It’s that time of year when you look at the calendar and suddenly realize you don’t have a restaurant reservation for Valentine’s Day.
But while frantically scolling through photos of restaurant interiors to see if they fit your idea of romance you might start to wonder: “Just when did this tradition of going out for dinner on Feb. 14 start and why do we associate some atmospheres as romantic?”
The whole topic is murky, starting with why St. Valentine would be associated with romance in the first place. Valentine was a third century Roman of whom nothing whatsoever is known except that he was executed and regarded as a martyr. There was confusion about what he had done that was noteworthy as early as 496 Common Era.
Nevertheless, a pope named Gelasius declared him a saint in that year, while admitting that he was so obscure that “his acts are known only to God.”
The first detailed stories about him appeared over 700 years later and none of them are particularly romantic.
Whatever he did to become noteworthy, Valentine would probably be horrified to hear that his feast day is now associated with Cupid, a pagan fertility god whose name means “desire” in Latin. That association of Cupid and Valentine may have come about from the Roman festival of Lupercalia, a rite of spring that was celebrated on Feb. 15, the day after Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day was associated with romance as early as the 1300s, when Geoffrey Chaucer stated in a poem that birds choose their mates then. This did not mean that people sought out candlelit restaurants on that particular day. First of all, restaurants as we know them wouldn’t be invented for another 300 years. Since candles were all they had back then, there was no particular appeal to soft mood lighting. Through the centuries the holiday came to be celebrated with the exchange of poetic cards and with small gifts that often included sweet candies and cakes.
The tradition of dining out for Valentine’s Day seems to be quite modern, and the earliest menus and restaurant ads I have found that mention doing so are from the 1930s. For help pinning that down I contacted culinary historian Charles Perry, who confirmed my suspicions.
“The tradition probably arose during the Depression, when any meal out was a special occasion. Popular restaurants like Sardi’s had some tables with curtains so that couples could choose to see and be seen or to have an intimate meal while still enjoying the sounds of the orchestra.”
At some of these restaurants the server would knock or ring a bell a moment or two before entering, which suggests that something more than dining might have been going on inside. (Keep this in mind the next time you go to a restaurant that includes heavy draperies – they were once functional rather than ornamental.) Many elegant restaurants also had a rear entrance that was not visible from the main room, which was handy if your valentine was someone else’s wife, rather than your own.
As to the style of dining at these restaurants, it was “continental,” in which dishes had French names despite being primarily based on a mix of English and American ideas. Though Italian cuisine is now one of the most popular at Valentine’s Day, it was a latecomer to the table. As documented in the magnificent book, How Italian Food Conquered The World, by John Mariani, authentic Italian dining was long regarded as simple peasant cooking by everybody, including Italians.
The first high style Italian restaurants in America didn’t open until well after World War II.
The Valentine’s Day dining out tradition is certainly well-established now. Even humble restaurants offer specials and dress the place up as much as possible. As we have become a multicultural society, the variety of experiences has broadened, so that just within our coverage area you might have a romantic dinner for two in a sleek modern room or a reasonable facsimile of a Moroccan palace, English pub, Indonesian mansion, or a ship at sea.
All this effort at décor aside, the most romantic dinner for many people is a return to the place where they first met, kissed, or realized that they were having a meal with someone who they just might want to spend the rest of their life with.
Blu Restaurant and Lounge
Upscale yet casual Blu Restaurant and lounge at San Pedro’s Crowne Plaza Hotel is the spot for great food and live jazz. Dress up or not, a romantic moment is impossible to miss.
Details: (310) 521-8080
Venue: Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor Hotel
Location: 601 S. Palos Verdes St., San Pedro
Baramee Thai Restaurant
This quiet romantic gem of a restaurant in downtown San Pedro is warm cozy, and intimate, with great food at an affordable price. There are no special deals on this, just make sure you RSVP early. It’s a popular spot.
Details: (310) 521-9400;www.barameethairestaurant.com
Venue: Baramee Thai Restaurant
Location: 354 W. 6th St., San Pedro
Ports O’ Call Restaurant
Dining on waterfront at sunset is a special way to have a romantic meal. Their full bar and extensive wine list is a help too. Valentine’s Day specials will be served Feb. 10 through Feb. 14. Full bar and extensive wine list is available.
Details: (310) 833-3553
Venue: Ports O’ Call Restaurant
Location: Berth 76 Nagoya way, San Pedro
The Whale & Ale
You can’t miss in going to The Whale & Ale. On this evening, The Whale & Ale offers a choice of special entrees from sauteed Alaskan sand dabs to Chilean sea bass. There’s even live entertainment in this venerable pub.
Details: (310) 832-0363
Venue: The Whale & Ale
Location: 327 W 7th St, San Pedro