The chefs at Belle Vue have whipped up some love-ly dishes for Valentine' Day Hotel New Otani

On Feb 14, Tokyo's chefs get to play Cupid with aphrodisiac meals to heat things up, but make your reservations fast. Richard Smith


Hilton Tokyo
At Twenty One, you and your sweetheart can get cozy in one of two private alcoves (an additional JY8000) or a semi-private room (no charge) or take a table in the main dining room and watch the cooks working in the open kitchen while jazz plays in the background. The menu features lobster cocktail, oxtail consomme, panfried salmon with soy-beurre blanc, veal medallions on Japanese mushroom sauce with gratineed potatoes and garden vegetables, and dessert. Coffee or tea plus a complimentary glass of red or white wine included. Feb 14, 5:30-10pm, JY20,000 for two.
Grill and Rotisserie Twenty One, 6-6-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku (03-3344-5111, ext. 325).


Four Seasons Hotel
Subdued music, a casual yet elegant setting and Continental cuisine make newly renovated Seasons Bistro the perfect spot for a quiet night out. The Valentine's set menu kicks off with vegetable bavarois, wild duck and foie gras pate salad, shrimp and cauliflower soup. Your choice of seafood with beurre blanc or filet mignon with mushroom sauce follows, and chocolate ganache with raspberry sauce and tea or coffee rounds out the meal (JY5500 per person). Italian lovers and lovers of Italian food should make a date at Bice, where in an ironic twist of Valentine's tradition, men receive a complimentary rose and women are presented with a special dessert and chocolate for the occasion. Feb 13-14
Seasons Bistro (11:30am-11pm), Bice (5:30-11pm, last order 10:30pm) 
Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo, 10-8-2 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo-ku. Call 03-3943-6936 for reservations.


Akasaka Prince Hotel
Enjoy the 40th-floor cityscape and live pianist's playing at the Blue Gardenia as you dine on crab, avocado, tomato and mango mille-feuille, sauteed snapper and risotto, beef filet poele with macaroni and Madera wine sauce, and a special Valentine's Day dessert and coffee. JY5000 per person. Feb 10-14, 5:30-9:30pm.
Restaurant Blue Gardenia (New Building 40F), Akasaka Prince Hotel 1-2 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku (03-3234-1120).


Hotel Metropolitan
The Sky Lounge Apollo is holding a grand Valentine's Day celebration with live jazz music by the David King Group. Couples can have their meal at a table and later relax at the bar. The special set menu includes salad, Parma ham rolled in cream cheese with papaya sauce, your choice of turbot and seafood with vegetables in a corn cream sauce or filet mignon in red wine sauce, and caramel chocolate mousse and coffee. Feb 8-14, 5pm-midnight, JY6500 per person. 
Hotel Metropolitan, Sky Lounge Apollo, 1-6-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku (03-3980-1111).


Hotel New Otani
Overlooking the lights of Akasaka, Belle Vue specializes in authentic Italian pasta and grilled fare turned in the open kitchen. Subdued lighting and bossa nova or enya add to the amorous atmosphere. The Valentine's Day menu features deep-fried crab and scallop rolls, tri-colored ravioli, capellini pasta with stewed tomato, sole (turbot) mousse, grilled beef with roast potato, and dessert. Feb 10-14, 6:00-10pm, JY20,000 for two. 
Belle Vue, Hotel New Otani, 4-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku (03-3238-0020).

Enjoy the backdrop of Minato Mirai 21 area while you dine in style aboard the Hikawamaru Courtesy of the Hikawamaru

Hikawamaru 
Hikawamaru, a cruise ship docked at Yokohama Port, is offering a romantic Valentine's Day menu in their Harbor View Restaurant, which, as the name suggests, offers a magnificent vista of the glittering Minato Mirai 21 area. Treat that special someone to the holiday set menu featuring fusilli al frutti di mare con melanzane, consommee, Madeleine soup, filet de St-Pierre et friture de saumon, beef shabu-shabu, a made-for-the-occasion tri-colored mousse with chou pastry a la creme and coffee. Feb 14. Valentine lunch JY2500, dinner JY4000. Reservations a must for dinner. 
Hikawamaru is located in Minato Park in Yokohama. Nearest stn: Kannai stn (045-641-4361).