Eat Your Heart Heart Out: Romance Boosting Valentine’s Day Specials & Galentine’s Day Celebration Ideas

Four-Courses by Acclaimed Chef Mike Minor & Nola Rose Chocolates at The Marine Room

Celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend at The Marine Room, a San Diego landmark and award-winning oceanfront restaurant for more than 80 years

New Executive Chef Mike Minor has designed an unforgettable dinner complete with unparalleled views and romantic candlelight that will be offered from February 11-14. Couples will be treated to an eclectic four-course menu featuring a choice of decadent dishes such as Salmon Belly Cornets with caviar, yuzu and togarashi, Pan Seared Diver Scallops with shaved fennel, corn velouté, brown butter aioli and iberico ham, Westholme Farm Wagyu Beef Ribeye with humboldt fog spoon pudding, purple brussels sprout, blackberry herb butter, and a sweet finale of Lemon Lavender Cake, Chocolate Lava Cake or a Spindrift Cappuccino Cobblestone Pie for dessert. Thespecial 4-course menu is priced at $150 per person and includes a 4-piece box of locally-made Nola Rose chocolates. For those who prefer to customize their dining experience, The Marine Room’s regular menu will also be available.

Views for Days at The Shores Restaurant 

Executive Chef Mike Minor has also curated a more casual celebratory meal at The Marine Room’s sibling, The Shores Restaurant, located just a few steps across the sand. Offering breathtaking views from the Scripps Pier to the La Jolla Cove, this beachfront restaurant provides guests the opportunity to enjoy a sunset stroll before their meal and dine just steps from the ocean at one of San Diego’s most romantic settings. 

Chef Mike’s special 3-course menu is available from February 11-14 for $70 per person. Couples can enjoy a selection of offerings such as the Valentine’s Day Salad with Edible Flowers or Bruschetta, Grilled Beef Tenderloin or Pan Seared Diver Scallops, and end the meal with a choice of a rich Chocolate Lava Cake with Strawberry Compote or Red Velvet Marquise. The regular menu will also be available for those who’d like to mix and match.

Romance Boosting Meats & More at The Wise Ox 

Want to impress that special someone with your cooking game? The Wise Ox’s Meaty Valentine’s Day Packageis the perfect idea for a date night-in. Trust Restaurant Group’s butcher shop & eatery in North Park will feature a case filled with special Valentine’s Day cuts to cook at home, including Chef Brad Wise’s recommended romance boosters: Filet Mignon, Dry-Aged Ribeye, and Bone-In Ribeye.

The Wise Ox is also including a card with every purchase featuring side dish and dessert recipes, such as chili garlic broccolini and roquefort blue cheese compound butter, as well as tips on how to cook them. And don’t forget to pick up a pint of chocolate-covered strawberry ice cream from Mr. Trustee Creamery. To top off a perfect evening, check out the selection of special wines to pair perfectly with the fancy meats, provided by Trust Restaurant Group’s Wine Director Ben Zuba. 

Cupid Sour Cocktail & Truffle-y Cheesewheel at Monello & Bencotto in Little Italy 

In addition to their regular dinner menu offerings, Monello and Bencotto in Little Italy will be featuring two delicious pasta recipes specially made for lovers starting Tuesday, February 8 through Valentine’s Day. The first is a decadentBlack Squid Ink Stuffed Gnocchi, with shrimp and ricotta, smothered in creamy prosecco sauce. The second is an indulgent creation, a Paglia & Fieno straw and hay bicolor tagliatelle tossed in a 60lb Parmigiano cheese wheel and coated in a luxurious truffle sauce with mushrooms and topped with crunchy ham. They’ll also serve a Valentine’s Day cocktail to get you in the starry-eyed mood. The Cupid Sour is a refreshing elixir made with spiced rum, aperol, mint and agave and the perfect pre or post-dinner cocktail. Monello and Bencotto will be open for Valentine’s Day for dinner from 4 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Reservations are recommended. 

Celebrate all the Gorgeous, Gorgeous Girls on Galentine’s Day Urban Plates

Boycotting Valentine’s Day and want to celebrate Galentine’s Day on February 13 with your gal pals instead? Stop by Urban Plates pre- or post-shopping or spa day in La Jolla, Carlsbad, or Del Mar, or order takeout to eat at home with lots of wine to drown your singledom sorrows. 

There’s a dish for every diet on the Urban Plates’ menu with selections such as mouth-watering chimichurri grass-fed steak paired with roasted rosemary potatoes and roasted Brussel sprouts with turkey bacon, or the antioxidant salad –  the perfect cleanse for any relationship toxicity – and made with organic artisan lettuce, organic baby kale, cucumbers, celery, mint, pickled onions, raw walnuts, grapes, blue cheese, seasonal fruit, mint-lemongrass vinaigrette. Jump on the trend of sustainability by checking out the grilled sustainable salmon made with char-grilled ASC certified North Atlantic salmon finished with homemade dijon honey sauce. Tie it all together with warm and crisp chocolate chunk cookies or a rich and moist chocolate vanilla layer cake – all made from scratch daily by the pastry chef!

Looking to host a bigger group for a Galentine’s soi·rée? Let Urban Plates do all of the prep and cooking and order from their catering menu. 

Wine Tasting with Daniel Daou of DAOU Vineyards 

Find the perfect wine to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day or Singles Awareness Day at a wine tasting to preview selections from one of the hottest wineries around and…from the comfort of your own home. Gelson’s and Proprietor/Winemaker Daniel Daou from DAOU Vineyards will be hosting a virtual wine tasting of Daou’s Discovery Rose or Cabernet Sauvignon paired with a premium cheese & charcuterie plate. The event is set for Thursday, February 10, at 6 pm. 

To reserve a spot, pre-order a Gelson’s Custom Cheese & Charcuterie plate featuring Brillat-Savarin Triple Cream, Old Chatham Three-Milk Gouda, Westminster Rustic Red Cheddar, Kerrygold Irish Cashel Blue, and Il Porcellino Salumi with Truffles- served with Dried Apricots and Cherries, Raincoast Crisps and Fresh Grapes. Pick up your wines when you pick up the plate on February 9 and 10, 2022 at Gelson’s Pacific Beach, Gelson’s Del Mar, and Gelson’s Carlsbad. RSVP by Sunday, February 6 at https://www.gelsons.com/events/view/an-online-tasting-with-daou.

Indulge in Three-Courses and Coastal Views at 20|Twenty 

Say “I love you” with a decadent three-course Valentine’s Day dinner made with locally sourced cuisine at 20|Twenty located at the Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa.

Take in scenic views of Carlsbad’s coastline and indulge in seasonal dishes specially created by Executive Chef Julian Quiñones with that special someone. Choose your favorites from the prix fixe menu with starters such as Cara Cara Orange Petite Greens Salad with shaved fennel, goat cheese, mint, cashew and a luscious champagne vinaigrette, or a creamy shrimp bisque. For the main course, feast on Port Braised Short Rib with Cippolini braised chard and sweet potato nueske bacon hash, or opt for a Pan Seared Sea Bass with oyster mushroom and sweet pea risotto. Vegan- and gluten-free options are also available. For dessert, try the Strawberry Balsamic Pavlova or a S’mores Takeaway Kit to nibble on as you cozy up by the fire pits after dinner.

20|Twenty’s three-course Valentine’s Day prix fixe menu can be enjoyed at $85 per person, with additional wine pairings of Sparkling Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Franc bottles to top off the dinner. For more information or to make reservations, visit 20twentygrill.com or call 760-827-2500.