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>> Related: Where Can You Still Get a Valentine’s Day Table?
Againn
On the menu: This British-inspired gastropub is celebrating singles with a three-course Anti-Valentine’s Day dinner. First-course choices are house-made black pudding with a fried duck egg, petite mustard greens, and toast; and celery-root soup with Stilton mousse and grated apple. For the second course, you can pick either a mixed grill of Tamworth pork with a ten-hour roasted shoulder, crispy pork belly, house-made sausage, sage dumplings, Brussels sprouts, and an heirloom applesauce; or Loch Duart salmon with King Richard leeks, olive-oil crushed butterball potatoes, and watercress broth. For a third course, there’s dried-fruit pudding (known as spotted dick) with maple-rum custard.
When it’s available: February 13.
What it costs: $39 per person.
Art and Soul
On the menu: The three-course dinner at this dressed-up Southern dining room kicks off with a shrimp-and-grits amuse-bouche to share. Next comes a choice of a winter-greens dish with blood orange, fennel, toasted hazelnuts, and feta cheese; oysters on the half shell with candied Meyer lemon and vodka mignonette; or seared foie gras with French toast, fig smear, and kumquat syrup. There are four main-course options: bone-in prime rib eye with black-pepper jelly, smashed fingerling potatoes, and creamed spinach; Lola duck with bourbon-cherry glaze, sausage confit, winter vegetables, and spaghetti squash; crispy whole fish with seafood gumbo and dirty rice; or herb-roasted pork rack with parsnip purée, braised Brussels sprouts, mustard jus, and candied cranberries—all designed for two. Dessert options include a tartlet trio—apple spice, cherry mascarpone, and apricot-honey—also designed for a couple; a spiced chocolate-pudding cake with caramelized pears and caramel; and a blood-orange mousse paired with almond shortbread.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $90 to $120 a couple.
Asia Nine
On the menu: This large Penn Quarter hot spot will have an à la carte menu and Valentine’s cocktails. Special drinks include the nonalcoholic Pinky Rosy Love ($6), made with strawberry purée, lime juice, sparkling water, and cherry syrup; the Head Over Heels Bellini ($10), which has sparkling wine, black-currant liquor, wild-blueberry purée, strawberry juice, and Belle de Billet pear liqueur; the Love Bit ($10), with light and dark rum, strawberry purée, ginger juice, lime juice, lemon juice, and mint; and the Falling in Love ($10), a concoction of rum, raspberry rum, Monin, rose water, rose petals, and lime juice. Starters include the Because I Love You ($10)—shrimp three ways with a rice-wrapped shrimp dumpling, crispy rock shrimp in a wonton wrapper, and a plain shrimp dumpling; Hot Passion Soup ($8), with coconut milk, a lemongrass broth, mushrooms, cilantro, and chicken; and the Web of Love Salad ($10), which comes with baby octopus, mixed greens, seaweed, lime dressing, and creamy sauce. Entrées include the Soul Mate Surf and Turf ($28), which is a six-ounce filet mignon, grilled shrimp, mushroom cream sauce, and cilantro purée; the Lovey-Dovey Grilled Fish ($24)—grilled fish with napa cabbage, zucchini, yellow squash, and enoki mushroom in a red sauce; the Forever and Ever Honey Duck ($24), which is a braised honey-roasted duck with Chinese broccoli, five-spice dark soy, and brown rice; and the Pink Diamond Valentine’s Sushi ($25). The desserts include the Marry Me Chocolate ($9)—chocolate génoise, chocolate ganache, toasted hazelnuts, and strawberry purée; and the I Do Cappuccino ($9), coffee mousse with chocolate ganache, striped génoise, coffee glaze, and crème anglaise.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: Menu items can be purchased à la carte, but there are combo specials. The deluxe set is $100 and includes two drinks, two starters, two entrées, two desserts, and two added glasses of complimentary dessert wine. The Love Set is $80 for two drinks, one starter, two entrées, and one dessert.
