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Valentine's day meals


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Some people resent Valentine's day. I'm not one of those, but I do resent being ripped off at restaurants because it's Valentine's day. For the past few years my husband and I have stayed home and cooked ourselves something nice. One year we poisoned ourselves with an undercooked beef Wellington from Harrods.

Unless we can come up with something interesting and unique to eat at home (Deliverance and Room Service, by the way don't come out as far as N10) we'll be going out. Actually, an evening meal out wouldn't be so bad but if its possible, I'd like to avoid being stung and perhaps eating somewhere a little different. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Edited by Hallie (log)
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Horrendous plug, but here we go!

Valentines Day

Le Vacherin is offering a three course menu of sharing dishes on the evening of 14th February (three options for each course) for just £42.50 per person.

Wednesday 14th February

Three Courses of Sharing Dishes

£42.50 per person

To Start

Plateau d’Huîtres

Selection of Fine de Claire Oysters

Or

Charcuterie

Selection of French Cured Meat

Or

Vacherin Gratiné aux Amandes et Truffes Noires

Baked Vacherin Cheese With Almond & Truffle Crust

Main Courses

Châteaubriand, Haricots Verts, Frites et Sauce Béarnaise

Double Fillet, French Beans & Chips, Bearnaise Sauce & Roast Bone Marrow

Or

Pintade Rôtie aux Lardons et Petits Pois à la Française

Roast Guinea Fowl with Alsace Bacon & French Style Peas

Or

Gigot de Lotte Rôtie et Ragoût de Moules au Safran

Roast Monk Fish, Mussels & Saffron Sauce

Desserts

Tarte Tatin et Glace Vanille

Or

Fondant au Chocolat, Glace Amaretto

Warm Chocolate Cake & Amaretto Ice –Cream

Or

Pavlova aux Fruits Rouges

Meringue of Mixed Berries & Chantilly Crème

All prices are inclusive of 17.5% vat

A discretionary 12.5% service charge will be added

If a man makes a statement and a woman is not around to witness it, is he still wrong?

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I hate Valentines day as I dont like the feeling that I have to do something for my wife - I do plently of my own accord!

Having said that I do do something near to the time in lieu of Valentines days to avoid a hard time!

Why not do what I do and go out this week, hence avoid the couples out under pressure.

We had the Capital book though I just cancelled as I facied Bacchus again!

Edited by gnoos (log)
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Basildog, just noticed your new signature - made me chuckle away to myself like a mad man!

I have to be honest gnoos, I tend to take the same approach as you, I have had too many experienced of going to restaurants only to get heavily marked up menus, having already forked out on a gift. I prefer to go out on an evening near to valentines for a meal and cook something at home on the night instead.

Edited by ravelda (log)

If a man makes a statement and a woman is not around to witness it, is he still wrong?

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I prefer letting my wife cook for me.....at home. Far more romantic than me cooking for her at the pub!

I remember two years ago succumbing to enquires of 'are you doing anything special for Valentins's day on the menu' to putting a dish of grilled lobster & rib of beef with all the trimmings for £30 for two sharing thinking it would it the spot for all those couples who wanted to feed each other. I sold 2.

This year they're getting a candle on their table!

When I lived in London I used to find Malabar of Kensington Church Street quite romantic and always enjoyed their food...though not on Valentine's Day as you can imagine.

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Staying in and cooking this year or going to the takeaway as I can't be doing with the markups and forced romantic 'atmosphere'.

But just to prove I'm not all 'bah, humbug' we've got a table booked at Le Champignon Sauvage for the week after.

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I refer m'learned colleagues to the following article in today's Guardian.

:wink:

(Full version here)

Edited by Tim Hayward (log)

Tim Hayward

"Anyone who wants to write about food would do well to stay away from

similes and metaphors, because if you're not careful, expressions like

'light as a feather' make their way into your sentences and then where are you?"

Nora Ephron

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The bit about the 'That's Life' potato was sheer genius.

I'm not sure that it's such a brilliant night for restaurants though. For example if it falls on a weekend you'd be full anyway, so you might end up doing less covers; e.g. twenty tables of twos instead of twenty mixed tables of twos, threes, fours etc.

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One advantage of not going down the hearts and flowers road is that "normal" people eat with you on the 14th.I have 2 tables of 4 booked, one being a birthday who comes every year knowing that he can escape the "forced romantic atmosphere"

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