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A Comprehensive Guide to Valentine's Day Dining in LA

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Arguably the biggest dining night of the year, Valentine's Day is a spectacle to be seen by diners both seasoned and amateur. Dates dress up in their fanciest garb, flowers in hand, perfume sprayed, hair curled and ready for a night on the town. Restaurants know their part — pricey prix-fixe menus that make it easy to choose the evening's array of aphrodisiacs. Lovers and would-be-lovers toast to Champagne cocktails and awkwardly slurp raw oysters. Main courses are often more ordinary, but sometimes come with truffles or caviar. Desserts feature plenty of chocolate, naturally. Here now, Eater presents a handy guide to Valentine's Day Dining in Los Angeles. Reservations are most definitely recommended.


·All Valentine's Day Coverage [~ELA~]

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NineThirty

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Chef Dakota Weiss is putting together a romantic prix fixe menu at this swanky restaurant in the W Hotel in Westwood, with a trio of tartares, butter sea scallops, short ribs, and pot de creme with french toast pancake waffle. The experience includes some farm cheese 'dusters' and a nice spiced popcorn to-go. $85 per person.

Cecconi's

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Instead of a prix fixe, there are a number of shareable Valentine's Day specials at this West Hollywood scene of a restaurant. Hamachi crudo, artichoke risotto with winter black truffles, turbot "al cartoccio," and chocolate peanut butter tortino. Bartender Chris Ojeda makes some special cocktails, such as the Flame of Love, made with Grey Goose, sherry, and flamed orange.

Rockwell Table & Stage

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Enjoy a three-course dinner and show at Los Feliz's Rockwell Table & Stage. They'll be playing romantic films through the night, including Runaway Bride, and dinner includes a ticket to the premiere of "For the Record: The Marshalls," a live show. The three-course dinner includes the likes of crab cakes, heirloom tomato and chanterelle mushroom risotto to start; kosher braised short ribs, pork chop, and king salmon for entree, and gluten free chocolate cake or red wine chocolate creme brulee for dessert. $79 for partial view of the show and $99 for premier seating.

Trattoria Neapolis

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The V-day prix fixe at this Italian restaurant in Pasadena has the likes of oysters on the half shell, housemade cavatelli pasta, Rib-eye steak for two, and a chocolate bombe for dessert. $65 a person.

Tin Roof Bistro

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A $45 Valentine's Day menu includes an amuse bouche from the kitchen, a choice of appetizers like oysters on the half shell or bacon date pizette; crispy Shrimp cake, miso-glazed scottish salmon, homemade thin-noodle lasagna, and braised short ribs for entrees. There's also chocolate mousse and an oatmeal cookie dough blueberry crisp for dessert.

Mohawk Bend

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There's a "cheap" Valentine's Day option at Echo Park's Mohawk Bend, with a choice of potato soup, seared ono tataki with soba noodles, wild mushroom risotto, herbed rib roast, vanilla panna cotta, and chocolate mud pie for $30 a person.

The Churchill

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In addition to its regular menu, The Churchill is making a special $55 three-course prix fixe for V-Day. Wild Mushroom Risotto and Chilled Oysters are starter options. Grilled Hangar Steak, Black Cod, Roasted Suckling Pig, and Vege Ravioli are second course choices. And for dessert there's chocolate banana almond bread pudding and meyer lemon meringue pie.

Bashan Restaurant

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This charming little restaurant in North Glendale has a four-course Valentine's menu with some luxurious items, starting with yellowfin sashimi or a winter salad. Then there's butter-poached Maine lobster or pork belly "teriyaki", then either scallops or 28-day dry-aged NY Steak, then either chocolate bread pudding or coffee tiramisu to finish the meal. $70 for the meal or $95 with wine pairings.

Red Medicine

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This high-end restaurant with Vietnamese and other Asian-influences has a six-course dinner prepared by chef Jordan Kahn. There's dishes such as indian eggplant, beef tartare, charred uni, scallops cooked over hot river stones, or Imperial Wagyu beef brisket braised for 36 hours with palm sugar. All dishes are perfect for sharing. $85 per person.

post & beam

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The reasonably priced three-course prix fixe V-Day menu features the choice of one appetizer including oysters, quail breast with grilled beef bacon, or butter lettuce with walnut bread croutons and blue bheese followed by entrées including Salmon Paillard with Creamy Crawfish Chowder, Heritage Pork Loin with Seasonal Roots & Leaves with Cherry Confit and Smoked Beef Brisket with Horseradish Potato Salad. The night finishes off with a Red Velvet Crème Brulee for two. $30 per person.

