Still planning a V-D dinner with your sweetheart? Here are our suggestions
Valentine’s Day is one of the signal days of the year for dining out — especially for couples who are celebrating an anniversary or a milestone together. Restaurants know it, so they lure lovers with specials designed to encourage l’amour. Here’s our rundown of gay-friendly establishments who hope to make your night memorable.
TJ’s Seafood Market & Grill. “Make love, not dinner!” That’s a message we can definitely endorse on Valentine’s Day. And you don’t even have to eat out! TJ’s offers a sweetheart dinner for take-out (and 20 percent off the usual price). The package includes a board of smoked salmon, two salads, a surf & turf special, pistachio-crusted sea bass and bread pudding, all for $90 total. Reservations are needed at both the Preston Royal and Oak Lawn locations.
Stephan Pyles. The chef’s flagship restaurant has planned a four course meal (with choices) for $95/person and optional wine pairings for an additional $45. 214-580-7000.
The Grape. Long one of Dallas’ most romantic wine bistros, the Lower Greenville restaurant will serve a three-course Valentine’s menu all weekend (Feb. 13–15), prepared by chef de cuisine Sarah Snow, for $65/person. 214-828-1981.
San Salvaje. My No. 3 new restaurant of 2014 offers a three-course menu with wine or cocktail pairings from $60/person. 214-922-9922.
Malai Kitchen. The West Village restaurant offers up a five-course chef’s tasting menu on Feb. 14 that includes oysters on the half shell, Panang curry short rib and pan-roasted halibut for $55/person. 214-599-7857.
SER. Being atop the Hilton Anatole in the Design District offers majestic views of Dallas — a feast for the eyes — plus a dinner that includes four courses from ceviche to lava cake ($95), as well as access to the Bubble Lounge for a la carte desserts and champagnes (included with dinner, or on its own for $25). The meals are offered Feb. 13–15. 214-761-7479.
Dish. The Cedar Springs staple offers a four-course dinner (including dessert) with choice of beef tenderloin or almond-lemon sole for $60/person. Dish-Dallas.com.
Henry’s Majestic. Another impressive new restaurant for 2014 was this Uptown spot, which will serve a three-course dinner on Feb. 13 and 14 that includes entree choices of beef Wellington and scallops. $75/person. HenrysMajestic.com.
Steel. The Oak Lawn sushi restaurant offers a three-course dinner Feb. 13–15 for $65/person. SteelSushi.com.
The Gin Mill will serve up three courses (among them a New York strip or Bouillabaisse) for $35/person Feb. 14. GinMillDallas.com.
Roy’s. The Plano locale of the Polynesian fusion pioneer will offer a one-night-only prix fixe four-course dinner highlighting Misoyaki butterfish and kobe short ribs in a red wine curry demi-glace.
Grace. Cowtown lovers deserve good food, too! Grace is offering a V-Day menu Feb. 13–15. 817-877-3388.
Dallas Museum of Art. The DMA isn’t the first place you think of when you think dining, but for V-Day, in coordination with the opening of the new exhibit commemorating the art of Kazuo Shiraga and Sadamasa Motonaga, the DMA is hosting a cocktail party and full dinner on Feb. 14, including choices such as Szechuan seared scallops, hickory smoked sea bass and vanilla panna cotta. The price is $75 for DMA members ($90 for non-members) and there’s an optional wine pairing. DMA.org/tickets.
Cantina Laredo. From Feb. 12–14, North Texas locations offer a three-course menu for $35 with optional cocktail pairings.
El Chico. Tex-Mex is never a bad idea, and El Chico offers a special Valentine’s Day menu now through Feb. 15. Best of all? It’s under $30.
Eureka!, the newly-opened burger bar in the West Village area, will celebrate Cupid with a raspberry chocolate kiss cocktail featuring Prichard’s double chocolate bourbon, raspberry gomme syrup and red grapefruit for $11, pictured above. It will be available Feb. 9–16.
Kent Rathbun online has desserts ready to order, including cakes (red velvet and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, $44 each) cake balls ($27) and even a dozen hand-packed macarons ($27) available at KentRathbun.com/store.
If Valentine’s dinner goes well, you may be peckish in the morning, so consider limited-edition cherry crepes from The Original Pancake House on Feb. 14 and 15. OPHDFW.com.
As soon as Valentine’s Day is over, Mardi Gras is upon us, and Uptown’s New Orleans-themed spot is The Quarter, which will celebrate with $3 Abitas and hurricanes and complimentary buffet from its McKinney Avenue rooftop deck on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition February 6, 2015.