Chef Kajino’s Petrale Sole with Organic Bloomsdale Spinach, Winter Root Vegetables and a Lemon Beurre Blanc, from CHAYA’s January menu (a variation of this is available on Valentine’s Day)
It’s almost Valentine’s Day 2014 – where does the time go? Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to enjoy a romantic meal at one of your favorite restaurants, and I’ve gathered some information for several San Francisco venues. See below for details and menus plus information on a few SF hotels if you want to turn the romantic holiday into a weekend getaway. One hotel even offers marriage proposal packages!
I’ll publish information on restaurants in other Bay Area cities including Santa Cruz and San Jose over the next few days.
1760
For those looking to avoid a prix fixe menu, 1760 provides a welcome alternative. Chef Adam Tortosa will offer his nightly a la carte menu of shareable dishes with a few key additions for the holiday. To further the experience, Wine Director Gianpaolo Paterlini’s wine list focuses on selections that complement the creative cuisine. Cocktails crafted by Bar Manager Christopher Longoria also highlight seasonal ingredients and are known for approachable yet distinctive flavors. For reservations visit http://www.1760sf.com/reservations/ or call 415-359-1212
Acquerello
For more than two decades, Acquerello has offered romance and an unparalleled Italian fine-dining experience in San Francisco’s Nob Hill neighborhood. Acquerello restaurant is housed in a former chapel, and the space is graced with arches and a rustic wood-beamed vaulted ceiling, perfect for an intimate dining experience. Dishes on the special Valentine’s Day Tasting Menu may include the Santa Barbara Uni served with crab, apple, turnip and pepperoncino, Petaluma Farms Poultry Lasagna or the Re-Interpreted Veal Osso Buco. For dessert, indulge in the Madeleine Cake with Rosé-White Chocolate, pistachio and candied rose petals. Price per person $215 excluding wine, tax and gratuity. Wine pairing $95. For reservations please email info@acquerello.com or call (415) 567-5432
TBD
Cozy up by the fire at TBD restaurant this Valentine’s day and enjoy Chef Mark Liberman’s hearth-cooked fare. Couples can enjoy a special family-style menu for two with 7-8 small plates created for the holiday.
Alexander’s Steakhouse
Spoil your loved one at Alexander’s Steakhouse with the restaurant’s special 7-course menu with optional wine pairings. The menu highlights all of the steakhouse’s beloved delicacies including Tuna Carpaccio with Shio Koji cauliflower, pickled pearl onion and olive oil and Tajima F1 Wagyu Beef with salt roasted potato, charred leek, and black truffles. For dessert, diners can indulge in a Truffled Gouda cheese course with honeycomb as well as a chocolate course featuring Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Currant, and Port. The dinner is $165 per person excluding gratuity with additional wine pairings available for $95.
Presidio Social Club
Enjoy the standard Presidio Social Club menu of classic favorites along with some special additions in honor of the holiday. Get festive with the Wagyu Carpaccio with crispy sunchoke and truffle, the Broiled Black Cod and Crab Custard in an aromatic broth or the California Lamb Chops.
CLIFT
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with CLIFT’s Sweet Escapes package including Rose champagne and heart-adorned red velvet cupcakes with extra frosting and 2 body paint brushes to have a little fun with. Also included are 2 complimentary cocktails in the Redwood Room and 20% off dinner in the Velvet Room. Upgrade upon check in based on availability.
Foreign Cinema
Foreign Cinema is pleased to usher in Valentine’s Evening with a romantic Pretty in Pink theme and a sumptuous a la carte menu filled with their favorite dishes: Cornmeal Blini with Caviar, Oysters on the Half Shell, Aged New York Steak, Filet Mignon, Big Eye Tuna, Maine Sea Scallops, Seasonally Inspired Salads, Indulgent Desserts and much more.
InterContinental San Francisco
The InterContinental San Francisco offers a “San Francisco Is for Lovers” package that includes romantic features such as champagne for two, long stem strawberries delivered to the room by butler, a bath drawn with rose petals, and a VIP turndown service. Breakfast and a late checkout are also included in the package.
Luce
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Michelin Star at the InterContinental San Francisco’s Luce Restaurant. The 4-course menu for $65 per person includes dishes such as Roasted Carrots and Sun Dried Spices with nettles, smoked egg, and chicken bouillon and Pacific Halibut and Blue Prawns with fennel, golden turnip and winter squash. To sweeten the evening, upgrade to “The Sweetheart Package” for $214 per couple and enjoy a bottle of Moet & Chandon Champagne.