Petrossian Paris

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For a decadence Valentine's Day, try this caviar cafe in West Hollywood that has a three-course prix fixe. There's an optional $59 caviar presentation to start the meal that includes 30g of caviar, blinis, toast points, and creme fraiche. Then there's a selection of elegant dishes such as oysters, egg Royale with (even more) caviar, Endive salad or smoked trout; then a prime tenderloin with bone marrow butter or clams with house-made linguini. Dessert is a choice of strawberry meringue tart or chocolate pot de creme. $75 per person.

M.A.K.E. at Santa Monica Place

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For a healthy alternative, this raw dining restaurant uses local produce and some exotic ingredients for a special $45 Valentine's Day menu. Start with beet tartar with truffle cream, spicy market greens with sweet fennel, king oysters with celery root and blood orange, and then finish with hawaiian vanilla gelato with cherries, chocolate, and star anise.

The Strand House

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For the ultimate South Bay Valentine's Day, there's a five-course prix fixe at this Manhattan Beach restaurant that includes heart of palm veloute, fluke crudo or ricotta cheese panna cotta. Then there's scallops with orecchiette nero as a third course. Next choose between John Dory fish with fennel puree or a prime rib "two-ways" with creamed beet greens. Finally there's a hazelnut semifreddo, chocolate souffle for two, or meyer lemon mascarpone cake for dessert.

Caulfield's

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Choose between a hands-on mixology class as a "Best First Date" that takes place between 7-9 p.m. that makes for a fun V-Day twist. For $50 a person, enjoy unlimited cocktails and passed hor d'ouevres. Or have a regular prix-fixe dinner prepared by chef Stephen Kalt that has the likes of artichoke hearts tempura, grilled oysters, of John Dory filet. Pastry chef Kriss Harvey does some great desserts, including frozen chocolate mousse with blood orange. $68 per person.

The intimate alcoves and slick main dining room at Le Ka are the perfect place to enjoy a Valentine’s Day prix fixe menu. Sultry options will include Warm Kusshi Oyster, Slow Cooked Wagyu Beef Short Ribs, and Tahitian Crème Brulee Bars. Cost is $75 per person

Osteria Drago

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This casual elegant restaurant in Sunset Strip might be one of the most underrated restaurants in the area. Start a five-course menu Aragosta in Insalata, Maine lobster, young fennel, bloody orange and citrus vinaigrette; Cuoricini di Pasta, heart shaped ravioli filled with eggplant and buffalo ricotta, truffle butter glaze; Risotto al Prosecco, Prosecco-infused risotto, smoked salmon, and rose petals; Filetto di Bue, prime beef tenderloin, Barolo chanterelle mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and pancetta. Finish the meal with a Valrhona chocolate mousse, raspberry, and passion fruit sorbet.

Rush Street

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Rush Street will have a $25 prix fixe for Valentine's Day,including soup/salad, entree, and dessert. Reservations are recommended. DJ Chuck Wild will be playing after 9:30 p.m. during the "V-Day Dance Party."

Saam at SLS Hotel

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For an insanely high-end Valentine's Day dinner, try the 16-course black truffle pairing at SAAM, the smaller restaurant-in-a-restaurant at Jose Andre's The Bazaar inside the SLS hotel. Dishes include “Dark Egg” with carbonara; Penne with black truffles and almond milk; and Turbot with black pepper air and chicken perigueux sauce. $250 per person with a $100 optional wine pairing.

Hatfield's

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A five-course prix fix costs $135 per person and includes some of chefs Karen and Quinn Hatfield's favorite dishes. Special champagne cocktails will be available in addition to the optional $60 wine pairing.

Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air

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Master chef Wolfgang Puck makes a great V-Day menu in the intimate setting of the Hotel Bel-Air. The four-course menu includes dishes such as Osetra Caviar, Hand Cut Tortelloni with celery root and marcapone, Maine Lobster with parsnip puree, winter root vegetables, tarragon and lobster sauce Americaine, and a Caramelized White Chocolate Mille Feuille with candied hazelnuts and espresso ice cream. $175 per person. The Bar will be offering a special Valentine’s Day cocktail, Addicted to Love with Aperol, St. Germaine, lemon juice and rose champagne.

