A romantic table for two, or an amorous night at home?

VALENTINE’S Day is approaching, and love is in the air. Will you take the object of your desire to a candle-lit dinner for two at Harare’s most romantic restaurant, or spend an amorous night in with a thoughtfully-prepared menu or an upmarket meal-in-a-box?

Bearing in mind that your choice of restaurant can make or break a date, don’t leave everything to the last minute and suggest joining the queue at KFC Belgravia for a Duos Bucket, even if it’s described as ‘a perfect meal for two’. You could end up munching those chicken nuggets all on your own.

Tea for two, and two for tea on Valentine’s Day.

There are any number of drive thru and family restaurants in Harare, while romantic restaurants might be counted on one hand. It wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility to find love at Chicken Inn or Chicken Slice – stranger things have happened. But if you’re serious about pursuing a relationship, take this one day in a year opportunity to book a table for two at a restaurant with soft lighting, beautiful surroundings and fine food.

Victoria Twenty-Two, a high end restaurant situated in Victoria Drive, Newlands, opened 27 years ago, and remains a favourite with lovers of fine dining. When I spoke last week to Manuela, expert pasta maker and co-owner of the restaurant, she told me that while all tables were fully booked for the Valentine’s candle-lit dinner, lunch time bookings ($60 per person) could still be made. ‘The garden is beautiful’, continued Manuela, ‘tables are set far apart, and our food is special. What could be more romantic?’

At the time of writing, lunch time bookings were still available at Khaya Nama Wombles, with the usual a la carte menu. What more perfect place to whisper the words ‘je t’aime’ than at a table for two overlooking the waterfall at Wombles?

There’s an air of adventure and romance at Sabai Thai Restaurant in Ballantyne Park. At the end of a rustic brick pathway leading through the lush palm trees and flowering shrubs of Plant Plan Nursery, fairy lights and golden dragons welcome you into a very special ambience. Here you can enjoy the authentic flavours of Thai cuisine – salty, spicy, sour and sweet – and sip a glass of Thelema sauvignon blanc. A three course Valentine’s meal, with a choice of any main course, either mild, medium or hot, is on offer for $35. ‘Love is a burning thing’, sang Johnny Cash in his 1963 hit song Ring of Fire, so if you’re on a hot date, give the in-house dynamite red chilli sauce a miss.

You can join the beautiful people for a $45 per person four course tasting menu at Queen of Hearts on 14 February, between 6pm and 9pm, with seating either inside, or under the tent.

Harare’s iconic Meikles Hotel is hosting a Valentine’s Weekend Special from 11-14 February, with a four course dinner ($50 per person) at la Fontaine Grillroom. Included are sparkling wine, chocolates and roses. There are special rates for couples wanting to make a romantic overnight stay in one of the hotel’s luxuriously appointed rooms or suites, but more details about this next week.

Although restaurants and cafes may be offering incentives such as heart-shaped rolls, chocolates and flowers on Valentine’s Day, many devotees of the Feast of St Valentine will be observing the celebration of love and affection in their own homes. There may still be time to order a Valentine’s @ Home Box from Restaurant JDB. Partnering with Harry’s Fine Food Store, Chef Johannes and his crew have created a boxed gourmet meal for two ($90), to be unpacked and served in your own dining room.

Sometimes less is more, so make your sweetheart a cup of Tanganda tea and a biscuit, prettily presented on a tray with a red rose, and remind your spouse of the 1950s song by Doris Day: