Since South Florida is a culinary paradise, there are lots of Valentine’s Day dining choices for you and your boo.
And that’s a good thing because it’s important to get the romantic dinner thing right.
To help you out, here are our top five fabulous foodie “must-dines” that will make Feb. 14 special. These selections, spanning Broward and Palm Beach counties, offer different price points and are sure to get an arrow of approval from Cupid himself.
Keep in mind that prices do not include taxes or gratuities.
Galley at Hilton West Palm Beach
600 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 561-231-6000; hiltonwestpalmbeach.com
Tucked within the Hilton hotel in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, Galley will serve a four-course prix fixe menu and Champagne toast on Feb. 14 from 5 to 10 p.m. At $145 per person, this menu option will include an amuse-bouche of Spice Crab Puri Puri or Beef Carpaccio; a salad choice of Charred Figs or Lemon Poppy Seed Stracciatella, an entree of Acquerello Risotto di Mare or 30-Day Dry-Aged Ribeye (14-ounce), and a dessert selection of Triple Chocolate Cake or Raspberry Coconut Cremoso.
By the way, there’s another Cupidy special going on at the Hilton. From 5 to 10 p.m. Feb.13-14, Moody Tongue Sushi — a Michelin-recommended eatery — will offer an omakase artistry/craft beer dinner pairing featuring 13 courses for $215 a person and starting off with a Framboise (Belgian fruit lambic beer) followed by dishes such as Botan Ebi with Ossetra caviar, Toro with cherry niçoise, A5 Miyazaki Wagyu, Hokkaido Uni and more.
Delray Beach DDA
Gary Rack’s Farmhouse Kitchen is offering a special three-course Valentine’s Day menu. (Delray Beach DDA/Courtesy)
Gary Rack’s Farmhouse Kitchen
399 SE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton; 561-826-2625
204 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-266-3642
farmhousekitchenboca.com
Chef Demetrio Zavala — culinary director at Gary Rack’s and a multichampion of Food Network’s “Chopped” — is planning a three-course Valentine’s menu of specials served from Feb. 12-15.
Start with a Beet and Citrus Salad with whipped ricotta, arugula and toasted almonds ($21).
The choice of entrees includes a 12-ounce N.Y. Strip Oscar with jumbo lump crab and porcini demi, cream spinach puree, whipped potatoes and béarnaise sauce ($55) or a Roasted Branzino with lemon-scented white bean purée, white beans, baby kale, vinaigrette and garlic ($44).
The “feed-each-other finale” dessert options include Flourless Chocolate Cake ($19), Apple Gooey Butter Cake ($19), Monster Carrot Cake ($26) and Key Lime Crème Brûlée ($12).
Ladies, start off with a free glass of prosecco. Specialty Valentine’s Day cocktails ($17) include The Honey Do (Milagro Reposado tequila with Cointreau, orange juice, honey, cinnamon, lemon and a cinnamon-dashed orange slice) or the Love @ 1st Sip (vodka, strawberry puree, angostura bitters, honey and a strawberry slice).
Pier Sixty-Six
The patio at Calusso at Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale. The restaurant will offer a five-course Valentine’s Day tasting menu inspired by romantic movies. (Pier Sixty-Six/Courtesy)
Calusso at Pier Sixty-Six
2301 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale; 754-318-6997; calussorestaurant.com
Romantic movies are the inspiration for a five-course meal planned Feb. 13-14 at this restaurant within Fort Lauderdale’s renovated Pier Sixty Six.
The Valentine’s Day tasting menu ($195 a person) will feature Bluefin Tuna with Strawberry and Kaluga caviar (“Lady & the Tramp”), Eggplant Zaalouk with Jamón Ibérico (“Fifty Shades of Grey”), Squid Ink Tagliolini with Blue Crab and Sea Urchin (“Casablanca”), Westholme Wagyu Filet with Crispy Beet Pavé and Beetroot Bordelaise (“Beauty and the Beast”), and Chocolate Raspberry dessert finished with gold (“Moulin Rouge!”).
There will be wine pairings, ranging in price from $150 to $275, and the restaurant, known for its French and Italian rivieras cuisine, will have a pianist playing classic film scores.
Banana Boat
739 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach; 561-732-9400; bananaboatboynton.com
This waterfront dining spot will have the following chef-curated specials: Pan Seared Scallops ($18), Chicken Florentine ($24), Shrimp and Maine Lobster Risotto ($38) and Chocolate Mousse Cannoli ($12). That’s in addition to the regular menu and live music.
There will also be two Valentine’s Day craft cocktail specials ($15): Cupid’s Key with Stoli Vanilla, Liquor 43, coconut puree, raspberry puree and graham cracker rim; and Emily’s Kiss with Skyy Cherry, rosé prosecco and grenadine, topped with Sprite.
Jupiter Compass Digital Marketing
The Chicken Florentine at Banana Boat. (Jupiter Compass Digital Marketing/Courtesy)
California Pizza Kitchen
2301 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 954-565-1196
10300 Forest Hill Blvd. (The Mall at Wellington Green), Wellington; 561-793-1601
3101 PGA Blvd. (The Gardens Mall), Palm Beach Gardens; 561-625-4682
cpk.com
Looking for something a little more casual? All week long, from Feb. 9-15, CPK locations will bring back their heart-shaped pizzas and “Sweet Deal for Two” (starting at $60), which includes a three-course meal created for sharing.
The special offers one starter (Spinach Artichoke Dip or Lettuce Wraps with Chicken), two entrees and one dessert (Butter Cake, Churro Swirl or Upside Down Cheesecake). Entrees include thin-crust heart-shaped pies such as The Original BBQ Chicken Pizza, Hawaiian, Mushroom Pepperoni Sausage and Sicilian.
You can also order heart-shaped pizzas individually for an additional $1.75 above the standard price, with pizzas starting at $18.49.
California Pizza Kitchen
For a week, California Pizza Kitchen is bringing back its fan-favorite, heart-shaped pizzas and Sweet Deal for Two. (California Pizza Kitchen/Courtesy)