Bangkok Joe’s
On the menu: At this waterfront spot, there are three menus that each include two glasses of wine, an entrée for two, and a strawberry-cream profiterole for dessert. The least expensive includes either Pinot Grigio or Pinot Noir, and entrée choices are pad Thai with sen lek noodles or crispy whole flounder fileted tableside. For the mid-range menu, you can switch the wine for Champagne, and for an appetizer you get lobster dumplings with ginger/lobster cream sauce, edamame, and red tobiko. Entrée choices are crispy whole flounder; Crying Tiger, a grilled marinated flank steak with red onions, basil, and rice powder, served with green-papaya salad and Thai sticky rice; and red curry with seafood, red jasmine rice, Asian pear, roasted tomatoes. and crispy beets. The most expensive menu offers a choice of any wine by the glass, and you get a four-course meal: seafood/lemongrass soup with Thai herbs and mixed mushrooms in a hot-and-sour broth, followed by the lobster dumplings. For entrées, there’s a larger crispy whole flounder; Aulie’s Peking Duck—a half farm duck with cherry-hoisin sauce and vegetables, served with steamed pancakes; or seafood curry; and dessert.
When it’s available: February 12 through February 14.
What it costs: $22, $32, or $42 per person.
Bastille
On the menu: This charming mom-and-pop French bistro in Old Town has a three-course prix-fixe dinner. Appetizers are a salad of Belgian endive, orange suprêmes, fresh goat cheese, olives, and almonds; celeriac-and-wild-mushroom soup; house-made potato gnocchi with duck confit, mushrooms, and truffle ragoût; and seared local sea scallops with pink-peppercorn sauce. Entrée choices are a pan-roasted local striped-bass filet with saffron-lemon nage, pearl pasta, capers, pine nuts, and fennel; a Smith Meadow Farm grass-fed veal loin and braised shank meat à la daube Provençale with olives, tomato, citrus, olive polenta, and braised greens; a pan-roasted Moullard duck breast with star anise, Ceylan cinnamon jus, caramelized Anjou pear, and root vegetables infused with Madagascar vanilla bean; and a winter root-vegetable tagine with orange-fennel coulis and garbanzo panisses. Desserts are red-velvet cheesecake with bittersweet- and white-chocolate sauces and strawberries; and a Valrhona Manjari chocolate terrine with caramelized bananas, blueberry compote, and cashews. Yo
u can also add an optional cheese course for $19, which includes a Saint André galette, kumquat jam, and almonds.
When it’s available: February 12 through February 14.
What it costs: $45 per person; add $25 for wine pairings.
Birch & Barley
On the menu: This 14th Street restaurant’s five-course tasting menu starts with a choice between scallop crudo with blood orange and pink peppercorn and Island Creek oysters with green-apple mignonette and radish batons. The second course is halibut with fennel and pommelo beads, followed by gnocchi al forno with house-cured pancetta and tomato coriander. For the fourth course, you have the option of a beef strip loin with potato purée, balsamic-braised cabbage, and cippolini onions; or honey-glazed duck breast with wild rice and turnips. Dessert is a blood-orange-pudding cake with a bittersweet-chocolate sorbet and cardamom.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $55 a person; add $20 for beer pairings or $35 for premium pairings.
Bistrot Lepic
On the menu: This cozy French bistro and wine bar in Georgetown is offering a prix fixe three-course menu. Appetizers include chestnut soup with duck confit; sautéed duck foie gras with black-trumpet-mushroom sauce; smoked-salmon terrine with spinach and lemon-confit vinaigrette; a salad of red and yellow endives, Asian pears, Roquefort cheese, and walnut-oil dressing; and golden-and-red-beet Napoleon with goat cheese, frisée, and crème fraîche mousse. For the main course, you can choose a Maine lobster à la nage with spinach, mango, pineapple, avocado, heart of palm, and coconut milk; seared rack of lamb served with Peruvian potato au gratin and truffle-mushroom sauce; seared duck breast with Savoy cabbage, duck confit, and porcini-mushroom sauce; king salmon and jumbo shrimp served with Beluga-lentil ragoût and red-wine/butter sauce; or ratatouille with a julienne of vegetables, sautéed mushroom, potato gratin, Beluga lentils, and olive oil. An optional $8 cheese course includes four selections. For dessert, there’s a duo of Grand Marnier or chocolate hearts with raspberry coulis.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $69.50 per person.
Bourbon Steak
On the menu: The six-course menu at Michael Mina’s restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel starts with chilled Cape Breton oysters with mignonette gelée and Aubry Brut Champagne. Next comes Ahi-tuna tartare with toasted sesame oil, ancho chili, Asian pear, and mint. That’s followed by lobster risotto with black truffles and then Châteaubriand for two with steakhouse sides. Dessert starts with a passionfruit panna cotta with mixed fruits and a lemongrass consommé, then there’s warm milk-chocolate fondant with Nutella ice cream.
