Palentine’s Day

We have long been fond of using February 14 to celebrate not just our romantic relationships, but also our wonderful friendships. In high school, we exchanged Palentine’s Day cards with our group of close friends. In college, we, along with our best friend, established The Feast of Leila and Jen’s Awesomeness, an occasion on which to eat a grand meal and drink several bottles of wine that just so happened to coincide with Valentine’s Day. (As both of us have been in relationships for the past few years and live five hours from each other, the holiday is now celebrated on an alternate date.) The way we see it, since there’s no Friendship Day, why not celebrate your important non-romantic relationships on Valentine’s Day, which, to our mind, is about love in all its forms?

We love going out for Palentine’s Day dinner, but it can be tricky to figure out where, exactly, such a dinner should take place. Anywhere too aggressively fancypants and romantic can be either awkward or leave you feeling like a second-class citizen. On the other hand, it’s a special occasion, so you don’t just want to go to Bertucci’s. Below, three spots that we think strike the right balance.

Bella Luna is offering a special three-course menu for $40 featuring tasty treats like herb-crusted rack of lamb and wild mushroom ravioli with goat cheese béchamel. Afterwards, there will be dancing downstairs at the Milky Way Lounge & Lanes.
•Somehow, a dinner with beer pairings feels less romantic than one with wine pairings. Jacob Wirth is having a Belgian beer dinner, which sounds just about perfect. $48 gets you four courses, each with a different Belgian beer (including Leffe Blonde, which just might be our favorite beer of all time).
Ashmont Grill’s neighborhood vibe is perfect for a Palentine’s Day feast. In addition to their excellent regular menu, they’ll be offering special desserts.

Bella Luna [Official Site]
Jacob Wirth [Official Site]
Ashmont Grill [Official Site]

Palentine’s Day