Valentine’s Day Dining Guide

An amorous meal for Valentine’s Day is wickedly tempting; of course, there’s the option to stay home and toil in the kitchen – prepping, cleaning, measuring and researching whether that Martha Stewart recipe really did state 1^½teaspoons of ground cayenne or was it 1^½tablespoons…? Who really knows? The real question is why go through such a hassle when you and your SO can get dolled up to dine out, in the time it will take to attempt a romantic dinner for 2? Hang up your wooden spoon and apron and read through my Valentine’s Day dining guide on romantic restaurants for you and your special someone this Valentine’s Day.

DINING

THAI

Yum Sa Restaurant ‘The Lover’s Menu’

5 courses with coconut water £31pp | 5 courses with bottomless prosecco £39pp

We journey first to the realm of exciting flavours, memorable aromas and wholesome dishes at South West London’s newly opened Yum Sa. The masterminds behind this exceptional establishment have brought an Asian restaurant to London with influences from the flavours of Thailand and surrounding countries. Yum Sa is an environment within which the palate is celebrated in an alchemy of colour and taste, a congruous union of food, drink and soul entwined in a balance from beginning to end. The restaurant is exquisite featuring dark grey walls, patterned comfy booths, stylish pendant lighting and an open kitchen allowing you the opportunity to gaze at chefs whilst they skilfully prepare your sumptuous meals. Their Valentine’s Day menu is a five-course feast comprising of bottomless prosecco or coconut water on arrival (depending on the package selected) along with wasabi topped tofu larb. Also expect prawn sapphire gyoza, love locked crab pad Thai, yum sa trifle and a grand finale of ginger chocolate dipped strawberries.

Menu style – Valentine’s Day menu
Location: Putney, South West London
TripAdvisor rating – 5

*Wasabi topped tofu larb in crispy shells | Yum Sa, Putney*

Image-1 (4) — *Prawn sapphire gyoza | Yum Sa, Putney*

*(Above) Love locked crab padthai (below) Artichoke & asparagus padcha | Yum Sa Putney*

*Duck & chicken, black & white | Yum Sa Putney*

Image-1 (2) — *Duo of beef | Yum Sa Putney*

Image-1 (5).png — *(Plated) coconut hot & cold (in a glass) Yum Sa trifle | Yum Sa Putney*

MOROCCAN

Zayane Restaurant

2 courses with glass of house wine £25pp

Next up is a modern Moroccan restaurant that resides in the famous neighbourhood of Notting Hill along Golborne Road. Zayane restaurant features a menu combining vibrant authentic Moroccan flavours with culinary techniques and European influences. A mixture of British seasonal produce and spices imported from Morocco are used to create contemporary Moroccan dishes that is sure to cause your taste buds dancing for joy! Upon arrival, it appears petite in size boasting a narrow galley-style interior, decked with colourful chairs, Moroccan style pendant lighting and mahogany exposed beams, creating a romantic and relaxed atmosphere. A selection of briwats as well as, seabream with vegetables and lobster sauce are dishes you can expect or couscous with roasted veggies followed by a chocolate delice served with rose cream fraiche, all of which is inclusive of a glass of house wine.

Menu style – Valentine’s Day menu
Location: Notting Hill, West London
TripAdvisor rating – 4.5

*Pan fried halibut | Zayane, Notting Hill*

john dory with peppered sauce — *Pan seared John Dore with pepper sauce | Zayane, Notting Hill*

lamb with couscous and veg — *Lamb shank with couscous & vegetables | Zayane, Notting Hill*

mint tea — *Moroccan tea | Zayane, Notting Hill*

SPANISH

Ibérica Restaurants

Complimentary glass of Rosé Cava when dining

Treat you and your loved one to a delectable tapas extravaganza at Ibérica. Ibérica has made it their mission to bring authentic Spanish food to the UK, where quality fresh ingredients are used to produce incredible tapas dishes, grills and paellas that are a match-made in heaven! The restaurant’s wine list features dry, rich and fruity whites as well as, bold, mellow and silky reds; with over 70 wines from a host of wineries in Spain, their wine list possesses a diversity of Spanish wines. Tapas dining is particularly fitting for Valentine’s Day because it allows you both to bond while sharing mini tasty dishes like sweet chorizo lollipops, tender octopus a la Gallega, juicy padrón peppers or their signature croquetas de Jamón as well as, their Valencian style paella. Ibérica – designed by Spanish architect Lázaro Rosa Violán, is a beautiful restaurant to dine at with the aim of transporting guests to Spain upon their arrival. Rustic and exquisitely chic in style with deep browns, fierce reds, emerald greens and royal blues featuring as prominent hues within their branches across the UK.

