How was your Valentine's Dinner ? Let's hear the reports!
Feb 14th, 2001, 02:24 PM
#1
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How was your Valentine's Dinner ? Let's hear the reports!
I unfortunately had to cancel my difficult to get Valentine's Dinner reservation tonight since my husband is ill. Please allow me to live vicariously. Would love to know which restaurants met the holiday challenge and which ones failed miserably. Oh, and feel free to add in any other fodorish items you might want to share. Thanks, and have a really terrific Valentine's Day!
Feb 15th, 2001, 11:40 AM
#3
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Grange Hall, NYC. A lower-key option, with Depression-era decor, homestyle food and a lovely setting on Commerce Street in the West Village (houses all built in 1800s, can almost imagine streets lit by flickering gaslights). Food was so-so; the company, as always, was wonderful. 
Feb 15th, 2001, 11:52 AM
#4
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I had a cold and nearly tasteless tuna salad sandwich on Continental Airlines as I was returning (alone)to NYC from a business trip to FL. At least the little Smores candy they included for dessert was tasty! Next year is bound to be an improvement. A business acquaintance shared dinner with his sweetheart at Grove, a popular restaurant on Grove St just west of 7th Ave South here in NYC. They had a limited "Valentine's Day menu" (only three entrees to choose from) and he was very unimpressed. Says he has eaten there before and it was much better previously. As a person who worked in the restaurant trade many years ago I always avoid eating out on the two major "amateur nights" of the year- Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve - prices tend to be higer and quality os often not as good.
Feb 15th, 2001, 12:31 PM
#5
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Thank you! I actually like the Grange Hall. The herb chicken is delicious. However, Owen is right, many restaurants can't handle the holiday rush. I also frequent one of the oldest theaters in NYC next to Grange - the Cherry Lane. Our reservations were at Aleutia. New to Union Square. Just written up in NY Mag as superb. Maybe next year.
Feb 15th, 2001, 12:32 PM
#6
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My wife and I had a fantastic dinner last night at the Union Square Cafe in NYC. For appetizers, we shared a risotto with pumpkin and lobster and spiced duck foie gras with cherry chutney. For main courses: my wife had lamb chops, which came with a warm salad which she raved about. I had duck with a lemon-pepper sauce and wild rice. For dessert, we shared an unbelievable banana tart with banana ice cream. Also had some terrific wine. The service was great, too. What a wonderful restaurant. Hope you have a better Valentine's Day next year. (This was a big improvement for me--last year I spent Valentine's Day in the emergency room.)
Feb 15th, 2001, 12:38 PM
#7
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Ellen I am so sorry your husband is sick, I hope it's nothing serious.Well,since you asked: I heated up some left over chicken thighs for my husband... I had a cup of microwaved veggies... we sat on the sofa watching TV... but feasted on the Godiva chocolates he surprised me with!!!!!!
Feb 15th, 2001, 12:52 PM
#8
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Due to our conflicting work schedules and restaurants that are too crowded and/or too loud, we stayed home and I stir fried a marinated pork loin with portabellas, onions, garlic, broc and zukes served over a bed of brown basmati rice.
Had a nice bottle of '98 Pinot Noir from the Carneros Creek vineyard in Napa Valley.
Houston Person and Ron Carter playing in the back ground with about 20 candles starting a bonfire in our souls. (We're in Calif-gotta save energy ya know!)
And for dessert....ahhhhh...dessert!
)
Doing a belated V'tine's Day this weekend in Napa Valley-Yountville.
Napa Grill or may see if we can luck out and get in on a cancellation at Fr. Laundry or Bistro Jeanty. Or just Pizza Hut and a hotel room?
Had a nice bottle of '98 Pinot Noir from the Carneros Creek vineyard in Napa Valley.
Houston Person and Ron Carter playing in the back ground with about 20 candles starting a bonfire in our souls. (We're in Calif-gotta save energy ya know!)
And for dessert....ahhhhh...dessert!
) Doing a belated V'tine's Day this weekend in Napa Valley-Yountville.
Napa Grill or may see if we can luck out and get in on a cancellation at Fr. Laundry or Bistro Jeanty. Or just Pizza Hut and a hotel room?
Feb 15th, 2001, 12:59 PM
#9
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Hi Ellen: My husband and I did not wish to pay to have a "quiet" romantic dinner in a restaurant, so, I killed all the lights except the fireplace, immediate cooking area, and the lights coming from the tealamps on our dining room table.
