Danube 30 Hudson St., between Duane and Reade Sts.; 212-791-3771; thedanube.net
Although the exact prix fixe menu won't be set until Valentine's morning,
Chef David Bouley's Tribeca venture has the reputation and the opulence
to back it up. The lacquered and velvet-swathed dining room offers
plenty of arched windows, paintings and exotic touches. If the dinner
price tag is too much for your wallet to handle, a less-expensive
tasting menu will be available earlier in the day.
Cost: $150 for six-course meal (5-11:30 p.m); $75 for afternoon
tasting menu (11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.)
Bouillabaisse
126 126 Union St., between Columbia and Hicks Sts., Brooklyn; 718-855-4405
Don't worry about the cab fare to Brooklyn—the Valentine's special
here is a bargain. You and your date will feast on a prix-fixe menu
of lamb shank, roasted duck and tuna steak with Malaysian green peppercorn.
The bistro's quaint, no-frills, stone-floored charm sweetens the deal.
Cost: $45 for three-course meal, drinks additional or BYOB.
Counter 105 First Ave., between 6th and 7th Sts.; 212-982-5870; counterrestaurant.com
Show some heart this Valentine's by picking this East Village vegetarian
restaurant-cum-wine bar. Not only will you dine on Vietnamese spring
rolls and mango-lemongrass parfait as part of a special Southeast
Asian menu prepared by guest chef Myra Kornfeld, but $10 from each
meal will be donated to tsunami relief efforts.
Seatings:
7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Cost: $65 for five-course meal, $30 additional for organic
wine pairing
Cru 24 Fifth Ave., at 9th St.; 212-529-1700; cru-nyc.com
Softly-lit oil paintings and cut flowers scattered on every table
make for a romantic environment at Cru, where they'll be serving gently
cooked Chatham cod, Maine soft-shell lobster, and pineapple sorbet
and pistachio cake. More than food, it's wine that the restaurant's
known for, with an astonishing 65,000 bottles in store. It's hard
to go wrong, though we suggest you think twice before uncorking that
19th-century Chateau Margaux at $8,990.
Cost: $85 for five-course meal, drinks additional
I
Trulli 122 E. 27th St., between Lexington Ave. and Park Ave. South;
212-481-7372; itrulli.com
A fireplace which straddles two dining rooms adds to the appeal
and warmth of this already cozy Gramercy restaurant. Noted for its
Apulian cuisine, I Trulli is offering a special menu this Valentine's
Day. Snack on the assorted assagini waiting on your table, then
try the tonnarelli with duck ragú and orange essence as your entrée,
and the raspberry mousse with fig sauce and cartellate for dessert—or
any of the other half-dozen or so options for each course.
Cost: $75 for three-course meal, drinks additional
Jewel
Bako 239 E. 5th St., between Second and Third Aves.; 212-979-1012
At this cozy couple-owned East Village Japanese restaurant, the snug
24-seat dining room is clad in dramatic bamboo arches that lead back
to the six-seat sushi bar. On Valentine's Day, they offer a special
tasting menu complete with a champagne toast during both of their
seatings.
Seatings: 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Cost: $100 for six-course meal, includes champagne toast
Mas 39 Downing St., between Bedford and Varick Sts.; 212-255-1790
Couples are out of luck at this quaint West Village spot, where reservations
for two were filled more than a month in advance. But Mas has saved
some room for those flying solo on Valentine's Day and is offering
a large singles table, with room for 10. Those lucky enough to score
a seat can enjoy aphrodisiacs such as truffles, caviar and oysters
and can sip on a rose petal martini—just one of the three unique
Valentine's cocktails they'll be mixing.
Seatings: 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Cost: $88 for five-course meal,
drinks additional
Matsuri 369 W. 16th St., at Ninth Ave.; 212-243-6400
Huge overhead lanterns illuminate the room at this almost-hidden,
surprisingly intimate hotspot in Chelsea's Maritime Hotel (look for
the unmarked red door). Choose from their regular
Japanese a la carte menu or share a special five-course meal for two
that includes oysters, baked eel, and sirloin steak with red miso,
served on a hot plate.
