Spend the eve of Valentine's Day by celebrating culture and history. Adarna Food and Culture Restaurant lets you do so with PS Mahal Kita: A Valentine Tertulia. Join the love letter reading contest in English or Filipino or perform love songs, poems, dances on stage. It's a showcase of Filipino talent and it's all for free. Plus, you get to dress up for the occasion as guests are encouraged to appear in Filipiniana attire. Apart from that, Adarna also offers 20% discount on wine bottles and adds new appetizers to its menu: Higados, Patatas Picante, and Albondigas. Adarna's facebook account for contest details.


Adarna Food and Culture is located at 119 Kalayaan Ave., Diliman, Quezon City. Tel. no.: 9268712.

One of the country's best Pinoy restaurants has prepared a delectable degustacion meal for the days leading to and on Valentine's Day. From February 12 to 14, guests can enjoy Rolando Laudico's innovative interpretation of classic Pinoy dishes for only P1,500.

SOUP: Sinigang Taro Puree Soup with Roasted Tomatoes

SALAD: Baked Tomato Stuffed with Smoked Milkfish Souffle on Mesclun Salad

APPETIZER: Heart-shaped Ravioli Stuffed with Laing and Topped with Seared Prawns in Coconut-Capsicum Sauce

ENTREE: 8-Hour Slow-Roasted Angus Beef Short Plate with Red Wine Miso Glaze Served with Sugar Beet Mash and Aparagus

DESSERT: White Chocolate Bread and Butte Pudding with Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream with Strawberry Coulis

BONUS GIFT: Complimentary box of 4 pieces of handmade European chocolate truffles and pralines

Bistro Filipino is located at the Ground Floor of the Net 2 Bldg., 3rd Ave., Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Tel. no.: 8560634. 
 

Here's a wonderful alternative to your bouquet of roses. Sweet treats nobody can resist. Empire, a brand synonymous to luscious macarons, adds new flavors to its collection--Classic Raisin Hazelnut, Cresta Praline, Excellence Dark Extra Fine 70% Cocoa, and Excellence Dark Mint Intense. Four new variants all made with Swiss Lindt Chocolates. Surprise your loved one by giving her an Empire Collection Gift Pack, which consists of the macarons and Lindt Chocolates. Best of all, you don't have to pick up the box yourself. You simply have to call and Empire will have the gift pack delivered right to your loved one's doorstep--free of charge. Also new this love month are the Empire Decadent Chocolate Cake and Empire Red Velvet Cake.

Empire is located at Power Plant Mall's Cupid's Kitchen, Concourse Level, on all weekends of February. For inquiries, call Georgia at (0917) 8861190 or email her at georgia@grochacatering.com.

Cirkulo has long been a trusted name when it comes to great-tasting Spanish food. And so you can trust it to delive, most especially on special occasions. The set menu, priced at P2950+ (minimum of 2 persons) and available from February 12 to 14, is as hearty as any Valentine's Day menu can get.

CIRKULO SAMPLER: Spinach, Blue Cheese and Pine Nut phyllo pastries, Seared Duck Liver on Brioche with Dried Cranberry Compote and Sea Salt, Baby Greens with Sherry Vinaigrette

ENTREE: Langostinos A La Sal (Grilled King Prawns with Sea Salt, Olive Oil and Lemon, Seared US Cab Rib-Eye with Sauce Béarnaise, Roasted Vegetables, Rosemary Shoestring Potatoes

DESSERT: Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake with a Liquid Center, Mantecado Ice Cream

Cirkulo Restaurant is located at the Ground Floor of the Milkyway Building, 900 Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road) corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati. Tel. no.: 8108735

One thing I like about Secret Recipe is its menu. It has so many dishes and desserts to choose from that you can practically come back every single day of the month and enjoy a different menu each time. For Valentine's Day, it trims down your options and ofers a four-course dinner that are sure to satisfy every couple's comfort food cravings. For only P999 and available for the whole month of February, the couple gets to share over the following:

SOUP: Two Pumpkin Soup or Mushroom Soup

SALAD: Crispy Chicken Salad

ENTREE: Any Asian or Grilled Chicken selection

DESSERT: Two cake slices with Lavazza Coffee

Secret Recipe has branches at the Fort Bonifacio Global City, 4th Level Robinsons Midtown Mall, 5th Level Shangri-la Plaza Mall, and at the 2nd Level SM Megamall Mega Atrium.

