At Joe's Yaki, a menu with dishes such as sliced shrimps and mango salad, assorted sashimi, three types of teppanyaki, vegetables and fried rice, miso soup and green tea ice-cream costs $800 and includes a glass of champagne each. Prices per couple. Call 2804 6883.

Head to the Royal Pacific Hotel and Towers for a light dinner buffet at Cafe on the Park ($268 on February 13, $368 on February 14). Dishes to savour will include liver terrine with bird's nest, pan-fried seafood cake with mango salsa, caramel chocolate rice castles, and Japanese red bean with cold tofu. Diners on the 14th will also receive a heart to heart mocktail and lobster cocktail. Call 2738 2322.

Three couples dining at Madison's on February 14 stand the chance of winning a helicopter ride. The set dinner ($768 per couple, or $668 on February 12 and 13), includes foie gras, char-grilled Wagyu beef sirloin on porcini risotto and truffle jus, and a chocolate platter. Call 2523 4772. Diners will also receive a his and hers gift set from Darphin.

Harbour Plaza Hong Kong will host a ballroom dance ($688) on February 14 with a lucky draw prize on the night in The Chairman's Suite. A four-course set dinner includes black truffle cappuccino, pan-fried fillet of spotted garoupa and yabbies with caviar and champagne sauce; or veal tenderloin in puff pastry with Marsala wine sauce, and mixed berries Napoleon style with strawberry coulis. Guests can cha-cha-cha the evening away thanks to a five-piece band, and ballroom dancers will be on hand to demonstrate. Call 2996 8043.

Buy an advance ticket for a Valentine's dinner at the Sheraton Hong Kong and have the chance to spend the night in a harbour view suite. The Sky Lounge will run a semi-seafood buffet ($1,776 per couple), and the Oyster & Wine Bar is charging a minimum of $1,888 (or $2,376 per couple) for a five-course dinner. The menu includes caviar, and a fish, pigeon or veal main dish, plus dessert. Call 2369 1111.

A five-course dinner ($650) at Avenue Restaurant and Bar at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile also comes with live music and a glass of Veuve Clicquot. On the menu are oysters, foie gras, roasted fillet of seabass with saffron mash, and artichoke and Portobello strudel with hollandaise sauce. Dessert is heart-shaped chocolate with raspberry sauce. Call 2369 3111.

Alternatively, Loon Yuen Cantonese Restaurant will offer two set menus ($488 and $628) with dishes such as double-boiled shark's fin soup with cabbage and Yunnan ham, and steamed fresh crab claws with ginger and bird's nest sauce. Diners on February 14 will be entered into a draw to win a two-day, one-night cruise aboard Star Pisces. All prices per person. Call 2369 3111.

Dining options at Langham Hotel include a chocolate indulgence buffet ($188 per person between February 12 and 14) at Palm Court. Couples dining on February 14 will instead share a chocolate fondue and a glass of sparkling wine each.

A nine-course dinner ($1,480 per couple, including two glasses of Dom Perignon) is offered at T'ang Court. Call 2375 1133.

Margaux (2733 8750) at the Kowloon Shangri-La offers a five-course dinner ($980 per person). And Shang Palace (2733 8754) is offering a Valentine's Day set dinner for $638 a person.

At its sister hotel, the Island Shangri-La, Restaurant Petrus, Lobster Bar, Cafe TOO and Summer Palace will all offer special menus. Call 2877 3838.

If nothing less than extravagant in every sense will suffice, head to Toscana at The Ritz-Carlton. A six-course dinner costs $2,388 and includes dishes such as sea urchin on basil and peas jelly with champagne avocado emulsion; lobster with fava bean tomato and olio verde; white rock veal on asparagus ravioli; and macerated red berries with balsamic vinegar and brioche crisps. Call 2532 2062.

A cheaper option is The Cafe, which will serve a four-course dinner in two sittings. The first is between 6pm and 8pm ($798), and the second between 8.30pm and 11.30pm ($888). Prices per couple. Call 2877 6666 extension 8311.

Champagne under the stars is a fairly remote possibility considering the pollution, Nevertheless if dinner with a lover and twinkling lights tugs at your heart strings, there is always the skyline. Consider dining the night away by The Peninsula's Roman-style pool. Only open to the public once a year, a four-course dinner for two costs $1,880 and includes one glass of champagne per person. Call 2315 3170. Other dining options at the hotel on February 14 include Gaddi's (2315 3171) and Felix (2315 3188), both offering five-course dinners for $1,980 per couple.

Vong at the Mandarin Oriental is offering two sittings (6.30pm to 7.30pm and 8.30pm on, $788 and $988), with dishes including slow-baked salmon with sweet potato puree and truffle vinaigrette, tenderloin of beef with soy caramel emulsion, gingered mushrooms and chickpea fries, and warm rice pudding with passion fruit foam and fruit chutney. Call 2522 0111.

Alternatively, The Mandarin Grill will serve up a six-course meal ($1,688 per couple) including light pea veloute with frogs' legs and crisp pancetta, roasted rack of lamb for two with provencale vegetables, and caramel and praline terrine with double vanilla ice-cream. Call 2522 0111.

The m.a.x. concepts group has created numerous menus available at its restaurants. Kiku (2521 3344), Mezz (2523 8989) and Cafe Landmark (2526 4200) will each offer candlelit dinners with set menus of four to six courses ($1,400, $1,040 and $840 per couple respectively). Reservations made before February 12 will receive a 15 per cent discount.

Cammino at The Excelsior is squeezing diners into two dinner sittings on Valentine's Day. The first is between 6pm and 8pm ($438), the second from 8.15pm to 11pm ($498). The five-course meal includes lobster consomme with ricotta ravioli and parmesan cheese twist, and baked lamb loin in puff pastry with morels, parma ham and baby vegetables. Call 2837 6780.

ToTT's Asian Grill & Bar will offer a four-course set dinner ($848), which includes a glass of champagne. For diners not embarrassed by musical serenades, the bar's live band will croon romantic tunes. Prices per person. Call 2837 6786.

Diners at Peak Cafe Bar in SoHo can tuck into a five-course set dinner for $538 per couple. The menu starts with the lover's platter (mango and shrimp rolls, Thai-style pork salad tartlet and chicken satay), and ends with warm chocolate pudding with vanilla ice-cream. Call 2140 6877.

For a romantic meal with a view, there is always Cafe Deco on The Peak. A set five-course meal ($888 per couple) includes foie gras d'oie te-make, and pavlova. Couples can also go a la carte with a minimum spend of $888. Call 2849 5111.

Celebrate Spanish style at Boca in SoHo. The Valentine's menu ($888 per couple) includes half a dozen oysters, a traditional tapas selection board including marinated olives and grilled Spanish chorizo sausage, and non-traditional tapas such as salmon fillet on coconut pak choi, dolmades in lemon mint sauce and wild mushrooms in Thai spices. Chocolate pudding and two glasses of champagne are included. Call 2548 1717.

which wine?

Recommended pairings of food and wines, by Atillio Zaffanello

Spaghetti with clams - Soave, Pinot Grigio

Oysters - Chablis

Sautee fois gras - Sauternes

Roast spring lamb - Cabernet Sauvignon

Caviar - Champagne

Chocolate mousse (light) - Moscato d'Asti

Warm chocolate cake - Vin Doux Naturel or Recioto della Valpolicella