We then had a delicious dinner on our china (prepared by me - cleaned up by him) of: salad with homemade Italian dressing, Asiago cheese bread, tournades of filet and homemade mashed potates. We drank Merlot and listened to Edith Piaf, Sarah Brightman and Cecila Bartoli - all by candlelight. Dessert was berries and cream, with coffee. We spent two glorious hours eating, laughing and relaxing. All without leaving our home, and in our JAMMIES! Happy Valentine's Day to all! P.S. We are married 19 years, but together 20 years on Valentine's Day!
Cathy
We then had a delicious dinner on our china (prepared by me - cleaned up by him) of: salad with homemade Italian dressing, Asiago cheese bread, tournades of filet and homemade mashed potates. We drank Merlot and listened to Edith Piaf, Sarah Brightman and Cecila Bartoli - all by candlelight. Dessert was berries and cream, with coffee. We spent two glorious hours eating, laughing and relaxing. All without leaving our home, and in our JAMMIES! Happy Valentine's Day to all! P.S. We are married 19 years, but together 20 years on Valentine's Day!
Cathy
Feb 15th, 2001, 01:26 PM
#10
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Wife and I planned a romantic ski trip in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, northern California. Months ago I rented a small private single-prop plane and contracted a pilot to chauffer us to and fro. The plan was to fly out Feb 14, get to lodge for dinner, ski one midnight run, make mad passionate love and fly back.
Well, things just didn't work out. Plane sorta nose-dived into trees high in the mountains. POilot, wife and I were alright, but gosh, we were hungry. It was, after all, St. Valentine's Day and the missus and I DID plan to have a romatic dinner. The pilot never argued... much.
Good thing we had little alcohol bottles with us; helped the biceps go down smoo-oother.
All in all, a nice romantic dinner (pilot under glass) by firelight (jet fuel over gas firelogs ANY day of the week).
Well, things just didn't work out. Plane sorta nose-dived into trees high in the mountains. POilot, wife and I were alright, but gosh, we were hungry. It was, after all, St. Valentine's Day and the missus and I DID plan to have a romatic dinner. The pilot never argued... much.
Good thing we had little alcohol bottles with us; helped the biceps go down smoo-oother.
All in all, a nice romantic dinner (pilot under glass) by firelight (jet fuel over gas firelogs ANY day of the week).
Feb 15th, 2001, 01:36 PM
#11
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I don't know, Ellen, the NY Times gave Aleutia one star and characterized the sound level as ear-splitting, so it doesn't sound to me like the perfect romantic dinner!
I've been to Grove once, and it was good, if not great...but the thing was that it was late on a rainy weeknight and they weren't real busy, and the weather plus atmosphere plus simple bistro food we ate reminded us very much of evenings we had spent in Paris not long before, so it was romantic.
We had dinner at home...a simple chicken dish and molten chocolate cakes with icecream and some bubbly for dessert, all by candlelight, of course. To me, staying in, just the two of us, sounds much more appealing than a restaurant meal for Valentine's Day.
I've been to Grove once, and it was good, if not great...but the thing was that it was late on a rainy weeknight and they weren't real busy, and the weather plus atmosphere plus simple bistro food we ate reminded us very much of evenings we had spent in Paris not long before, so it was romantic.
We had dinner at home...a simple chicken dish and molten chocolate cakes with icecream and some bubbly for dessert, all by candlelight, of course. To me, staying in, just the two of us, sounds much more appealing than a restaurant meal for Valentine's Day.
Feb 15th, 2001, 04:41 PM
#13
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Had a chance to visit a place we have been wondering about in Davis CA. We had an hour wait at the Cafe Italia. I enjoyed it because my teenager was with my husband and I. It's rarer and rarer that happens! Fetticine al Carbenero, pesto Pasta Pollo were good. The chocolate lasagne at the end was kind of weird (but not for a teen!).XOXOXO
Feb 15th, 2001, 08:40 PM
#18
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Since I work the night shift, my boyfriend was waiting for me when I got home. While I admired my beautiful bouquet of hot pink roses, he prepared my favorite pineapple pancakes. The bacon was burnt to a crisp but I ate every bit and loved it. Dinner? Well, I slept through dinner.
