Dining Out in Newton for Valentine's Day

If the surest way to your sweetie’s heart is through his/her stomach, then we definitely live in the right city. There are several restaurants in Newton that are offering special Valentine’s Day meals or are the perfect locales to have a romantic dinner.

– With its casual décor but elegant cuisine, Lumière is the right choice for those who want to celebrate in style. ’s special, three-course Valentine’s Day menu is priced at $75/person or $100 with wine pairings. Start with appetizers including lobster chowder, oysters or scallops or my personal favorite- veal tartare. For your entrée, select Asian-themed Alaskan black cod, sweet potato and ricotta ravioli, hanger steak or duck breast. Finish off your festive meal with dessert, including sorbet, a cashew financier (a small, molded French cake), dried apricot tart or chocolate soufflé cake.

- Newton’s only upscale steakhouse, BOKX is offering a romantic, $65/person Valentine’s Day dinner that is available from February 10  - 14 (tickets available via website). You can have your celebratory meal over the weekend and avail yourself of the ’s special February packages (see website for details). will be preparing a three-course dinner beginning with amuse bouche (small appetizer) such as scallops, lobster pizette or a grilled spicy sausage. For your second course, choose from duck, a shrimp and scallop risotto or pan-seared tenderloin. Finally, seal the deal with goat cheese panna cotta or a deconstructed white chocolate cake.

- Offering a special Valentine’s Day menu that is not prix fixe, Met Club has a number of food and drink specials that are made to be shared. Start of with crispy duck leg with foie gras ($20) or a rainbow crudo ($16), then move onto entrees including paella for two ($37) or an assortment of preparations of sirloin for one ($27 or $32) or two ($52 or $60).  End the meal- but not your romantic evening- with a chocolate sundae for two ($14). Add a wine pairing to your meal for $25/person.

- With only two offerings in each category (appetizers, entrees and dessert), Aquitaine Bis has set up the perfect opportunity to enjoy a lovey-dovey, split-and-switch meal. You order the fried oysters appetizer ($14.75) and she can get the goat cheese and onion tart ($10.50) to start. Then you can each indulge in half of a ribeye steak ($69.50 for two) or a pan-roasted halibut ($32.75). Feed each other chocolate long-stemmed strawberries ($9.75) and luscious mouthfuls of chocolate and banana crepes ($9.75). Oo la la!

– hasn’t yet listed his prices for his Valentine’s Day menu, but one look at the four-course meal has me thinking it really doesn’t matter.  Begin with beet carpaccio, move onto a rock shrimp risotto, enjoy an entrée of sirlon and seared scallops and, if you have any room left, finish off with a strawberry and cocoa pastry cream napoleon. A nice walk around the Newton Highlands neighborhood might be in order after this feast!

 – Voted one of Boston’s best new restaurants of 2011 by the Boston Globe, Christina’s décor makes it look like every day is Valentine’s Day. With posh purple accents and silver snakeskin booths, not to mention the red and black bathrooms decorated with posters of cinema heartthrobs, the atmosphere at Christina’s will surely set the mood for romance. But it’s the food that will put a smile on your sweetheart’s face. From the fried eggplant appetizer served with a garlicky tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber sauce- $7.99) to the savory Greek moussaka (beef, eggplant and béchamel casserole- $14.99) to the homemade desserts (they change nightly, so make sure to ask your server about them) you can be guaranteed an authentic Greek meal and a warm welcome from owner Christina Patsios.

– Their website reminds us to “think about Valentine’s Day,” and Vecchia Roma’s menu will remind you to think about not eating all day so you can have room for the reasonably priced, authentic Italian fare. Antipasti and salads are priced from $6.95 - $12.95 and include gnocchi alla Romana (potato dumplings with parmesan and sage) and insalata capricciosa (spinach salad with onions, walnuts, grapes and a cider vinaigrette). Primi Piatti (first course) include choices like as Lasagna delle Borgate Romano ($17.95) and Risotto Vecchia Roma (risotto with shrimp and arugula in a white wine sauce - $18.95). Select your secondi piatti from a number of chicken, veal, fish and pork entrees. Please note that Vecchia Roma only serves beer and wine, but you might not need it since you will be intoxicated with the love of your sweetie. Viva amore!