 OK, it’s that time of year, with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, when thoughts turn to love and to sexy food, when finding the perfect restaurant for a romantic diner-à-deux becomes top priority. Nothing new? Well, maybe…
The key to success and how to impress, this time round, is to choose an establishment that offers a new spin on traditional aphrodisiac-laden fare; somewhere that is bold enough to be different.
. The depressing fact of the matter, however, is that too much naffery abounds in the lead-up to February 14th. And, it is not unheard of for certain restaurants to succumb to the pressure of producing a romance-inducing menu that will draw in the punters, rather than concentrating on the substance of the dishes. Expectations are high; and occasionally diners end up, disappointed. The vital ingredients: innovation, imagination and dedication, often seem sadly lacking as, each year, chefs brace themselves for the daunting task of devising sexy menus that will give them the romantic edge over their competitors
Of course, dishes designed for love are no modern phenomenon – they date back to the early days of civilisation. Even the word “aphrodisiac” derives from the name of the Greek Goddess of Love, Aphrodite. Indeed, aphrodisiac foods have been well researched and put to the test, over the years, for their potency and efficacy in the romance department. And, any so-called aphrodisiacs that have failed to cut the mustard, along the way, have sunk into oblivion, leaving only those foods and drinks that are truly pleasing to the senses. Moreover, sexy foods and drinks that have stood the test of time, have done so for a very good reason; not to mince words, they have been shown to deliver.
But the question remains, how to rise above the predictable culinary offerings to be found on your average Valentine’s Day menus. Clearly, today’s chefs are faced with the challenge of how best to crank things up in the sophistication stakes. They need to come up with menus that will win the hearts of highly discerning (and often cynical) modern-day diners who know a decent dish of oysters, figs, asparagus or caviar, when they see it!
So, what’s hot for intimate diners, this year? With a few exceptions, the staple ingredients remain pretty much unchanged. Presentation, decoration and visual effects play an important role, with an emphasis upon imaginative food combinations and the use of novel cooking methods. Seductive oriental flavours, herbs and seasonings are also a must! Above all, the recipe must look as if it has taken hours to create. After all, each dish must appear to have been painstakingly put together – a true labour of love.
For example, this year’s take on the ever-popular grilled steak requires that the meat is marinated, at length, in order to produce a sensuous, tender texture that is sure to impress! And for those romantics who prefer to eschew blood red meat dishes, fish such as mackerel (yes mackerel!) is becoming an increasingly popular option, provided that it has been lovingly prepared using seductive spices and herbs or even cooked in aromatic honey. And what about Linguine and Clams? This dish tends to be dubbed “sexy food”, more for the languorous process involved in fingering the juicy fleshy content, than for its tempting taste and flavour. Or, for visual impact, you can’t go far wrong with a dish of rose petal tempura.
In the words of George Bernard Shaw, "There is no sincerer love than the love of food". Now, an inspirational Valentine’s Day menu is indeed a heady cocktail of food and love. Ultimately, it is in the best interest of all restaurateurs to get it right, to woo customers, new and old, with their sexy food that will appeal to today’s romantics.
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