Feringhee Modern Indian Cuisine
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You’d be hard-pressed to find diners not watching their bottom lines in these economic times. And Valentine’s Day doesn’t usually rank among the most affordable of holidays.
According to the National Retail Federation, shoppers are budgeting an average of $199.78 for Valentine’s Day gifts this year. And 39% plan on using their allotted funds for dining out.
However, several Phoenix area establishments are making it possible to savor a satisfying romantic dinner without leaving your debit card crying for mercy. While some of these options still aren’t cheap, they all provide great value and come in under the average amount budgeted.
For your Valentine’s Day celebration, consider these menus that top out at $190 per couple, with many available for much less. Some include a beverage. All are available on Feb. 14, except for a few spots, which are noted.
From elevated golf course and water views to elegant and sleek indoor spaces, find a Valentine’s Day vibe and price that’s right for you at these Valley restaurants.
Feringhee Modern Indian Cuisine
3491 W. Frye Road, Chandler
$65 per person
Splurge on a dinner at Michelin-starred chef Sujan Sarkar’s – one of only three Indian chefs to earn the honor – Feringhee Modern Indian Cuisine but without the splurgy price tag. A welcoming pour of bubbly kicks off the four-course feast. An amuse of spicy tomato rasam is followed by your choice of appetizers such as Amritsari fried fish or Kandhari pork ribs with pomegranate glaze. Main course selections are accompanied by shahi cumin rice and garlic naan and include jackfruit kofta with spinach and fenugreek saag, bone-in goat curry with red onion, chicken changezi in a rich creamy tomato gravy or tandoori stuffed mushrooms. Caramelized brioche with milk foam and pistachios or saffron jalebi with rabdi mousse both make strong dessert cases. An optional wine pairing can be added for $35 per person.
Neighborhood Services Bar & Restaurant
Omni Tempe at ASU
7 E. University Drive, Tempe
$68 per person
End a leisurely stroll on Mill Avenue with dinner at Neighborhood Services Bar & Restaurant. The three-course menu boasts starters such as berry salad and French onion soup. Ponder entrees such as red wine-braised short rib, heirloom mushroom tart or roasted sea bass. A strawberries-and-cream panna cotta is for dessert. Add a suggested beverage pairing for an additional $24. Ending the night with views under the stars at the hotel’s Lucero Rooftop Lounge & Terrace ups the romance vibe.
FOUND: RE Phoenix Hotel
Match Market & Bar
FOUND: RE Phoenix Hotel
1100 N. Central Ave.
$69 per person
Drop in to the sleek Match Market & Bar from 4 p.m. onward for a four-course dinner that begins with one of the sexist starters, oysters on the half-shell with cucumber mignonette. A frisee salad with grapefruit, seared scallop, herbs and a champagne vinaigrette precedes an 8-ounce filet mignon accompanied by rosemary roasted fingerlings, sherry-glazed carrots and a red wine demi-glace. Save room for dark chocolate mousse with almond shortbread and cherry coulis.
George & Gather
George & Gather
336 S. Washington St., Chandler
$70 per person
Snag a spot on George & Gather’s cozy patio – near the fireplace if you can – for a four-course Valentine’s Day prix-fixe menu composed of seed oil-free, from-scratch fare. A bevy of options are up for the choosing for every course. Consider starters such as Wagyu meatballs or Chef Fiona’s whipped goat cheese with local raw honey, pecans, balsamic date puree and toasted Barrio sourdough bread. After a salad with roasted beets and arugula or mixed greens with pork belly and pears, ponder mains like pan-seared salmon, roasted organic chicken, braised short rib, pasta pomodoro or one of the famous sourdough pizzas. Malted chocolate pot de creme, honey apricot cheesecake and affogato with sweet cream and honey gelato don’t make the dessert choice easy.
Lakeside Bar & Grill
9980 W. Happy Valley Pkwy., Peoria
$75 per couple
Enjoy a romantic waterside dinner with Lakeside Bar & Grill’s Lakeside Love for Two experience. Begin by toasting with two glasses of sparkling wine before sharing an appetizer of a jumbo soft pretzel with house cheese sauce and Guinness mustard, or buffalo shrimp with housemade ranch. Each diner gets their own entree of either a 10-ounce ribeye with mashed potatoes and asparagus, or pasta rosa cavatappi tossed in house-made marinara and alfredo cream sauce with a choice of chicken, shrimp or house-made meatballs. Share carrot cake or crème brûlée cheesecake for dessert.