Go the extra mile when giving your loved ones special gifts this coming Valentine's Day. For instance, instead of the typical chocolate cake, why not give her a heavenly layer of vanilla sponge cake with white Swiss Felchlin chocolate mousse infused with assorted berries and white chocolate bits, finished with a velvety coating and topped with an intricate pile of pink ombre sugar rose petals. Now doesn't that sound special--and more importantly, delicious?!

The Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila, along with fashion designer Kate Torralba, recently launched the Valentine Couture Cakes, which is available at the Hyatt's Pastry Boutique. It comes in two sizes--the personal cake which is priced at P300, and the regular size cake, tagged at P1800.

Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila is located at 1588 Pedro Gil cor. M.H. Del Pilar, Malate, Manilai. Tel. no.: 2451234.

YUMMY's very own Aileen Anastacio comes with a hoard of goodies and sweets in time for Valentine's Day. Her latest cookbook "Home Cafe" can very well be a nice gift but if it's edibles that you want, well she has a lot for you to choose from.

Sugar Cookies: P100 per container, P30 to P60 per piece (depending on the size)

Goodies N' Sweets has branches at the 4th Level of Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Greenhills Shopping Center Carpark Bldg., and the 4th Level of Rustans Makati. Tel. no.: 6360445.

After so many decades, this year's Valentine's Day once again shares the spotlight with the Chinese New Year. And what better way to celebrate both occasions than by dropping by Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila’s Xin Tian Di restaurant, feasting on the Chinese New year Set Menu (they have three types to choose from), which comprises of the Yu Sheng Platter, Fried Juicy Pigeon, and Steamed Garoupa HK-style among many others, and enjoying a traditional Chinese New Year delicacy—the Love Letter.

The kuih kapit or love letters are thin egg rolls or triangles that, according to Chinese legends, used to be a way in which lovers would pass secret romantic letters back in the days. After reading, these cookies were then eaten to mean that the person who received it had taken the message to heart—also so that nobody else would be able to read it.

Celebrate two occasions—the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day—in one place. Park yourselves at the lovely Xin Tian Di Restaurant at Crowne Paza Galleria Manila this weekend.

Xin Tian Di is located at the 4^th Level of the Crowne Plaza galleria Manila. For more information, call 6349941 or 6349942.

Speak of and show love in different languages. Dusit Thani Manila makes this possible as it offers Valentine's Day promos in all of its four restaurants this weekend.

BASIX’ INTERNATIONAL BUFFET
If it's a feast you want, it's a feast you get. Basix lets you eat to your heart's content as it lays out Chinese specialties amidst a wide array of international fare, which includes U.S. prime ribs, baked salmon, Chinese dimsum, roasted Peking duck and shabu-shabu station; grilling station of various meat and freshest seafoods, oysters and prawns; pasta and salad stations; create-your-own-crepe station with a selection of sauces and fruits, homemade ice cream, freshly baked breads, pastries and cakes, halo-halo delights, chocolate fondue, amongst others plus unlimited take on assorted juices, sodas, beers, red and white wines. This special dinner buffet is priced at P1,600 per person only.

UMU JAPANESE RESTAURANT
The Zen ambiance is set as well as the yummy six-course set menu prepared by Japanese chef Kiyoshi Ogawa. For P2,600 per person, you and your loved one can take delight in Baked eel futomaki sushi rolls for starters, three kinds of appetizer--Nankin tofu, Aigamu Jibuni and Oyster karaage; hamachi, salmon and toro sushi; hot bowl of Salmon miso Ishikari style; Chilean seabass fillet teppanyaki, Beef saikoro steak, Mixed vegetables for main course; a trio of Cheese mousse, Japanese style pudding, Mochi ice cream green tea flavor for dessert; and a glass of Moet & Chandon.

TOSCA FINE ITALIAN RESTAURANT
Tosca sets the romantic and intimate mood by playing soothing and sentimental live piano music, as the guests indulge in a lavish menu, which consists of  Lobster and sea scallop on tomato carpaccio with light saffron vinaigrette for appetizer; Spinach sour crème soup with beetroot ravioli; a choice of Lapu-lapu fillet and prawns on yellow bell pepper sauce, Green asparagus tempura and orange couscous or Beef tenderloin in red wine sauce, Zucchini-pumpkin ragout and William potato;  a Stawberry-Lemon dessert variation that consists of Strawberry – yoghurt mousse, lemon apple tart and lemon ice cream with vanilla foam. All these, for only P1,710 per person.