When it’s available: February 13 and February 14. If you’re one of the first 20 to arrive for the 5:30 seating, you’ll receive a complimentary pair of AMC movie tickets to see Valentine’s Day along with two glasses of Champagne and house-made caramel popcorn.
What it costs: $199 a couple.
Café Atlántico
On the menu: José Andrés’s Latin/Asian fusion restaurant is pairing Valentine’s Day with Brazil’s Carnaval celebration. The prix-fixe menu includes a hearts-of-palm salad with passionfruit, orange, chayote, quince, and almonds; and crab soup with okra and curry. Main courses include a mocqueca with lobster, monkfish, and coconut risotto and a dish of braised oxtail, beef tongue, truffles, and polenta. For dessert, you can order a variety of petit fours.
When it’s available: February 12 through 14.
What it costs: $85 a person.
Café Promenade
On the menu: The four-course prix fixe menu starts with a choice of appetizers: seared diver scallops with strawberry-vanilla soup and rose-petal noodles; smoked-salmon with capers, red onions, hard-boiled eggs, micro-greens, crème fraîche, and American caviar; grilled Mississippi quail with braised shallots and parsley-black-truffle sauce; a gratin of oysters on the half shell with leeks and a black-truffle hollandaise; or, for an additional $10, a seared medallion of foie gras with a vanilla brioche, grilled frisée, and a blood-orange sauce. For the next course, you can pick either a lobster bisque or a salad of organic mesclun greens with toasted almonds, sliced grapes, Stilton cheese, and Champagne vinaigrette. Entrée choices are pan-roasted Atlantic salmon with bamboo rice, baby bok choy, and citrus beurre blanc; grilled New York strip steak with goat cheese, mashed potatoes, baby vegetables, and a truffle-scented demi-glace; grilled rack of New Zealand lamb with soft polenta, sautéed rapini, tomato, and rosemary jus; or for an additional $20, a vanilla-butter-basted two-pound Maine lobster with Mediterranean couscous, asparagus, and lobster beurre blanc. For dessert, choose between a warm chocolate-lava cake with strawberry ice cream or the Cupid’s plate, with chocolate-covered strawberries, white-chocolate/raspberry pot de crème, tiramisu, and passionfruit crème brûlée.
When it’s available: February 12 through February 14.
What it costs: $85 per person.
CityZen
On the menu: At this grand restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental hotel, there’s a six-course tasting menu, which starts with marinated hiramasa with grilled pineapple, red-pepper julienne, cilantro oil, and espelette sorbet, followed by Jerusalem-artichoke agnolotti with Satsuma tangerine and wilted watercress. The third course is a sautéed filet of red snapper with cardoons, piquillo peppers, Niçoise olives, and garlic confit, followed by sweet-butter-poached Maine lobster with spinach and lobster gratin. The last two courses are a truffle-stuffed Bobo Farms poussin with Yukon Gold potatoes, Périgord truffle mille-feuille, baked Belgian endive, and sauce Périgourdine; and Valrhona-chocolate-and-caramel pâte à choux with Tahitian-vanilla crème anglaise.
When it’s available: February 12 through 14.
What it costs: $150 per person; add $100 for wine pairings.
Co Co. Sala
On the menu: This chocolate lounge and boutique is offering a prix-fixe menu that includes lobster with Hackleback caviar and chive foam; tomato tarte Tatin with pistou sauce and eggplant caviar; and Champagne-and-pomegranate so
rbet. You’ll also have a choice of rosemary-and-potato gnocchi with asparagus cream sauce; dry-aged black Angus tenderloin with Gorgonzola cream; a red-wine-braised short rib with parsnip potato gratin; and Dover sole with caviar butter sauce and lemon-lime-and-asparagus risotto. For dessert, enjoy a white-chocolate-and-raspberry heart with rose sorbet, raspberry caviar, and a goji-berry chocolate bonbon.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $65 per person.
