Amandine

Effortlessly stylish yet completely down-to-earth, Amandine is a little slice of California right in the heart of Ebisu. On the first floor, Café Restaurant Amandine is airy and bright—straight out of Napa Valley—while Food and Wine Amandine on the second floor is chic and romantic. Together, the two are like a designer eatery with an at-home atmosphere—except that there’s nobody at home who cooks like Amandine’s chefs. For one night only on February 14, the kitchen will craft a four-course dinner that is sure to seduce both you and your Valentine. Amandine warms up lovebirds with an appetizer assortment and a pasta dish before pulling out all the stops with an entrée of roast chicken in a mushroom-infused brown sauce. A sweet finale awaits in the form of a special dessert that will be created just for the day. With hefty portions and a price tag of just ¥4,200 per person, this feast makes for a very merry Valentine’s Day indeed. More adventurous diners are invited to peruse the à la carte menu and choose from Amandine’s 200-strong list of French, Italian and New World wines from ¥2,800 per bottle.

2-10-10 Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-5728-4552. Open Mon-Sat 6pm-midnight, Sat-Sun & hols 6-11pm. Nearest stn: Ebisu or Daikanyama. www.elegantevita.co.jp/eng

California Grill Yoshi

For a bit of homey elegance this Valentine’s Day, head over to Azabu-Juban’s California Grill Yoshi. Not your typically flashy dinner spot, Yoshi prides itself on its at-home atmosphere and fresh ingredients prepared by owner-chef Yoshi himself. Delicious veggies, fish and meat are dished up in true California style, with tempting appetizers like pumpkin gnocchi, avocado and shrimp salad with lemon soy sauce, and entrées like pepper-grilled ahi tuna with haccho miso butter or roasted lamb filet mignon with thyme and basil gravy sauce. Create your own prix-fixe course for only ¥3,990, or order à la carte—either way, you’ll want to finish things off with one of Yoshi’s seasonal desserts. Finicky Valentines need not fear, as Yoshi’s prix fixe courses offer up to ten different options for appetizers and main dishes. To toast the evening, select from the restaurant’s impressive list of 250 Californian wines, starting at just ¥3,600 per bottle. Check out their website for more information.

2F Vilanca Azabu, 2-7-2 Azabu-Juban, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-3470-7778. Open Tue-Sun 11:30am-3pm and 5:30-11pm (LO 9:30pm), closed Mon. Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban. www.ca-grill.com

Grillade Azabu Hosaka

Teppanyaki is a delicate thing, a cuisine that’s dependent upon a skilled chef adding the perfect touch to high-quality ingredients. Nishi-Azabu’s Hosaka takes the finest produce from around the world—like salt from Greece and Dijon mustard from France—and puts it in the hands of veteran chef Hiromi Sasaki, who combines them with domestic delicacies to create a harmony not found in your typical grill restaurant. From January 29 to February 14, Sasaki will serve up a sumptuous eight-course dinner featuring succulent Japanese beef “sushi,” juicy scallops in shoyu-butter sauce, and teppan favorites like salmon steaks, beef fillet with wasabi sauce and garlic-fried rice (¥8,800). After the heat of the grill has died down, things finish on a decadently sweet note with a delicious chocolate dessert. Just steps from Roppongi Dori but worlds away in both quality and style, this hidden little gem is the perfect place for a casual yet elegant Valentine’s Day meal.

1-4-44 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-6804-1430. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm (LO 1:30pm), Mon-Sat 6-11:30pm (LO 9pm), closed Sun (open Feb 14). www.hosaka.ne.jp

Sushi To Dai For

Tokyo is renowned for its international dating scene, and what better way for a modern mixed couple to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with one of Japan’s most popular cultural exports, re-imported? Originally from California, Sushi To Dai For offers a fun take on sushi rolls—the flavors are Japanese, but the presentation is straight out of a sushi bar from New York or Los Angeles. For that unique Valentine’s dinner, the restaurant has put together two five-course meals, available from February 8-21. The ¥5,000 course starts things off with a classic salad-soup-appetizer trio followed by a plate of three sushi rolls running the gamut from the classic Dragon Roll to the innovative yuba-maki roll. For ¥8,000, you get an additional appetizer of fried soft crab and a plate of fresh sashimi. With all the culture clashing going on, the meal becomes surprisingly harmonious with a complimentary whole bottle of white or red wine available to couples that reserve for a Valentine’s course. For those looking to have a quiet night in, take-out plates are also available.

