30 January 2024
By Hannah Wilcox
The most romantic day of the year is just around the corner and The Sun has compiled a definitive list of local Valentine’s Day specials and events for you and your special someone to celebrate on February 14.
Restaurants:
Ripples Chowder Bay
Ripples Chowder Bay is celebrating the day by running a special three-course set menu designed by Head Chef Calvin Katz. Lovers are invited to dine, enjoying the sweeping harbourside views or snuggling up in the new club lounge, from 6pm.
For $149 per person, diners can choose from one of three entrees; kingfish crudo, halloumi tiropita and kibe nayee – a Mediterranean take on steak tartare. A range of plates are available to choose from for mains, including barramundi with cavolo nero, pine nuts, roasted kelp and caper piccata, crispy pork belly with cauliflower puree, grilled orto and honey jus, or the signature mafaldine pasta with spinach, grana padano, a fricassee of greens, chilli oil and stracciatella.
Any sweet tooths will be delighted to find out dessert is also included with the choice between lemon meringue or affogato.
For those who prefer dining in the day, Ripples will be open at lunch with the full regular a la carte menu available.
There are also at-home or takeaway options in the form of the Valentine’s Day Home Dining packages. For $139 couples can get the Picnic Box, for $149 the Classic Set Menu, or those who are looking to go all out the Premium Set Menu sits at $199. To be ordered before February 12, the packages can be picked up on Valentine’s Day from Ripples Chowder Bay, Ripples Little Manly, Ventuno or The Fenwick between 3 to 5pm.
Grace of India
Milsons Point’s Grace of India is running a Valentine’s Day banquet special for $65 per person. The set menu starts off with a papadum and condiment plate for canape, before serving up vegetable samosa, chicken tikka and seekh kebab for entree. For mains, diners will be treated to butter chicken, rogan josh and dhaal, accompanied by naan, garlic naan and rice. To finish off, sweet tooths will be pleased to hear the set menu includes dessert in the form of barfi aur gulkand, a traditional fudge.
Grace of India also has a vegetarian set menu available, swapping out the entrees for aloo tikki and onion bhaji. Mains include paneer tikka masala, vegetable jalfrezi and dhaal.
BYO corkage is $7 a head, with the restaurant serving dinner from 5pm to 9.45pm.
Just up the road from Bradfield Park, this traditional feast can be followed up with a leisurely stroll down to the waterfront with scenic city views.
RAFI North Sydney
Couples are invited to a decadent dinner at RAFI North Sydney curated by Executive Head Chef Matias Cillóniz.
The restaurant and bar is offering an eight-course meal with a glass of Taittinger Champagne on arrival for $155 per person.
For entree, the set menu includes housemade sourdough wholemeal pita bread, hummus with chickpea and green chilli alongside seared kingfish with tomato ponzu, cucumber and house made sambal. Diners will also receive a plate of cabbage roll stuffed with toothfish, abalone rice and pipi as a hot entree.
Three main courses come as a part of the set menu to share, starting off with wagy MB7+ flat iron with black garlic followed by figs with endive, Milawa Blue cheese, pine nuts and anchovy dressing. Herbed roasted crispy potatoes are the perfect accompaniment.
RAFI’s Valentine’s Day special also includes dessert, which is double chocolate with macadamias and tonka bean.
A vegetarian menu is available on request but will mean the entire meal will dine meat-free due to the share-style nature of the menu.
Located at 99 Mount Street, RAFI is open to diners from 11.30am to midnight.
Henry’s Neutral Bay
Henry’s Neutral Bay is also offering a Valentine’s Day special created by head chef Som Katooz. Located at 19-25 Grosvenor Street, the contemporary restaurant is offering up dishes with their best summer seasonal produce between 12pm and 11.20pm.
Diners have a choice to add on freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters to start off the evening for an extra $36 for half a dozen, or $60 for a dozen.
Entrees include kingfish ceviche with coconut cream, kombu, caviar, taro crisps and pickled eschallots, alongside seared scallops with saffron cream, herb oil and caviar and spicy tuna cones with fruikake, avocado mousse and caviar.
For mains, couples can choose between three delectable plates: humpty doo barramundi with bread cream, pickled radish, quinoa and herb oil; crispy duck breast with potato galette, caramelised carrot puree, sour cherry and olive japanese jus; or lamb rump cap, parsnip puree, pickled dutch carrots, roast beetroot, pistachio crumb, pickled kohlrabi and japanese jus.
The dishes are accompanied by a choice of garden salad with avocado, spiced pepitas and lemon mustard dressing or crushed fried potatoes with truffle mayo and fresh herbs.
Dessert is a serving of deconstructed cheesecake, passionfruit, almond crumb and passionfruit sorbet.
Sails Lavender Bay
Between 6pm and 9pm Sails Lavender Bay will be serving up a curated modern Australian menu alongside views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge for loved-up couples this Valentine’s Day.
For $179 per person, diners are treated to organic sourdough bread and truffle butter and a variety of chef’s snacks plus a three course set menu with choice. Sails is also offering an option to upgrade to include four oysters to share on arrival with two glasses of NV Moët and Chandon Brut Impérial for $79.
Available for entree is hendricks cured ora king salmon with brekky radish, buttermilk and Geraldton wax oil, or pressed gremaud dukc terrine with sauce gribiche and chicory salad or whipped buffalo ricotta with confit cherry tomato, tarragon, pink peppercorn and crisps.
