It’s been scoffed at by cynics and cheapened by schmaltzy pink-and-red marketing ploys, but Valentine’s Day is not inconsequential. No, love is one bold slugger, and Feb. 14 is your day to take to the field. Whether it’s your first date or your 50th, we’ve found seven of Chicago’s love-liest places to let loose your affections. Act fast, though. Your romance may be unique, but your desire for a reservation is not.
Bistro Campagne
4518 N. LINCOLN AVE. 773-271-6100
Imagine a cozy cottage in the French countryside: dark wood, warm lighting, a table for two in a nook by the window. Now, subtract the airfare and you’ve arrived at Lincoln Square’s Bistro Campagne, where executive chef Dan Jacobs uses local, organic ingredients to create rich, rustic fare. On Valentine’s Day, he’ll offer the regular menu along with specials such as aphrodisiac oysters with a cucumber mignonette ($14) and a tableside-for-two chateaubriand ($48).
Tepatulco
2558 N. HALSTED ST. 773-472-7419
Some foods ignite our deepest passions. On Valentine’s Day, Chef Geno Bahena of Lincoln Park’s Tepatulco is the man who’ll fan the flames. He’ll prepare a five-course menu ($45 per person) based on the book “Like Water for Chocolate.” Each course, from champandongo (tortillas with pork, beef, almonds and pecans in a red mole sauce) to quail in rose petal sauce to pastel de tres leches (three-milk cake), is designed to inspire red-hot desire. Your only challenge is lasting all five courses.
Hot Chocolate
1747 N. DAMEN AVE. 773-489-1747
The name alone makes this Bucktown spot an obvious Valentine’s contender. But you’ll also want to check out the savory sweetheart specials. Entrees will include veal cheek Wellington ($28) and scallops in a lobster broth with a fried quail egg ($14)(this sentence as published has been corrected in this text).
Desserts also entice: hot fudge and hazelnut ravioli ($11) and passion fruit parfait ($11), to name a couple. If dessert would taste even sweeter in private, order from the special Valentine’s take-away menu. (No one will ask any questions.)
Aigre Doux
230 W. KINZIE ST. 312-329-9400
You might struggle to pronounce Aigre Doux (it’s ay-greh-DOO), but never amour. It’s all you need for River North’s newest tres-chic option, where husband-wife team Muhammad Islam and Malika Ameen will prepare three decadent courses ($95 per person) especially for your Valentine and you. Entrees include prime rib with mustard spaetzel or butter-roasted lobster with Italian lentils and lemon confit. A dessert of melting chocolate crepes with sour cherry jus and candied ginger ice cream will put you in just the mood for . . . a movie? We doubt it.
Blu 47
4655 S. KING DRIVE, SECOND FLOOR. 773-536-6000
If you’re struggling to find words to let your baby know just how you feel, head to Bronzeville’s Blu 47, where an old-school R&B band will feed you smooth lines all night. Chef Dave Blackmon is turning up the heat too. In addition to his regular menu, he’ll prepare a four-course lovers’ feast ($70 per couple) including crab bouillabaisse, a surf-and-turf grilled lobster with passion fruit glaze and tenderloin with bearnaise, and pineapple foster flambeed tableside.
May St. Cafe
1146 W. CERMAK ST. 312-421-4442
True love comes where you least expect it, and May St. Cafe, hidden in Pilsen’s industrial corridor, is an unexpected gem. On Valentine’s Day, Chef Mario Santiago will fill his cozy, art-filled restaurant with the aromas of tiger prawns in a guava-basil glaze atop yucca and sweet potato mash ($34), and filet mignon with wild mushrooms and carmelized shallots ($34). A heart-shaped lava cake with passion fruit-white chocolate sauce ($6.50) will seal the deal. Don’t forget to pack an extra-special bottle of wine–May St. is BYOB.
La Luce
1393 W. LAKE ST. 312-850-1900
Whether it’s the spaghetti scene from “Lady and the Tramp” or the way words like caprese roll off the tongue, Italian food emboldens affection. To make certain, head to West Town’s La Luce for traditional Italian fare in a beautifully restored Victorian mansion. Try the dense cavatelli smothered in vodka cream sauce ($14.95) or tortellini with four cheeses ($14.95). Both are perfect for feeding across the table to your sweetheart–which you can get away with on Valentine’s Day.
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METROMIX@TRIBUNE.COM
