Valentine’s Day lands on a weekend this year, and South Coast Plaza’s restaurants are leaning all the way in. From luxe tasting menus to classic steakhouse celebrations and Michelin-starred splurges, these are some of the standout dining experiences to book for February 13 and 14.
Valentine’s Dinner Menu
Friday and Saturday, February 13 to 14
Chef Ross Pangilinan presents a refined four-course menu for Valentine’s weekend, balancing indulgence with thoughtful technique.
The evening begins with first-course snacks including salmon tartare with caviar, tuna and tomato tart, lobster and uni chawanmushi, and wagyu beef with purple potato croquette. A heart-shaped soft egg raviolo with parmesan and truffle brown butter follows.
For the main course, guests enjoy a surf-and-turf pairing of American wagyu beef with yuzu kosho bearnaise and miso-glazed seabass, served with twice-baked potato, crème fraîche, caviar, asparagus cream, and oyster mushrooms.
Dessert features a duo of tropical panna cotta and chocolate chip sticky toffee pudding.
$125 per person. Beverages, tax, and gratuity not included. Vegetarian option available by request. Menu subject to change.
Valentine’s Day Dinner
Friday and Saturday, February 13 to 14
Reservations from 5 to 9 p.m.
Chef Nicholas Weber offers a five-course tasting menu with optional wine pairings, combining classic technique with playful touches.
Courses include ahi tuna sashimi with yuzu dashi, lobster salad with truffle vinaigrette, ocean trout with koji crème fraîche and caviar, and filet mignon with wild mushrooms, Robuchon potatoes, and cognac peppercorn sauce. Dessert is a coffee profiterole with chocolate crémeux.
Menu $125. Wine pairing $45. Beverages, tax, and gratuity not included.
Valentine’s Dinner Experience
Friday and Saturday, February 13 to 14
Water Grill offers a four-course menu with multiple choices at each course and optional wine pairings.
Starters range from chilled jumbo shrimp and oyster samplers to scallop crudo and jumbo lump crab cake. Entrée options include live local spiny lobster, New Zealand king salmon, Chilean sea bass, American wagyu ribeye, or classic surf and turf. Desserts include maple cheesecake, chocolate espresso ganache cake, and caramel bread pudding.
Four-course menu $135 per person. Optional wine pairing $50. Beverages, tax, and gratuity not included.
Morton’s Valentine’s Dinner Menu
February 6 to 15
Morton’s offers a dinner-for-two centered around a 28-ounce bone-in Empire Cut New York strip paired with twin petite lobster tails.
The menu includes a shared starter, choice of two butters or sauces, optional sides, and a dessert to share. A specialty cocktail, Love Takes Flight, features 1800 Cristalino, Chambord, pineapple, and lime.
$179 per couple. Dine-in only. Beverages, tax, and gratuity not included. Optional dinner complement available February 13 and 14.
Valentine’s Dinner Menu
Friday and Saturday, February 13 to 14
For a truly special occasion, Knife Pleat offers a Valentine’s weekend tasting menu from Chef Tony Esnault. The Michelin-starred experience features caviar, black truffle risotto, wagyu and Maine lobster, and an elegant progression of desserts, including the signature Ispahan.
Limited seating available. Optional wine pairings offered. Afternoon tea is available on February 14, along with Valentine’s macarons for takeaway.
$350 per person, excluding beverages, tax, and gratuity. A 23 percent service charge applies.
More Valentine’s Dining Around South Coast Plaza
AnQi Bistro
Asian fusion cuisine, dramatic interiors, and inventive cocktails. Lunch and dinner service.
Antonello Ristorante
A romantic Italian classic with more than four decades of hospitality. Dinner only.
The Capital Grille
Prime steaks, premium seafood, and polished service. Lunch and dinner service.
Hamamori Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Chef James Hamamori’s refined sushi and Japanese specialties. Lunch and dinner service.
Outpost Kitchen
A relaxed Australian-inspired spot known for organic, locally sourced dishes. Ideal for Valentine’s weekend brunch. Open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Vaca
Chef Amar Santana’s modern Spanish menu featuring tapas, paellas, and wood-grilled steaks. Dinner only.
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