The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and the way to a woman's may be through a classy and romantic meal -- and flowers, chocolate, money and maybe being sensitive.
But if having all of that sounds too difficult, a classy and romantic meal should suffice.
Would-be Casanovas take heed: Book a table now, before the Feb. 14 rush.
"We only have a dozen reservations for Valentine's Day," Rebecca Burger, general manager of the Allen Street Grill, 100 W. College Ave., said last week, but cautioned that "the week of [Valentine's Day] is crazy, and theday before, the phone doesn't stop ringing for reservations."
Burger said there is occasional room for walk-ins that evening, but everything is usually done by reservation.
Pete Herncane, executive chef at the Allen Street Grill, said diners can expect feature items that evening.
"We'll always have our regular menu, but we have additional features for Valentine's Day," he said.
The Grill's Valentine's Day features include a seafood tasting entrée for two, which includes tuna, shrimp, salmon, halibut cheeks and crab flan, as well as a white chocolate mousse with red raspberry sauce for dessert.
"Special nights like this, we sell more features, a lot of desserts and wines," Herncane said. "People usually eat a larger meal and order more courses on these occasions."
From the looks and ambiance of the restaurant, Herncane sad he feels most students have a misconception that the Allen Street Grill is overpriced.
"We want to be the special, occasional place that isn't too expensive," Burger said. "It's perfect for college students."
As for the atmosphere, Herncane said it's the most romantic view of downtown State College.
"Aside from great food, if you're lucky enough to get a porch seat and it's snowing, you're sure to impress your date," he said.
Spats Café and Speakeasy, 142 E. College Ave., is another great option for Valentine's Day dinner and the perfect place to take a significant other for a laid-back atmosphere and warm conversation.
"The food speaks for itself, but it's not an atmosphere where you need to be uptight," said manager Janice Gainer. "There's no dress code, so you can be comfortable and casual and still have a great dining experience."
The New Orleans-themed restaurant has a lot more than just Big Easy-themed food on the menu.
"We've expanded to a lot of different tastes of food, and everything is made to order, so you're getting great quality food for a good value," Gainer said. "Plus, it's a nice atmosphere, and you're not going broke."
Spats will be having a dinner-for-two option with a prefixed menu for couples on Valentine's Day.
"The appetizer is peppercorn seared ahi tuna, scallops and oysters, but it's a larger portioned appetizer for couples to share," Gainer said. "Then each person gets a choice of salad and an entrée of grilled beef medallions served over lobster mascarpone potato cakes with grilled asparagus."
White chocolate bombe cake that boasts a chocolate truffle center and raspberry ice cream in a raspberry white chocolate sauce serve as the finale for the meal, which comes out to $85 including tax and gratuity.
"It's an awesome price for all of that food," Gainer said. "As long as couples are coming in for an intimate Valentine's Day meal, they might as well go for the special we have for them."
Beverages are not included in the fixed price and are added separately.
"We have a huge wine list and offer 40 wines by the glass," Gainer said. "That's really a wide range of choices if you don't want to buy a whole bottle."
Gainer said students should call a few days in advance for a reservation for Spats on Valentine's Day because reservations are spaced out for two hours each.
"You want enough time to relax and not be rushed," Gainer said. "Even though we're busy on this particular evening, it's not loud and the vibe is still romantic."
Zola's New World Bistro, 324 W. College Ave., however, is one restaurant that you might need more than a few days notice to get a reservation for the big day.
"The day of we'll get calls from college students saying 'Dude, you have a table?' " Patti Kephart, Zola's employee, said. "Every table is reserved, so they should plan ahead."
Kephart said that because Valentine's Day is on a Thursday, Zola's expects to have dinner reservations booked through the entire weekend, and that they will have their regular menu options for the evening.
"We've tried to do specials menus on Valentine's Day, but we find that everyone comes here for our menu," she said. "Our menu is seasonally inspired, so it changes about every six weeks."
Kephart said customers will always be able to find a tuna, salmon, scallop, chicken and vegetarian dish on the menu, no matter what time of year it is.
"Our crispy whole red snapper, Prince Edward mussels and house salad are signature dishes, so they are always on our menu," Kephart said. "Even though we're in Central Pennsylvania, our crab cakes are awesome and the tuna and scallops are phenomenal, too."
With an award-winning wine list, Kephart said that for those who want to wine and dine, they should expect a bit of a higher price for wine and champagne than on a regular night.
"You can really go anywhere, but if you really want it to be special, why not go somewhere that you can't normally afford on a Friday or Saturday night?" Kephart said. "It will make it more special for the girl."
Other great restaurant options to check out are the Tavern Restaurant, 220 E. College Ave., Faccia Luna, 1229 S. Atherton St., and Kelly's Steak and Seafood, 316 Boal Ave. in Boalsburg.
