February 14th is a celebration of love. Still got no plans? Have a look at our suggestions.
The 14th of February is a special date for many, a celebration of love and commitment. And with Valentine’s just around the corner, Essential Madeira has some suggestions of places where you can take your better half for a splendid evening
Should you require an even wider array of options, have a look at Essential’s guides – the Restaurant Guide and the Hotel guide – and find the ideal place to spend your romantic evening.
Right at the heart of the Madeiran capital is Restaurante do Forte. Standing atop centuries’ worth of history, this one should definitely figure amongst your options for the most romantic night of the month.
Dinner, to be served in the Military Museum Room, includes amuse bouche, entrees, soup, main course and drinks. From smoked duck breast with confit orange, dark chocolate and rose pepper to seared scallops, tiger prawns or beef steak filet with clams and grated salmon with hollandaise, this will be an evening of flavours to remember.
Price per person: 39€
If you are looking to spend the night, the Quinta do Furão Hotel, located in Santana and surrounded by nature, may be the place for you as there is a special option for the night of February 14th on offer.
A special dinner, drinks included, and a night in a double bedroom with champagne and breakfast also included.
Price per couple: 175€
Part of the Castanheiro Boutique Hotel, the Tipografia restaurant blends modern design with a building whose architecture runs from the 18th to the 20th century.
The menu for Valentine’s includes entrees, main dish and dessert. From prawns in fleur de sel with crunchy kataif over curry cream and coconut foam and ginger to a main dish of fish or meat, not forgetting the sweet moment of dessert, a macaroon with pink ganache and filling of fresh strawberry marinated in mint, served with a wild fruits sorvet.
Price per person: 28€
Nini Andrade Silva Design Centre
If enjoying a fine meal with an excellent view of Funchal would be a simple but perfect moment, the Nini Andrade Silva Design Centre has a menu specially fit for Valentine’s Day.
Left in the hands of Júlio Pereira, the menu includes a couvert and amuse bouche, a roasted prawns over lime yogurt and dried fruits entrée, mussels soup and scallops with lime cream, confit pork cheek served over truffle potatoes for main course and chocolate with walnuts, orange and tangerine sorbet for dessert.
Price per person: 60€
Sporting a privileged view of the sea, the Riso restaurant offers a flavour lit dinner served with the ‘Vale dos Pecados’ wine for February 14th.
Ginger cream soup with tuna and pickle crunch or marinated salmon with fennel and orange salad for an entrée; followed by the main course, sautéed basmati with strawberries and prawn, grilled gilthead fish filet or a grilled sirloin steak with Portuguese smoked sausage risotto; and to end the meal, a chocolate duo with coffee tuille.
Price per person: 35€
The Blackbird offers a unique and calm atmosphere and distinguishes itself for its gardens, cultural space and live music. For this special evening, the restaurant offers 5 courses paired with a bottle of wine.
With exquisite flavours as varied as those of strawberry gazpacho, the ‘Picolo’ cevice or the ‘Rompe Colchon’, which blends mussels, prawn, clam, lemon juice, orange and spices to open a magnificent meal. For the main dish, there is Surf n’Turf (sirloin steak or swordfish steak served with prawns and seafood sauce) and, at last, a ‘Sweet Kiss’, that is, a brownie in chocolate and strawberries dressing.
Price per couple: 60€
CR7 Corner – Pizza, Burger, Beer &Wine
A part of the Pestana CR7 Funchal Hotel, this restaurant sports a view over both the city and the harbour of Funchal. Its cosmopolitan décor and relaxed atmosphere are what make it appealing.
With a glass of bubbly for a welcome drink, the evening proceeds with a full menu. The suggestion for entrée is the smoked salmon focaccia with fresh ginger or the pumkin cream soup with ricotta cheese and roasted almonds. As a main dish, the lobster and prawn risotto with saffron and lime butter or the kobe burger with arugula, grana Padano chips and porcini mushroom sauce served with spinach and roasted sweet potatoes with rosemary.
And for dessert a Portuguese flan from Priscos with mint and chocolate ice cream, or a cream heart with wild fruits and chocolate with pink pepper sauce.
Price per person: 25€