Menu style – Evening menu
Location: various – London, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow
TripAdvisor rating – dependent on branch

ch lols — *Chorizo lollipops | Ibérica Restaurants*

padron — *Padrón peppers | Ibérica Restaurants*

croquetas — *Croquetas de Jamón | Ibérica Restaurants*

veg paella — *Valencian style vegetable paella | Ibérica Restaurants*

churros — *Churros | Ibérica Restaurants*

Iberica_Valentine's Day 2018_High res _L1 — *Valentine’s Day complimentary offer | Ibérica Restaurants*

ITALIAN

Rucoletta Restaurant ‘San Valentine’

3 courses £26pp | 3 courses with glass of prosecco £30pp

A taste of Italy is served up at our next dining destination at Rucoletta restaurant (check out my in-depth review) a family run business, possessing over 30 years catering experience. The Italian eatery prides itself in their traditional yet modern perspective of authentic Italian food offering the best of Italian cuisine where lovers can enjoy a friendly yet professional service within an intimate atmosphere. The restaurant décor is simple with cream walls, white tablecloths, red and tan accents and a scattering of painted artwork on canvas along the walls. Diners can enjoy dishes such as vitello tonnato and melograno (braised veal on a bed of tonnata and pomegranate sauce) ravioli burrata and pomodorini (homemade ravioli filled with burrata in a cherry tomatoes sauce) as main or mousse al cioccolato as dessert (dark chocolate mousse garnished with lemon) from their Valentine’s Day menu.

Menu style – Valentine’s Day menu
Location: Paul’s, City of London
TripAdvisor rating – 4.5

20180113_011911 — *Restaurant interior | Rucoletta, St. Paul’s*

*Restaurant exterior | Rucoletta, St. Paul’s*

AFTERNOON TEA

The Brasserie, Corus Hyde Park

Afternoon tea & live jazz package £35pp

Afternoon tea – exquisite in taste, elegant in nature and often expensive in cost. However, The Brasserie at Corus are moulding this dining experience into a spectacle that will allow you and your partner to revel in savoury bites and tempting treats whilst sipping on tea from an extensive selection, enjoying the glorious rhythm of live jazz. What could be more perfect? Items from the menu include smoked salmon and avocado sandwiches and caprese sandwiches along with buttermilk, white chocolate and raspberry scones followed by passion fruit cream-filled macarons – to name a few! The décor at The Brasserie is simple yet classic – cream walls and columns, beige soft carpets with dark coloured wooden furniture within a conservatory style dining room with plenty of natural light and views across into London’s infamous Hyde Park.

Menu style – Valentine’s Day afternoon tea menu
Location: Lancaster Gate, West London
TripAdvisor rating – 3.5 (based on hotel rating)

coruss — *Restaurant interior | Corus, Hyde Park*

Banu at The Colonnade

Traditional Afternoon tea with prosecco £32pp

Banu is a restaurant with locations at The Cranley, South Kensington and The Colonnade, Little Venice, specialising in traditional Persian cuisine. Banu at The Colonnade (will be focus of this post) is a wonderful venue to indulge in delicious Persian dishes within a stunning cosy and colourful dining room and tranquil garden terrace, providing guests with the ability to dine al fresco (given suitable weather conditions). Apart from a delightful afternoon tea menu, Banu also serves up a weekend brunch menu, A La Carte and set menus as well as, a wine list from a broad selection of countries worldwide. The afternoon tea menu includes finger sandwiches such as egg mayonnaise and creamy chicken, homemade plain scones served with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry jam along with a scrumptious assortment of homemade cakes and treats that can be enjoyed this Valentine’s Day.