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Food

20-plus places to dine with your valentine

Chocolate, steak and lobster are Valentine's Day staples, but dinner doesn't have to be just traditional surf and turf and layer cake. This year, make plans to try some new takes, including six-seafood ceviche and beer-can chicken made with a local brew. Reservations are recommended and sometimes required; check with each restaurant for more details. Find additional menus linked in the far right column under "Goes Well With..."

El Bolero

This Design District Mexican spot will celebrate el Día de San Valentín with a three-course fixed-price menu for $49 per person. Each dish -- ceviche of shrimp, baby octopus, calamari, oysters, clams and mussels; pan-seared duck breast with grilled pears and Brussels sprouts; and chocolate cake with raspberry sauce -- will be available a la carte, along with the regular menu. Feb. 14 starting at 5 p.m. $49 per person. 1201 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas. 214-741-1986. elboleromexican.com.

Bread Winners

All five locations will offer a $29 Valentine's Day special of dry-aged Akaushi strip steak served with Cabernet demi-glace, jumbo garlic prawns, potato-leek cake and a choice of dessert to share. The bakery counter's dessert options will include Valentine's Day sweets such as iced sugar cookies, cupcakes, cake balls and chocolate-dipped strawberries. Feb. 14 starting at 5 p.m. 3301 McKinney Ave., Dallas, 214-754-4940; 5560 W. Lovers Lane, Dallas, 214-351-3339; 8687 N. Central Expressway, Dallas, 469-232-9798; 4021 Preston Road, Plano, 972-312-9300; and 3000 State Highway 114, Trophy Club, 469-283-6903. breadwinnerscafe.com.

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CiboDivino 

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This wine bar and casual eatery in the Sylvan Thirty complex will offer two five-course menus for Valentine's Day. Chef-owner Daniele Puleo's Italian dinner will feature pan-seared scallops and swordfish rollatini for the entree options. And chef Ryan Olmos' farm-to-table menu will include main-course options of hangar steak with mustard seed potatoes and seared tuna and crab with avocado relish. Both menus will be priced a la carte with several choices per course. Feb. 14 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. 1868 Sylvan Ave., Dallas. 214-653-2426. cibodivinomkt.com.

Cru Food and Wine Bar

All three locations will offer four-course Valentine's Day dinners inspired by the classic French recipes from famed Ritz Hotel chef Auguste Escoffier. Entree choices will be filet of sole with crawfish Nantua, beef tenderloin with pommes purée, lamb loin with Provençal vegetables and black truffle sea bass with celery root purée. Feb. 14 starting at 5 p.m. $55 per person. 3699 McKinney Ave., Dallas, 214-526-9463; 7201 Bishop Road, Plano, 972-312-9463; and 842 Market St., Allen, 972-908-2532. cruawinebar.com.

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Dallas Farmers Market

Rex's Seafood at the Market, Scardello Artisan Cheese and Stocks and Bondy from DFM's food hall called the Market will contribute to a five-course Valentine's Day dinner. Scardello will start the meal with a cheese course and a glass of sparkling wine. The menu will also include salad from Rex's, Italian sausage soup from Stocks and Bondy, prime tenderloin with shrimp and brown rice pilaf from Rex's and strawberry cake from Stocks and Bondy. Each course will be paired with wine. Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. $75 per person. prekindle.com (search for DFM). 920 S. Harwood St., Dallas. 214-664-9110. dallasfarmersmarket.org.

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Dallas Fish Market 

The downtown Dallas seafood spot by executive chef Richard Triptow will serve three-course fixed-price dinners with optional wine and sake pairings. Appetizer options will include creamy cauliflower soup and salmon marinade. For the main course, choose from ginger-miso-white soy swordfish, Norwegian salmon, Texas redfish, flat-iron steak, East Coast scallops and roasted duck breast. Pick either strawberries and cream, corn pudding or chocolate cake for dessert. Feb. 10, 11 and 14 starting at 5 p.m. $65 per person, $90 with pairings. 1501 Main St., Dallas. 214-744-3474. dallasfishmarket.com.

Deep Ellum Brewing Co. 

The brewery will celebrate Valentine's Day and the re-release of its Cherry Chocolate Double Brown Stout with a five-course dinner. Each dish will be paired with a DEBC brew, including crab cake with Mean Monk and butternut squash soup with a lemongrass version of Deep Ellum Pale Ale. For the main course, choose from striped bass with Wealth and Taste or 6-ounce filet with Four Swords. Vegetarian options will be available. DEBC tables seat four people, so parties of two will have to share. Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. $40 per person 21 and older. prekindle.com/debcvday. 2823 St. Louis St., Dallas. 214-888-3322. deepellumbrewing.com.

