Happy Valentine’s Day 12:00, 28/02/2017

As with other foreign holiday celebrations like Halloween, Christmas, and the western calendar New Year’s Eve and Day, Valentine’s day has become a Vietnamese near main stream urban holiday and consumer-ized as such! In the west Valentine’s day is celebrated by the giving of Valentine’s cards, boxes of heart shaped chocolates, jewelry and romantic dinners, and now Vietnam pretty much follows this same pattern.

As a restaurant Chef Patron, I can say Valentine’s Day is not just our busiest day of the year but the busiest for the industry, and can strongly suggest booking well in advance to get a table in a romantic restaurant. It is the most important day to spend with a spouse, spouse to be or romantic partner. Forgetting or missing this occasion leads to cold shoulders, grumpy dirty looks and belligerence, and possible breakdown in the relationship, so it needs to be taken seriously.

Here are the steps to the most romantic day of the year:

1.  Mark it in the calendar this year and every year! Make arrangements accordingly:

- Cards buy them or make one, or send it online.

- Gifts can be the classic chocolates, flowers, jewelry, wine or spirits or if golf enthusiasts then golf related attire, shoes, clubs, passes or golf related travel!

2.  Dinner reservations – should be done a month in advance to ensure the table of choice, as well you can pimp out the table to impress your special date, with extra flower arrangements and candles, ask also for recommendations on the wines to pair with the dinner.

I recommend starting with a Bava Malvasia Rose Spumante that has hints of rose petals and strawberry flavor and fragrances and is low in Alcohol to match with fine cured Iberico Ham or Pate of foie gras starter. Pre-Ask for a strawberry in the glass for extra points. Move on to raw import oysters on the half shell for their known aphrodisiac qualities and a crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Champagne Brut to match. Then some Lobster or smoked salmon salad with a glass of rich buttery Chardonnay like any of Louis Jadot white Burgundies, for the main course a roasted rack of lamb or a beef  Chateaubriand to share  with a fine vintage Bordeaux like Chateau HP Lucculus 2010 , finish with a Moulton Chocolate cake to share and an ice wine from Canada!