Looking for a special dinner on Valentine's? Here's just a small sample of Polk's finest
LAKELAND – At one of Lakeland’s noted fine dining restaurants, owner Marcos Fernandez said his chefs will be adding a dash of romance to their recipes.
Downtown Lakeland’s Nineteen61, 215 E. Main St. — which features modern twists on classic Spanish and Latin American dishes — will join other Polk County restaurants and lounges offering special dishes that will add aroma to love in the air.
Fernandez, who originally opened Nineteen61 on Florida Avenue in December 2015 before moving to downtown in 2019, said his Valentine’s Day menu will be “memorable.” The restaurant traditionally has a Valentine's Day pre-fixe menu, meaning a multicourse meal for a fixed price.
“It revolves around memorable moments, offering diners a limited menu that will hit all the senses on this special romantic night. Our goal is to always do something different every year and something exciting,” said Fernandez, who’s been in the restaurant business for more than 20 years.
Among the offerings are amuse bouche such as Kumamoto oyster and shallot mignonette and courses featuring halibut and lobster, fresh mussels, lobster medallion and parsnip silk, duck, sweet potato silk, filet mignon, black truffle mousseline stuffing, artichoke and fingerling fricassee. And for dessert — chocolate entremets. Those are just some of the fine Valentine’s Day dishes planned to add romance to the pallet.
Nineteen61’s Valentine’s Day dinner is $150 per person. Reservations can be made at www.nineteen61.com/valentines-menu. Free cancellation before 5 p.m. Feb. 13. After that, canceling this reservation may cost $25 per guest. For information, call 863-688-1961.
Here are just a small sample of other Polk County dining establishments serving up an extra dash of Valentine’s Day romance to their dining experiences (for complete menus, refer to the accompanying websites. Please call ahead to find out reservation availability as reservations for some of these restaurants may be closed):
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Terrace Grill, 329 E. Main St., Lakeland
The restaurant inside downtown Lakeland's Terrace Hotel offers a three course dinner that includes crème fraîche lobster bisque; sweetheart salad with mixed greens; chicken roulade, marsala New York strip, pappardelle pasta; warm chocolate lava cake and fresh fruit tart. 5 to 9 p.m.; $75 per couple, $25 optional wine pairing. Call 863-603-5420 or see www.terracegrillelakeland.com/holiday-menus-and-events/
Red Door, 733 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland
This restaurant across the street from the Lakeland Public Library main branch offers a pre-fixe special menu, Feb. 10 to 14: The menu includes fresh eggs with arugula, Meyer lemon vinaigrette, house-made bacon, croutons; pork duo, mustard jus, garlic confit, bok choy, sweet potato dumpling; dessert of truffles, chocolate-covered strawberries, mini-cookies. $50 per person; wine pairing menu, $25 per person. Reservations required. Call 863-937-9314 or see www.reddoorlakeland.com.