Cost: $95 (per couple) for five-course meal, drinks additional;
moderately-priced to expensive regular menu
Pace 121 Hudson St., at N. Moore St.; 212-965-9500; pacetribeca.com
Begin the night with green point oysters and cap it off with the vanilla
buttermilk panna cotta from chef Joey Campanaro's Valentine's tasting
menu. Take note: this Tribeca restaurant, with
seating capacity bordering on 160, is anything but intimate.
Cost: $55 for Valentine's tasting menu, drinks additional;
moderately-priced to expensive regular menu
Periyali 35 W. 20th St., between Fifth and Sixth Aves.; 212-463-7890; periyali.com
Go Greek at Periyali, where co-owner Nicola Kotsoni's weekly flower
displays and special Valentine's arrangement are a tradition. We recommend
the smoked trout or the grilled lamb chops.
Cost: Moderately-priced to expensive regular menu
Sotto
Voce 225 Seventh Ave., at 4th St., Brooklyn; 718-369-9322
This modest Park Slope trattoria offers a relaxing, satisfying dining
experience. The exposed brick walls covered in early 19th-century,
immigrant-chic photos, and battered hardwood floors are rustically
romantic. Sweetheart ravioli filled with fresh ricotta and sundried
tomatoes and served with a saffron sauce ($15.95) may be a mouthful
to say (and eat), but it's also the aptly-named centerpiece of a special
Valentine's menu.
Cost: Inexpensive to moderate
Suba 109 Ludlow St., between Rivington and Delancey Sts.; 212-982-5714;
subanyc.com
This hip Lower East Side lounge is perfect for those who prefer exposed
steel and brick to the been-there-done-that candlelight and flowers.
Famous for their tapas, Suba will be serving an impressive 14-plate
meal on Valentine's Day, complete with wine, soup, two main courses
(choose from vegetarian, meat and seafood), and multiple desserts
that come with an optional blindfold for an especially sensual dining
experience.
Cost: $95 for 14-plate, four-course meal including glass of
Raventos Cava
Lever
House 390 Park Ave., at 53rd St.; 212-888-2700; leverhouse.com
The Lever House's 21st-century design is a refreshing alternative
to the hearts-and-roses décor you'll find at most restaurants on Valentine's
Day. And chef Dan Silverman's dishes are as sharp and clean as the
décor. The prix fixe menu includes lobster tempura, rack of lamb,
and black sea bass. To whet your appetite, Lever House will fax or
e-mail you their menu.
Cost: $85 per person for a three-course prix-fixe menu. Reservations
that are cancelled after Saturday, February 12th will be charged a
$50 per person cancellation fee.
La
Grenouille 3 E. 52nd St., between Madison and Fifth Aves.; 212-752-1495; la-grenouille.com Although usually closed on Monday, La Grenouille opens its doors
this Valentine's Day, with extravagant flower arrangements and a choice
of an $87.50 per person prix-fixe or a la carte menu.
Featured menu items include warm champagne oysters ($28), bass braised
in St. Amour red wine and thin leeks ($47), and red fruit soup with
pomegranate sorbet ($16).
Cost: The a la carte menu features appetizers for $28, entrees
for $47, and deserts for $16.
Le
Bernardin 155 W. 51st St., between Sixth and Seventh Aves.; 212-554-1515;
le-bernardin.com There will be a special Valentine's Day menu, but we recommend
sticking with their staples, like the oven roasted monkfish with baby
vegetables and pearl onions in a lemon paprika sauce and for dessert,
the banana crème brulee with citrus pistachio biscuit or the
beuree noisette ice cream and peanut caramel.
Cost: $160 per person for the six-course Valentine's Day tasting
menu. $92 set price menu also available. Upstairs Salon: $180 per
person for an eight-course tasting menu. A la carte menu also available.
