Sweet Spots to Spend Valentine's Day

Who said dining out in Bloomfield isn’t romantic?

Valentine's Day is next Monday and now is the perfect time to start planning a special night out with your loved one. But there's no need to leave town to celebrate - Bloomfield Patch offers up five sweet spots with great food and atmosphere.

Patch Picks: Where to go for Valentine's Day

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  Tucked away in a small shopping center, Victorio’s (69 Belleville Ave., 973-748-4646) will never be confused with bigger, more elaborate restaurants – but it doesn’t have to be. It’s reliable, local, has a cute, rear dining room, the food good and affordable.
  
  Saturday, February 12 through Monday, Valentine’s Day, Victorio’s offers a $30.00 per person package featuring an appetizer, salad and entrée. The choices vary from chicken, pasta, seafood and steak.
  
  Guys, BYOB and pop the question here. It’s nicer than you think.

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  What could be better than celebrating Valentine’s Day early at the 111 year old Essex Manor located at 41 Broughton Ave.?
  
  On Saturday evening, February 12, from 8:00pm to 1:30am, there will be a magical Valentine’s Day Dinner & Show for $59.00 per person. Jersey Sound will perform the live, two-show entertainment, there will also be a DJ and dancing, and the food includes a hot and cold buffet with carving stations, unlimited wine, beer and soda, a cash bar for mixed drinks, and a dessert and coffee bar.
  
  Tickets are on a first come, first serve basis, and no tickets will be sold at the door. Call (973) 748-6590 noon to 6:00pm daily to guarantee your seat or table.

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  Make reservations early for Bloomfield’s middle-of-town heart-shaped pizza specialist.
  
  Did we just say heart-shaped pizza?
  
  “Yeah,” said owner Mike Discerio, “we make heart-shaped pizzas on request. We put special sayings on them and everything.”
  
  Call 973-748-6834 to see which dinner specials will be featured on Valentine’s Day. “Right now my chef and I are working on the menu, on some different ideas," Discerio said.
  
  None more different than a heart-shaped tomato pie, though.

• Bar Cara
  Ryan Depersio, owner and executive chef of Fascino in Montclair and Bar Cara (1099 Broad St., 973-338-3681) in Bloomfield, will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with his love, Stephanie, this year.
  
  The good thing, though, is he’s celebrating a day before V-Day, which means he’ll be on-site at Bar Cara on the 14th.
  
  “We’ll be serving tuna carpaccio, seafood salad, truffle mac n’ cheese, and Ryan’s Pie – which you can only find here at Bar Cara!” he said.
  
  Valentine’s Day is a highlight for this restaurateur. “Dining out on V-Day is always fun because restaurants are running high-end specials or a special menu," he said.

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  Another tiny, BYOB that is small in appearance but huge on offerings, especially the Valentine’s Day.
  
  Sushi You (397 West Passaic Ave., 973-338-0899) owner Aaron Chen is offering three special rolls. The Sexy Girls Roll is filled with shrimp tempura and avocado and mixed with spicy tuna, spicy salmon, spicy yellowtail. The Fancy Banana Roll is a combination of shrimp and banana tempura with special sauce, and the Valentine’s Roll consists of soft shell crab and cucumber topped with spicy tuna, avocado, and black topiko with eel sauce and honey wasabi sauce.
  
  “We have half-priced sushi and rolls every day,” says Chen, “and we deliver, even on Valentine’s Day.”