Fire & Sage
On the menu: This three-course prix fixe menu starts with a choice of appetizers that includes lobster bisque with sherry cream; roasted-beet carpaccio with arugula salad, shaved pecorino, and roasted-shallot-and-tarragon vinaigrette; baked Vermont goat cheese with fire-roasted tomatoes and herb crostini; flatbread with shiitake, portobello, and button mushrooms and shaved Parmesan; and iron-skillet mussels with garlic, lemon, white wine, and a baguette. Entrées are a grilled 16-ounce cowboy steak with roasted-garlic aïoli, hand-cut French fries, and sautéed spinach; seared jumbo sea scallops with wild-mushroom ragout, roasted-garlic beurre blanc, and herb risotto; roasted shrimp with chilies, lemon, and garlic over chorizo and thyme lentils; free-range chicken with lemongrass, fire-roasted-tomato couscous, and grilled artichoke hearts; and tea-smoked halibut topped with char-grilled corn, fresh spinach, basil, lemon, olive oil, and tomato. Dessert options are vanilla crème brûlée filled with liquid raspberry; a fresh-fruit napoleon; and chocolate-covered long-stem strawberries.
When it’s available: February 13 and 14.
What it costs: $45 per person.
Firefly
On the menu: The first course is deviled egg paired with sparkling wine. Next is a choice of sunchoke-and-ginger bisque with blue cheese; little-gem lettuce salad with creamy caper dressing; oysters au gratin; steak tartare; and Alaskan king crab carbonara ($7 supplement). For the main course, choose among pan-roasted swordfish with salsa fresca; “corned” pork tenderloin with squash dumplings; “surf and turf” with grilled bistro steak and lobster potato-risotto; miniature pot roast with baby carrots, mashed potatos, and roasted-shallot jus; or butternut-squash/porcini-mushroom casserole. Desserts are banana split for two; chocolate pot de creme; apple brown betty; red velvet cake; and apple-cider sorbet with a salty oat cookie.
When it’s available: February 12 through 14.
What it costs: $75 per person.
Fyve Restaurant Lounge
On the menu: You’ll start with an amuse-bouche of vermicelli with caviar and lemon, then you’ll be served roasted tomato soup with chive cream. Next comes a vanilla-infused lobster with celery-root purée and braised Belgian endive, followed by veal tenderloin with root-vegetable fricassee and black-truffle sauce. The dessert on the menu is milk-and-white-chocolate mousse topped with a layer of crunchy pralines and vanilla sauce.
When it’s available: February 13 and 14.
What it costs: $68 per person.
Hooked
On the menu: This Sterling sushi-and-seafood spot has a six-course prix fixe menu, starting with two canapés: a blini of caviar and crème fraîche, and a lobster salad on a heart of romaine. For appetizers, you can choose from lobster bisque; six Rappahannock River oysters on the half shell served with mignonette; a selection of five sushi rolls (maki, California, spicy California, spicy tuna, and Philadelphia); two pieces of nigiri with tuna, salmon, hamachi, or cooked shrimp; lobster-tempura Caesar salad with romaine hearts, croutons, and Parmesan; and broiled Chilean sea bass marinated in miso. A lemon-rosemary sorbet drizzled with sake will be served as an intermezzo. For entrées, there’s seared ahi tuna; a Kobe-beef tenderloin with crab imperial; black grouper with shiitake mushrooms, ginger, and lemongrass; a 1½-pound lobster Thermador baked with Dijon mornay; and a jumbo-lump crabcake. For sushi fans, you can get one of two signature rolls as an entrée. Choose from a tiger roll (shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber); spider roll (fried soft-shell crab, avocado, spicy mayo, cucumber, caviar, and miso-lemon sauce); PGA roll (spicy tuna, tempura flakes, avocado, strips of tuna, and avocado); and the Daddy Doug roll (spicy tuna and tempura flakes, covered with broiled barbecue eel). Dessert options are chocolate royal; crème caramel; chocolate-dipped strawberries and vanilla ice cream; tropical tapioca; and sorbet.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $99 per person.
Jackson 20
On the menu: Start with she-crab soup or spinach-and-frisee salad. Main courses are olive-oil-poached salmon with salsify-and-leek gratin; pan-roasted duck breast with braised collards and hoppin’ john; or root-vegetable/tofu cake with grilled asparagus and romesco sauce. For dessert, choose between chocolate cheese cake or an ice cream sundae. The regular menu will also be available.
When it’s available: February 12 through 14.
What it costs: $47 per person.