The
21 Club 21 W. 52nd St., between Fifth and Sixth Aves.; 212-582-7200; 21club.com Spice up your evening with a little celeb-spotting at this famous
Prohibition-era speakeasy (no guarantees, though). The Valentine's
menu represents many of their most popular dishes such as the 21 caesar
salad and the 21 burger, plus a box of truffles for each couple.
Cost: $90 per person for a three-course menu. Reservations
are necessary.
Triomphe 49 W. 44th St., between Fifth and Sixth Aves.; 212-453-4233; triomphe-newyork.com Located near the theater district, Triomphe is a perfect spot
to dine if you're seeing a show. Its four-course prix-fixe menu comes
with playful names for each course like "Holding Hands" (baked brie
en croute), "First Kiss" (pan seared sea scallops with porcini mushroom
foie gras butter), "Love" (filet mignon "Husband" style
with truffled creamed spinach, mashed potatoes and béarnaise
sauce), and "Sweet Dreams" (warm bittersweet chocolate cake with ganache
center and chocolate mint gelato).
Cost: $100 per person; $120 with wine, champagne and a rose.
Barbetta 321 W. 46th St., between Eighth & Ninth Aves.; 212-246-9171;
barbettarestaurant.com Open since 1906, this venerable restaurant is bedecked with
candelabras, a chandelier, and elegantly set tables. For Valentine's,
Barbetta goes beyond the call of duty, hosting a gala with a prix
fixe dinner at 5 p.m. and then live music and dancing at 8:30 p.m.
Feast on "Kinda Wild Salmon" over a bed of lentils or "Brazen Beef"
in a red wine sauce and guzzle their "love potions" made
from—what else?—passion fruit.
Cost: $65 per person prix fixe menu, drinks not included.
Barbetta's Valentine's Dinner Gala will be held on 2/14 and on 2/12
(minus the dancing) at 8:30 p.m.
Felidia 243 E. 58th St., between Second and Third Aves.; 212-758-1479;
lidiasitaly.com Owned by PBS chef Lidia Bastianich, Felidia is a bastion of Italian
cooking. For Valentine's Day the restaurant offers a four-course prix
fixe menu, where sharing with your date is highly encouraged. Split
the lobster salad with mango-apple-scallion salad and passion fruit-vanilla
vinaigrette, as well as bittersweet chocolate pappardelle with wild
boar ragu. For the main course, share New Zealand red venison sirloin
with red beet-balsamic sauce, goat cheese, tangerine oil and roasted
endive. The dessert menu is most noteworthy—it's a sampling of
Felidia's most "passionate" desserts, such as a condensed milk and
passion fruit panna cotta with strawberry sauce. Reservations are
necessary—tables are running out fast.
Cost: $65 per person before 7 p.m., $85 per person after.
Fresco 34 E. 52nd St., between Park and Madison Aves.; 212-935-3434; frescobyscotto.com This Valentine's Day, the Scotto family's Italian restaurant
serves up a four-course meal, with menu choices ranging from herb
breast of chicken and grilled filet mignon to wild striped bass and
baked gulf shrimp stuffed with lump crabmeat. Reservations are highly
recommended, but last we checked there are still plenty of openings.
Cost: $75 per person.
Oceana 55 E. 54th St., between Park and Madison Aves.; 212-759-5941; oceanarestaurant.com
Oceana's stylish design and maritime interior is almost as appealing
as wunderkind Cornelius Gallagher's six-course menu: buttered Rutabega
soup, sheep's milk gnocchi in a green asparagus and smoked bacon sauce
and fresh Scottish langoustines, among others. For the entrée,
choose between crispy tempura black bass or herb roasted duck. Dessert
will be a Valentine's Day sampler. Reservations are a must as is dress-to-impress
attire—absolutely no jeans or sneakers.
