The most romantic day of the year is just around the corner, and numerous venues in Dubai have announced dining deals galore for couples looking for the best night out.
Here, The National rounds up Valentine's Day deals in the emirate — from the low-key to the extravagant, that you can still book.
The Crossing
A five-course tasting menu awaits diners at this Indian restaurant. Dishes include a tandoori Atlantic salmon tikka with saffron, Tellicherry pepper and yoghurt, as well as a dark chocolate dessert.
February 14, noon-11pm; Dh195 per person; The H Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road; 04 49 19695
Jumeirah Golf Estates
Restaurants Bussola and Kasturi, both within the lush greenery of this golf course, are hosting individual Valentine's Day dinners.
For those who are craving Italian cuisine, Bussola offers classics such as crab and avocado salad, and beef tenderloin with truffle potato cream. There's even a heart-shaped beetroot ravioli stuffed with lobster and passion fruit, and a special dessert from the chef.
Kasturi, on the other hand, is for those hungry for an Indian feast. The sharing menu features kolhapuri chicken, tandoori lamb chops, chicken pasanda and a choice between a gulab jamun cheesecake and a warm carrot strudel. Vegetarian options are available upon request.
February 14, from 6pm; Dh690 per couple at Bussola and Dh560 per couple at Kasturi; 04 586 7795
Oanjo
This Portuguese-Japanese restaurant, which opened late last year, is offering a three-course set menu for Valentine's Day. Dishes include lamb katsu and Portuguese dish polvo a lagareiro (octopus, olive oil, potatoes and garlic).
The restaurant is located on the second floor of Sheraton Mall of the Emirates, and has floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping Dubai skyline views.
February 14, 9pm-2am; Dh350 per person, Dh450 per person with a house beverage package; 04 377 2007
Bagatelle
This French-Mediterranean restaurant is celebrating Valentine's Day a day earlier, with a themed dinner and a musical performance by its resident duo.
The menu includes a platter of oysters to share, followed by langoustine ceviche and beef tartare in a crispy cylinder with caviar. For mains, there's lemon sole rolled in crispy capers powder with a lemon butter sauce and potato dauphinoise, as well as a beef wellington served with green asparagus gratin and Perigueux sauce.
Two Valentine's Day desserts are also on the menu, a strawberry parfait with champagne sorbet and profiteroles.
February 13, 8pm; Dh660 per couple; Fairmont Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road; 04 354 5035
Timo
This Italian restaurant is hosting a four-course dinner.
The first course includes a lobster bisque chilli essence with pan-seared scallops, smoked celeriac puree, tomatoes jam and balsamic balls. The second course includes heirloom tomatoes with josper-grilled beetroot and goat’s cheese. For the third course, guests can choose from oven-baked sea bass, grass-fed Angus beef fillet or aubergine involtini. Cap off the meal with a strawberry coconut heart fruit rouge.
The dinner will be hosted on February 11, which will feature live entertainment, and on February 14, without live music.
February 11 and 14, 7pm-10pm; Dh220 per person with soft drinks, Dh315 per person with one bottle of wine; Al Jaddaf Rotana Suite Hotel; 04 596 2222
Seva Table
A five-course set menu, with the theme "love starts from within", will be served at this restaurant in Jumeirah 1.
The menu includes the butter candle, which is served with a real flame, mushrooms, herbs and bread. Other dishes on the menu include a kale and basil soup, a jackfruit cake, and mushroom steaks with chimichurri sauce.
Two seating options are available, and there will be live entertainment at both.
February 14, 6pm-8pm and 8.30pm-10.30pm; Dh269 per person, Dh500 per couple; Jumeirah 1; 056 534 2899
Bombay Borough
This all-day Indian bar and restaurant in the Dubai International Financial Centre is offering a themed six-course menu that will be available for a week.
It includes an amuse-bouche of poached pineapple hearts and small plates of edamame chestnut vadai with coconut chutney salad. Mains include malai paneer with smoked pumpkin curry and braised lamd shank, as well as Buddha rice with roasted almond curry. Desserts include strawberry pavlova and saffron kahwa cannoli.