Jaleo
On the menu: Special Valentine’s Day tapas include raw Kumamoto oysters with olives and capers; scallop-and-blood-orange salad with black olives and rose petals; a foie-gras terrine with quince pasta and apples; and tomato-and-goat-cheese flatbread with cured salmon belly. You can also get porcini-mushroom soup with white-truffle oil; lobster parmentier with black-trumpet mushrooms; and grilled lamp chops with cauliflower couscous. Desserts will be blood-orange sorbet and red-wine-poached pears with Marcona-almond ice cream and warm chocolate foam.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: Tapas range from $7.50 to $14.
Also in the Bethesda and Crystal City locations.
Masa 14
On the menu: This new, hip Asian/Latin-fusion restaurant, which serves small plates, is offering a three-course menu. First-course choices are chili-rubbed smoked salmon with aloe, radish, and corn blini; foie-gras torchon with Mexican chocolate, cocoa nibs, and umeboshi (pickled sour plums); tempura mushrooms with Cabrales, miso, and sherry vinegar; charred scallions with red-miso romesco; star-anise-roasted beets with goat cheese, walnuts, and citrus; or arugula with dried cherries, wasabi almonds, and Cabrales. For the second course, the options are an oyster stew with kimchee, scallion, and tofu; tempura shrimp with a tamale, Serrano ham, and garlic; steamed Yucatan lobster with a quail egg, achiote, capers, and raisins; salt-cod fritters with roasted peppers, and an Asian vinaigrette; and mushroom gyoza with a dashi broth, roasted tomato, garlic, and cabbage. The third courses are coffee-rubbed Wagyu sirloin with Mexican chocolate, chipotle, and truffles; Amish-chicken roulade with Chinese sausage, corn, Asian pear, red miso, and chipotle; lamb chops al pastor with guajillo chili, cucumber, and kimchi; and a smoked-mushroom flatbread with roasted tomatoes, garlic, goat cheese, and Chinese brocoli.
When it’s available: February 13 and 14.
What it costs: $49 per couple.
Occidental Grill & Seafood
On the menu: Your choice of starters for this three-course meal includes roasted-cauliflower soup with trout roe, fried florets of cauliflower, and micro greens; a baby-arugula salad with fresh dates, crumbled goat cheese, glazed hazelnuts, and a date-and-mustard-seed vinaigrette; and a poached egg on toasted brioche with a wild-mushroom duxelles, beet hollandaise, and a frisée salad. For the fish course, you have a choice of grilled steel-head trout with sautéed rapini, Virginia Little Neck clams, and nage sauce; pan-roasted sea scallops with Israeli couscous and pistachios, cress, grapefruit sections, and butter sauce; and grilled local rockfish with salsify-root purée, black trumpet mushrooms, and foie-gras sauce. Choices for the next course include grilled venison loin with black-walnut-and-chestnut purée, wilted Swiss chard, and currant-and-elderberry reduction; grilled quail breast stuffed with duck and foie-gras mousse, poached pear, coulis, and turnip confit; and grilled petite filet with grilled portobello mushroom, glazed cipollini onions, and black-truffle sauce. For dessert, selections include a caramel-crunch bar with a blood-orange reduction; chocolate/coconut pyramid with espresso ice cream and chocolate sauce; and chocolate mousse with a poached-pear center and bittersweet-chocolate glaze, served on a Linzer cookie with a scoop of Elderberry ice cream and port-wine sauce.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $79 a person.
Open Kitchen
On the menu: This five-course menu comes with Valentine’s Day-appropriate titles. The first course, Flirtation, features New Orleans cajun chicken and Caribbean shrimp with coconut. Next is Seduction, or raw oysters with cucumber-lime dressing, followed by Three Kisses, which includes lobster, oyster, and scallops in a Sauternes broth. The fourth course, Love Story, is filet mignon with Madeira-fig sauce, and for the Sweet Finale, a chocolate bomb with raspberry coulis.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $95 per person.
Oyamel
On the menu: At this Mexican small-plates restaurant in DC’s Penn Quarter, there’s a special à la carte menu. Start off with a margarita de higo chumbo con aire de rosa—a prickly-pear margarita. You can pair that with ostiones pimentados estilio tampico, which are six oysters on the half shell with black-pepper sauce; or ceviche de kampachi de los enamorades, a Kona kampachi ceviche with passionfruit, rose, and vanilla. Main courses include slow-roasted house-cured pork belly served with guajillo chili and pineapple sauce. Dessert is a warm chocolate cake with a mole poblano sauce; and frothed spiced Mexican chocolate with crushed peanuts, corn nuts, and cocoa beans served with a scoop of house-made vanilla ice cream.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: Main courses range from $40 to $44.