Cost: $125 per person; $225 a person with wine parings
Chez
Josephine 414 W. 42nd St., between Ninth and Tenth Aves.; 212-594-1925; chezjosephine.com
Some fly to Paris for Valentine's Day. For the rest of us, there's
Chez Josephine, with its French décor—think dark wooded bar,
red velvet curtains, and interesting artwork. The prix-fixe menu includes
Mousse de Foie Gras, Herb Crusted Baby Rack of Lamb, and Profiteroles
au Chocolat. A live pianist sets a romantic mood for the evening.
Reservations are requested.
Cost: $60 person. 50% deposit required.
Jubilee 347 E. 54th St, between First and Second Aves.; 212-888-3569; jubileeny.com
The Valentine's Day menu at this quaint but fun one-step-above-bistro
restaurant is a three-course prix fixe menu at $48 per person. The
main course includes dishes such as Broiled Atlantic Salmon, Roasted
Breast of Chicken, and Grilled Steak. The Valrhona Molten Chocolate
Mousse Cake is a must have to cap off your Valentine's dinner. Reservations
required.
Cost: $48 per person
Thalia 828 Eighth Ave., at 50th St.; 212-399-4444; restaurantthalia.com
The theatrical décor, paired with a three-course pre-theater prix-fixe
dinner menu ($40 per person) will get you in the mood for a dramatic
night. Fresh flowers and a candle-lit dining room also help to set
a romantic atmosphere. Not going to the theater? Thalia will have
a four-course dinner menu ($75 per person) including a complimentary
glass of champagne and fare as lobster consommé, duet of yellow fin
tuna, and a Rosehip Frozen Nougatina for dessert.
Cost: $40 per person for the pre-theater prix fixe dinner menu;
a $75 per person four-course dinner menu
Arabelle 37 E. 64th St., Plaza Athenee Hotel, between Park and Madison Aves.;
212-606-4647; arabellerestaurant.com
The luxurious dining room—featuring a gold-domed ceiling, brass
chandeliers, and chiffon colored curtains—is almost as elaborate
as Chef S. Peter Smithing's modern American cuisine. His six-course
prix-fixe includes delicacies like sautéed foie gras with balsamic
glazed strawberries, truffled butter poached lobster, and chocolate
crème brulee for dessert. Already have a dinner reservation somwhere
else? At least visit Arabelle's famously sexy Bar Siene for a drink.
Cost: $98 per person; $155 per person with wine pairings.
Asiate 80 Columbus Circle, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, at 60th St.; 212-805-8881;
mandarinoriental.com
If you're out to impress, there's no better way than dinner with a
stunning view of Central Park, which is what this Japanese-French
fusion restaurant offers from the 35th floor of the Mandarin
Oriential Hotel. It's minimalist décor, however, allows the cuisine
(and view) to take center stage. Chef Nori Sugie's five-course prix
fixe menu includes among its offerings blue crab bisque with Thai
basil emulsion, roasted guinea fowl with seasonal mushrooms and vanilla
bean pureé, and white chocolate risotto. And if you can't make it
on Valentine's Day, the same menu is served on Feb. 12 and 13.
Cost: $95 per person; $140 per person with wine pairings.
Central
Park Boathouse Central Park, Enter on E. 72nd St.; 212-517-2233; thecentralparkboathouse.com
During the winter, this romantic lakeside restaurant isn't usually
open for dinner. But for Valentine's Day—and the much awaited
arrival of Christos Gates, which will be on display this month in
Central Park—the owners make an exception. The American cuisine
(mainly seafood and steak dishes) isn't exactly earth shattering.
But the setting very well may be. Factor in the live music and a post-dinner
walk through the brilliant orange Gates, and you'll be embarking on
a night to remember.
Seatings: From 5:30-8 p.m. Cost: $62 for a three-course prix-fixe (not including beverage,
tax and gratuity).
Casa
La Femme North 1076 First Ave., between 58th and 59th Sts.; 212-505-0005
What you're lacking in romance can be found at this Egyptian-inspired
haven in the form of private tents for couples, hanging lanterns,
and belly dancers. Couples are encouraged to share (even hand-feed
each other) the dishes on the four-course prix fixe menu. Everyone
receives a cute gift bag on their way out. (Past goodies have included
truffles, discount cards and a CD of the music played during dinner.)
