A NOTE TO OUR READERS:
"Our Favorite Romantic Restaurants" is from the February 2004 issue of Southern Living.
Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all
information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.
Nothing quickens the heart quite like an intimate setting, the warm glow of candlelight, and sumptuous cuisine. For those pining for that perfect fusion of flavor and ambience, our writers have chosen their favorite restaurants. Whether you're looking for a quiet atmosphere tucked away from the city or the bold surroundings of an urban hot spot, these establishments are sure to charm. Whatever your palate and passion, we hope that among our choices you'll find just the place to savor a memorable evening with someone special and ignite a new--or old--flame. Melanie Parker Standard Bistro, Birmingham
On a crisp winter's evening, the stars blink brightly upon this escape from the city. Less than 15 miles from downtown, the Standard Bistro, in the community of Mt. Laurel, offers a menu blending Southern cooking and French cuisine. Best table: Call ahead to reserve a table in the wine room, their private dining area. Don't miss: Any items that incorporate produce grown in the Mt. Laurel Organic Gardens are a must. As an entrée, try the Duck Two Ways ($23.50), which is seared and braised with sweet potato hash browns, wilted greens, bourbon, and molasses. Must-have dessert: Finish with the Sticky Toffee Bread Pudding With Almond Crunch ($7.25). 3 Mt. Laurel Avenue; (205) 995-0512. Tanner C. Latham
|
|
|
above, left: Standard Bistro's grouper over lentils. above, right: The Inn at Easton's tomato-and-goat cheese tart.
|
The Inn at Easton, Easton, Maryland
This cozy restaurant, located on the first floor of a hip yet historic inn, marries the best of Maryland's Eastern Shore with the flavors of Australia. (Chef Andrew Evans met his wife, Liz, while working in the Land Down Under.) Best table: Sit in the secluded bay window alcove, or reserve The Jewel Box, the inn's private dining room. Don't miss: The fried oysters appetizer ($12) showcases a local delicacy. They are coated with polenta and lightly fried, then returned to the half shell with a bed of Swiss chard and a drizzle of spicy butter sauce. For an entrée, try the slow-cooked lamb ($29), which is crusted with a Dijon-herb rub and served with creamed spinach, potato galette, and a Pinot sauce. End with Australian cheeses ($13) and a toast from the impressive list of boutique Aussie wines. 28 South Harrison Street; (410) 822-4910. Cassandra M. Vanhooser Cypress Lowcountry Grille, Charleston, South Carolina
Location matters, and Cypress takes full advantage of its prime spot on the corner of East Bay and Queen Streets in the heart of Charleston. As the name suggests, Lowcountry cuisine gets highbrow here. Big picture windows; dramatic lighting (which changes colors); and high-back, upholstered chairs make for quite a treat. Check out their wall of wine (4,500 bottles, 30 feet wide x 25 feet high). Best table: Try those in the corner, by the windows, and to the left of the entrance. Don't miss: The tableside preparation of a Caesar salad is the perfect start to a romantic dinner. Entrées range from $17 to $34. Bar: With a tremendous selection of wines from all over the world, consider some you've never had. 167 East Bay Street; (843) 727-0111. Mark G. Stith Lantern, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Competition for cool cuisine runs pretty hot in this college town. Lantern, tucked modestly in the middle of busy Franklin Street, literally glows with bright Asian cuisine in a minimalist artsy setting. Entrées range from $13 to $23. Best table: Go left, and claim the corner table by the window. From there, enjoy the procession of plates coming from the kitchen and people going to the bar. Don't miss: The angels sing when you take your first bite of the heavenly chocolate cake with ice cream ($6.75). Bar: A swanky red and black, the bar is in the back room. We recommend the Late Blossom--a creative floral concoction of lychee, vodka, Lillet Blanc, and orange-flower water ($6). 423 West Franklin Street; (919) 969-8846. Mark G. Stith
Lola's Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras
|
Lola, Dallas