Potenza
On the menu: This four-course menu starts with an antipasto of crispy Old Salt oysters served with a mâche-and-radish salad, a Cara Cara orange vinaigrette, and a sunchoke purée. The first course is tortelli stuffed with sheep’s-milk ricotta and butternut squash, served with prosciutto brown butter; followed by a Valentine Miller Farms veal loin with braised Brussels sprouts, oil-poached potatoes, and porcini-mushroom jus. The dessert is a mascarpone panna cotta with pistachio biscotti and fig compote.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $100 a couple.
Proof
On the menu: You’ll start the tasting menu at this seasonally minded Penn Quarter spot with a Maine-scallop crudo with pickled hearts of palm and steel-head-trout roe. The next course is a Peekytoe-crab risotto with black trumpet mushrooms and Burgundy truffle; followed by a roasted prime Angus beef tenderloin with foie gras. For dessert, choose among a selection of artisan cheeses, a tasting of chocolates, or a caramelized mango tart with passion-fruit sorbet.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $78 a person with an optional $45 wine pairing. The tasting menu includes a complimentary glass of Champagne.
Redwood
On the menu: This sprawling Bethesda Row restaurant is offering a prix fixe four-course menu. Start with an amuse-bouche of risotto fritters and fonduta. For appetizers, choose among a sunchoke soup with Brussels-sprout leaves and Swiss-chard pesto; a game consommé with braised seasonal mushrooms and foie gras croutons; a watercress salad with celery root, baby artichokes, grana padano, and truffle vinaigrette; small lobster sandwiches on brioche with tarragon-vanilla crème fraîche and pepper cress; and a terrine of foie gras with short-rib-and-cippolini relish and a walnut-raisin bruschetta. The entrées are seared halibut with cauliflower purée, braised lettuce, and baby beets; miso-glazed black cod with spicy rock-shrimp dumplings, bok choy, and shiitake broth; crispy phyllo cannelloni with roasted winter vegetables, broccolini, and lemon-truffle butter; spice-roasted rack of lamb with rainbow Swiss chard, celeriac purée, and cranberries; wood-grilled filet of beef with horseradish potatoes, creamy spinach, and trumpet mushrooms; and pan-roasted duck breast and confit with chestnut hash, black kale, and fresh pomegranate jus. Desserts are white-chocolate-and-strawberry mille feuille; spiced blini with caramelized apples and bourbon-pecan sauce; salted-caramel-and-chocolate tart with candied citrus; almond cake with poached pear and fresh currants; and a sorbet selection.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $59 per person (add $25 for wine pairing); specialty cocktails $8.
Ris
On the menu: This hot newcomer from acclaimed chef Ris Lacoste has a five-course prix fixe menu. Start with an amuse-bouche of oyster-and-Champagne stew with walnuts, celery, and ham. The appetizer is grilled lobster with caramelized grapefruit and ginger-lime butter followed by pan-roasted red snapper with sweet onions, fennel, and oven-roasted tomato. The third course is honey Muscovy duck with Anna potatoes, poached pears, and white-port-and-foie-gras sauce. For dessert, there’s a milk-chocolate-mousse heart with blood-orange sauce.
When it’s available: February 12 through February 14.
What it costs: $75 per person (add $40 for wine pairings).
Roof Terrace at the Kennedy Center
On the menu: This restaurant on the top floor of the Kennedy Center—which has an amazing view—is offering a four-course menu, which starts off with the choice of a drink: a Chandon Brut rosé; the POMaH, a mix of Chandon Brut, pomegranate liqueur, and fresh raspberry; or an elderflower cocktail with Stolichnaya vodka, St. Germain liqueur, lime, and sparkling water. The first course is a tasting for two of Kumomoto oysters, saffron-Pernod gelée, Winter Harbor smoked-salmon mousse, salmon caviar, madeleines, crème fraîche, osetra caviar, red-beet sorbet, and black-pepper tuile. The second course is an ambrosia salad with blood orange, Satsuma orange, ruby grapefruit, kumquat, shaved coconut, and Pennyroyal mint. The main course is a choice between an olive-oil-poached white sturgeon with red beets and Yukon-gold-potato purée, Brussels sprout leaves, and sauce soubise; all-natural beef sirloin with chive spaetzle, wilted spinach, glazed carrots, and Bordelaise sauce; and crème fraîche gnocchi with baby-gold and candy-stripe beets and red-beet gastrique. For dessert, choose between a Dobos torte, made with mocha butter cream, espresso génoise, crème anglaise, and cappuccino ice cream; or salted-caramel mille-feuille with hazelnut-praline cream, blood orange, chocolate-cardamom sauce, and fleur de sel.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $49.95 per person.
