February may have an extra day this year, but only one outshines the rest — Saint Valentine's Day.
With romance in the air, many will flock to restaurants around Camana Bay to celebrate with that special someone. So, we wanted to know, what goes into creating the perfect date night?
Sounds like love
When it comes to creating that magical mood, the folks at Pane & Pasta believe music is the key to one's heart.
"Live music with dinner is always a nice enhancement to any meal and offers a nice ambience for our customers," said Reno Mancini, Pane & Pasta's restaurant manager. "It's an added romantic element that many restaurants have moved away from, but we feel it benefits the restaurant, the artists and the guests."
Mancini said live music has been a unique feature of the restaurant for the past few years, as Pane & Pasta also features a live harpist twice a week. Camana Bay's revered Italian eatery is all set to serenade with live music this Valentine's Day as well.
"We're bringing a classical pianist to the dining room on Wednesdays who's well-known, having been on the island for many years; his name is George Davidson – and he'll be with us for Valentine's from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.," Mancini said.
Beyond the allure of live music, Pane & Pasta is offering a four-course Valentine's Day menu, which includes a bottle of wine and a mix of classic Italian dishes and ingredients, from braised beef lasagna as a main course option to a creamy pistachio "heart" for dessert.
Feels like butterflies
Set against the backdrop of the mesmerising Camana Bay Harbour is another restaurant aiming to help couples keep the spark alive.
Union Grill & Bar is no stranger to romance, having recently offered a weekly Date Night for Cayman's couples. For the year's ultimate date night, the restaurant incorporates culinary and sensory elements that elevate the dinner experience.
"We offer Valentine's dinner every year and buy rose petals to scatter around the tables," said the restaurant's co-owner, Paul Slijper.
Union has crafted a three-course menu — including a glass of Prosecco — featuring a list of ingredients that will no doubt tease the senses, including perfect date-night delights like scallops, strawberries, figs and chocolate alongside other tantalising flavours such as black caviar, honey, cherries and Champagne.
"We'll have a classic Valentine's menu this year with a variety of dishes that are either aphrodisiacs or simply make you want to fall in love all over again," Slijper said.
Be sure to check your favourite Camana Bay eatery to see what they've come up with to make sure this Valentine's Day is the best one yet.
This article was originally featured in the February 2024 print edition of Camana Bay Times.