Our guide has Valentine’s Day plans for everyone
Whether you consider Valentine’s Day to be the most romantic day of the year, you know, a perfect 24 hours for just you and your boo, or a corpulently overly-commercialised hell of the highest order, V-Day is approaching! Granting all this, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a bit of fun. Never mind if you have nothing planned. It doesn’t matter if you’re flying solo, consciously coupled, or “it’s complicated”, we have you covered. You say last minute, we say spontaneous.
The Greens
For The Lovers
The Grounds of Alexandria
7A / 2 Huntley Street, Alexandria, Ph: (02) 9699 2225
The Grounds of Alexandria sets the mood to sultry this Valentine’s Day with an evening under the stars. The Garden will be transformation into a lavish and opulent, French-inspired sanctum, with romantically dramatic floral displays and live music. Dinner is a four course menu for two ($250pp), with a selection of wine, cocktails and soft drinks served throughout the evening, including a bottle of Pol Roger NV.
Devon on Danks
2 Danks St, Waterloo, Ph: (02) 9698 7795
Devon on Danks becomes Devon by Night this Valentine’s Weekend. Available both Saturday and Sunday night, the eight courses ($70pp) is the pan-Asian banquet. The Tropicana coconut sago dessert with mango sorbet and galangal ice is sure to quicken the pulse.
Yulli’s
417 Crown Street, Surry Hills, Ph: (02) 9319 6609
Stimulate the vegetarian senses this Valentine’s Day with a three course dinner at Yulli ($60pp). The three course dinner includes a drink as well as vegan and gluten free options. Your partner will be absolutely spoiled by the diverse, fusion cuisine.
The Greens
50 Ridge Street, North Sydney, Ph: (02) 9245 3099
Get your significant other’s heart racing with The Greens’ four course aphrodisiac menu ($70). Available for both lunch and dinner option, Head Chef Nathan Tillott will be serving up crab, oysters, sirloin and barramundi with a special Ferrero Rocher dessert complete with rose petals and strawberries served straight onto the table to finish.
Chop House
25 Bligh Street, Sydney, Ph: 1300 246 748
Meat is seduction at the New York steakhouse-inspired restaurant Chop House, and their “Where Lovers Meat” menu is sure to enthral. At $69 per head, this three course meal is sensually filled with all things succulent, slow roasted and seared.
Sefa Kitchen
292 Bondi Road, Bondi, Ph: (02) 8068 6461
Find your way to love at Sefa Kitchen. Their exotic six course Middle Eastern feast ($55pp) celebrates romance with pomegranate prosecco, fresh local oysters, and a temperature-raising dessert. This celebratory menu is running all Valentine’s weekend, with matching wines also available.
Keg & Brew
For The Haters
Anti-Valentine’s Day At Keg & Brew
26 Foveaux St, Surry Hills, Ph: (02) 9212 1740
Get some garlic on your breath and grease on your elbows at Keg & Brew‘s Anti-Valentine’s Day event. With ribs, ribettes and drummers on the menu, it is sure to be a gloppingly messy, finger food feast. Also keep an eye out for the craft beers on tap, as well as the Lonely Hearts Club Bucket. This is warm sticky date pudding extravaganza with vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche and banana topping.
Valentinnies Day At The Dove & Olive
156 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, Ph: (02) 9699 6001
Craft Beer Fight Club at the Dove & Olive kicks off for the year with Valentinnies Day. Four Aussie brewers will battle it out for the best tinny, with the winner decided by public vote. This is the first round of the competition, of which there are four bi-monthly rounds culminating in a Grand Finale to be held during Sydney Craft Beer Week in October. Tickets are $30, and pundits will be able to sample the finest that 4 Pines Brewing Company, Australian Brewery, Mornington Peninsula Brewery and Yulli’s Brews have to offer.
Summer Dance
National Art School, corner Forbes and Burton Streets, Darlinghurst, Ph: (02) 9339 8744
Put on your red shoes and dance the blues slash the afternoon away at Summer Dance. Housed in the lush surrounds of the National Art School, this Sunday session is all about an exceptionally curated line-up, groove-making and hip-gyrations that will have you forgetting all about Valentine’s Day. British electronic beatsmith Nightmares on Wax, hip hop artist Lefto and local taste maker Mike Who will be providing the tunes and good vibes.
Shaggers – Valentine’s XXX Comedy Show
The Chippendale Hotel, 87-91 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale, Ph: (02) 9310 5133
Laugh at your love life, or at the very least the sex shenanigans of others at Shaggers – Valentine’s XXX Comedy Show. After sold out shows in the UK and Europe, this mischievous show is making its debut in Sydney. Comedians will all be telling jokes and anecdotes about knocking boots, getting lucky, and doing the two person push ups.
Pyjama Party at Tropfest
Brazilian Fields, Centennial Park, Ph: (02) 9690 5190
If your heading to Tropfest this Sunday, you and your best mates should know about this. Qantas will be attempting to break the world record for the largest pyjama party at the world’s largest short film festival. All registered participants will receive a pair of Qantas Business Class pyjamas, access to “Fast Track” lanes at all food and beverage outlets as well as access to the Qantas reserved viewing area for the 16 short films.
Get On Your Soapbox At The Domain
The Domain, Art Gallery Road, Sydney, opposite the Art Gallery of New South Wales
The Speakers’ Corner in The Domain has a long and proud tradition of providing a platform for outrageous and eccentric speakers. If the commercialisation of an obscure’s saint’s day that became famous only after a nod from Medieval writer Geoffrey Chaucer gets your goat then by all means, hop on to a soapbox and get into the spirit of roaring oration. Or simply, sit back and have a listen to what the other speakers have to say.