So given my spectacular planning the day before Valentine’s Day (mainly my refusal to accept it as a ‘holiday’), I was able to book a last minute table at Amanda’s Restaurant using one of my favorite sites, OpenTable.com to reserve it. Within a few clicks, I had booked a 9:30pm dinner for my fiancée and myself, and although it’s free to reserve, for Valetine’s Day, Amanda’s requires a credit card. Failure to show will cost you $65, but I think that’s pretty common for a Valentine’s reservation.

We walked in, and at first, we thought the place was pretty small, given it’s narrow entrance But it had a nice fire going in the fireplace near the door, and some people sitting around for a drink. Already seemed pretty cozy. We were escorted immediately over to our table, walking through what turned out to be multiple large rooms and hallways, and finally downstairs to a more private dining room. It was all couples, so it was obviously their ‘reserved area’.

So, as we sat down, we noticed the limited Prix Fixe menu options, seemed pretty good, though timing is everything. Hit up Amanda’s at 5-5:30pm, and you get the 3 courses for $35 per person. Go after like we did, and it’s $65 each. Do I sound cheap?  Sorry, but with the recent move and wedding planning, having a nice dinner on a budget would have been nice.  We decide to try different courses since this was a new place for us. I had a mixed greens salad that had cut grapefruit, Gorgonzola cheese, I believe in a vinaigrette. It was pretty good for a starter salad though I think, though I’m not a grapefruit fan. It was pretty bitter, though somewhat interesting with the cheese, another flavor I’m not usually a fan of. My fiancée ordered a mixed vegetable plate with risotto. At first we weren’t sure it was hers when it arrived as it looked like rice pudding. It tasted pretty good to me, though a bit pasty. She thought it was different for a first course, and imagined it could be a side, though not demoting it by saying that. We could see ourselves trying it again.

For the 2nd course, I chose the beef fillet with a small amount of cheese on it, sitting on asparagus and sliced potatoes. The beef was very very tender (I ask for medium for my red meat), and the potatoes were pretty good. Just like your typical classy restaurant, the portions are smaller than your average American meal, but what I think is a good size, around what is a recommended portion size, a fist in circumference. My fiancée ordered the scallops over vegetables. She felt the sauce was just right, and not too rich, which sometimes is a problem she encounters. The portion size was good for her, and she would get it again if we went.

For the final dessert course, she decided to get the raspberry sorbet with cut fresh fruit (strawberries and blueberries). The fruit tasted great, though the sorbet was a little too tart/sour for her. Given the choices on the limited menu, she would choose it again only because it looked like the healthiest option. I decided to treat myself, given my ‘love’ for Valentine’s and the cost, to the warm (actually, it was pretty hot), dark chocolate cake with ice cream. Small scoop and all, it melted very quickly, and the cake was super chocolaty. I’m not really even a chocolate fan at all, but if you are, you should get this cake. The one thing I’m not sure of though, is if the middle was uncooked or if it was supposed to have a bit of melted chocolate.  But as if you like dark chocolate, it’s for you.

Overall, the atmosphere was perfect for couples, and given the ‘holiday’, you have to expect those kinds of prices. If you’re looking for a nice dinner, I would check out Amanda’s. The one odd thing though, throughout the evening, was the music choice. We had your typical romantic soundtrack going, but mid main course we heard “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye, which is just a little awkward, at least until after dessert. There were some other music choices and transitions that were questionable as if it came from someone’s iPod mix. So go, enjoy the dinner, and bring your own music.