Looking for some suggestions as to some nice settings for a valentine's day dinner with my lady. Preferably something with a romantic atmosphere, great quality food, and not over priced!

Heres the plan so far...
1) Valentines Day Movie
2) Romantic Card
3) Flowers
4) Dinner
5) Bottle of Wine

1/16/2010 10:21:05 AM

The Melting Pot isn't overpriced just cuz I <3 the Melting Pot.

What's your price range?

1/16/2010 10:26:35 AM

Quote :

"Saturday 2/13 & Valentine's Day $150 per couple plus tax and %18 gratuity $135 per couple for the double date option (plus tax and 18% tip) Prices includes a four course gourmet fondue menu, a champagne toast and a romance gift bag and a love quiz."

thats a good bit more than I wanted to spend...I have heard a lot of good things about their valentine's day dinners...

1/16/2010 10:33:14 AM

Meh a 4 course meal can be made cheaper with their regular menu (~$80-100). Plus if you signup for their newsletter club thing online you get a free chocolate fondue dessert w/ fruit

If ya'll are into beef, the Angus Barn might be a good choice too ($30-60 steaks).

1/16/2010 10:40:09 AM

"over-priced" is very subjective. i've always liked frazier's on hillsborough.

1/16/2010 11:11:30 AM

518 west was a lot more reasonably priced than i had expected and it was SO good

1/16/2010 11:19:10 AM

went to Porter's on hboro a couple of years ago, food was great, nice atmosphere, and Kay Yow walked in next to us

1/16/2010 11:19:51 AM

Sitti will be opening and likely offering their full menu... and is not overpriced

1/16/2010 11:47:43 AM

#1: search
#2: skip dinner out, or do it before/after the day/evening of the 14th (and if she's not okay with this, consider ditching such a broad)

1/16/2010 1:22:45 PM

My husband who dated a hostess at Melting Pot claims that reservations for holiday's like Valentine's Day were made months ahead of time in order to get a table. Soooo. . .yeah.

Eat at home or move V-Day to another night.

1/16/2010 1:29:09 PM

Anything worth going to is going to already be booked up.

1/16/2010 1:33:40 PM

Bojangles!

If any girl who's willing to go to Bojangles for Valentine day, then you know she's a keeper.

1/16/2010 1:41:32 PM

you can do 2/12 Friday night at melting pot for $100... includes the 4 course valentine's menu and champagne...

i asked about reservations and my only 2 choices were 545 or 745...i took the 2nd one...so yeah it is filling up fast


we did sullivan's last year...they have a similar set menu this year for $79 for a couple
http://www.sullivansteakhouse.com/documents/ValentinesDay2010Menu.pdf

[Edited on January 16, 2010 at 1:54 PM. Reason : ya]

1/16/2010 1:49:27 PM

^^2 of my favorite/most memorable valentines days involve bojangles/$1.50 theater and taco bell/target

to the OP: Why don't you try doing something more original and save the movie/flowers/dinner for a random date night?

i.e. get her a massage and while she's out you pretty up the place (flowers/candles) and cook her favorite meal; go to the art museum then take an art class; go to a book store and buy each other a book then have a lunch picnic outside and read; etc

1/16/2010 2:43:45 PM

as a table waiter, i recommend not going out on V-Day

worst service you can possibly get as the restaurants will be overbooked and the kitchen will be swamped all night

go out the night before or after. it'll be cheaper and you're guaranteed a better experience

1/16/2010 3:10:45 PM

nvm

[Edited on January 16, 2010 at 3:23 PM. Reason : ]

1/16/2010 3:21:49 PM

^^

1/16/2010 3:23:15 PM

personally im a fan of celebrating this at home (if either of you can cook, if not just order in)

that way its more private and romantic. and you can just fuck right there on the table if you want.

1/16/2010 3:40:45 PM

Whore

1/16/2010 4:55:42 PM

^on the opposite actually. She must only have sex on valentine day.

1/16/2010 5:10:53 PM

Don't listen to these people telling you to stay home. You wanna do something special for the lady ON VALENTINE'S DAY, and you should.

