Izakaya

As much as you like candy hearts with "I Love You," "Packing Heat," and "Muffin Face" written on them, you need a respite from V. Day (sorry, veterans) junk bites. Izakaya is sugar-free sweet. This cool-as-February restaurant/lounge swirls notes of streamlined design around Tokyo-centric nuances, generating a slavishly fashionable eatery devoted to Izakaya-style cuisine, faithfully observed right down to the low prices. The setting consists of a communal style, deco-splendent dining area - six wooden tables and a row of banquettes along the east wall. All this is stuffed into a refurbished 19th century building, with a whimsical front lounge, linked by a dramatic, glacierlike central bar. Hip with an exotic cachet, Izakaya showcases your resto discernment, well-traveled taste buds, and cutting-edge leanings. 69 Front Street East, 416-703-8658




Jacobs & Co.

Sometimes, on special occasions like Valentine's Day, the best thing to do is fill yourself with meat. Of course, not any bovine outlet will do. You need a posh one. Jacobs & Co. is the quintessential steakhouse for the velvet rope crowd. Valet drivers relieve you of your automobile and the concierge attends to your bidding, but the menu is still all about meat. You see plenty of it as the glass-walled aging room is showcased in the dining room. In keeping with the cellar theme, the menu reads like a fine wine list, stating the grade and origin of the desired meat with a mini pedigree about the flavors and aging process. Executive Chef Ben Gundy is sure to cook you up something delicious and nutritious - ok…delicious for sure. 12 Brant Street, 416-366-0200




Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner

Nothing sets the mood like ceramics. I'm not joking. Subconsciously, people equate ceramics with an outdated idea of marriage and settling down. Strangely, that leads to thoughts of 1950s sex and nothing encourages lovemaking like fantasies of bowling shirts torn asunder. Also good for encouraging amorousness: fine dining. Jamie Kennedy helms the stoves at his titular resto, and his reputation as one the city's best chefs is well-deserved. The Gardiner Museum-based restaurant is intimate and posh, but thankfully pretension free. If you can get a V-day reservation - and that is no easy feat - JK at the G is a no-brainer. 111 Queen's Park, 416-362-1957




Kaiseki Sakura

With two high-end Japanese tasting menus and a periodically changing multi-course card, Kaiseki Sakura offers variety. You don't have to love your dining companion (you don't even have to like him or her), but you should adore your food. This village eatery boasts meticulously presented signature fare, prepared in the kaiseki style. Kaiseki dazzles with its inspired gastronomy and innovative melding of ingredients. Sure, one meal costs more than the GDP of several small-to-mid-sized countries, but your poor tongue, cooped up for eternity in your dodgy mouth, deserves a little love too (especially this time of year). 556 Church Street, 416-923-1010