More VALENTINE'S DAY Dining Picks-Count Down to 2/14

It's a countdown to Valentines Day and we have dining destinations that work for all tastes and budgets. Make your reservations at one of these top metro area spots and have a fabulous meal with a special person in your life. No Valentine, no problem. Gather your group and plan a dining experience to enjoy.

Pinto Garden (West Village, NYC) Cozy up in a romantic, candle-lit backyard garden while enjoying Pinto Garden's Valentine's Day specials. Dishes include YUM-SOM-O (red pomelo salad with pomegranate, spicy palm sugar, red wine vinaigrette, and roasted peanuts) and Red Snapper (seared red snapper with spicy Thai herb fish consommé). Sip on a sweet Lychee Pomegranate Bellini (lychee puree, fresh pomegranate, and sparkling wine) to accompany your meal. These menu specials are available February 10th-14th. Pinto Garden is located at 117 West 10th Street, NYC. Call them at 212.366.5455 or visit their web site at http://pintogarden.com/.

Burke & Wills (Upper West Side, NYC) Celebrate Valentine's Day this year at Burke & Wills Australian Bistro, a top restaurant choice on the Upper West Side. Executive Chef Rodrigo Nogueira has crafted a prix fixe menu of specialties for couples to enjoy in the elegant back dining room. For $75, the dinner menu includes three courses, with an amuse bouche of a beau soleil oyster with salmon roe and a glass of janzs brut rose. Dishes include tuna crudo with caviar, lemon and radishes, roasted filet with braised short rib and parsnip puree, and tallegio cheese with roasted figs, honey and candied hazelnuts. Burke & Wills is known for modern, seasonal cuisine with Australian influences. It is located at 226 W 79th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam) NYC. Call 646-823-9251 and visit http://www.burkeandwillsny.com/.

Paper Factory (Long Island City) On Saturday February 11th, Long Island City's Paper Factory Hotel will host a Valentine's experience unlike any other. Guests can customize their evening in accordance to their own intimate tastes, whether they desire a luscious feast, a romantic experience, or to simply dance the night away. The Paper Factory Hotel in collaboration with Junxion will present snake charmers, racy tarot readings, interactive installations, DJ's including Miss Sabado, 2Melo, $mall Change, and live acts including Zeb the Spy from Cairo, Avalon Jazz and Acapella Soul. Tickets range from $40 for early bird pricing to $125 for The Golden Ticket. You can purchase tickets at this link: http://bit.ly/2ku0ZqO. Paper Factory Hotel is located at 37-06 36th Street, Long Island City. Call them at 718.392.7200 and visit http://www.paperfactoryhotel.com/.

AVENUE (Long Branch, NJ) This romantic restaurant, home to a fireplace, Atlantic Ocean views and French fare, will delight couples with a three-course Valentine's Day prix fixe on Tuesday, February 14th. Guests can enjoy Octopus Carpaccio; Scallops with blood orange and chorizo; decadent Filet Mignon with bone marrow compound butter and bordelaise. End on a sweet note. Pastry Chef Stuart Marx's Lover's Sampler includes Chocolate Truffle Tart, Passion Fruit Ice Cream Cone and Petit Strawberry Shortcake Garnished with Champagne Gelée. Sip French wines and the special vodka and sparkling wine-based Valentino cocktail with strawberry liqueur and passion fruit puree. Avenue is located at 23 Ocean Avenue in Long Branch, New Jersey. Call 732.759.2900 and visit http://www.leclubavenue.com/.

Fragole Ristorante (Brooklyn) This neighborhood Italian restaurant in Carroll Gardens has always been known for its authentic cuisine and warm hospitality. On Valentines Day, they are offering their guests a 3-course prix-fixe menu for $45 per person and it includes a glass of Prosecco for a toast to the holiday. Fragole Ristorante is located at 394 Court Street, between Carroll Street and 1st Place in Brooklyn. Call them at 718.522.7133 and visit their web site at https://www.fragolenyc.com/.

Spirit of NY and Bateaux NY Cruises (New York City) Couples can celebrate Valentine's Day with a night out on the scenic Hudson River aboard the sophisticated and elegant Bateaux New York or lively and energetic Spirit of New York. Departing year-round from Pier 61 at Chelsea Piers, the dining and sightseeing cruises float along the Hudson past New York's iconic landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and One World Trade. Accompanied by buffet-style or plated three-course creative cuisine and live entertainment, couples are greeted with a complimentary champagne toast and roses. For more information, visit https://www.spiritcruises.com/new-york-metro.

f.o.b. (Brooklyn) The new Filipino bbq hotspot f.o.b. will celebrate Valentine's Day with its a la carte menu, which features an assortment of meat and fish entrées: Filipino BBQ skewers- chicken or pork-smothered in Filipino bbq sauce; beer-braised Grilled Spare Ribs with housemade banana barbecue sauce; and market fresh fishgrilled in banana leaf and topped with stewed tomatoes. Adobo (vinegar-marinated meat), which is the most popular cooking technique in the Philippines, is on display in Overnight Chicken Adobo-f.o.b.'s version adapts a recipe from Armando's father, who believes adobo "is always better the next day." f.o.b. is located at 271 Smith St., Brooklyn. Call them at 718-852-8994 and visit their web site at https://www.fobbrooklyn.com/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Freeimages.com

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