Patio 850, 850 S. Tennessee Ave., Lakeland
This mostly outdoor patio restaurant is offering a gourmet seafood surf ‘n’ turf, $59.95 per person, crème brulé dessert, $10. Reservations required, call 863-940-2030 or see www.patio850.com
Arabellas Ristorante, 346 W. Central Ave, Winter Haven
The Valentine’s Day menu first-course antipasti includes among others, French four-onion soup, toasted French baguette, melted gruyere cheese, chives, trio di ostriche Pacific, black truffle, spaghettini pasta, bluefin tuna, avocado puree, roasted fennel. Main courses include panko-breaded branzino, baby arugula, charred lemon braciola di Maiale Tomahawk, 16-ounce Tomahawk pork chop, 8-ounce black angus filet mignon, whole Maine lobster, La Molisana spaghettone, herb-crusted Colorado lamb chop. Dessert includes dark chocolate cake, molten chocolate center, vanilla bean ice cream layered red velvet cake, cream cheese mousse. $110 per person, reservations required. Although fully booked, openings may become available. Call 863-293-1797 or see www.arabellas.us
Nutwood, 132 Avenue B S.W., Winter Haven
Valentine’s Day dinners will be served from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. and 8:15 to 10:15 p.m. Chef Steven Rojas will prepare six courses, each paired with wine. Dinners will consist of oysters and caviar; chilled Key West pink shrimp gazpacho; mezzaluna stuffed with truffles, cream and wild mushrooms; a choice of roasted halibut or grilled lamb; an intermezzo of pink peppercorn and lychee sherbet; and a dessert of chocolate Cremieux. An optional cheese course for two will be an additional $24. Cost is $130 per person, tickets are available at www.exploretock.com, keyword search “Nutwood,” call 863-229-7770 or email info@nutwoodwh.com
Bay Street Bistro, 211 E. Bay St., Lakeland
This staple of Lakeland's fine-dining scene has special Valentine's dinners that include appetizers such as escargot in a lemon, garlic and white wine butter sauce; tomato and onion bruschetta with a balsamic glaze drizzle; smoked salmon roulade; blue crab, capers and shrimp wrapped with smoked salmon, topped with dijon sauce. The soup or salad is house or Caesar, tomato bisque soup or butternut squash soup. Entrees include sea scallops, Chilean sea bass Mediterranean, filet mignon, boneless ribeye, herb-crusted rack of lamb. And the desserts: creme' brule' or a choice from the dessert table. $90 per person, includes choice of one item per course. For information, see www.baystreetbistro.net or call 863-683-4229
L'incontro Italian Restaurant, 35th St. E., State Road 60, Lake Wales
The Valentine’s Day appetizer menu includes shitake mushroom and Vidalia onion soup garnished with mushrooms, caramelized onions and shaved parmesan cheese, $9; string bean salad with diced tomatoes, red onions; and mozzarella cubes in homemade Italian dressing, $16. Entrees consists of sautéed boneless chicken breasts with spinach, prosciutto and melted provolone cheese, served over angel hair pasta with a lemon white wine sauce, $28; blackened stuffed salmon stuffed with crab meat, shrimp, ricotta cheese, roasted garlic and breadcrumbs with a scampi sauce, served over chickpeas, artichokes and cherry tomatoes, $31; lobster risotto and Italian rice with shrimp, scallops, lobster meat, cherry tomatoes and asparagus in seafood sauce, $33; lamb chop, pan-seared with spinach and sweet potato puree, shallots and a port wine demi-glaze sauce, $38. Dessert choices will be “Chocolate Temptation,” a layered chocolate cake with cocoa from Ecuador filled with chocolate, hazelnut cream and a hazelnut crunch, $10; “Lovers Crème Brulé,” vanilla custard base topped with caramelized brown sugar served with fresh raspberries, $10. For information, see www.lincontrolfl.com or call 863-676-7400.
Zest Bar and Grill, 315 E. Summerlin St., Suite A, Bartow
The Valentine’s Day special includes New York strip, shrimp pinwheel, potato croquette and asparagus. $29. The Valentine's Day fine dining is sold out but call for cancellations. That menu is a choice of one appetizer: French onion soup gratinee, rich beef broth, caramelized onion, gruyere cheese crouton or steakhouse wedge baby iceberg lettuce, beefsteak tomatoes, maple-smoked bacon, Spanish red onion, crumbled blue cheese, buttermilk chive dressing. A choice of one main dish: New York strip and lobster tail asparagus, hollandaise sauce, twice-baked potato, $65 per person. Chilean salmon and crab cake purple mashed potato, baby bok choy, sauce beurre blanc, $60. Airline chicken breast and shrimp sauce supreme, twice-baked potato croquette, sauteed rhubarb Swiss chard, glazed carrots, $55. And desserts include champagne cake, strawberry filling, marshmallow meringue, chocolate drizzle. For information, see www.orderzestbartow.com or call 863-800-3181.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Here's a sample of Polk restaurants offering special Valentine's menus
