Treats for your sweetie to go
Bakers and chefs across Ottawa are cooking some sweet treats for Valentine’s Day. Here are seven outstanding suggestions, most of them for taking home: Sweet hearts: Joanna Zappia of Dolci Bake Shop has created spectacularly pretty Valentines cookies. You can get six large sugar cookies with royal icing, or six medium and eight small chocolate ones that are dipped in chocolate and sprinkles, for $20. Order by Friday at dolcibakeshop.com or 613-262-2696.
Ode to Julia Child: The Red Apron’s Valentine’s dinner celebrates Mastering the Art of French Cooking with a fourcourse menu including such iconic dishes as vichyssoise, coq au vin and chocolate pots de crème. It’s $64.90 for two; order by Friday at redapron.ca or 613-695-0417 (you’ll need to pick up your meal before 4 p.m. Saturday.)
Taste La Dolce Vita: La Bottega in the ByWard Market is offering an Italian menu for two that starts with antipasto and ends with tiramisu, with heart-shaped ravioli, chicken parmigiana and a salad with Prosecco vinaigrette along the way. It’s $60 for two; order by 8 p.m. Feb. 11, at labottega.ca.
There’s still Thyme: While the deadline has passed to order Thyme & Again’s full Valentine’s menu, you can drop by the shop throughout the weekend to pick up some of the featured dishes à la carte, while quantities last. Consider Miso and Ginger BBQ Chicken Breast with Toasted Sesame Seeds, or Baked Black Cod with Grilled Lemon Mayo, each $14. Or peruse the pretty sweets, such Valentine’s sugar cookies, raspberry Nanaimo bars or Chili Chocolate Brownies.
Five-star, four courses: Cuisine & Passion, in Orléans, is offering a menu it’s calling “your first-class ticket to romance.” It starts with a skewer of baconwrapped beef, moves through antipasto, main-course options of filet mignon or mosaic of codand-salmon with kaffir lime cream sauce, and winds up with a raspberry-and-chocolate tart for two. It’s $52 per person and comes with wine suggestions; order by noon Feb. 11 at 613-8451090 or cuisinepassion.ca.
From a west-end veteran: Zolas Restaurant in Bells Corners, which is entering its 30th year in business, is offering a take-home, three-course romantic dinner for two for $69. Choose from roasted butter- nut squash soup or one of two salads, braised beef ravioli or gorgonzola-stuffed chicken breast or grilled or blackened salmon, and chocolate tiramisu or mini sour cherry pie. The order comes with reheating instructions, a scented candle and a red rose. Available Feb. 11 to 14. Call 613-721-0227. More details at zolas.ca.
Spanish engagement: Love is in the air at The Soca Kitchen & Pub on Holland Avenue. Owners Daniela Manrique and Gustavo Belisario will put on a fivecourse Valentine’s menu Feb. 14 — inspired by their Spanish menu, but with a romantic twist — before closing shop Feb. 24 to March 2 to get married. The dinner is $65 a person; reserve at 613-695-9190 or socapub.com.