Seatings: 5 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 10 p.m. Cost: $125 per person in private tent; $100 per person in main
dining room
Geisha 33 E. 61st St., between Madison and Park Aves; 212-813-1112; geisharestaurant.com
This two-floored Japanese fusion playpen includes four sleek spaces
to dine while seated in low, sexy cushioned couches and chairs. Recommended
dishes include Spanish mackerel tartare ($14), shrimp lollipops ($14)
and rack of lamb ($31), but on Valentine's Day, try special menu items
like a patchwork of yellowfin tuna and hamachi in yuzu vinaigrette.
Cost: $85 prix fixe menu (a la carte menu also available).
Kitchen
82 461 Columbus Ave. at 82nd St.; 212-875-1619; charliepalmer.com
Chef Charlie Palmer has revolutionized the prix fixe menu at this
sleek yet affordable culinary hotspot filled with softly lit, intimate
tables. His Valentine's Day menu includes your choice of appetizer,
entrée and dessert (each course has five options). Among them are
oysters on the half shell with serano lime granite; grilled pork tenderloin
with roasted apples, polenta and red cabbage; and double chocolate
mousse. And don't forget
those delicious complimentary cookies they dole out with dessert. Seatings: 6 p.m., 8 p.m., 10 p.m.
Cost: $49
Ouest 2315 Broadway at 84th St.; 212-580-8700; ouestny.com
It's hard enough to reserve a table here on a weekday night, much
less Valentine's Day. But the restaurant has assured us there are
still some openings left (on the earlier side). There is no special
menu—just the delectable fare Chef Tom Valenti offers up everyday.
His unique take on American cuisine includes everything from pan roasted
rabbit ($27) to double rib pork chops ($24). The cozy two-person tables
and red leather booth make for an intimate space, too.
Cost: Moderate to Expensive
@SQC 270 Columbus Ave. between 72nd and 73rd Sts.; 212-579-0100; sqcnyc.com
If your sweetheart has a sweet tooth, book a table at this cozy,
glass-enclosed bistro. Chef Scott Campbell's Xtreme Chocolate Menu
offers this aphrodisiac in every dish. Offerings include everything
from cocktails—like the Smortini ($11)—and plates including
chocolate BBQ spareribs ($11), crab croquettes with chocolate chipotle
cauce ($17) and roasted and spice duck with chocolate hoisin sauce
($26).
Cost: $55 Prix Fixe Price
V
Steakhouse 10 Columbus Circle, Fourth fl., Time Warner Center at 60th St.;
212-823-9500; jean-georges.com
What's more romantic than a porterhouse steak ($66) cooked to perfection
and oozing meaty juices? Especially when it's prepared in one of Chef
Jean Georges' kitchens. They are a just a few tables left in this
gorgeous space at the Time Warner
Center. Adorned with giant gold pillars, chandeliers, and cozy
red chairs, it's classically romantic. The menu remains unchanged
for Valentine's Day. Try the shrimp in tomato horseradish water ($13)
oysters with basil, wasabi, and potato crumbs ($16) and lemon-meringue
composition ($9).
Cost: Expensive
Zocalo 174 E. 82nd St. Between Third and Lexington Aves; 212-717-7772;
zocalo.us
Those on a first date may find candlelight, violin players and roses
over the top—not to mention slightly awkward. For a more laidback
but still intimate dining experience, try this brightly colored,
Mexican folk-art filled restaurant. The Valentine's Day menu includes
tortilla crusted shrimp and chile morita; braised short ribs in
chile cascabel and mexican chocolate sauce with roasted baby corn
and brussel sprouts; and Mexican chocolate pudding with tequila
cherry compote.
Counter
I
Trulli
Matsuri
One
If by Land, Two If by Sea 
Pace
Suba
Asiate
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Steakhouse