February 14 to 19; noon-midnight; Dh650 per couple; the DIFC; 054 995 8296
Sumosan
A seven-course sharing menu is on offer at this contemporary Japanese restaurant.
Dishes include seared black cod and sushi roll platters, tuna and salmon tartare with black caviar and a chocolate fondant for dessert. Themed Valentine's Day drinks are also on offer.
6pm-2am; Dh390 per person; The Dubai Edition, Downtown Dubai; 04 388 4540
Jun's
A recent entry on to the Mena's 50 Best list, this American-Chinese restaurant is offering a five-course set menu.
The dishes that start the meal are inspired by chef Kelvin Cheung's culinary travels and include a watermelon tartare on a nori cracker layer with charred avocado, followed by a chinois fromage, which combines the flavours of cheeses such as Gruyere, Comte and Gouda. It's topped with Sichuan peppercorns, fig compote and onion jam, and served on freshly baked sourdough.
For mains, guests can choose two out of three dishes, which include miso sea bass, Wagyu striploin and dan dan spaghettini. For desserts, a combination of chocolate mousse, chocolate fondant and hot chocolate will be served.
February 14, noon-2am; Dh400 per couple, Dh600 with a bottle of sparkling wine; Downtown Dubai; 04 457 6035
The Nice Guy
This spot has curated a menu of dishes such as millionaire's meatballs and pan-seared foie gras with toasted brioche and figs, as well as seasonal additions such as cacio e pepe with imperial caviar and fillet mignon served with charred broccolini and black trumpet mushrooms.
The Nice Guy has also created new pizza flavours, bianca with truffle cream, fior di latte and black truffle, and smoked salmon topped with imperial caviar and herbed buffalo ricotta. For dessert, a specially made chocolate mousse is on offer.
X Factor finalist Jaymie Deville will be serenading diners, followed by a DJ to cap the night off.
February 14, 5pm-1am; Dh400 per person, and an additional Dh100 per person for the pizza course; The Boulevard, Emirates Towers; 04 276 9888
Ergo
"I love, Ergo I am" is the name of the curated menu at this restaurant in Downtown Dubai. It includes dishes such as sea bass crudo, confit vegetables escabeche and Mediterranean octopus with braised chicory.
Also on the menu is a 250-day-old grain-fed Angus rib-eye with a selection of sides. Diners can also choose between a chocolate mousse and French profiteroles.
February 14, 6pm-2am; Dh400 per person; The Dubai Edition, Downtown Dubai; 04 554 2456
Garden of Dreams
The curated a la carte menu features prawn tempura, a cheeseboard, feta and beetroot salad, grilled sweet corn salad and sharing-style dishes such as mini brioche sliders and pizza rucola margherita.
February 14, 6pm-3am; prices vary; Address Beach Resort, JBR; 04 220 0224
Aamara
A nine-course menu will be served at this restaurant.
The dishes, inspired by spices found on the ancient trading routes, include Wagyu beef boti kebab with caramelised onions, hummus with fresh zaatar pesto and onion focaccia and a ramen with chicken meatballs, buckwheat noodles and Asian greens.
February 14, from 7pm; Dh500 per couple; Voco, Sheikh Zayed Road; 052 573 5723
Eunoia by Carine
Popular chef Izu Ani has prepared a menu for guests at this French-Mediterranean-inspired restaurant. It includes French oysters and tuna tartare, truffle tart and grilled octopus salad for starters. The main course includes roasted chicken with foie gras and truffle butter, a sea bass fillet with saffron crab sauce and asparagus with olive oil and lemon.
Upon arriving for dinner, which will be served on the terrace to sea views, ladies will be given a rose.
February 14, 6.30pm-10.30pm; Dh550 per person with soft drinks and Dh750 per person with wine pairing; 04 302 1241
Babylon
The meal at this new dinner-show venue in the DIFC will start with a platter of oysters and oscietra caviar, and a selection of appetisers including tuna tiradito with yuzu sesame and pickled cucumber, lobster carpaccio and Wagyu beef tartare with truffle dressing.
