With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, couples can enjoy a romantic evening without straying far from Beacon Hill.
Couples can begin the night with cocktails at the Taj Boston or the Four Season Hotel, both of which provide spectacular views of the Public Garden, before enjoying ice stating for two on the Boston Common’s Frog Pond.
For dinner, chef Anthony Dawodu is offering a four-course, prix fixe menu for $85 per person at Clink at the Liberty Hotel, located at 215 Charles St. The meal comes with a half bottle of Roederer Estate Brut for each couple, and second-course appetizers include scallops garnished with potato brandade, parsley nage and cauliflower crumbs and a vegetarian turnip-apple soup, among other dishes. Diners can then select from a beef strip loin, rye maltagliati, Rohan duck or monkfish for their main course, followed by a choice of warm chocolate truffle cake or cheesecake ice cream for dessert. Call 617-224-4004 for reservations.
Glenn Sampert, general manager of the Liberty Hotel, said the special menu is the perfect showcase for Dawodu’s culinary style, which marries fresh, local ingredients with an international influence.
“We find that Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to expose guests who aren’t already familiar with Clink to the restaurant,” Sampert said. “We traditionally get a lot of first-timers, so we try to make a very good first impression.”
At Barbra Lynch’s No. 9 Park at 9 Park St., Chef de Cuisine Ben Weisberger has created a six-course tasting menu for the occasion for $215 per person (before tax and gratuity), with optional wine pairings available for an additional $125 per person. Sample menu selections include pan-seared halibut with crab, hearts of palm, and dill; duck with artichoke, apricot, mushrooms and Taggiasca olive; and a prime, dry-aged New York strip with short rib and onion marmalade, potato mille feuille and haricot vert, among other dishes. For dessert, diners can choose between chocolate soufflé or a lemon bar.
“Chef Weisberger has created this tasting menu especially to enhance a shared dining experience for two,’ said Kate Gardiner, the restaurant’s public relations and marketing manager. ”The menu highlights classic No. 9 Park fare.”
Especially for the evening, the restaurant is also offering a drink cart curated by Bar Manager Meghan Powers that features Eau de Vie – a brandy made with fruit other than grapes. Call 617-742-9991 for reservations.Wherever couples choose to dine, they can work off the extra calories and cap off their romantic evening with a stroll along the Charles River Esplanade.