Utah Valley restaurant options for Valentine’s Day or just good food
The Pan Seared Duck Breast at La Jolla Groves in Provo.
The Artisan Cheese & Fruit plate at La Jolla Groves in Provo.
The Chocolate Bundt Cake at La Jolla Groves in Provo.
The Beef Tenderloin Filet & Sauteed Shrimp signature entree at La Jolla Groves in Provo.
I’m not fond of Valentine’s Day crowds and the commercial hoopla, but I’m more than OK with an occasional excuse to indulge in two of my favorite things: food and romantic gestures.
While I’m more than content with a salad, street taco or rosemary fries on a regular day basis, it can be fun (whether it’s Valentine’s or just another random day) to get together with those you’re closest to and splurge a little.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, there are a number of fine dining and other restaurants that are available should Cupid’s arrow strike your fancy.
At Black Sheep Cafe in Provo, the restaurant is offering limited seating for a Valentine’s Day four-course dinner at $65 per person that includes Charcutarie; a pear or Caesar salad to choose from; short rib, filet mignon or confit chicken; and unique twists on tiramisu.
Oregano Italian Kitchen in Provo is also offering a Valentine’s Day five-course dinner special with entrees ranging from filet mignon and prime rib to chicken rollatini and Mediterranean salmon.
Communal, a top-rated restaurant in the state and deservedly so, is hosting a prix fixe Valentine’s Day dinner at $68 per person with optional wine pairings.
The Tree Room at Sundance, however, might be the most romantic restaurant year-round in the valley. Tucked away in the canyon, the restaurant was the 2014 Best of State winner for American Artisan fine dining.
For a guaranteed romantic evening out, however, residents had better make reservations — if you haven’t already. While some couples are blessed in a disbelief of Valentine’s Day chaos, those that take the opportunity to reaffirm their love are in full force, and the area restaurants’ seating capacities will surely reflect that in the weekend leading up to the holiday and the day of.
Another local restaurant, La Jolla Groves’ dining space — seated under ceilings draped with branches of lemon trees — is romantic on its own.
Beating the crowds by a week, my handsome date and I celebrated Valentine’s Day early at La Jolla Groves (along with all the area’s teens … it must have been time for the Sweetheart dance).
Splurging for the occasion, we started by ordering Kiwi and Blackberry Lemonades because how often do you see kiwi-flavored anything? It was the favorite of our lemonade orders.
We ordered the Artisan Cheese & Fruit for an appetizer, a mostly sweet selection of fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, grapes and (semi-mushy) blueberries; candied walnuts; port-reduced berry coulis, toasted house bread; brie; white cheddar and other cheeses. The plate was large and could easily be shared by more than two people.
We were most excited for our entrees and had a difficult time settling on which protein to pick. We ended up ordering the Beef Tenderloin Filet & Sauteed Shrimp as well as the Pan Seared Duck Breast. The beef tenderloin, which was indeed tender, in a Marsala sauce and shrimp in a citrus butter sauce were served with mashed potatoes, asparagus and roasted carrots.
The Pan Seared Duck Breast comes in a port reduction with gratin potatoes and a medley of Brussels sprouts and other vegetables. All of the proteins were well prepared and served in very decent-sized portions.
As we shared bites from the different signature entrees, the mashed potatoes was a clear winner, and I also really enjoyed the vegetables served with the duck. For some reason, some people have refused to jump on the Brussels sprout bandwagon, and that I cannot understand. (Particularly if they’re roasted, Brussels sprouts are incredibly delicious and don’t deserve the nefarious reputation other vegetables like radishes have.) If you take anything away from this, this Valentine’s commit to loving something new — Brussels sprouts. I dare you.
The citrus butter sauce served with the shrimp was so delicious we tried pairing it with nearly everything. No regrets there. I feel confident in saying that you cannot go wrong with ordering anything citrus at La Jolla Groves.
If you have seen its lemon cake, it looks like it was made in heaven with a caramel dome spun by angels, but we topped off a rich dinner with an even more rich dessert. Valentine’s is all about indulgence, right? We ordered the dark chocolate cake with a molten chocolate center served with vanilla ice cream and topped with a raspberry and mint. Each bite is a chocolate-lover’s paradise.
Wherever your dinner plans take you, love is in the air — and you cannot go wrong with a love for a good meal.
It was previously reported that La Jolla Groves would host a Valentine’s Day dinner buffet at The Manor in The Riverwoods. The restaurant has since then canceled the event.
La Jolla Groves
Where: 4801 N. University Ave. #610, Provo (The Shops at the Riverwoods)
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., closed Sunday
Pricing: $5.50-$28.95