Starters will be followed by hot bites such as crispy octopus and warm prawns with caviar. Main dishes include tiger prawn with chilli chimichurri and Wagyu beef tenderloin, as well as grilled king oyster mushrooms with Parmesan.
Four packages are available, ranging from Dh800 per couple, which includes a tasting menu and two glasses of bubbly, to Dh3,200, which includes of a bouquet of roses and a gift from Tiffany & Co.
February 14, 7pm-3am; from Dh800 per couple; DIFC; 04 352 7750
Roberto's
A five-course dinner will be served at the Italian restaurant in the DIFC.
Alongside the meal, guests can expect an amuse-bouche of oysters with pink pepper and bergamot. Several packages are available, starting from an a la carte option with a minimum spend requirement of Dh750 per person.
Depending on table location, there are packages ranging from Dh3,000 to Dh5,000, and diners can expect a menu that includes cedar-marinated langoustine, yoghurt and caviar for starters, lemongrass risotto with shrimps and sage, roasted amberjack, saffron sauce for mains. And for dessert, guests can expect a cold soup of cherry and rhubarb, and a rose petal and raspberry sorbet.
The most expensive offering is a Dh7,000-package, which includes a bottle of bubbly.
February 14, 7pm-11.30pm; from Dh750 per person; the DIFC; 04 386 0066
Fi'lia
Valentine's Day dishes at this 70th-floor Italian restaurant include a beetroot trio with ricotta and salata, orange mousse, beetroot chips and olives for antipasti. Other starters are also available, such as a seabass carpaccio and a baked feta.
For mains, seafood ravioli, four-cheese pizza and grilled striploin will be served. The dessert is a red berry baba soaked in champagne, drizzled with red berry coulis and topped with vanilla mascarpone cream.
Indoor and outdoor seating options are available.
February 14, 6.30pm-midnight; Dh700 per couple indoors with two glasses of bubbly, Dh990 per couple on the terrace with a bottle of bubbly; Business Bay; 04 607 0737
Summersalt by Kayto
This Japanese-Peruvian beachfront restaurant, with views of the Arabian Gulf, is serving a five-course dinner, while a live singer and saxophonist serenade diners.
The menu includes mushroom chawan mushi (egg custard), a selection of sashimi with tuna truffle, yellowtail tuna, caviar and Gillardeau oysters. There is also Hokkaido scallops, Wagyu beef tataki with seafood parihuela and a selection of desserts.
February 14, from 6pm; Dh1,000 per couple; Jumeirah Al Naseem; 800 323 232
Billionaire Dubai
This dinner-show venue is hosting a Valentine's soiree with a musical performance and one-off dinner.
Singer Luciano Bassi will performing well-known ballads to set the mood for the evening. The menu includes baby sushi rolls, sashimi, wild sea bass and a chocolate fondant.
February 14, from 9pm; Dh2,500 minimum spend per person; 056 678 3357
The Restaurant at Address Downtown
The hotel's Burj Khalifa-facing restaurant has prepared a six-course menu.
Dishes include Gillardeau oysters, Atlantic lobster tail ravioli, berry sorbet and Tahitian vanilla whipped ganache. Indoor and outdoor seating options are available, and a vegetarian menu can also be requested. A violinist will set the mood, while the dinner package also comes with bubbly.
February 14, 7pm-11pm; Dh1,500 per couple; Downtown Dubai; 04 436 8888
Nette
This French-Japanese restaurant, set within the Matcha Club in Al Quoz, has created a three-course menu.
Starters include miso-seared tuna and watermelon salad with wasabi shallots; and a prawn, avocado and orange salad. For mains, diners can choose from a mirin-glazed salmon fillet with miso aubergine puree, and a Japanese mustard grilled beef tenderloin, both served with pan-fried crispy potato and Asian beans. There is also miso-glazed aubergine for vegetarians.
Dessert comes in the form of Japanese creme brulee buttermilk pancakes, to share.
February 14, 7.30pm-10pm; Dh195 per person; Matcha Club, Al Quoz; 04 548 8369