I don't think I've been to a nice restaurant downtown that I haven't enjoyed. Luna Cafe on Blount St is good, the Mint has an awesome atmosphere, The place right across the street from the flying Saucer looks like a really cool place (I've never been there, though).

You can get pictures and information on most of the downtown raleigh eateries on the internet, you should make reservations as early in advance as possible, or you'll end up scrambling for somewhere to go on the week before V-Day

1/16/2010 5:46:35 PM

^ The Ugly Monkey?

1/16/2010 5:52:29 PM

Quote :

"You wanna do something special for the lady ON VALENTINE'S DAY, and you should."

Doing the same thing as everyone else because of the date doesn't make it special. Nor does the date on the calendar make a dinner out any more special than the same dinner out, but two days before/after.

And if the day on the calendar or social expectations dictate when he treats his lady...then maybe you should PM him your number and let him know to give you a call when he's single next.

Quality >>>>>> arbitrary day

PS: message_search.aspx?type=topic§ion=1&searchstring=valentines&username=&usertype=match&sortby=date&sortorder=descending&page=

[Edited on January 16, 2010 at 5:54 PM. Reason : ds]

1/16/2010 5:52:39 PM

Back on topic..I'm liking the suggestions thus far..Sullivan's sounds like a nice choice and I've never been there

1/16/2010 6:33:54 PM

best vday ever - i bought myself perfume and a cute teddy bear, my bf made us dinner then took me to target to pick out a dvd. and i didn't have to give him anything. <3 PaulISdead

1/16/2010 8:02:24 PM

Second Empire?

Mint?

18 Seaboard?

1/16/2010 8:13:05 PM

The Melting Pot is such a ripoff. I don't get the appeal of that restaurant at all.

Irregardless Cafe, 518 West, Jibarra, Porter's, Bogart's, Caffe Luna are all good choices if you're looking for cliche "going to a fancy restaurant."

Word of advice though, women always become more moist if you go to the trouble to cook for them or even do something like get some pizza at Lilly's and serve it by candlelight at home with some wine. Best V-day I ever had was when occamsrezr prepared us a surprise picnic and we ate it beside a lake

1/16/2010 9:17:47 PM

Men and women both like the idea of something that is personalized towards them. Cooking her favorite meal (or even trying to) will go a long way versus eating out. (I also agree with the suggestion to pick ANY other night to go out to eat).

What is your price range per person not including alcohol? As has been mentioned, "overpriced" is fairly subjective.

1/17/2010 12:39:53 AM

Quote :

"Luna Cafe on Blount St is good"

its Caffe Luna...

1/17/2010 12:49:09 AM

Quote :

"The Melting Pot is such a ripoff. I don't get the appeal of that restaurant at all."

It's a well known restaurant that is semi expensive.

It makes people that don't have a lot of money feel "special" by eating there.

1/17/2010 12:51:11 AM

I refuse to patronize 18 Seaboard just because the owner is a pretentious asshole.

If you're eating out, I'd say recommend Sullivan's for a steak or Nina's for Italian.

1/17/2010 12:55:00 AM

Quote :

"I refuse to patronize 18 Seaboard just because the owner is a pretentious asshole. "

Go on.

Post the full list of businesses you won't patronize because the owner is an asshole.

1/17/2010 1:03:06 AM

Margaux's
Caffe Luna
St. Jacques

[Edited on January 17, 2010 at 1:35 AM. Reason : caffe]

1/17/2010 1:35:24 AM

Quote :

"I refuse to patronize 18 Seaboard just because the owner is a pretentious asshole."

What exactly did you do to make him give you that impression?

1/17/2010 1:41:27 AM

Quote :

"cook for them or even do something like get some pizza at Lilly's and serve it by candlelight at home with some wine."

I second this. Really just wine and candlelight is fine... or just the wine

Quote :

" The Melting Pot is such a ripoff. I don't get the appeal of that restaurant at all." It's a well known restaurant that is semi expensive. It makes people that don't have a lot of money feel "special" by eating there."

