Valentine’s Day began as a Roman festival taking place on February 15. It was a day connected with fertility. As fertility and love ceased to be synonymous, lovers began to establish their own traditions by sending valentines and red roses, or by taking a few hours to have a romantic dinner with a loved one. Even if you don’t have a date, grab some friends and hit one of these local eateries on Valentine’s Day for some guaranteed good food and maybe even a little romance.
Mirabelle’s Tavern is a fairly new restaurant with a cozy atmosphere, fireplace and a full bar. The menu is a bit out of the ordinary, offering everything from French bistro items to American comfort food, so make sure you check out the menu before you go. The tavern is close to campus, right off Main Street in Stony Brook. On February 14, Mirabelle’s is offering a special Valentine’s menu for a little under $60 per person.
Pasta Pasta deceivingly juvenile name does not seem to suggest the great selection of Italian and American cuisine that reviews rave about. However, this restaurant has been mentioned in Zagat and Great Restaurants of Long Island and described as “very intimate.” This Italian restaurant is offering its regular menu on Valentine’s Day, which can be seen online. An average entrée is about $20 per person.
O Sole Mio is another nearby Italian restaurant, located across the street from the Smithaven Mall. With a comfortable and classy atmosphere, the restaurant offers reasonably priced food. You can even find coupons on its website. O Sole Mio offers its regular menu on Valentine’s Day with specials, and average entrée prices range from $7.99-20.50. If you feel like having an intimate dinner in the dorms they even deliver!
Kimi Japanese Restaurant is recommended for its heart-shaped sushi, fried ice cream and udon. The restaurant was rated on zagat.com several times as very fresh with great service and a nice ambience. This is the place to bring your sushi-lovin’ date. Chicken, beef and salmon dishes are also available for those less crazy about sushi and sashimi. The average entrée is about $16, although there are many cheaper options if you go for sushi! Kimi Japanese is located on Main Street.
The beautiful Country House offers an elaborate Valentine’s Day menu for a super romantic meal, with dishes named after famous couples like “The Marilyn and Joe” (crab cakes), as well as “The Jen, Brad and Angelina” (filet mignon, duck confit and lamb chops). The menu is on the pricey side-the entrée list starts at $25 and you could pay as much as $65 for surf and turf-but overall the Country House promises a very special experience with a large variety of dishes. Just a fun fact to add to the romance,-this restaurant is rumored to be haunted by the beautiful Annette Williamson!
