A Valentine's Date Night-In Menu

and other romatic dishes

Feb 11, 2025

I've never been a fan of Valentine's Day. A globally recognized date to celebrate love has always felt so contrived. Going to a restaurant on the day isn’t for me either—I’d much rather kick off my shoes and create a romantic meal at home than be squeezed between dozens of other tables for two.

At home, you can relax, be yourself, and show love through the ultimate expression: putting in the effort for your partner. Love is wonderful and should be celebrated at every opportunity. But if you're not pretending (like me) that Valentine’s doesn’t exist and have someone special to spoil, this would be my perfect Valentine’s menu—a Southern Hemisphere edition of course.

To drink:

Always bubbly. A good South African Cap Classique or Champagne if you feel like a spoil.

A non-alcoholic drink that feels very romantic is my pomegranate and ginger spritzer. Make the syrup in advance for mocktail or cocktail-making at the drop of a hat.

To start

A healthy and delicious miso salmon and cucumber salad would be a great way to start. This recipe comes from Karen Dudley’s third cookbook ‘Set a Table’ and takes 10 minutes to put together.

Alternatively following along the raw fish theme, ceviche. Either a flavour-packed Peruvian ceviche recipe or a Mexican-inspired version.

For Mains

My butter-basted ribeye steak brings a steak night restaurant experience to your home. If you buy a really good aged cut from your butcher then this beats a restaurant IMHO. One large Ribeye is enough to feed at least 2 people. I made a Cafe de Paris-style herby butter to drizzle over the top and it’s so delicious. Served with my roasted smashed potatoes with brown butter sage is the only way to go.

A few nice side dishes: kale salad with vinegar-soaked sultanas and pecorino, shoestring sweet potato fries, or asparagus with anchovy butter and Parmesan.

For vegetarians, I would go with my Rigatoni alla Norma. One of my favourite vegetarian pasta dishes. I roast the aubergine to make it easier and less oily, and the tomato sauce bubbles away on its own.

For dessert

Chocolate fondant with Lindt Lindor

This classic chocolate dessert is my ultimate romantic dish to end a meal. Chocolate and Valentine’s Day are a great match. Who doesn’t love a chocolate pudding with a molten centre? This recipe can be divided in half to make 2 large chocolate fondants.

A few more delicious romantic dishes:

A picnic is my favourite way to spend Valentine’s Day especially since it is high summer here. On a beach or in a park with a basket of easy snacks either made at home or picked up at my favourite Deli, Giovanni’s. A good baguette from Paris Cape Town, A block of Dalewood Fromage Huguenot, a few dips and spreads, a meaty thing, a salady thing, and a sweet thing, and I would be as happy as Larry with this situation.