I don't think that's true at all. I've only been a few times, but it's very intimate and interactive. Where else can you dip strawberries into yummy melted chocolate?!?! Also, I know this sounds stupid but I'm always cold at restaurants and that little stove warms me right up!
Honestly, I would just go to the MP just for the desert stuff.

1/17/2010 8:51:45 AM

If you try to do fondue at home, you'll spend almost as much as just going to the melting pot, assuming the same variety of items.

it doesn't seem like that would be the case, but it is.

1/17/2010 8:59:43 AM

^yeah it does get expensive. but some friends and I got together for a fondue night and everyone brought different ingredients (i.e. cheese, meat, desserts, fruit, chocolates, etc). it was exactly like the melting pot but cheap.

I doubt you're going to want to do it on valentine's day.

1/17/2010 10:07:42 AM

My bf and I did fondue at home last Valentine's day and it did get super expensive...just the cheese cost over $20 and then we had to get tons of other stuff. It was fun but I don't think we will do all of it again....maybe just the chocolate round.

1/17/2010 10:17:38 AM

^^

yeah, i definitely agree if you do it that way.

1/17/2010 10:51:16 AM

maybe im just anti-restaurant on valentines day (and new years) because i hate big crowds and going to a crowded restaurant is my idea of a miserable time

i like going out to eat, just not when its loud and crowded and super busy. stresses me out

1/17/2010 10:58:01 AM

Not like I've been to these places in Durham, but Four Square, Pop's, Revolution, and the Magnolia Grill are supposed to be pretty nice.

The OP has a lot planned. Make sure she likes the wine.

1/17/2010 11:05:37 AM

Quote :

"maybe im just anti-restaurant on valentines day (and new years) because i hate big crowds and going to a crowded restaurant is my idea of a miserable time i like going out to eat, just not when its loud and crowded and super busy. stresses me out "

I feel the same way. I'd rather do something low key on Valentine's Day and go out to a nice dinner on a random night.

1/17/2010 11:50:33 AM

i think it'd be fun to go to a concert or bowling instead of fighting the crowds at a restaurant

1/17/2010 11:52:02 AM

sawasdee!

1/17/2010 12:04:25 PM

Taco Bell for me.

1/17/2010 2:25:07 PM

Quote :

"If you try to do fondue at home, you'll spend almost as much as just going to the melting pot, assuming the same variety of items."

You're doing it wrong

Seriously though, no reason fondue should cost so much. Then again, my family always ate fondue out of a soup pot with our fingers. No need for a fancy pants fondue pot and skewers.

Quote :

"Where else can you dip strawberries into yummy melted chocolate?!?! "

At home. For a crapload less. And with a lot more wine. And when you're done you can just get on with the sex instead of having to get home first.

[Edited on January 17, 2010 at 7:38 PM. Reason : .]

1/17/2010 7:37:00 PM

can I just say something

if this is really your plan:

Quote :

"1) Valentines Day Movie 2) Romantic Card 3) Flowers 4) Dinner 5) Bottle of Wine "

..... I feel bad for her. Cliche' ftl.



Anyway, I liked 42nd St. Oyster Bar (but that was for my birthday). Or you could make her dinner.

Last year we went to Cheesecake Factory, but on a "double date" thing.. it was nice

1/17/2010 7:45:31 PM

If you spend over $20 for cheese for fondue then you are either buying super expensive stuff (way nicer than what you'd get at the melting pot) or you made enough for a small army. My friend and I made cheese sauce yesterday and enough for 2 people for 2 meals cost maybe $2 to make.

1/17/2010 8:09:25 PM

^^ let me get this straight....

going to a NATIONAL RESTAURANT CHAIN AT A SHOPPING MALL isn't cliche?


redneck logic ftl

1/17/2010 8:54:14 PM

Pretty sure she was saying the whole package is cliche but if he insists on going with cliche that restaurant is pretty good.

1/17/2010 8:56:55 PM