Rustico
On the menu: In addition to the regular menu, Rustico will have Valentine’s Day specials, including Wellfleet oysters with Champagne and cucumber salsa; heart-shaped mozzarella ravioli with tomato confit and almond pesto; and pizza with asparagus, Virginia ham, and cheddar. You can also get surf-and-turf for two, which comes with a port-wine-glazed beef tenderloin with fire-roasted broccoli rabe and potato croquettes, and jumbo shrimp with garlic/pepper sauce on creamy sunchoke purée. For dessert, you can enjoy warm chocolate cake for two with Liefman’s Kriek cherry beer and fresh cherry sauce.
When it’s available: February 12 through 14.
What it costs: Entrée specials range from $22 to $29.
The Source
On the menu: At Wolfgang Puck’s stylish Asian-inspired hot spot, there’s a pix-fixe four-course menu, which starts with a tuna sashimi amuse bouche with osetra caviar, tsuma salad, and black-truffle vinaigrette. First-course options include a trio of dumplings with chicken dumplings, shrimp-and-scallop shu mai, and a pork-belly potsticker; crispy General Tso-style Texas quail with a sweet soy/chili sauce, spicy winter greens, and a puffed-rice stick; crispy Kurobuta pork belly with pomegranate molasses, micro fennel, and Chinese ten spice; a Valentine’s Day maki roll with unagi, avocado, tempura shrimp, and sweet soy; and lobster tempura with vanilla bean, pink grapefruit, and ginger aïoli ($10 supplement). For the second course, you can have seared sea scallops with pistachio dust, masoor dal (red lentils), and cilantro/mint raita; a surf-and-turf maki roll with seared Kobe beef, poached lobster, masago, and tobiko ($15 supplement); or two-person seafood bar with stone-crab claws, Kumamoto oysters, tiger shrimp, and Maine lobster ($35 supplement). The third course includes Hong Kong-style Pacific halibut with bok choy, fresh water chestnuts, and a black-bean/soy deglaze; braised beef short ribs with Indonesian peanut rendang and coconut-scented jasmine rice; Mongolian-style grilled lamb chops with Hunan-glazed eggplant and cilantro/mint vinaigrette; and a grilled prime double-cut bone-in rib chop for two with stir-fried yu choy, drunken noodles, and wasabi/Armagnac sauce ($15 supplement). Sides include Kurobuta-pork fried rice ($8), shrimp-and-scallop Shanghai noodles ($12), and lobster “crushed” Yukon potatoes ($14). There are three dessert choices: a white-chocolate/raspberry French mousse with candied roses and Grand Marnier pearls; vanilla-roasted baby bananas with honey almonds, pineapple glaze, and a chocolate-cherry gelato; and a chocolate “four play” for two, which is a warm fudge brownie with hot-cocoa glaze, milk-chocolate crème fraîche, and a chocolate-chili sorbet ($5 supplement).
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $115 a person; add $45 for wine pairing.
Sou’Wester
On the menu: While the regular menu is available, Sou’Wester has some special “it’s all about love” dishes for Valentine’s Day: marinated Virginia lobsters for appetizers, and an entreé of côte de boeuf and lobster tail for two. Special desserts include a passionfruit cheesecake with mango coulis and red-hot chocolate cake with whipped cream.
When it’s available: February 12 through 14.
What it costs: Specials range from $10 to $25.
Tallula
On the menu: At this cozy Arlington restaurant, executive chef Barry Kaslow has such specials as an appetizer of smoked whole Maine lobster for two with beet slaw and yuzu butter. The entrée special is a côte de boeuf for two—a 26-ounce bone-in rib eye with potato gratin, creamed spinach, and caramelized-shallot sauce. A molten chocolate-lava cake for two is available for dessert.