InterContinental Mark Hopkins
The InterContinental Mark Hopkins boasts the legendary Top of the Mark restaurant and bar with a near 360 degree view of the scenic skyline of San Francisco. Situated on the 19th floor of the hotel, the world-renowned sky lounge is famed for its 100 Martinis menu, cocktails and live entertainment. This classic, romantic spot provides the perfect backdrop for a memorable proposal. The Top of the Mark offers a number of Romance Packages such as “Love Above All,” which includes a table with a view at the Top of the Mark, a bottle of Piper Sonoma sparkling wine, six red roses, an assortment of fine truffles, and a framed photo. With “The Perfect Proposal” package, guests are treated to a table with a view, a custom chocolate ring box, a bottle of Piper Sonoma sparkling wine, a framed photo, and an engagement announcement by the Top of the Mark band. For guests unsure of how to pop the question, the InterContinental Mark Hopkins has a Proposal Desk to help brainstorm romantic solutions to engagement needs. The Proposal Desk service will facilitate endeavors from flower delivery to hot-air balloon chartering.
Top of the Mark at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins
This Valentine’s Day, take in a romantic 6-course dinner and 360 degree view of the city at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins’ Top of the Mark. The decadent dinner includes dishes such as Arugula with strawberry, figs, honey, and walnuts and Wagyu with scallop, asparagus, tomato pierogi, and port wine essence. Dinner guests are encouraged to bring an overnight bag as they will be automatically entered into a drawing for a one-night stay in the hotel’s luxurious Presidential Suite. The dinner is $495 per couple and includes one bottle of Möet & Chandon Rosé. Reservations are required.
A16
A16 will celebrate their 10th anniversary on Valentines’ Day 2014. Co-owners Shelley Lindgren and Victoria Libin will host a special dinner that evening where A16’s original chef Christophe Hille will collaborate on a menu with current Executive Chef Chris Thompson featuring the “classics” of A16: favorite dishes from the past decade.
CHAYA Brasserie San Francisco
On Friday, February 14, CHAYA Brasserie at the Embarcadero will celebrate Valentine’s Day with a special three-course prix fixe dinner menu for $80 per person. Guests can choose between six appetizers, six entrees, and five different desserts featuring dishes such as the signature Seared Wagyu Beef Sushi Roll with crab, tempura shrimp, cucumber, and spicy aioli; Spiced Honey Glazed Duck Breast with crispy winter root phyllo, Bloomsdale spinach, and Meyer lemon; and Coconut Ice Cream Sandwich with chocolate fudge. Chef Yuko Kajino offers a take-home gift of CHAYA truffles, and those who dine before 7pm can enjoy the “Early Love-Bird” special with a complimentary ½ bottle of Rose. With idyllic views of the Bay Lights installation, CHAYA’s dining room provides a romantic setting with floor to ceiling windows looking out to the Bay Bridge. CHAYA is renowned for serving innovative cuisine that blends European and Asian flavors. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 415-777-8688 or visiting www.thechaya.com.
Radius
Chef Jason Wittek at Radius will offer a special 4-course tasting menu with dishes such as the McFarland Springs Ranch Trout with smoked potatoes, pickled onions and citrus beurre blanc or the Liberty Farms Duck Breast with escarole, grapes and hazelnut. End the evening of romance with a delicious dessert of Chocolate Nougatine with Vanilla & Olive Oil Milkshake. The 4-course tasting menu will be offered at $70 per person both Friday, February 14 and Saturday, February 15, 2014. A limited a la carte menu will also be available. Prices exclude tax and gratuity. For reservations, please visit http://radiussf.com/or call (415) 525-3676.
Bergerac
Bergerac in San Francisco’s SOMA neighborhood will be hosting “The Lonely Hearts Club” this Valentine’s Day, playing the best love songs from the 60’s and 70’s all night long. Bar goers can drink their sorrows away with the special Love in Vain, Lonely Teardrops, or Sealed With a Kiss cocktail for $7; cry over the Heartbreak Hotel or Let’s Get it On punch bowl with several friends for $30; or enjoy an Oyster Threeway for $5 (one Kumamoto, one Sweetwater, and one Virginicas oyster).
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