I dread Feb. 15 because of the Valentine’s Day dining complaints. They go something like this:

“The menu was tiny, why couldn’t we order off the regular menu?” (Answer: Fixed menus mean faster kitchen turnover.) “I made my reservations in July, why did I have to wait 45 minutes past my reservation time?” (Answer: Because restaurants are fully booked on Valentine’s Day, it’s a mess.) “I wanted my server to sing ‘All About Loving You’ by Bon Jovi to my girlfriend. Why wouldn’t he?” (Answer: Because he was working five other tables. Plus: Do not abuse servers with ‘80s music.)

I’ve heard them all. Expectations are high, kitchens are stressed. Restaurants sometimes perform superbly, sometimes they flop. It’s a tough night for everyone. Here’s the news you may not want to hear – if you have not yet made a reservation, you’re probably too late to score one at most of the city’s destination restaurants.

However, all is not lost. Your friendly restaurant critic to the rescue. But first, I need you to think differently about what defines a romantic meal. Is it steak, lobster and roses? Sure, it can be. But equally romantic can be Korean barbecue, Chinese hot pot or a steamy bowl of Vietnamese soup. Instead of stressing, think creatively. A few suggestions to guide you. Read more »

It’s getting late to book a table for Valentine’s Day dinner, but there still are restaurants with openings as of today. At this late stage, you may have to settle for a 4 p.m. or 9 p.m. reservation, or you could shoot for dining out this weekend or next. Some restaurants will have Valentine’s dinner specials through this weekend, some will have dinner deals on Valentine’s Day only. Read on. Read more »