*A LAST MINUTE FIND: MEET MARKET at RA Sushi
A little late in the love game and now trying to find a last minute date to avoid being single on this very special Hallmark holiday? Find your Valentine at the “Meet Market” at RA Sushi on Sunday, Feb. 13 from 8 p.m. to midnight. RA Sushi in South Miami will host a Valentine’s Day Meet Market where singles can strut their stuff and peruse the selection of South Miami’s finest bachelors and bachelorettes in the red hot sea of singles.
Mr. and Mrs. Right are invited to take a dose of “liquid courage” with their choice of specialty beverages ranging from an Icebreaker ($4) and Love Potion #9 ($6) to a Rum-antic ($6) as well as enjoy “love bites” including Me-so Hungry Soup ($2), R-eel Love Roll ($4), Cupid Crunch Roll ($5), Hey Toots-y Maki ($5), a Draggin’ Me Down Roll ($6), and some RAckin’ Shrimp ($7). And if one’s stomach isn’t the way to their heart, Cupid will be on-site to make an introduction while a guest DJ spins heart-pounding beats.
RA Sushi is located at 5829 SW 73rd St. For reservations, please call 305.341.0092 or visit www.RAsushi.com.
*FIRST DATE ON V-DAY, AVOIDING AKWARDNESS: Vita by Bâoli
The attraction is strong with this one, but so is the silence! Dine under the stars and twinkling lights at Vita by Bâoli this Valentine’s Day where everything is a conversation starter. Between the romantic rose petals sprinkled throughout the restaurant, the Frank Sinatra cover singer and finding constellation hearts in the sky – first date jitters will be lost and you’ll be given an opportunity to impress your date with your extensive knowledge of astronomy, among other things. Guests will indulge in Vita by Baoli’s new decadent Mediterranean menu from executive chef Marc Debas and extensive wine and cocktail list.
Vita by Bâoli is located at 1906 Collins Avenue. For reservations, please call 305.674.8822 or visit www.vita-miami.com.
*DRINK YOUR HEART OUT: STK MIAMI
STK Miami is playing cupid this Valentine’s Day and is bringing together the perfect pair… Godiva and vodka! For those that just want to have fun and skip the couples stuff, STK Miami and Godiva will sweeten up your night with the launch of its brand new line of vodkas. Guests will sip Godiva chocolate and raspberry chocolate vodka, along with Godiva liqueurs, and a plethora of chocolate swirls and drizzles. Executive chef Ralph Pagano will also present a fun Valentine’s Day menu of “things that make you go mmmmm.” You may have come to the Monday night party without a plus one, but after sampling a few specialty Godiva cocktails … you may just need some more sugar.
STK Miami at the Gansevoort Miami Beach is located at 2377 Collins Ave. For reservations, please call 304-604-6988 or visit www.theonegroup.com/stkmiami.
*SEAL THE DEAL: THE FORGE RESTAURANT | WINE BAR
If you wine and dine them, they will come… home with you. Well, maybe, but the chances that you will be enjoying breakfast together the next day will have increased by a large percentage. The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar pulled out all of the stops for this Valentine’s Day to serve up some American Love. Between decadent courses appropriately named Foreplay, Entrée and After the Climax, executive chef Dewey LoSasso has integrated aphrodisiac ingredients like oysters, truffles and dark chocolate into the menu to get diners into “the mood.”
For big spenders, and wine aficionados, take it to the next level and spoil the one you love by being surrounded by some of the rarest bottles of wine that exist. A very special experience, guests will be given access to proprietor Shareef Malnik’s heavily secured private collection cellar (with bottles dating back to the 1800’s) in The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar where the restaurant will also customize the menu with seven to 10 courses, will arrange for live entertainment (think violinist or cellist) and will drape the ceiling with a full layer of rose petals. This is sure to be one of the most memorable of Valentine’s Day experiences.
The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar is located at 432 41st Street. For reservations, please call 305.538.8533 or visit www.theforge.com. Cost for the pre-fixe menu mentioned above is $69 per person (excluding tax & gratuity). Menu is attached.
*GET A ROOM!: NATIONAL HOTEL MIAMI BEACH
Romance is all about the details… a gentle Atlantic breeze, candlelight flickering off a glimmering pool, live music floating through the air, a delectable meal and extending it out for the weekend! This Valentine’s Day, have a romantic rendezvous at the National Hotel Miami Beach. Guests can dine with a decandent four-course Valentine’s Day dinner on the moonlit poolside terrace, dance to live entertainment or just order room service all weekend long.
The National Hotel Miami Beach is located at 1677 Collins Ave. For reservations please call 305.532.2311, or book directly online at www.nationalhotel.com.
*DON’T WANNA MISS A THING: A FISH CALLED AVALON
Valentine’s Day does not mean that you have to compromise and pick from three dishes to share with your Valentine, listen to an ipod selection of cheesy love songs or sit in a room full of balloons and couples to remind you that it Valentine’s Day. At A Fish Called Avalon, for Valentine’s Day you can avoid the feeling of resentment that you are missing out on a better experience. You will be able to choose your meal one of the most expansive pre-fixe menus available anywhere in South Beach, you will be able to overlook famed Ocean Drive in case you need a people-watching distraction (and probably a little added humor as well), you will have tranquility of the beach and ocean waves but the liveliness of the live band on the terrace, and most importantly you will have a team of service veterans catering to your and your loved-one’s every need. Who said you couldn’t have it all!
A Fish Called Avalon is located at 700 Ocean Drive. For reservations please call 305.532.1727 or visit www.afishcalledavalon.com. Menu is attached.
*LETS GET IT ON: SWEET STREET
So it’s Valentine’s Day and your checklist of things to do is getting bigger by the minute: dinner reservations, flowers, chocolates, teddy bears, heart pillows and candy… not to mention the extra time it takes to deal with traffic and lines. Take the pressure off you and your honey and kick back, relax and cozy up at home. What is more romantic than feeding each other sweets in your barely there comfies? Sweet Street Desserts is making it easy for couples to romance it up in their own home this Valentine’s Day. Pick from a variety of luscious bars, gourmet cakes and cupcakes, delicate pastries and/or a variety of silky mousses, and at a click of a button everything will be shipped to your door and ready to enjoy! The only thing you need to worry about is choosing between Marvin Gaye and Boys ll Men to set the mood.
Sweet Street Desserts can be ordered at www.sweetstreet.com and can be shipped nationally. Please make Valentine’s Day orders by Thursday February 10th for guaranteed receipt.
*LA ISLA BONITA, THIS IS WHERE YOU LONG TO BE: GIBRALTAR AT THE GROVE ISLE HOTEL & SPA
Take a romantic break and whisk your loved one away to Grove Isle Hotel & Spa’s private resort in Coconut Grove. Dine with your Valentine at Gibraltar with 360 degree views of the ocean, a picturesque sunset, the sound of water hitting the rocks and a four-course menu including dishes such as Avocado & Octopus Salad with Osetra Caviar and Aged Balsamic, Pan-Seared Sea Bass with a Jumbo Lump Blue Crab Mousse, Lobster & Veal with a Gruyere Gratin and a Flourless Chocolate Torte with Port Roasted Fruit and a Crème Anglaise – you’ll have to pinch yourself to make sure you aren’t dreaming!
Gibraltar at The Grove Isle Hotel in Coconut Grove is located at 4 Grove Isle Drive. For reservations please call 305.858.8300 or visit www.groveisle.com.