A difficult choice for mains between roast hapuka with Spring Bay mussels, braised pencil leeks and dashi veloute, slow cooked wagyu beef cheek with cauliflower puree, hispi cabbage, thyme jus or charcoal grilled celeriac with roast Swiss brown mushroom, toasted barley and black garlic.
Sides include baby cos with radicchio and radish and fries with onion salt and chive aioli.
Sails’ dessert menu does all the classics justice, offering a choice between dark cherry sorbet, strawberry parfait or ford farm aged cheddar with quince paste and lavosh.
Lunch is also available at the venue, located at 2 Henry Lawson Avenue McMahons Point, from the regular fixed price menu or shared tasting menu.
Loulou Bistro
You can’t get more authentically romantic than sitting down for a traditional French feast on Valentine’s Day. Luckily, Loulou’s, located at 61 Lavender Street Milsons Point, is offering lovers a three-course menu crafted by Head Chef Ned Parker.
For $125 per person, couples will be treated with a complimentary glass of Moët Chandon Impérial Brut on arrival.
All made for sharing, entrees include bread with cultured butter, pomme dauphines, carpaccio de bœuf with crème de raifort and frisée. For main is a whole roasted rainbow trout with sauce vierge and fine herbs, pomme frites and green beans almondine.
Dessert keeps the good vibes going with a serve of mousse au chocolat, roasted hazelnut and petite madeleines.
Poetica
Greenwood Plaza’s Poetica is offering a Valentine’s Day special a-la-carte dining menu celebrating all things modern Australian.
Curated by Head Chef Connor Hartley-Simpson, couples can choose between house favourites such as the 5+ day dry-aged Swordfish or the Wagga Wagga MB2 T-bone that has been dry-aged for 15+ days.
Sides include radicchio with crispy onions and gouda or tomatoes with white onion and mustard vinaigrette.
Diners are able to taste the special Valentine’s dessert for two which sees fermented, fresh and dried blueberries incorporated into a yoghurt base that has three different creamy textures, served alongside a classic ice-cream float with a fermented blueberry shrub.
An exclusive ‘Cupid’s Bow’ cocktail concocted by bar manager Kieran Lee will be available made with Havana Club 3 Rum, lacto fermented blueberries, coconut water, ginger syrup and lime juice – all blended with yoghurt and strained clear.
Petermen
After opening its doors early last year, Petermen are serving up a fresh and specially curated selection of seafood for couples this Valentine’s Day.
Located at 66 Chandos Street St Leonards, chefs Josh and Julie Niland will be serving up a set menu for $160 per person.
Starting off with yellowfin tuna tartare on rice blini and saltbush empanada and rock flathead, lovers are then able to try NSW supplement short spine sea urchin crumpet 26e alongside a selection of raw fish, cucumber and rose ponzu, charcoal grilled half marron and Coorong pipis, grilled chestnut mushrooms & Clover Hill emulsion and spiced yellowfin tuna hazelnut, date and bone sauce.
Dessert offers up 70 percent Guanaja chocolate mousse with picual extra virgin olive oil ice cream and apricot and amaretto madeleines with Tim Malfroy’s polyflora honey cream.
All dishes include seafood sourced from fishers who uphold sustainable practices, dry handled in-store at the Fish Butchery.
Events:
Library Lover’s Day Craft
For those who like to get a little crafty on Valentine’s Day, St Leonards Library is running a Library Lovers’ Day Craft workshop between 3.30pm and 4.30pm.
“Celebrate your love of books by decorating a laser cut bookmark and see our laser cutter in action,” the website reads.
The event is free for all ages.
Sound Bath guided meditation
Crows Nest Centre will be running a sound bath relaxing guided meditation for gentle heart activation for $40 to honour Valentine’s Day.
For an hour and a half, listen to soothing sound instruments including Tibetan and crystal bowls, voice, drums and chimes with Sound Therapist and Energy Healer Natalie Grace.
“Now more than ever, we need to take time to step away from the chaos and connect with our innate inner peace,” the website reads.
“The session will start with a guided meditation to help you wind down and start to relax, then the sound bath will begin. At the end of the session you will be guided out of the meditation and given time to ground yourself before you leave.”
The session is BYO yoga mats, pillows or any other equipment to help you relax from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
Galentine’s Dinner hosted by Social Girls Sydney
Those who may be looking to celebrate platonic love on February 13 need look no further than Social Girl’s Galentine’s Dinner.
Starting at 7pm, the meal will be hosted at The Mayflower, located at 488 Pacific Highway St Leonards.
“Immerse yourself in the enchanting atmosphere of the Mayflower as we celebrate the essence of Galentine’s Day—honouring and cherishing the bonds of female friendship,” the website reads.
“This evening is dedicated to uplifting and empowering each other, creating an unforgettable experience of connection and camaraderie. Connect with like-minded women, share stories, and build lasting connections in this cosy setting.”
Tickets are free, and guests are asked to bring money to cover their own food and drink costs.
Hayden Orpheum Breakfast at Tiffany’s special
Hayden Orpheum is hosting a Breakfast at Tiffany’s special for Valentine’s Day kicking off at 7.30pm.
Running for 114 minutes, the classic romance flick stars Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard telling the story of a young writer who becomes infatuated with his eccentric neighbour.
Tickets are $35 for adults and $30 for concessions, with guests treated to a glass of sparkling wine and serendipity gourmet ice cream on arrival.