SWEET AND SAVORY

Sweet

AND SAVORY

AREA EATERIES PIVOT TO TAKEOUT FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

BY OLIVIA DOW

Spending quality time together over a nice meal is a great way to spend Valentine’s Day. These spreads will spread the love between you and your partner for this day of love.

Arroyo Chop House

The Valentine’s Day special is available to go from Friday, February 12, to Sunday, February 14. For appetizers, Arroyo Chop House is offering clam chowder soup with roasted brioche croutons ($13), crab cake and lobster cake with bearnaise and mango relish ($23) and an heirloom tomato salad with burrata cheese, micro balsamic reduction and extra virgin olive oil ($18). For the main course, the Valentine’s surf and turf ($150) for two people is prime cowboy and lobster tail (12 ounces). As a side, you can order Lyonnaise fingerling potatoes with bacon and onion ($13). To finish off the course, enjoy a chocolate hazelnut mousse cake ($14).

536 S. Arroyo Parkway, 626-577-7463, arroyochophouse.com

Bistro 45

This special is only available on Sunday, February 14, for curbside pickup between 4:30 and 7 p.m. Guests have the choice of Petaluma duck foie gras mousse or composed heirloom beet salad with farmstead goat cheese and crispy artichoke. Choose between Maine lobster bisque or organic butternut squash soup for two. The meal has two pan-roasted ora king salmon with green curry sauce and scallion with basmati rice; two 4-ounce Creekstone filet chateau with fingerlings, roasted cauliflower and port demi; butterscotch pot au crème and chocolate blackberry terrine with eggnog ice cream. Includes two Pinnacle vodka and passion fruit cosmo kiss cocktails. The special is $125 per person (minimum of two people ordering).

45 S. Mentor Avenue, Pasadena, 626-759-2478, bistro45.com

Black Angus Steakhouse

Get the exclusive Valentine’s Day to-go offer from Friday, February 12, to Sunday, February 14, from Black Angus Steakhouse. The $99 special includes two 6-ounce filet mignon, two lobster tails, an appetizer to share, four classic sidekicks, one shareable dessert with molasses bread, and two prosecco splits. Black Angus is also offering half-price bottle of wine with the purchase of an entrée.

Info: blackangus.com (to order takeout and curbside pickup). Check website for locations.

Photo courtesy Celestino Ristorante

The ossobuco is among the options for Valentine’s Day at chef Calogero Drago’s Celestino Ristorante.

Photo courtesy The Crack Shack Celestino Ristorante

Executive chef Calogero Drago prepared a takeout or delivery meal with special Valentine’s Day selections to celebrate the spirit of love. Selections include ravioli de san valentine ($19.50), a heart-shaped ravioli stuffed with buffalo ricotta, burrata and spinach in a goat cheese sauce. The full classic Celestino Ristorante’s mushroom souffle, a ravioli filled with duck, mushrooms and porcino blueberry sauce; tortellini stuffed with pumpkin cream, butter and sage; risotto with red beets and goat cheese; ossobuco, Bistecca and homemade authentic family-style lasagna that can be preordered 24 hours in advance. For dessert share a tiramisu, panna cotta (vanilla custard with strawberries) or flourless chocolate cake. Order takeout or curbside pickup by phone 3 to 8 p.m. Monday to Sunday.

141 S. Lake Avenue, Pasadena, 626-795-4006, celestinopasadena.com

The Crack Shack

The Crack Shack is encouraging “Nugs Not Hugs” this Valentine’s Day, with the launch of the fire Nug Combo ($12). The combo includes six Jidori chicken nuggets tossed in its fan-favorite fire sauce, Schmaltz fries with housemade buttermilk ranch. So, send your loved ones some nugs because you can’t give them a hug!

30 W. Green Street, Pasadena, 424-910-0077, crackshack.com

Mi Piace

Couples can celebrate with an Italian dinner with dishes, drinks and desserts from Mi Piace. Executive chef Gil Saulnier is preparing a special meal for takeout, delivery and curbside pickup. Get your meal started with a charcuterie and cheese with bresaola, San Daniele prosciutto, spicy calabrese, saucisson, copa salami, chef cheese selection, fig marmalade, cornichons and extra virgin olive oil crostini or lobster truffle mac and cheese with shaved black truffles. For entrées, try Mi Piace’s lasagna di carne made with handmade pasta, layered with beef, pancetta, fresh herbs, ricotta and mozzarella topped off with San Marzano marinara sauce. Or try a prime 22-day aged bone-in ribeye with a truffle pecorino twice-baked potato; Filetto di Salmone with a pan-seared salmon filet, fresh vegetables, mashed potatoes and lemon caper sauce; ravioli con salsiccia with sautéed mild Italian sausage, broccolini, sundried tomatoes, sliced garlic and pecorino cheese finished with white wine; grilled double lamb chops with a port wine demi-glace and roasted Yukon potatoes; spaghetti aragosta comprised of sautéed diced lobster tail tossed with spaghetti in a San Marzano smokey chipotle cream sauce. Looking for desserts? Try the Midnight Fantasy, chocolate cake with Swiss bittersweet chocolate fudge and raspberry purée, New York cheesecake or tiramisu. Finish the meal with cocktails like Purple Rain, with Empress 1908 gin, Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic, grapefruit peel, juniper berries, pink peppercorn and rosé.

