Food Experiences for That Special Someone

I know some of you may not be the most celebratory on Valentine's Day because it mainly a holiday created for spending. And, I know you can celebrate love any day of the year. But don't let that deter you from making "Valentine's" plans for any day of the year! In today's post, I have generated some fun ideas that are within a two-hour drive from south central Kentucky.

Glasgow

How about stay local? Have you seen the Fine Arts Bistro menu for the night? Call 270-629-DINE for reservations. Chef Danny is one of the best!

What about Barren River State Park? They are hosting dinner and a dance. And you can even book a stay and make it a whole event.

Nashville

Take a road trip to your favorite city and have dinner. Best part? It doesn't have to be on the 14th. We love Louisville, Nashville, and Lexington. Let me list some of my favorites places to eat at each.

Pastaria! I love this place. They make their pasta in-house and have a wood-fired oven for pizza. We have eaten here multiple times and have never had a bad experience.

Lockeland Table is another one of our favorites. Set in East Nashville, you have the best neighborhood bar at your service. The food is impeccable with nightly specials. Be sure to make reservations because the place is small and cozy.

The Listening Room Cafe was one of our best dates. It included dinner and the show. You get to see and hear song writer's perform and share how they wrote and created the songs that we know as famous. (That was on our night.) Their entire line-up can be found here. It was so much fun!

Yolan Nashville is where you want to go if you want an experience that is extra special. Michelin-starred chef Tony Mantuano make your taste-buds sing. The restaurant holds wine-tasting events, pasta-making classes (the best experience), and life music on Wednesdays. Their event list is here. Mom and I did a pasta-making class, and I dream about the food we had there.

During our class, a water pipe had burst at the hotel, so they shifted to the Presidential Suite for the class. So that was fun!

I wish I could remember the details of these delicious dishes, but I can't. But. They were worth every bite and penny.

We were greeted with unlimited Prosecco. And the pours never stopped. Needless to say, we killed many hours in downtown Nashville before heading home.

And what made the whole thing even more special was being able to meet Chef Tony Mantuano. I mean. I feel like he is royalty.

Lexington, KY

Pasta Garage, an Italian Cafe Mom and I had the best time at the Pasta Garage Pasta Making Class. They do these on Friday nights and the cost is super affordable! Chef/Owner Lesme Romero knows how to make the class extra special. The wine flows and the aperitifs are perfection, and they hold you over until you can eat your pasta.

Scroll through these and you can see the whole process.

We seriously had fun.

If you want to visit for their Valentine's Day event, here are their details.

Carson's Food and Drink I have eaten here so many times. It's my go-to for fine dining in downtown. Reservations are a must. Here is our most recent sampling of food.

Holly Hill Inn This place is so special. Years ago, Robert and I had brunch here. The grounds are beautiful, the perfect location for some beautiful pictures before or after your dining experience. Award-winning and Southern Living discussed, this should be put on your food bucket list.

Bowling Green

If you don't want to make a day of traveling to Lexington or Nashville, some of our favorite places to eat are in Bowling Green.

Gerard's 1907 Tavern: This is always our first choice. Always. We love the casual atmosphere with elevated food options, without a huge price tag. Need to get us a gift card somewhere? Gerard's will make our day! Literally, we eat here a ton, but I don't have any pictures of food. Why???? I guess because we are always eating with others. So here is our most recent on New Year's Eve with our good friends Penny and Howell.

Love them.

Hickory and Oak: This is only second to Gerard's because the price is a bit more, but we love it here too. We even came here on the day after our wedding when they were still doing Sunday brunch. What we do love now more than ever is their barstool specials. It's from 4-6 only. It is first come-first serve, and you have to sit at the bar. The price is right! It's a great way to enjoy a fabulous steak.

These are all from the bar. That porterhouse and the fillet? Just go for them. So dang good.

Let me know if you try any of these places out! Happy Valentine's Day or really any day!