V-Day may be fast approaching, but if you’ve not yet planned your romantic feast, there’s a host of delicious menus on offer this weekend from some of our favourite London restaurants. We’ve rounded up some of our favourites…
For the best of French dining - Côte
French favourite Côte draws on the delicious Blood Orange for its Valentine’s menu. Diners this week can share the love with an aperitif of Blood Orange Martini, blending seasonal sunset-red oranges with vodka and Cointreau. Or they can try Confit Duck & Blood Orange Salad, made with sweet and sticky glazed crispy duck confit and caramelised blood orange. The limited menu, available between 11 – 14 and 18 - 20 February, will also offer delicious dishes including fresh Lemon Sole Meuniére and Duck Confit with Sarladaise Potato. And for those looking for a vegetarian or vegan option, there is thedeep flavoured Beet Tartare, and the Risotto Vert – a basil, courgette, pea and broad bean risotto. And since no Valentine’s Day dinner is complete without a dessert to treat yourself to, diners can enjoy a luxurious dark Chocolate Delice with coconut mousse and blood orange jelly, Créme Brulée with vanilla custard, a sharp Lemon Posset or a sweet Blueberry Tart.
For those wishing to host friends or family or treat a loved one to a home-cooked meal, Côte at Home will be delivering its three-course Saint-Valentin menu from 9-14 February. And prepared in under 30 minutes, the limited-edition menu leaves you with more time to spend making memories. To start, diners can choose from decadent British Scallops, Smooth Chicken Liver Parfait served with a fluffy brioche bread, or deliciously rich Goats Cheese Tartlets with red onion and beetroot.
For mains, impress with the show-stopping Lobster Thermidor, served with frites and a side salad, or the rich, flavour-filled Chateaubriand Steak served with caramelised red onion, creamed spinach, sliced potatoes and a truffle jus. For dessert, the Saint-Valentin menu offers either a light Lemon and Armagnac Posset served with fresh raspberries and gavotte wafers, or a gooey, melt-in-the-middle dark Chocolate and Almond Fondant.
Delivered direct to your door, Côte at Home’s Saint-Valentin menu is now available to buy and is priced from £84.95 for two. www.coteathome.co.uk/valentines
For Fantastic Steak Without The Price Tag - Mr. White’s
Marco Pierre White has launched his latest offering in Leicester Square and it’s a world away from what you would expect for that part of town. This sophisticated space, filled with tropical plants, not only has an exceptional cocktail list but a fantastic food menu to boot. Their fillet steak was by far one of the best we’ve tried in London, with a deliciously rich peppercorn sauce (at a mere £29.50 no less). A mushroom lasagne was creamy, comforting, ever so gently nutmeg-infused and a hearty hug of a meal. We loved the nibbles and bar snacks and the whole place fizzed with an electric buzz; to be honest it's about time Leicester Square had the bar raised when it comes to hospitality and it looks like is the place that could do it. They’ve also catered brilliantly for vegans, working with Redefine Meat to develop meat-free dishes include a pretty remarkable 3D printed ‘New Meat’ steak, the only one of its kind in the city and something the team are rightly incredibly proud of. We visited on a Saturday evening a couple of weeks ago and it was busy, buzzing, and a gorgeous place to enjoy a delicious dinner; a hot tip to become a new West End favourite. www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk
For Sharing the Valentine’s Love - Comptoir Libanais
This Valentine’s Comptoir Libanais is sharing the love with a free bottle of wine when you dine in between Valentine’s Day and the 20th February. Whether you’re on a first date or out with all your mates you can get your hands on a complimentary bottle of Ksara Clos St Alphonse White, or Ksara Clos St Alphonse Red to share when you order a mezze, main, and dessert each from our a la carte menu. Definitely worth booking in for!
For the Best British Seafood - Fishworks
Lovers that love seafood should head to FishWorks’ for its three-course sharing menu. Available for £55pp across all three restaurants (Marylebone, Covent Garden and Mayfair), starters include a mixed selection of 12 rock oysters from Morecambe Bay, Carlingford and Jersey; whole Devon crab or a classic fritto misto. Sharing mains feature whole lobster with garlic butter, or FishWorks’ ocean grill – sea bass and sea bream fillets alongside South Coast scallops and chilli, ginger and garlic prawns. Finish with homemade lemon tart or sticky chocolate brownie. An optional appetiser of salmon & caviar blinis with a glass of champagne is also available for an additional £15 per person.
For Fine Dining - Fenchurch
For something extra special, head to Fenchurch on Level 37 between 14th – 16th February for a five-course lunchtime tasting menu (£95pp) or a spectacular seven-course dinner tasting menu (£135pp) created by Head Chef Michael Carr and including a glass of champagne on arrival. Couples looking to go the extra mile can also select award-winning paired wines by Head Sommelier Alexandru Pastrav (supplementary charge from £45pp for lunch and from £67pp for dinner).
Designed with sharing in mind, the delectable dinner dishes include cured Lake District beef on a Tunworth cheese crumpet with yellow mustard seeds, egg yolk and smacked cucumber; roast XL scallop and Cornish crab beurre blanc with celeriac, and Granny Smith apple; venison Wellington for two, served with garlic buttered greens and pomme purée; and the indulgent “Don’t Break My Heart” dessert of Yorkshire rhubarb, white chocolate, pistachio and rose to finish.
