5 Edible Pairings to Woo Your Date’s Heart (and Stomach) This Valentine’s Day 2017

Where to go and what to buy to really, really impress your date.

February 3, 2017

Maria Kanai,

Valentine’s Day is coming up—are you ready to paint the town red? If you haven’t booked reservations yet, no need to worry—we’ve got a bunch of pairings to make your sweetheart swoon.

1. Eat Here: TR Fire Grill

Photo: Courtesy of TR Fire Grill

We got a peek at TR Fire Grill’s first-ever Valentine’s Day menu, and there’s a Bibb lettuce salad to start, then your choice of house-smoked prime rib, pan-seared diver scallops or a pan-roasted half chicken. All nice enough, but what really caught our eye was the restaurant’s signature waffle-and-donut hybrid dessert called a wonut. Not only that, for Valentine’s Day, it’s making red velvet wonuts. SOS, reservations ASAP please!

$40, Feb. 11–14, 2330 Kūhiō Ave., 921-2330, trfiregrill.com

Buy This: Chocolates from Malie Kai Chocolates

Photo: Courtesy of Malie Kai Chocolates

Forget flowers—give your darling chocolate! Get the good stuff by going local with the award-winning chocolate from Malie Kai Chocolates, which recently expanded its retail store at Royal Hawaiian Center. We love the Hawaiian rum truffles and the new line of Kona coffee caramels, but classic milk- and dark-chocolate bars are great. You can also go fancy with an elegant 12-piece gift box filled with six pieces each of dark and milk chocolate.

Royal Hawaiian Center, 2201 Kalākaua Ave., 599-8600, maliekai.com

2. Eat Here: Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Photo: Courtesy of Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Who says you need romance to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Make it Gal/Pal-entine’s Day by getting together with friends you love and order rounds of oyster arancini ($10.95), served with grilled asparagus, water chestnut, Parmesan cheese and lemongrass kim chee butter sauce. Share a hot lava-lava roll with sashimi ($25.95) featuring fresh ‘ahi, cucumber and avocado rolled inside out with habanero masago with a side of ‘ahi, salmon and hamachi sashimi. Sansei is also offering another Valentine’s Day special called Lover Bites ($17.95): a spoonful each of ‘ahi carpaccio, hamachi carpaccio and walu sashimi.

Feb. 14, 2552 Kalākaua Ave., 931-6286, sanseihawaii.com/waikiki

Buy This: Cupcakes from Flour + Butter Bakery

Photo: Courtesy of Flour + Butter Bakery

In honor of Valentine’s Day, Flour + Butter Bakery is making red velvet, Ferrero Nutella and strawberry passion cupcakes for $3.75 a piece. Buy three and you’ll get another cupcake free, so go ahead and include that fourth bestie.

Feb. 7–18, Imperial Plaza, 725 Kapi‘olani Blvd., Unit C-119A, 593-0566, flourplusbutter.com

3. Eat Here: d.k. Steak House

Photo: Courtesy of d.k. Steak House

If you both prefer simple, straightforward dinners instead of fancy prix fixe courses, you’ll be head over heels with the Valentine’s Day specials at d.k. Steak House. Meat is the main attraction, with primal dishes that include apple-cider-braised King Natural boneless short ribs ($39) and a 30-day-dry-aged boneless King Natural rib-eye steak ($49). Reservations are filling fast: Seats are now only available after 8:30 p.m.

Feb. 14, 2552 Kalākaua Ave., 931-6280, dksteakhouse.com

Buy This: Fruit Bouquets from Edible Arrangements

Photo: Courtesy of Edible Arrangements

After a filling meal, your date might want something healthy to balance things out. Order a “Be Mine Bouquet” ($119) from Edible Arrangements, gorgeously presented with grapes, strawberries, heart-shaped pineapple slices, semisweet-chocolate-dipped strawberries and a pair of “I Love You” chocolate pops.

Three locations: Downtown Honolulu Finance Factors Building, Mānoa Market Place, Windward City Shopping Center, 585-5922, ediblearrangements.com

4. Eat Here: 12th Ave Grill

Amp up the romance with sensuous Kualoa oysters or shrimp, followed by an indulgent main entrée of a 32-ounce ‘alaea-salt-rubbed Makaweli Ranch bone-in rib-eye served with butter-roasted asparagus, roasted-shallot Yukon mashed potatoes and a rosemary sun-dried tomato fondue. Preorders are required, so be sure to make reservations.

$125, Feb. 14, 1120 12th Ave., 732-9469,12thavegrill.com

Buy This: Gift bags from Big Island Candies

Two milk-chocolate-dipped macadamia nuts, a dark-chocolate macadamia-nut brownie and two milk-chocolate-covered macadamia-nut chocolates are tucked inside adorable goodie bags labeled “Hot Stuff” or “Love U More.” They make perfect, low-key gifts for family and friends too.

Ala Moana Center Gift Shop, Street level 1 near Centerstage, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 1230, 946-9213, bigislandcandies.com

5. Eat Here: Mahina & Sun’s

Photo: Courtesy of Mahina & Sun’s

Dine where our former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle dined to achieve #relationshipgoals. Sip on a specialty Valentine’s Day cocktail called the Lolita ($14) and then dive into a five-course meal that starts with Kualoa ranch oysters, Kaua‘i shrimp with mint, basil, arugula and feta or chili watermelon granita-gazpacho. For your entrée, choose between duck breast with a local orange-cognac demi-glace, a local cocoa-coffee-chili rubbed tenderloin or a vegetarian local asparagus, potato, zucchini, roasted carrots and cauliflower purée. For dessert: vanilla-bean panna cotta, compressed strawberries, fresh liliko‘i and local honey.

$75 vegetarian, $95 regular, Feb. 14, 412 Lewers St., 924-5810, surfjack.com/eat-shop

Buy This: Chocolate-covered strawberries from Honolulu Chocolate Co.

Chocolate-covered strawberries are a classic gift for a reason. Buy a dozen strawberries ($36) from Honolulu Chocolate Co. to share together at home. You can also get six strawberries for $18. Preorder now, and pick up from Feb. 11 to 14.

Ward Village, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd., 591-2997, and Sheraton Waikīkī Hotel & Resort, 2255 Kalākaua Ave., 931-8937, honoluluchocolate.com