Food

You’re with Cupid

Book One of These. Win Valentine’s Day.

It’s that time of year again. Time to take all your winnings from the season and let it ride on the conference championship games. But also: time to spring into action for Valentine’s Day and book the best table out there before anyone else does. And what might that table be? Glad you asked...

SECLUSION LEVEL: 1

Table #64, Fiola Mare

Where you’re sitting: A choice semicircular table right in the middle of it all. In case you’d like to show your date off a bit. Or vice versa.
What you’re eating: Five courses including oysters, scallops, lobster risotto and something called Wild Turbot in Potato Waistcoat. It’s a hipster turbot.

SECLUSION LEVEL: 2

The Fireplace Table, Sonoma

Where you’re sitting: On a leather couch, right in front of the fireplace in their lounge. You’ll be served from the bar, but don’t worry: you can book the table.
What you’re eating: Cheese boards, duck confit ragù and sparkling wines from New Mexico and Missouri. Big sparkling wine states.

SECLUSION LEVEL: 3

Table #12, The Inn at Little Washington

Where you’re sitting: A table for two where you’ll sit side by side on a pillow-covered bench that looks out into the garden courtyard.
What you’re eating: A tin of caviar and crab, white-truffle risotto and baby lamb loin with Caesar salad ice cream. No, it isn’t Breyers.

SECLUSION LEVEL: 4

Tables #40 to #43, Rural Society

Where you’re sitting: They’re called the Niches—four curtained-off, miniature rooms with one table each that you’ll step up into from the main dining room. Yes, those are horse reins on the wall. Don’t get any ideas.
What you’re eating: Braised Wagyu beef belly, lamb sweetbreads, Uruguayan ribeye. Maybe a vegetable.

SECLUSION LEVEL: 5

Tables #3 and #4, Jaleo

Where you’re sitting: A small red two-top, tucked into the front window and separated from the less romantically intent by a curtain.
What you’re eating: A prix fixe menu, on which you can probably expect some of José Andrés’s greatest hits—chorizo, patatas bravas and a fried egg with caviar. You weren’t going to skip the caviar after all this.