Romance is in the Air (And On Your Plate) This Weekend

If you want to take your sweetie pie out for some dining or dancing this Valentine's Day weekend, Patch has some suggestions. Our list of picks covers every day of the weekend, from Friday Feb. 11 through Valentine's Day, Feb. 14.

Available All Weekend:

• Acclaimed French Cuisine: The will offer a 3-course meal for $75 per person, which includes a choice of appetizer or salad, entree and a grand dessert plate served with coffee or tea. The regular a la carte menu is also available. Reservations are a must and only early seating 6-6:15 p.m. and late seating 8:30-9 p.m. are available.
• (Sparkling) Wine and Roses: Feel the love at . The four-star Italian eatery is offering all guests a complimentary glass of sparkling wine in honor of Valentine’s Day, while ladies will also be presented with a long-stemmed rose. The menu, created by Guilano Hazan, author of "The Pasta Cookbook” and “Every Night Italian,” includes rack of lamb with a minty port reduction, which the restaurant has deemed its “most romantic dish.” An ample wine list features Italian favorites and bottles to complement all meals.
• Jazz All Weekend at : This Caribbean-themed restaurant, in the hotel, will have a special menu and jazz music performances all weekend in honor of Valentine's Day. For $65 per person, diners get soup, an appetizer, entree, dessert and coffee or tea. Choices include Jamaican Conch Chowder, Braised Oxtail, N.Y. Sirloin, White Chocolate Raspberry Romance and the curiously-named "Chocolate Confusion." BYOB. Reservations required; call Karlene at 973-960-0387 or 973-359-0200.
• Free Champagne at the Frog: The usually mostly-casual eatery  is classing up the joint from Feb. 11 through 14 in honor of Valentine's Day. That includes several special menu items like pan seared scallops, shrimp and lobster scampi and sliced steak au poivre. Also, if you bring in a copy of an e-mail sent recently (don't worry, it's right here, too) to customers on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14, The Famished Frog will give you ("and your sweetie") a glass of champagne. Seating is limited so call 973-540-9601 to make reservations.
• Classic Victorian High Tea: "High tea service adds to our traditional afternoon tea menu by including such dishes as beef wellington and fruit and savory crepes," said James Howard of the in Morris Township. "In addition, we'll be serving select chocolate teas and preparing special petit fours suited for the occasion."  Guests are encouraged to make reservations as seats are filling up fast.  The tea room, which is usually open Wednesday through Sunday, will extend the Valentine weekend by remaining open on Monday from 3-7 p.m.  
• Romantic Dinner For Two: From Saturday, Feb. 12 through Monday, Feb. 14, Rod's Steak and Seafood Grille in Morris Township will offer a romantic dinner-for-two. For $129 per couple, not including tax or gratuity, guests are treated to Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, Chateaubriand Bouquetiere and a decadent dessert. Rod’s a la carte dinner menu will also be available on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
• Tasting Menu: From Feb. 11 to 14, enjoy a six-course tasting menu at Copeland Restaurant for $89 per person prepared by Executive Chef Robert Trainor. Seating times are offered from 5:30-10:00 p.m.  

Available Saturday only:

• Dinner and Dancing: Rod's Steak and Seafood Grille in Morris Township kicks- off the weekend with an elegant Valentine's Day Dinner Dance under the stars in the glass-enclosed conservatory of the Madison Hotel on Saturday, Feb. 12 from 7:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.
  
  The evening begins with champagne and strawberries presented by white-gloved butlers. Disc jockey Chuck Russo will keep couples on their toes with fun and romantic musical selections. Throughout the night, guests can enjoy the well-stocked open bar, which offers cocktails as well as beer, wine, and soft drinks. Captain stations, butlered-hors d’oeuvres, and cold displays precede an elegant dinner that opens with Maryland Crab Cakes followed by a Passion Fruit Sorbet. Diners may then choose either Pan-Seared Filet of Salmon or Roasted Chateaubriand. A delectable dessert rounds out the meal. The evening is priced at $250 per couple. For those who want to make a weekend out of it, the Madison Hotel is offering a special rate of $119 per guestroom from Feb. 12-14.

Available Sunday Only:

• Sunday Brunch: For those who like to celebrate earlier in the day, Copeland Restaurant's Sunday Brunch buffet includes one glass of champagne or a mimosa and is open from 12-2:30 p.m. for $24 per person.

Available Monday Only:

• A three-course pre-fixe dinner: A special Valentine's Day three-course pre-fixe dinner will be offered at Rod's Steak and Seafood Grille in Morris Township on Monday, Feb. 14, featuring a selection of appetizers such as The Grille’s Signature Crab Bisque, Petite Crab Cakes and Seared Sashimi Ahi Tuna. Filet Mignon and Broiled Twin Lobster Tails with Crabmeat Stuffing are entree choices. A heavenly dessert tops off the evening, which costs $68.95 per person, not including tax or gratuity.