When it’s available: February 13 and 14.
What it costs: $15 to $60 for each dish, but if you wish to get all of them, it’s $95 a couple with an additional $50 for wine pairing.
2941
On the menu: At this beautiful Falls Church restaurant, there’s two Valentine’s Day-weekend options: On Friday, February 12, and Saturday, February 13, the à la carte menu will be available as well as a five-course menu. The special menu will start with smoked albacore with citrus, Togarashi pepper, and petite salad; followed by handmade burrata ravioli with shaved black truffles and Parmesan cheese. The third course is a Saint Peter fish medallion with sea scallop, Mandarin butter sauce, and steelhead-trout caviar; next comes Eco-Friendly Farm rose veal with sweetbread, roasted artichoke, potato gnocchi, and rosemary jus. For dessert, there’s rose-water bavarois with a Manjari-chocolate/lychee ganache, raspberry jelly, and white-chocolate ice cream. On Sunday, February 14, there’ll just be a five-course menu. Starter choices include the smoked albacore or lobster bisque with chicken oyster, piquillo pepper, and shrimp, followed by the burrata ravioli. For the fish course, there’s the fish medallion or Japanese sea bass with coriander nage, mitsuba (Japanese parsley), and green mango, followed by a choice of the rose veal or spice-crusted lamb loin with cilantro risotto, golden raisin, and natural jus. Dessert options are the bavarois or a Key-lime parfait with graham-cracker tuile, steamed coconut sponge, and mango parfait.
When it’s available: February 12 through 14.
What it costs: Both menus are $125 per person; add $75 for wine pairings.
Vermilion
On the menu: The four-course tasting menu at this Old Town spot includes an East Coast-oyster crudo—Dragon Creek and Malpeque oysters with golden pineapple and avocado—and lobster ravioli with shaved fennel and tarragon. You can substitute a vegetarian option of shaved fennel with winter citrus, caper berries, and Champagne vinaigrette. The second course is a choice between Virginia rockfish with Kent Island clams and celery-and-chowder froth; and porcini-rubbed yellowfin tuna with creamy farro risotto, caramelized mushrooms, and red-wine jus. The vegetarian option is a four-cheese ravioli with caramelized mushrooms and red-wine jus. The third course is either bri
oche-crusted lamb chops with white-bean “cassoulet,” Lacinato kale, and mustard; or Roseda Farms petite tenderloin with roasted baby carrots, shallot confit, and Bordelaise sauce. The vegetarian option is potato-crusted tofu with Path Valley baby carrots, Lacinato kale, and Pinot Noir/carrot purée. Dessert is a chocolate bar with olive oil-ice cream and salted-almond brittle; or ricotta pound cake with sweetened mascarpone and citrus.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $75 per person; add $125 for wine pairings.
Zentan
On the menu: There’s a three-course menu at Susur Lee’s low-lit spot in the Donovan House Hotel. Starter choices are Thai-curry butternut-squash soup with shrimp and almonds; five-spice smoked duck with shaved fennel and grapefruit with Szechuan-peppercorn vinaigrette; and marinated Escolar sashimi with jalapeño, crispy shallot, and sesame/soy dressing. Entrée choices are a Hong Kong-style steamed fish with chili/black-bean sauce, green onion, and ginger; chicken with tofu, stir-fried vegetables, Chinese mushroom, and cashews; and a Mongolian rack of lamb with chili, mint, carrot/cardamom chutney, Panang-peanut sauce, and glazed bananas. Desserts include a warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream; mango panna cotta with pineapple marmalade; and tropical-fruit soup with yogurt ice cream.
When it’s available: February 11 through 14.
What it costs: $45 a person.
Zola
On the menu: This four-course menu starts off with lemon-chive buckwheat pancakes with American caviar, mâche, and crème fraîche. It’s followed by oyster sliders with brioche, fennel cress, citrus slaw, and plum aïoli. The main course is a Green Hill Farms lamb served with goat cheese, polenta cake, smoky braised greens, and fig jus. For dessert, there’s a bittersweet-chocolate bomb with blood orange marmalade and sauce.
When it’s available: February 14.
What it costs: $55 a person.
>> Looking for the rest of our Valentine's Day guide? Head here.
