Pick Up Romance with Take-Out this Valentine’s Day

During the past year, our homes have been transformed from the buildings where we eat and sleep to the base that everything else revolves around. The pandemic has molded our homes into schools, offices, chef’s kitchens, take-out restaurants, playgrounds, movie theaters, and more. We’ve reimagined outdoor spaces and turned them into havens for relaxing drinks, nighttime light shows, and places for picnics. We’ve re-arranged furniture to turn bedrooms into colorful school rooms. We’ve split our spaces between work and play. As time has gone by, once big social holidays are now smaller celebrations. Some of this feels normal while some of it is entirely foreign. On the 4th of July, firing up the grill wasn’t too far from the norm. But on Christmas, large family gatherings had to be supplemented with virtual calls, surprise deliveries, and long-distance hugs. This will be the first Valentine’s Day since the pandemic began. Luckily, many local Carlsbad restaurants are open for business and have pre-fixe pickup meals ready-to-go for a fancy date at home.

Jeune et Jolie

Jeune et Jolie has gone through a lot of change in 2020. Late last year, the restaurant announced a new head chef. The French eatery has been working tirelessly to deliver award-winning food to the community, despite the pandemic. This summer, Starry Nights gave diners the opportunity to enjoy the esteemed cuisine at a unique outdoor offering.

For Valentine’s Day,  guests can sign up to get a Valentine’s Day takeaway meal on February 13th or 14th. Chef Eric Bost is pulling out all the stops with this six-course meal. Whether you’re ordering for your significant other or yourself, the pre-fixe menu will impress. For $100 per person, you will get a spread of canapes, lobster, ravioli, aged duck, and chocolate. Fruits de mer and ‘Next Morning French Toast’ are also available as add ons. The meal will come with instructions for final prep so that you can wow your loved ones with newfound cooking skills.

Chandlers Oceanfront Dining

Since the stay-at-home orders have been lifted, Chandlers is jumping in and opening their doors for diners. If you want to shake off the cabin fever and soak in the lovely landscape of the coast, Chandlers is the perfect place for a safe and delicious date.

On Friday, February 14th, Chandlers will be serving up a three-course dinner menu from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The first course has choices like smoked salmon and caviar tartlet to kobe beef, aged gouda, and pink lady apple bisque, and cocktail meatballs. For the second course, guests can choose from delicacies like Ponto surf & turf, wild mushroom lasagna, or prosciutto-wrapped sea bass. The meal will be rounded out with a Valentine’s Day Trio Dessert, complete with cherry chocolate pot de creme, white chocolate raspberry entremet, and chocolate amaretto cheesecake.

Urban Plates

Urban Plates is a charmingly fancy coastal eatery with laid back vibes. They have locations in Carlsbad, Del Mar, and La Jolla and they excel at healthy whole food meals at affordable prices. Their cafeteria-style service is paired with farm to table cuisine that is prepped right in front of you.

This year, Urban Plates is tackling the pandemic in stride, and offering diners a Valentine’s Day At Home 3-Course Dinner for Two. For the low price of $49, diners can choose two starters. Options include a caesar salad, side house salad or basil soup. For an entree, there is grilled grass-fed steak, chimichurri grass-fed steak, sustainable salmon, blue-cheese grass-fed steak, cage-free chicken cobb salad, and meatless loaf. Each entree comes with two sides and artisan bread. For dessert, there is a choice of mango tart, chocolate vanilla layer cake, flourless chocolate cake, or hummingbird cake. The holiday meal is only available from February 12th through February 14th, and a preorder must be placed by February 11th.

Smore’s Suite Love Package at the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort and Spa

A nice dinner is one important part of a romantic Valentine’s Day. If you’re looking to take your romance up a notch, the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort and Spa has something special for you this year. Make a reservation by February 10th, and you can secure a Valentine’s Day & Smore’s Suite Love Package.

The package includes one overnight accommodation in a Ponto Suite with COVID safety precautions in place.  It comes with a Roast Your Own Smore’s kit for two, a fresh floral arrangement,  and a $100 resort credit for 7 Mile Kitchen. The credit can be applied to 7 Mile’s Valentine’s Day Menu.

Valentine’s Day is a holiday to celebrate the ones we love. This year, we get to change it up a little and invest in local restaurants to make the day extra-special. Check back between now and the 14th for updates on places to pick up Valentine’s Day dinner and locations that plan on opening for outdoor dining.