Restaurant Review: Celebrating ‘Galentines,’ ‘Palentines’ and ‘Valentines’ Day in West Town, River North, and Streeterville

Valentine’s Day exists to celebrate love in its many forms. And whether you’re celebrating with your nearest and dearest friends (gal-entines and pal-entines,) your one-and-only, or your entire family, to quote a famous movie, “love is all around, actually.”

While many Chicago restaurants are already booked for the Tuesday, February 14 holiday, as well as the weekends before and after (we checked!), Dean’s Team Chicago did a little research for you and came up with a few winners that were still accepting reservations.

A farm-to-table family-style dinner in West Town 

Looking for a fun Valentine’s event for your gals and pals? At Big Delicious Planet, 412 N. Wolcott, a pioneer in Chicago’s sustainable dining scene since 1994, BDP has evolved from owner Heidi Moorman Coudal’s backstage rock & roll caterer to a certified green urban farm-to-table operation. On Friday, February 10, they’re hosting a communal, $125+-per-person dining experience for “people who love to eat.” The “Greenest Caterer in America,” will treat you and your guests to a three-hour dining adventure beginning at 6:30pm with cocktails and appetizers, followed by a salad course, family-style main course of  Beef Tenderloin and Seared Scallop (an additional $10 per ticket), Wild Mushroom Risotto and a special dessert. For reservations, click here. They’re also hosting a $150-per-plate Valentine’s Day extravaganza on Tuesday, February 14. For reservations and information, click here. 

The Tortoise is quicker than the Hare… 

At River North’s swanky (their description, no argument from me!) Tortoise Supper Club, 350 N. State Street, the home of Wednesday’s Oyster Happy Hour from4:30pm-6:30pm, 

and live jazz on Friday and Saturday, you and your nearest and dearest may order from the ala carte dinner menu in a candlelit dining room and capture the moment with the roaming Polaroid photographer and give you a photo and a rose as a keepsake. Start with Oysters on the Half Shell, with a Bloody Mary cocktail sauce and lemongrass-cucumber Mignonette or a succulent Lobster Bisque, followed by a Skuna Bay Salmon, with sweet corn relish and mint chimichurri, or a Prime Filet Oscar, with King crab, asparagus, and Bernaise sauce. Finish with a shareable Grasshopper, an adult milkshake mixing brandy, créme de menthe, créme de cacao, grasshopper cookie, chocolate straws, whipped cream, and fresh mint.

Tortoise Supper Club still has reservations for 1 to 8 guests on Valentines Day! As of Tuesday, reservations were available from 4:30pm-6pm and 9pm-10pm. Early or late seating gives you time to do something grand before or after supper! For reservations, click here.

Pizza…That’s Amore!

At Streeterville’s Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company, 465 N. McClurg Court, surprise your special someone(s) with a favorite pizza in the shape of a heart, with a special four-course Valentine’s Day menu, available Saturday February 11, Monday February 13 and Tuesday February 14. Included in the $125, four-course feast is their award-winning thin-crust artisanal pizzas in such romantic combinations of Acorn Squash and Sausage, Prosciutto and Aragula, or, for an additional charge, Smoked Salmon and Caviar Pizza. Top it off with a specialty dessert and two specialty cocktails or a split of Prosecco, which are included on their Valentine’s Day Menu.For more information and reservations, click here. 

Here’s to love, one and all!!

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago