A Valentine’s Night on the Town

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Gifts, Pasta, And A New Speakeasy

February brings familiar signs of romance, the store windows lined with chocolate boxes and the flower shops filled with roses. Less obvious is what makes a date night truly work. To help our amorous readers, I set out to craft an ideal Valentine’s experience in Coral Gables.

I began the evening by myself at Coco Bella, a cozy gem of a store on Alcazar, mainly known for its vast array of gifts for all occasions. I browsed through the shelves looking for something meaningful yet useful for my Valentine. Amid the well-stocked shelves, I found a square glass decanter with a silver stag head – a great addition for his bar cart. After completing my purchase, Coco Bella proprietor Esther Prinz carefully wrapped the gift for me, ready to present later in the evening.

Just down the street, I met up with my date at Fugato. Off the beaten path, this romantic hideaway is a great date night spot – not just for the food, but for the atmosphere. Soft, dimmed lights, a slow jazz soundtrack, and Tuscan red walls set the mood. While we took our time perusing the menu we ordered a starter to take the edge off, opting for the Chèvre Croquettes ($16), made with goat cheese, organic pine nuts, homemade marinara, and strawberry- guava sauce. I might be a bit biased when it comes to anything involving goat cheese (my true love – don’t tell my Valentine!), but its flavor mixed with the strawberry-guava sauce made this one of my new favorite dishes. According to Fugato owner Luis Buitron, it’s a customer favorite.

The menu here offers an extensive selection of Italian cuisine with some Continental twists, from signature pastas and risottos to Chicken Julien and grilled NY Strip. I ordered the recommended Pappardelle Fugato ($35), made with fresh pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, truffle oil, mushrooms, and shredded short rib. It’s a full-flavor dish for the palate, with tender meat. My date, meanwhile, chose the Gnocchi Asiago ($29), made with sliced porcini mushrooms and gorgonzola truffle sauce. Indulgent without feeling heavy, the dish leans into comfort, letting texture and ingredients do the work rather than relying on excess seasoning.

As dinner came to an end, we walked to the corner of Alcazar and Salzedo Street, where Babette recently opened its new upstairs speakeasy. Walking in through the corner door, you’ll see a somewhat precipitous early 20th-century European spiral stairway made from burgundy wood steps. Teetering up these, you’re greeted by the Romeo Room, a private speakeasy that mixes Victorian Revival and Mid-Century design. With various seating options, we decided to sit by the DJ for our post-dinner cocktails (his beats were pleasantly toned down). I opted for the Romeo Martini ($22), the bar’s take on a classic dirty martini, while my date went with a glass of Macallan ($27).

For a final bite, we ordered the Croquetas de Jamón with Golden Osetra caviar ($18), because a good toast with a side of caviar felt like the perfect way to say, “Happy Valentine’s Day.” It was also the perfect moment to reveal the glass decanter which I had hidden in my (fortunately large) purse, another perfect way to celebrate the day.