Valentine's Day 2011

Are you looking to make your Valentine's Day extra-delicious? Here are some ideas:

• Indulge in heart-shaped lobster ravioli at bahr|ché (26 Astor Place, 212-260-2220). The $45 Valentine's Day meal also includes champagne and chocolate bonbons.

• Put a Japanese twist on things with Kyotofu's (705 Ninth Ave., 212-974-6012) three-course dessert menu and a glass of champagne or sake. Warm raspberry mochi chocolate cake with fresh raspberry sauce will be sure to make you feel romantic. Or, if you want to celebrate a bit early, attend a couples-only kaiseki meal at Nadaman Hakubai (Feb. 11-12) (66 Park Ave., The Kitano, 212- 885-7072. Contact: Manami).
  

• Have your strawberries and champagne in chocolate form: 2 Chicks With Chocolate is offering a wonderful assortment of handcrafted truffles in romantic flavors. You can buy them online or at The Chocolate Library (111 St Marks Place, 212-995-5001).

• Before you dine out, get a head start on getting into the mood at The Michelangelo (152 West 51st St., 212-765-1900). The hotel will be holding a happy hour from 6-8 p.m., February 11-14, which will feature Moet et Chandon Brut Imperial champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. Afterwards, have dinner at Insieme - what could be more appropriate than a restaurant with a name that means "together?"

• Then, when you get home, surprise your sweetie with some red velvet mini-cakes from Baked (359 Van Brunt St., Brooklyn, 718-222-0345). Other offerings include sugar heart cookies and spicy ancho cinnamon brownies. (I'm a huge fan of Baked - the bakery is so creative with its flavors, and the goodies are never cloying.)
  

Sweets News

Here is a bit of Sweets News that will be dear to every chocolate lover. Francois Payard's FC Chocolate Bar will soon be opening up at the Plaza Hotel (1 West 58th Street at Fifth Avenue). The location on the fourth floor of the Mauboussin jewelry store will be closing after tomorrow.

And for everyone who misses the Lexington Avenue bakery-restaurant, a new patisserie at 1330 Third Avenue (76th Street) will open up this spring. This is a sweet vindication, as an insane raise in rent was supposedly the reason for the closing of the 12-year-old original.

And in even more exciting news, on January 27 from 6-11 pm, you can taste Payard's brand-new line of chocolates which have been inspired by the flavors of Bordeaux wines. Each delicious chocolate will be paired with a different wine. To save on the price of admission to the event, go to www.lasoireedesgrandscrus.com and enter FRANCOISPAYARD for early access tickets (admission starts at 6 p.m.) or FRANCOISPAYARD MERCI for general admission tickets (7:30 p.m.)