Del Frisco's Grille

This casual concept from the Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House brand will offer two specials on Valentine's Day and the weekend before. Dry-aged bone-in rib-eye served with fried oysters, bacon and horseradish hollandaise will be $65 per person. Or for $49 per person, jumbo lump crab-stuffed Maine lobster tail will be served with garlic grits, roasted red pepper and basil cream. The full regular menu will also be available. Feb. 10- 14 during dinner service only. 3232 McKinney Ave., Dallas, 972-807-6152; 154 E. Third St., Fort Worth, 817-887-9900; 7200 Bishop Road, Plano, 469-661-8012; and 1200 E. Southlake Blvd., Southlake, 817-410-3777. delfriscosgrille.com.

Fairmont Dallas 

Chateaubriand for two and seared foie gras will be on the Valentine's Day menu at the historic Arts District hotel's Pyramid Restaurant and Bar. Dayboat scallops, guinea hen cassoulet, oxtail ravioli and risotto will also be among the five-course dinner's options. To start, there will be an amuse-bouche of Cape Hatteras oyster served with a cocktail of cava, raspberry and rose water. Feb. 11 and Feb. 14 from 6-10 p.m. $150 per couple, $220 with wine pairings. 1717 N. Akard St., Dallas. 214-720-5249. pyramidrestaurant.com.

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Hibashi Teppan Grill and Sushi Bar

Four dinners to share will be offered for Valentine's Day, including two five-course sushi dinners for $90 per couple and two six-course teppanyaki dinners ($80 per couple for filet mignon and shrimp and $135 per couple for chateaubriand and lobster). In celebration of the holiday, some sushi rolls will be heart-shaped and some dishes will be plated with Valentine's Day designs. Each menu will include appetizers, dessert and the choice of either a bottle of hot sake or two glasses of house wine. Feb. 10-14 starting at 5 p.m. 13465 Inwood Road, Dallas. 972-620-3474. hibashi.com.

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Mi Dia From Scratch 

For Valentine's Day, chef Gabriel DeLeon will offer three pairings of food and margaritas that highlight his three main culinary influences: Tex-Mex and the cuisines of Mexico City and Santa Fe. The Mexican pairing will include a pork shank rubbed with achiote paste and roasted in a banana leaf served with a margarita made with El Mayor tequila añejo, Grand Marnier, lemon juice and agave nectar. The three pairings are $34 to $40 each. The restaurants' regular menu will also be available. Feb. 14 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 3310 Dallas Parkway, Plano, 972-403-7474, and 1295 S. Main St., Grapevine, 817-421-4747. midiafromscratch.com.

Mudhen Meat and Greens

This Dallas Farmers Market restaurant from Shannon Wynne and partners is sending a valentine to vegans with a four-course dinner free of meat and dairy. Each dish will be paired with a beer from Blanco, Texas, brewery Real Ale Brewing Co. (Wine pairings can be substituted.) The menu will include Hans' Pils with chickpea bruschetta, Real Ale White with kale Caesar salad, Brewhouse with mushroom bolognese and chocolate-avocado mousse with Coffee Porter. Feb. 14 with seatings at 7, 7:30 and 8 p.m. $55 per person. 900 S. Harwood St., Dallas. 214-698-7000. mudheninthe.net.

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Princi Italia 

This Italian spot with locations at Preston Royal and in West Plano will offer four-course dinners with main-course options of saffron fettuccine with Canadian lobster, grilled Angus filet mignon with lobster tail, and Gulf Coast red grouper. For dessert, choose from white chocolate-raspberry pudding or dark chocolate-hazelnut praline pops. As an extra treat, diners will receive long-stemmed chocolate-covered strawberries. Feb. 14 starting at 5 p.m. $50 per person. 5959 Royal Lane, Dallas, 214-739-5959; and 3300 Dallas Parkway, Plano, 972-378-9463. princiitalia.com.

Quill 

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This cocktail lounge and restaurant in the Design District will offer a four-course dinner with optional cocktail pairings for Valentine's Day. The menu will include crunchy shrimp tempura roll to start, a seafood selection served with yuzu ponzu, a choice of either petite prime filet of beef with miso-glazed sweet potato or halibut with lump crab, and citrus-chocolate mousse for dessert. Feb. 10-14 starting at 5 p.m. $75 per person, $115 with cocktails. 1628 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas. 214-484-8072. quilldallas.com.

