 per person, you’ll get to choose between blinged-out courses inspired by Kim, such as a “24 Karrot Terrine” with Dill Kreme Fraiche and a Midori Shot, and “Sticky Rice Balls” with Kim-chi, Honey Mascarpone Glaze and Sesame. Alternately, you can order a variety of edible, tongue-in-cheek odes to Kanye, including the “Gold Digger” with Beets, Gold Leaf, Saffron Aioli and Hazelnut Dirt, and “Imma Let You Finish;” a dessert of Pernod Yeezecake and Chantilly Cream.
Read MoreForagers City Table
With a gourmet grocery right next door and their very own farm in the Hudson Valley, New York, Forager’s City Table takes its local-seasonal credo very seriously. So it’s possible that they might make day-of ingredient changes to their planned Valentine’s Day prix fixe, which, for $85 per person, will likely include Lobster Salad with Snow Peas, Mint and Caviar, New York Strip with Black Truffle Pommes Puree and Piquillo Relish, and an ethereal Ambrosia; a sweet salad of citrus, coconut, whipped marshmallow and pistachios. The setting is chic, with wood beams, steel, and floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the streets of Chelsea.
Read MoreJungsik
For truly haute Korean cuisine, make a Valentine’s Day reservation at the elegantly appointed Jungsik in Tribeca. (How often does a night of fancy Korean cooking come along?) At $200 per person, it won’t come cheap, but chef Jungsik Yim isn’t skimping on luxury ingredients in his 7-course tasting menu either. Think Fried Oysters with Anchovy Aioli, Filet Mignon Carpaccio, Sea Urchin with Seaweed Rice and more, accompanied by a glass of good champagne or rose.
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