Cupid is back, slinging his arrows this time at St. Louis chefs and inspiring them to create culinary experiences perfect for Valentine’s Day romantic rendezvous. If you’re looking for a classic white tablecloth experience or something lovingly kitschy, area chefs and culinarians are offering an assortment of destinations you’re fall for.
Chefs at Chandler Hill Vineyards confirm love is in the air and will be found in the dining room, where guests can enjoy a four-course menu designed with choices. Couples can choose the dishes they love most, beginning with the appetizers: Steak Bruschetta, Goat Cheese or Crab Cakes with red pepper aioli. Entrees options include Pecan encrusted Sea Bass cooked in brown butter, Chicken Marsala, Berkshire Pork wrapped in bacon with an apple butter barbecue sauce, or the classic Surf and Turf lobster and filet.
Instead of dinner, how about treating your loved one or the family to brunch? A Valentines’ brunch on Sunday, Feb 11, at 11 a.m. at SqWires event space, The Annex. The venue is steampunk chic, providing a brunch menu with family favorites and interactive food stations. Brunch includes omelet and waffle stations, along with a buffet of salads, seafood, charcuterie, eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes and sweets. It’s a sweetheart of a deal at $38 per person, $18 for children 2 and younger. Unlimited bellinis and bloody Marys are available as an add-on for an extra $25.
Love beer? Consider taking your sweetheart for a brewery experience that involves more than a tour and a beer sample. Valentine’s Day at Anheuser-Busch has what beer-loving couples crave: a beer and food pairing dinner ($150 a couple) scheduled at The Biergarten Feb. 9. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the four-course feast, which is being paired with a unique selection of beers curated by the Biergarten’s chefs and A-B’s brewmeisters – a perfect recipe for a romantic dinner for beer enthusiasts.
The Inns at St. Albans has cooked up something wonderful for couples on Valentine’s Day at its International Choux Co. cooking school. There will be a cooking class for couples with cooking demos and a small-plates meal inspired by Italy’s romantic Tuscan region. On the menu, Shrimp and Crab-Stuffed Ravioli with roasted red pepper garlic cream; Herb Risotto and Micro Greens; and Tuscan Beef Tenderloin with creamy polenta, ratatouille and asparagus. And there’s strawberry panna cotta with chocolate ganache, fresh berries and raspberry sauce for dessert. French wines will accompany dinner. Priced at $125.
Bridgeway at DraftKings Casino Queen claims the odds will be in your favor when you treat your valentine to dinner on Valentine’s Day at Bridgeway. The chefs’ multi-course prix-fixe dinner is priced at $55 per person and begins with an amuse-bouche. First course selections include a winter beet salad, butternut squash bisque or poached shrimp cocktail. Main plate picks are merlot-braised short ribs, stuffed chicken breast or grilled filet and jumbo lump crab. Cheesecake, vanilla panna cotta or profiteroles are the meal’s sweet endings. To make the evening more memorable, plan a sleepover: Casino Queen’s Valentine’s Day hotel package includes dinner, an overnight stay and a Sweet Treat Chocolate Box from Covered in Chocolate Bistro Bakery.
For treats extending beyond a traditional steak dinner or a heart-shaped candy box, I recommend an eclectic savory and sweet combo gift. Topping my list is Grace Meat + Three’s Chicken Bouquet and a pint of Clementine’s ice cream. Grace Meat + Three’s chicken bouquet is artfully boxed with a half-dozen fried chicken tenders, mini burgundy and white carnations, Queen Anne’s lace with a side of sage & buttermilk lime dressing. It’s perfect with any of Clementine’s 2024 Valentine’s flavors, such as Sour Cream Red Velvet Cake, Espresso Romano, Butterscotch Toffee Melt or Peanut Butter Crunch.