Tres by José Andrés

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A seven-course dinner at Jose Andres' more casual spot in the SLS hotel starts with dishes such as scallop ceviche, beef tartare, lobster with rose and citrus, and dipped bon bons for desserts. $75 per person

Comme Ça

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Chef David Myers has created a three-course prix-fixe menu featuring sensuous dishes such as Ricotta Ravioli with English peas, mint and preserved lemon; Dorade with eggplant caviar, tomato and nicoise olive; and for dessert a Strawberry Tarlet with orange cream, fraise de boise sorbet. $68 per person.

Susan Feniger's Street @eatatstreet

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Chef Susan Feniger is preparing a special 80's Mixed Tape Menu at STREET. Cyndi Lobster (potstickers with szechuan sauce and chinese mustard), U2na Tartar, and Soy George, which is English-style pot pie with roasted vegetables and seared tofu. $65 per person.

Drago Centro

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A four-course menu at this elegant Financial District restaurant in Downtown starts with l’insalata, smoke salmon, rose water caviar, basil crème, and ciabatta; Il risotto, quail and mushroom risotto, sage, and parmesan; La bistecca, New York steak, crispy potato puree, Swiss chard, beets, and horseradish; and La cioccolato, chocolate torta, passion fruit, prosecco gelee, pistachio. $70 per person and $35 for an optional wine pairing.

Cafe Pinot

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This elegant restaurant in Downtown's Financial district is doing a prix fixe menu that includes French scrambled eggs, spicy grilled octopus, and peking duck with vanilla glazed beets.

John Sedlar's Beverly Blvd restaurant is doing a three-course prix-fixe Chinese-Mexican menu that includes: Mao's maize cakes, camaron spring roll, sea urchin ceviche, pork chop with hoisin sauce, and Hong Kong chocolate almond torte. $60 per person

Valentino

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Piero Selvaggio's classic Italian restaurant in Santa Monica is doing a V-Day dinner prix fixe, featuring classic vitello tonnato, charred octopus, butternut squash ravioli. Entrees include dover sole, lamb chop, filet mignon and risotto vialone nano with farmers market vegetables. $90 per person witha $50 optional wine pairing.

City Tavern

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Easily one of the best Valentine's Day deals in the city, City Tavern is offering a $38 prix fixe meal that serves two! (so $19 a person). It includes one charcuterie or cheese plate to share, one main such as grilled chicken paillard or NY strip steak, and two sides such as brussel sprouts or warm spinach salad. Then there's a choice of a warm peanut butter brownie, bourbon bread pudding or a granny smith apple cobbler.

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NineThirty

Chef Dakota Weiss is putting together a romantic prix fixe menu at this swanky restaurant in the W Hotel in Westwood, with a trio of tartares, butter sea scallops, short ribs, and pot de creme with french toast pancake waffle. The experience includes some farm cheese 'dusters' and a nice spiced popcorn to-go. $85 per person.

Cecconi's

Instead of a prix fixe, there are a number of shareable Valentine's Day specials at this West Hollywood scene of a restaurant. Hamachi crudo, artichoke risotto with winter black truffles, turbot "al cartoccio," and chocolate peanut butter tortino. Bartender Chris Ojeda makes some special cocktails, such as the Flame of Love, made with Grey Goose, sherry, and flamed orange.

Rockwell Table & Stage

Enjoy a three-course dinner and show at Los Feliz's Rockwell Table & Stage. They'll be playing romantic films through the night, including Runaway Bride, and dinner includes a ticket to the premiere of "For the Record: The Marshalls," a live show. The three-course dinner includes the likes of crab cakes, heirloom tomato and chanterelle mushroom risotto to start; kosher braised short ribs, pork chop, and king salmon for entree, and gluten free chocolate cake or red wine chocolate creme brulee for dessert. $79 for partial view of the show and $99 for premier seating.

Trattoria Neapolis

The V-day prix fixe at this Italian restaurant in Pasadena has the likes of oysters on the half shell, housemade cavatelli pasta, Rib-eye steak for two, and a chocolate bombe for dessert. $65 a person.

Tin Roof Bistro

A $45 Valentine's Day menu includes an amuse bouche from the kitchen, a choice of appetizers like oysters on the half shell or bacon date pizette; crispy Shrimp cake, miso-glazed scottish salmon, homemade thin-noodle lasagna, and braised short ribs for entrees. There's also chocolate mousse and an oatmeal cookie dough blueberry crisp for dessert.

Mohawk Bend

There's a "cheap" Valentine's Day option at Echo Park's Mohawk Bend, with a choice of potato soup, seared ono tataki with soba noodles, wild mushroom risotto, herbed rib roast, vanilla panna cotta, and chocolate mud pie for $30 a person.