This refurbished 1930s house provides a romantic alternative to the glitz of Dallas. The restaurant opens onto a softly lit courtyard. Inside, mustard yellow walls and fine oil paintings lend an air of understated sophistication. Best table: Be sure to nab a seat at one of two tables by the front windows for a view of the courtyard. Don't miss: Pan-seared John Dory, cooked to tender perfection, comes with artichokes and tomato beurre blanc. The prix fixe menu--which offers two courses for $32, three for $39, or four for $45--changes regularly. Bar: Owner Van Roberts has a 40-page wine list with more than 2,000 choices. But head straight for the "Twenty $omethings" page for 39 selections priced between $24 and $29. 2917 Fairmount; (214) 855-0700. Warner McGowin The Oakroom, Louisville
This richly paneled dining room offers patrons a touch of history, having hosted such diverse notables as Al Capone and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Cupid makes this restaurant in the famous Seelbach hotel a perfect place to pop the question. Occasionally when a couple becomes engaged, the waitstaff serves Champagne to the whole room. But romance is only one reason to visit here; the food is excellent. The restaurant uses products from its home state--you can't beat the locally raised rainbow trout ($32). Best table: Ask to sit in the new wine room, surrounded by enough vintages to toast a zillion betrothals. Don't miss: Spoonfish caviar--Kentucky grown ($23). You will never go the Russian route again. Bar: The Seelbach Cocktail is a lovely and lethal concoction of Champagne, bourbon, Triple Sec, and two kinds of bitters ($6). 500 Fourth Avenue; (502) 585-3200. Wanda McKinney Note: This article has been updated on October 31, 2005. At this time, we are unable to reach this business (or homeowner) after Hurricane Katrina. Please contact us if you have any information regarding its status.
GW Fins, New Orleans
Especially if you're on a first date, this cool fish house will impress. Though just off Bourbon, GW Fins' sophisticated modern digs attract the in-the-know set. Entrées average about $24. Best table: Ask for one of the back booths, each of which is private but offers a good vantage to people-watch. Don't miss: The apple pie ($7.75) is big enough for two and must be ordered before your meal as it is baked individually. Bar: Mixed drinks are $6. Also choose from 70 selections of wine by the glass that range from $5 to $14.75. 808 Bienville Street; (504) 581-3467. Morgan Murphy Columbia Restaurant, Tampa
No, romance isn't dead. It's as lively as the flamenco dancers who glide across the floor six nights a week at Columbia Restaurant in Tampa's Ybor City. Marilyn Monroe and Babe Ruth partied here. So have Stephen King and George Clooney--but not all on the same night. Laughter, smiles, and rattling castanets are all part of the show at Florida's oldest restaurant, opened in 1905 and run by five generations of the same family. Best table: Ask for seating close to the stage in the Don Quixote Room. Don't miss: The house specialty of Paella "A la Valenciana" is a delicious combo of clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, grouper, calamari, chicken, pork, Spanish onions, tomatoes, and spices ($19.95). Bar: Order the imported Sangrķa de Toro mixed at your table ($19.95), and take home the hand-painted pitcher as a keepsake to remind you of a beautiful evening. 2117 East Seventh Avenue; (813) 248-4961. Les Thomas Zaytinya, Washington, D.C.
This hot spot celebrates the food, the mood, and the colors of the Mediterranean. Executive chef José Andrés, named the 2003 best chef in the Mid-Atlantic region by The James Beard Foundation, offers a vast menu of meze, appetizer-size dishes packed with the flavors of Lebanon, Greece, and Turkey. Consult your waiter for recommendations, and then order a sampling to share with your date. Best table: The restaurant does not take reservations, but if you're entertaining someone special, ask for a table by the fireplace or a corner booth. Don't miss: The chance to taste something new. Try selections such as Baba Ghannouge (pureed eggplant, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic, $4.50); Barbuni (red mullet with tomatoes and caper oil, $6.25); or Garides Saganaki (shrimp, tomato, green onions, ouzo, and kefalograviera cheese served in a tiny black skillet, $8.25). 701 Ninth Street NW.; (202) 638-0800. Cassandra M. Vanhooser |
| 
