Valentine’s offers a real chance for operators to cash in on potentially lucrative food promotions and events; there’s no need to limit customer engagement to a few heart-shaped helium balloons or drinks deals when there are a host of innovative ways to make a profit.
Tasting menus
Aphrodisiac-themed tasting menus are a winning option. The Ginger Pig in Hove, East Sussex is offering love-birds the choice between a Valentine’s taster menu of five courses and two cocktails, priced at £50 per person and a set menu, featuring three courses for £35 with the option to include matching cocktails at an increased price.
The taster menu features dishes such as tempura oysters with salsify, ginger gelee and salmon roe, roased figs with mascarpone ice cream and sauternes and lamb fillet with truffled potato cylinders, sweetcorn and shallots.
James Thompson, manager of the Ginger Pig, says: “We can certainly see over the last couple of years that [tasting menus] have gotten more trendy - people like a little package deal on Valentine’s Day and it’s a chance for the chefs to do something a bit special.”
Cheesy treats
“Whilst some would consider the dramatic scenery around the Coastguard, at the foot of a steep hill in Kent’s St Margaret’s Bay near Dover as romantic, our pub’s dining area is quite small, open and doesn’t suit several tables for two,” says co-owner Sam Wydymus.
“Combined with all these non-starters for Valentine’s Day, my husband Nigel and I have been married way too long and have far too many children for the day to be alluring – so our celebration has morphed into a cheese-lovers’ night. “
It’s been a success – bookings increased by 9% last year and wet sales rose by 12%.
The Coastguard’s Valentine’s visitors can expect to find a selection of fine cheeses paired with drinks specifically chosen to accompany each one.
Some of the combinations on offer include local goats’ cheese with a shot of Hoegaarden and a serving of Christophe Novon’s Frometon beer – originally brewed specifically for French cheese maestro Philippe Olivier - to accompany a cheese that has had its rind washed in another of Novon’s beers.
But, Sam says, “We’ll also have a couple of decent reds and Ports for the die-hard traditionalists.”
Promotions
Pubs and bars across Stonegate’s various brands are planning a number of Valentine’s Day promotions.
Slug & Lettuce outlets are offering customers three “recipe for love” cocktails: Jar of Hearts, Love Potion and Honey Honey, all priced at £7.75 each and 2 for the price of 1.
Meanwhile, the company’s Classic Pubs venues are taking a more food-orientated approach to Valentine’s, introducing a three course set meal deal with free Prosecco available from 12 to 14 February with prices ranging from £15-20.
Some of the dishes on offer include Wexford mushrooms on heart-shaped toast and a five layer chocolate cake.
Missoula sites are offering a three course meal for £30 per person, featuring dishes such as duck terrine or seared scallops with chorizo and green apple remoulade and roast sea bass/vegetables with goats’ cheese tart.
Sharing the love
But for some operators February 14 has a different meaning.
Nick Gibson, owner of Islington gastropub the Drapers Arms, donates 100% of his pub’s Valentine’s takings to the Refuge charity (www.refuge.org.uk) every year.
Refuge runs a network of safe houses providing emergency accommodation for women and children suffering domestic violence.
“We do it because we want to share the love with people who don't have enough,” he says.
“As 14 February falls on a Saturday in 2015, we’re hopeful that this year’s gift will amount to a substantial sum.”
Fun & games
At New Moon Pub Co’s latest addition, the Mockingbird Taproom in Chester, which brings the company’s sites to six, chefs have developed a menu designed to be both “naughty and fabulous”.
‘Foreplay’ is their name for a mouth-watering selection of sharing dishes, including brisket empanadas with ketchup, and bacon-wrapped sardine fillets.
Main courses are all served for two and include dishes such as mucho mumbo gumbo (two of the Mockingbird’s finest gumbos, British beef fillet tail, stripped brisket and toasted corn coupled up with king prawn, swordfish and snapper) and the love bird (the Mockingbird’s signature beer-can chicken, roasted over a Champagne-filled can).
For dessert, they’re serving up the “dirty dessert plank”, a brownie with toasted marshmallow, Bourbon crème brûlée, sticky toffee cake, mojito-based charred pineapple, strawberry and pepper vodka jam-jar cheesecake, whipped vanilla cream, butterscotch drizzle and chocolate sauce.
Three courses are available for £30 or two for £25, withmore than 100 couples expected to fill the venue’s new dining room.