#43 Belgravia, Glasgow, Copenhagen
Where's for dinner, this love week?
Before we getting into this week’s Valentine’s special (spoiler - I’ve got carried away and nearly hit the max email length…), I tried First Table and loved it.
Last week I mentioned the app that allows you to book an off peak table for 50% off the bill.
We managed to get a spot for 6pm after work at Lahpet in Shoreditch. I love this place. Offering Burmese cuisine in the form of delicious small plates, big hearty curries and fragrant noodle broths, I was buzzing to find them feature on First Table at all. Also a note to my GF friends - SO much of the menu is gluten free and coeliac safe.
We shared Jungle Fried Chicken (unreal), Split Pea Fritters and Tea Leaf Salad to start. Then it was a bowl of Coconut Chicken Noodles and Shan Noodles (chicken and pork) for mains. We weren’t drinking as it was a Monday, and the grand total of the bill (with a tip and charity donation), £35.80 between the two of us. *falls off chair*
Granted I won’t be using the app all the time, due to time and restaurant availability, but if I can make it to a restaurant I love, and on the odd occasion pay half the price, it’s definitely worth it to save on the pennies.
There is a small booking fee which varies between the restaurants, but split between your table, it really is nothing. I’d definitely recommend having a browse to see if anything fits your schedule.
Now onto this week’s restaurants - romantic V day offerings.
If you haven’t booked anything, now’s your chance, or maybe just save the location for another date.
1. La Poule Au Pot, Belgravia
It doesn’t get more romantic than French cuisine. And if you can’t make it to Paris, La Poule Au Pot looks to be the next best thing.
I’m obsessed with their interiors. Cosy, candlelit, dog friendly, and a delicious three course offering for Valentine’s Day.
For £80pp, so many of the best menu items feature.
On scanning the “Menu de la St. Valentin” in fine detail, I think I would have to start with French onion soup. It’s a classic. All the mains look delicious, so may need to do the old sharing - mixing things up with a chicken or steak dish.
Then for dessert - obviously chocolate mousse. Fluffy, rich and the perfect finale. The French always get it so right.
Book your table here.
2. Eighty Eight, Glasgow
You can’t go wrong with pasta, and you definitely can’t go wrong with a £35pp set menu. And Eighty Eight have nailed theirs.
Designed to be the perfect sharing menu - for your lover, mate or best gal - I really do wish I lived closer to Glasgow to make the trip.
These guys do pasta and Italian flavours well without breaking the bank. If you can’t make it down on V Day, they often do a great value set menu, which they regularly change up.
If it’s drinks on the cards, they have a lovely wine selection, as well as a cocktail bar next door (Eighty Six) - perfect for pre or post-pasta drinks. On a Wednesday it’s £5 Margs. Dangerous.
Book a table here.
3. Bar Amore, Copenhagen
It felt like a must to include this spot, given its name.
After spending the last week watching all the fashionista in Copenhagen for Fashion Week, naturally I was spotting lots of great places to eat in the process.
Bar Amore is one of those cool spots thats part bar, part restaurant.
Found in the Frederiksberg district near Copenhagen’s lakes, Bar Amore takes simple seriously.
The menu, Italian small plates, is stripped back (no V Day Menu) with highlights that include Butter and Parmesan Linguine
Their brand takes the same stripped back, simple approach, with zero captions on their Instagram photos - in a very “show don’t tell cool”, kind of way.
Book your table here.
And as a cute little extra, because no V Day is complete without flowers.
Why not treat them (or you) to a bunch from some of my favourite independent florists.
This year Sage Flowers’ bouquets, “Love Notes”, are accompanied with their first ever mixtape. Couples, collaborators and muses were asked to contribute songs that define their relationships, their personal "Love Notes". Burned onto a CD and available on Spotify. How cute.
Or if you happen to be in central, check out Lover Girl (formerly: My Lady Garden)’s sensory flower bar a Malin and Goetz (also a great place for a gift). There’s no minimum spend, a variety of colours to choose from to make your own special bouquet. To Me, from Me, 100% allowed.
What’s “Where’s For Dinner?”
Every week I’ll be tempting you with where your next meal out could be - one in London, one in the UK, and one beyond. All places I want to try, but haven’t yet.I would love for you to subscribe (button below), so we can enjoy these places together. And if you have got any tips of your own, I’d love to hear them.