1-5-19 Azabu-Juban, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-6447-2283. Open Mon-Sat noon-3pm and 5:30pm-midnight, closed Sun (except for holiday eves), open Sun and closed Tue during the Valentine’s period. Email stdf@tokyo.email.ne.jp. http://sushitodaifor.web.fc2.com

Lovenet

Just when you thought you’d completed your list of must-do Tokyo amusements, Roppongi’s Lovenet adds yet another. Located on the third and fourth floors of the Hotel Ibis, just a few minutes from both Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown, this hotspot welcomes guests into an alternate reality of luxury dining and karaoke, with 33 themed rooms for groups of 2-120 revelers. The Morocco Suite offers romantic Middle Eastern fun for two, the Ibiza Suite features a DJ booth, and the Aqua Suite has—you guessed it—a pool. This Valentine’s season, couples in search of some intimate karaoke moments can enjoy a seven-course gourmet meal, complete with a Valentine’s cake, for just ¥4,500. Included in the deal is a champagne toast and two hours of all the drinks and karaoke you can handle. If you’re dateless for V-day and want to eat, drink and sing away your sorrows with friends, your group can enjoy the same deal, complete with a larger cake, for just ¥5,000 per person. If two hours is not enough, the three-hour “Flight Course” offers the same great deal with an extra hour of booze and tunes. The Valentine’s plan is available through February 13; three-day advance reservations required.

3-4F Hotel Ibis, 7-14-4 Roppongi, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-5771-5511. Open daily 6pm-5am. Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.lovenet-jp.com

Harem

Celebrating nine years of serving up fine Turkish dining, Harem is Tokyo’s most stylish spot to enjoy traditional and sophisticated Middle Eastern cooking. Favorites like dolma, creamy manti (Turkish-style ravioli with yogurt), and New Zealand lamb and beef kebabs are available à la carte and as part of course meals (from ¥4,800). Harem’s winter menu features offbeat Turkish dishes perfect for cold Tokyo nights, including yogurt stews and a Turkish nabe hotpot. Bottles of rare-in-Tokyo Israeli and South African wines start at just ¥5,200. From February 10-14, Harem is offering Metropolis readers a complimentary glass of champagne. For those who like things extra spicy, Harem’s belly dance show every Tuesday and Thursday night might provide more than a few suggestions of what to do after dinner.

2-3-1 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-5786-2929. Open Tue-Wed, Fri-Sun 11:30am-2:30pm (LO 2pm), Tue-Sat 5:30-11pm (LO 10pm), Sun & hols 5:30-10pm (LO 9pm), closed Mon. Nearest stn: Gaienmae, exit 4. www.harem.co.jp

The White Fox

Voted one of the top five contemporary restaurants in all of Japan by The Miele Guide, Asia’s leading restaurant authority, The White Fox combines French and Japanese ingredients, techniques and culinary philosophies to produce a truly original kind of cuisine. The tapas-style sharing menu is served in a relaxed and casual atmosphere along with an international wine list, with many varieties by the glass. Celebrate Valentine’s Day at The White Fox from February 10-14 with a special dinner menu (¥5,000 per person) featuring a deliciously luxurious dark-chocolate dessert. Check the website to view the full Valentine’s menu, as well as the à la carte and wine lists. The restaurant is situated just outside Oji station at the entrance to the beautiful Otonashi River garden, which is lit by lamps in the evening, making it the perfect place to enjoy a stroll with a loved one either before or after dinner.

2F Kouei Ekimae Bldg, 1-1-11 Kishimachi, Kita-ku,. Tel: 03-6903-6696. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-11:30pm (LO 11pm), Sat-Sun & hols 2:30-11:30pm (LO 11pm). Nearest stn: Oji (Kehin-Tohoku or Namboku line). www.thewhitefox.jp