How to choose the perfect restaurant for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated as a day for giving boxed chocolates, gifts, red roses, teddy bears, romance and more to someone special. With just a few days to Valentine’s Day, most people are making plans on how they would celebrate either by having a night out, dinning somewhere fancy just to make it very special or staying in. If you do choose to dine out on Valentine’s Day, you have to put a lot of factors into consideration especially when it comes to choosing the perfect Restaurant to dine at as it can make or break your day. It is important to plan adequately before Valentine’s Day. Here are some tips that will help you make the right decision when it comes to dinning out, no matter where you are.

CONSIDER YOUR BUDGET
Your budget will really determine what type of Restaurant you should visit and the menu you can enjoy. There are many blogs that offer reviews of Restaurants where you can check out the price of a lot of their meals. Some Restaurants even have an online menu that you can access to determine if you can afford it instead of a not so pleasant surprise when you get there and realize the cost of an entree can fuel your car for a week. The great thing is that there is a Restaurant to match every budget, so be sure to find one that will suit your pocket.

PICK A LOCATION
While the budget is important, the location is equally important. Pick a location that is easy to get to so that you can have more time to enjoy your day, rather than spending all day flustered trying to catch up with your date. If you live in Lagos for example, perhaps on the mainland and you want to dine on the island-you would have to question yourself is the long, strenuous commute to and fro will be worth it. Pick a location that is central for your date so that the stress of commuting will be reduced. Transportation is a very important factor.

THINK ABOUT THE CUISINE
Do you or your date have any special dietary requirements and does the restaurant cater for it? Do you have a taste for local flavours or are your experimental with what you eat? Are you comfortable with Italian dishes or you prefer to have Chinese? Your preferences will determine what kind of restaurant you visit. Be sure to ask your date what kind of cuisine they fancy so that you know ahead of time to score a Restaurant with a cuisine that you are comfortable with. If you don’t enjoy the cuisine, the date may not go well, just a waste of time and waste of money.

SCORE A DEAL
During celebratory seasons, a lot of Restaurants are generous with offers so that they can have more diners come in. Some offer really good rates, it will be practical to check out what deals they have before committing to going there. Some offer special packages, a prix fixe menu, some buffets, some have special saxophonist serenading couples, some offer treats and many more deals. If you can get a deal the better.

READ & WATCH REVIEWS
There are many blogs and channels showcasing restaurants and giving objective reviews about their price, ambiance, menu, hospitality and more. The best thing to do before visiting your Restaurant of choice is to read and watch the reviews for description of their service; what did people say about the menu? Were the waiters courteous? Is it a family friendly restaurant or not? Is there a dress code? These are some of the things you need to consider when choosing a restaurant. Do your research on their best-selling meals and popular cocktails; you will enjoy yourself more when you are well informed.

MAKE RESERVATIONS
Believe it or not, your favourite hidden gem of a Restaurant might be overbooked for Valentine’s Day, so it is important you call days ahead to know if you can make reservations or if it is just walk-ins. Know the peak times and off peak times especially for restaurants that do not offer reservations.

HAVE A PLAN B
While you may have chosen a fantastic restaurant for your date, it is a great idea to also have a plan B that you can fall back on especially if you have not made reservations. Valentine’s Day is a widely celebrated Day in the world and most Restaurants usually are filled to the brim with guests. You might get to your favourite restaurant and find that they are overbooked, in that case, you can fall back on your plan B.