This Valentine’s Day, think beyond candlelight dinners at your local diner; granted it’s too late to whisk away your significant other to a different city for V-Day. However, you can always bookmark these ideas for next year so you can plan a truly special dining experience that doesn’t just promise great food and ambience but a truly experiential and immersive time.
Concept dinners and curated dinners are bigger than ever this season; though ingredient-focused, locally sourced menus remain popular, couples are looking for a certain ‘It’ factor when it comes to zeroing in on an intimate experience. Some of the properties are hosting curated and immersive experiences that offer a truly intimate set-up and also let guests engage authentically. Here are some of the best Valentine’s Day experiences you can bookmark
A Farm-Style Five-Course Meal Near Bengaluru
Whisk your partner away from the overcrowded city and head to The Lilac Farm. The rustic farmstay located an hour away from Bangalore city is owned by a mother-daughter duo and is run entirely on clean energy and zero waste. The rescue farm mainly uses handpicked, cruelty-free produce and experience their Valentine’s Day special five-course meal. The curated farm-to-table spread will feature picks like green papaya salad, tapioca beetroot tikki, moringa leave chutney and pickled onions. The spread will only feature locally sourced ingredients and will be available till February 29.
Price for two: Rs 4500 (weekday); Rs 5310 (weekend)
A Mediterranean Feast Under The Desert Sun
Kaner Retreat, the botanical resort near Jodhpur, offers you a chance to indulge in a scrumptious feast on an olive farm. Their dinner on dunes features their signature Kaner Thali served after a guided nature walk that introduces the guests to the culture and cuisine of the Thar Desert. Their ‘Thali’, made of seasonal and foraged ingredients, is served under the stars in their Olivd Grove and is a homage to modern desert produce. The meal is actually a Mediterranean interpretation of a Rajasthani meal, featuring produce grown by progressive farmers from Rajasthan who have been experimenting with growing new plant varieties.
Price on request.
A Lakeside Dinner By Lake Chhatra Sagar
Dress up for a chic, intimate dinner at the fine diner restaurant facing the mighty Lake Chhatra Sagar at Raas Chhatra Sagar which serves plenty of local and global favourites along with an Ayurved-focused menu featuring produce grown in-house at their home garden. The meals are mainly made using in-house family recipes and guests can opt for a sundowner dinner under the stars. The property is also offering a Valentine’s special offer which is valid till February 15; guests can opt for a luxury tent and explore the joys of forest bathing.
Date: February 14
Price on request.
An Intimate Farm-To-Table Spread In Bangalore
Chef Johnson Ebenezer is hosting an experiential Valentine’s Day dinner at the 37-acre property FarmLore - an intimate 18-seater restaurant. The three-house meal will mainly focus on tapas, specifically 30 courses, inspired by 30 impressions of love. The dinner is planned in four acts; the first act is rather special and has been named Cupid’s Revenge On Shakespeare, and will feature Rose Floral Kombucha, Oyster etc, while the fourth act is an homage to romantic comedies.
Date: February 14
Price: Cost: INR 9,995 plus taxes per person for 30 courses