Poppy’s Office
34422 N. Scottsdale Road, #160, Scottsdale
$27, $95 or $135 per couple
This speakeasy next door to Liberty Station offers a clandestine feel to set the mood. Choose from Poppy’s Office’s three satisfying options, depending on your appetite and budget, that will be served Feb. 13 and 14. For $27, couples can choose the First Date Special, which includes two glasses of bubbles and six chocolate-covered strawberries. The $95 Lovers Edition features a bottle of bubbles and two prime rib plates that come with mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, creamy horseradish and au jus. For $135, the Until Death Do Us Part gets you a bottle of bubbles, two surf and turf plates with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus, and a half-dozen chocolate-covered strawberries.
Adobe Bar & Grille
Adobe Bar & Grille
Arizona Biltmore Golf Club
2400 Biltmore Estates Drive
$99 per couple
If you prefer to avoid crowds on Saturday night, head to the Adobe Bar & Grille through Feb. 13 for its chef-curated Dinner for Two menu that features pasta, dessert and a bottle of wine. Head to the patio and soak up stunning views over the greens or chill around the firepits with your choice from a lineup of six bottle options that include Moët & Chandon Brut, Decoy Sauvignon Blanc and Elouan Pinot Noir. Choose from pasta plates like housemade rigatoni with braised oxtail and short rib meatball, house-made campanelle with Schreiner’s sausage and broccolini, housemade linguine tossed in lemon and olive oil, and beet cavatelli with crab, citrus and spinach pesto. Select horchata crème brûlée, a brownie sundae or dark chocolate mousse for dessert.
The Farm at South Mountain
6106 S. 32nd St.
$125 per couple
There are few scenarios more romantic than a picnic amid lush environs, and that’s what you’ll find with The Farm at South Mountain’s farm-to-table Valentine’s Picnic in the pecan grove. The picnic basket for two includes: a blanket; cheese and fruit board; a marinated chicken sandwich with bacon, dates Granny Smith apples and tomatoes on a croissant; strawberry fields salad; signature pasta salad; avocado egg salad toast on country bread; dulce de leche chocolate mousse sweetheart shortbread cookies; and bottled water. The picnic will be available Feb. 13 through 16, with a limited number of pre-paid reservations every hour between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on all days.
Indibar
Indibar
6208 N. Scottsdale Road, Paradise Valley
$149 per couple
Impress your date with dinner at an elegant James Beard Award semifinalist restaurant without breaking the bank. Indibar’s two special four-course prix-fixe menus accommodate vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Both commence with a lentil dumpling accompanied by yogurt and chutney, and culminate with a rose mousse adorned with coconut and forest berries.
The non-vegetarian lineup features appetizer options such as branzino with orange and yogurt, lamb accented with clove and cardamom, and chicken with garlic and peppercorns. Beef with onions and garam masala, and a chicken stew with potatoes and house-ground spices are among the main course options.
On the vegetarian menu, start with an Impossible Meat kebab with peppers and coriander or cottage cheese with jalapeno. Main dish options include wild mushroom and corn curry and a creamy dal mahkni. Main dishes on both menus are served with tandoori bread and burrani raita.
Ocotillo
3243 N. Third St.
$185 per couple
The quaint and buzzy outdoor dining space at Ocotillo is the ideal spot for a romantic dinner. And on Feb. 13 and 14, the restaurant is offering just that with a special three-course meal. A hamachi crudo with yuzu, pomegranate, watermelon radish and chile oil is the opening act that makes way for the surf and turf main attraction: a 32-ounce porterhouse steak with lobster tail, baked pasta and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. Strawberry pavlova embellished with vanilla whipped cream, macerated strawberries, crispy meringue chips, strawberry syrup and mint punctuates the feast.
Palo Verde Restaurant
Boulders Resort & Spa
34631 N. Tom Darlington Drive, Scottsdale
$190 per couple
Savor a three-course dinner against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the dining room or on the patio overlooking the serene duck pond, lush golf greens and dramatic desert rockscape under the stars at Palo Verde Restaurant. Start by opening an included bottle of rose. Then choose creamed asparagus soup or a strawberry-citrus salad with local goat cheese and champagne-honey vinaigrette as the opener. Four dishes vie for main course status. Pick between the prime beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes and globe carrots, Chilean sea bass with roasted red beet risotto, sweet corn ravioli with brown butter lobster or herb-roasted chicken with mash, green beans and jus. Finish off your meal with a hibiscus tart with coconut cream or strawberry mousse.