Ragin' Crab Cafe

This Lower Greenville spot specializing in Louisiana-style seafood will offer two three-course dinners on Valentine's Day. Both will include two drinks -- choose from beer, wine, cocktails with well liquor or chocolate-covered strawberry cocktails made with Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa -- and a dessert to share: bread pudding, cheesecake or chocolate cake. For $89.95 per couple, get two whole lobster tails served with dirty rice and garlic butter broccoli. Or for $79.95 per couple, get a seafood boil with crab, shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn. The regular menu will also be available. Feb. 14 from 11 a.m. to midnight. 2100 Greenville Ave., Dallas. 214-827-2722. ragincrab.com.

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Rapscallion

This destination for Modern Texas cuisine on Lower Greenville will offer three-course Valentine's Day dinners with an amuse-bouche of mortadella, pepper jelly and pimento cheese on brioche. Main-course options will be Nashville hot chicken served with a biscuit and braised greens, redfish with Savannah red rice and pickled okra, and beef tenderloin with Brussels sprouts slaw and sorghum-mushroom risotto. Choose Texas chocolate sheath cake or pecan pie for dessert. Feb. 14 starting at 4:30 p.m. $75 per person, $110 with drink pairings. 2023 Greenville Ave., Dallas. 469-291-5660. dallasrapscallion.com.

Tacos and Tequila 

This Southwestern spot in the Quadrangle will offer a $45 per couple special with a 64-ounce Mason jar filled with house margaritas on the rocks and "hot rocks fajitas" -- chile pepper steak and Sriracha-orange chicken served on a hot pink Himalayan sea salt rock with black beans, ginger rice, salsa and tortillas. The regular menu will also be available. Feb. 14 from 4-9 p.m. Guests can park for free in the Amli garage. 2800 Routh St., Dallas. 469-518-7888. tacosandtequilatnt.com.

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The Theodore

This restaurant and cocktail bar in NorthPark Center will offer Valentine's Day dinners for two with three courses and a Champagne toast Feb. 10-18. Appetizer options will include roasted oysters, baked brie, house salad and lobster bisque. For the main course, choose from braised short ribs, seared salmon, pork osso buco and roasted chicken. Dessert choices will be chocolate fudge brownie with ice cream sundae, New York-style cheesecake, classic crème brûlée and the frozen treat of the day. Starting at 5 p.m. $79.95 per couple. 8687 N. Central Expressway, Dallas. 469-232-9771. thetheodore.com.

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Tillman's Roadhouse

This Bishop Arts institution has new owners and decor and a revamped menu, and to mark the first Valentine's since its makeover, Tillman's Roadhouse will serve four-course dinners with optional wine and cocktail pairings. Main-course options will include pepper-crusted filet, Four Corners Brewing Co. beer-can chicken, oven-roasted sea bass, bourbon-braised heirloom pork osso buco and rack of lamb crusted with rosemary and bock beer mustard. Dessert choices will include tabletop s'mores for two, a favorite held over from Tillman's previous menu. Feb. 14 starting at 5 p.m. $65 per person, $100 with pairings. 324 W. Seventh St., Dallas. 214-942-0988. tillmansroadhouse.com.

Top Knot 

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Uchi's upstairs neighbor will serve dinners for two that will include a glass each of sparkling wine, a fried yuca starter and dark chocolate pot de crème with sesame ice cream and almonds for dessert. Choose one second-course option -- brown butter beets, tuna tsuke, veggie banh mi, hot fried chicken bun or big-eye tuna -- and two main-course options: chicken kimchi karaage, miso-brown sugar salmon, chicken tonkatsu or crispy pork belly rice bowl. Or for $10 more, choose the restaurant's signature whole fried fish. Feb. 10, 11 and 14 starting at 5 p.m. $85 per couple. Reservations will be accepted, and there will be a limited number of spots reserved for walk-in diners. 2817 Maple Ave., Dallas. 214-855-5454. topknotdallas.com.

Tableside s'mores is on the Valentine's Day menu at Tillman's Roadhouse in Dallas.
Tableside s'mores is on the Valentine's Day menu at Tillman's Roadhouse in Dallas. (Brendan Sullivan / The Dallas Morning News)