14 More Valley Places to Wine and Dine Your Honey Bun on Valentine's

By Dominique Chatterjee Wed., Feb. 6 2013 at 9:00 AM

Categories: Seasonal

Continued from page 2

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Throw all your bad juju in the fire.

Hula's Modern Tiki

Hate the lovey dovey holiday? Join Hula's for an Anti-Valentine's celebration, where there promises to be no reservations, no pressure to bring a date, and all-night happy hour deals. Basically, this is the place to bring your best friend, casual hook-up, or who-knows-where-we're-at S.O. Along with $5 appetizers, $3.50 draft beers, and $5 signature cocktails, heartbreak Baja fish tacos will be on the menu. The cheeky restaurant also invites you to bring a photo of your ex to burn in the big fire pit on the patio. For your trouble (y'know, dating that piece of work in the first place), you'll get $5 off a future visit.

The Mint

Want to take your date dancing after dinner? Call 480-947-6468 to make your reservation for The Mint's three-course prix fixe menu, available from 4 to 10 p.m. on Valentine's. Dinner will include crisp oysters with wasabi creamed spinach and bacon aioli followed by a duo of roasted filet mignon with crab butter and Schezwan grilled shrimp with shitake mushroom and potato gratin. After enjoying vanilla and espresso panna cotta with chocolate and strawberries, stick around for when The Mint switches gears from romance to dancing.

The Herb Box

Both locations, SouthBridge and DC Ranch, will have a three-course dinner meant for sharing. For $69 per couple, you and your date can enjoy duck confit crepes with sweet corn and poblano, spinach and ricotta gnocchi with heirloom tomatoes, lemon zest, kale, and basil pesto, and chocolate beet cake with bittersweet chocolate ganache. The meal includes one glass of Prosecco or Strawberry Darling cocktail per person. For reservations, call 480-289-6160 to reach Old Town, or 480-289-6180 for DC Ranch.

In addition, The Herb Box Market will have small and large to-go/delivery options for Valentine's, priced at $55 and $75 for two people. Baskets include gourmet selections like cheese and charcuterie board with house-made fig and port jam, roasted free range chicken with tomato gorgonzola butter, and pink meringue cupcakes with raspberry curd. Plus, you get a bottle of wine or Prosecco and rose petals to create the perfect setting. Basket orders must be placed by 5 p.m. on February 12; call 480-289-6161.

Davanti Enoteca

One of Laura Hahnefeld's favorite new restaurants of 2012, Davanti Enoteca is planning a romantic menu of Italian delicacies. The "Amore a Prima Vista" (Love at First Sight) menu will be available February 14 to 16 for $65 per person, $30 for wine pairings, and plays out in seductive fashion, starting with a glance, then embrace, peck, and kiss. The second course, embrace, includes choice of tortellini di ricotta with black truffle and chervil, gnocchi di patata with wild boar ragu and pecorino Toscana, or fettucini al Burro with a farm fresh egg and caviar. Entrée is a choice of crispy duck with amarena cherries and cara cara oranges, dry aged NY strip steak with wild mushrooms and crispy onions, or Georges bank scallops with cauliflower, raisins, and pine nuts. The dessert, a final kiss of flavor, is Italian baked Alaska with stewed cherries and Nutella. For reservations, call 480-659-1800.