Open for takeout and delivery from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Valentine’s Day. 25 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, 626-795-3131, mipiace.com

Parkway Grill

For Valentine’s Day weekend (Friday, February 12, to Sunday, February 14), Parkway Grill is offering a spread. For the first course, try panfried diver scallops with green apple and citrus apple salad ($20); lobster bisque and crème fraiche ($14) or burrata and blood orange salad ($18). Second-course options include butter poached Maine lobster tail with fresh tagliatelle, crème fraiche, arugula and lemon ($36); pan-roasted Chilean seabass with heirloom carrots, watercress risotto and black truffle beurre blanc ($48); roasted kurobuta pork chop with rosemary apples, purple potatoes and whiskey cream sauce ($38). Finally, the third course is a tiramisu with mascarpone, espresso, cocoa and maraschino cherries ($14).

510 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena, 626-795-1001, theparkwaygrill.com

February 21, 2021 Auclon 10 a.m. PST Preview by appointment

Featuring property from The Estate of Audrey Steele Burnand, Newport Beach The Estate of Valerie Franklin, Los Angeles The Eva and Loran Whitelock Estate to benefit the Loran and Eva Whitelock Fund for Cycad Cullvalon, Conservalon, and Research at The Hunlngton Library, Art Museum, & Botanical Gardens

Painnng: William Wendt “California Landscape ” ; background: Chinese coromanel & stone-inlaid screen

Abell Auclon Co. | 2613 Yates Avenue, Los Angeles, CA | (310) 858-3073 | www.abell.com | @abellauclonco

Smitty’s Grill

Enjoy a meal and beverage from Smitty’s Grill this Valentine’s Day. Its Smitty’s Love Potion ($17) is its take on a Cosmopolitan. Or take advantage of the Love Dove Cocktail special, which is two cocktails of your choice for $30. Other cocktail choices include barrel-aged old fashioned ($17) and a barrel-aged Manhattan ($17). Smitty’s is also offering Manhattan clam chowder in a cup ($9) or bowl ($11); spicy tequila shrimp of parmesan risotto ($22); pan-roasted Chilean seabass with beet risotto, baby carrots and lemon tarragon beurre blanc (market price); bone-in Kansas City steak (15 ounces) with a twice-baked potato. Looking for wine? Smitty’s Grill is offering a bottle of Francois Montand Brut Blanc de Blanc ($12). And for dessert try a white chocolate raspberry mousse cake ($11).

110 S. Lake Avenue, Pasadena, 626-792-9999, smittysgrill.com

The Raymond 1886

Preorder executive chef Jonathan Quintana’s four-course prix fixe Valentine’s Day dinner for two ($125 for two guests) by Friday, February 12, for takeout and curbside pickup on Valentine’s Day Sunday, February 14. The first course begins with spiced yogurt and pickled vegetables with bread and butter. The second course includes Quintana’s peas and carrots made with spring fava beans, heirloom tomatoes, carrots, pea tendrils, guajillo couscous and pecorino romano cheese. The main course is a choice of beef Wellington with turbo onions and cognac peppercorn jus or snapper served with spring radishes, Bloomsdale spinach and pickled cipollini onions. For dessert, the options are raspberries and yogurt served with litchi panna cotta, vanilla chiffon and raspberry jus or chocolate and honey made of dark chocolate fondant, honey caramel, crème fraiche and chocolate honeycomb. Add drinks to your meal with 1886’s head barman Jesus Gomez’s passionate whisky barrel punch for two created with Eagle Rare bourbon, simple syrup, lemon juice, grenadine syrup, angostura bitters, champagne and maraschino cherries as garnish ($32 for two) or the long goodbye for

Photo courtesy Twoheys

Cupid “Stink-o” surf and turf with grilled prime Angus ribeye, Maine lobster tail, drawn butter, mashed potatoes and vegetables.

two made with white rum, lemon juice, Curacao syrup, hibiscus syrup, orange bitters, Ting grapefruit soda and halfmoon grapefruit garnish ($30 for two).

1250 S. Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, 626-441-3136, theraymond.com

Twoheys

Enjoy a $90 meal for two starting with the crab tower valentino with lump crab meat, arugula, mango, avocado, mint citrus vinaigrette and grilled sourdough. The salad is a classic Caesar. Entrees include lobster truffle mac and cheese with Maine lobster meat, white truffle essence, Parmesan and seasoned breadcrumbs or the cupid “Stink-o” surf and turf with grilled prime Angus ribeye, Maine lobster tail, drawn butter, mashed potatoes and vegetables. For dessert is a flourless chocolate cake with pink chocolate covered stream strawberry. Finally, a bottle of champagne.

424 Fair Oaks Avenue, South Pasadena, 626-375-7510, twoheys.com