How to Enjoy the Perfect Valentine's Night at Home

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For lots of us, February 14th is a night that is approached with as much trepidation as excitement. After all, it's when everything is supposed to be perfect but can all too easily go wrong. For example, restaurants both hike up their prices and get booked up super early so you can easily end up paying a fortune somewhere that's a long way from being your first choice of restaurant.

But no problem. Because with a little imagination you can still have a romantic evening at home and enjoy restaurant-quality food, almost without having to lift a finger. Read on and I’ll also come up with a suggestion to add more than a little glamour and excitement to the evening as well.

Set the mood

The first thing to do is to create a sense of occasion. So forget the plates and glasses that you use every day. Instead, get out the best crockery and cutlery that you save for special occasions – because if this isn’t a special occasion I don’t know what is.

Then it’s time to sort out some mood lighting, and maybe a strategically-placed candle or two. And don’t forget to line up the perfect Spotify playlist for the night.

The main event

I promised you restaurant-quality food without the faff and this is where I deliver or, rather, the fine dining establishment of your choice does. That’s because restaurant meal kits have really taken off recently and there’s plenty of choice to suit every taste and every budget.

If you’re both devotees of Asian food then you can’t do better than sampling the many delights of the much-praised Sri Lankan restaurant chain Hoppers. Through their cutely-named delivery service Cash & Kari you can order a true banquet just like you might enjoy in Colombo.

If you’re a big fan of Rick Stein – and who isn’t? – then you can enjoy a true taste of his famous Padstow restaurant for as little as £45 for two. For example, the sea bass box also includes a starter of mussels with black beans and a mango lassi for dessert.

But if you’re really pushing the boat out, there’s the Michelin-starred Northcote Hotel in Lancashire. At £105 for two, it may be expensive but you’re guaranteed four courses of locally sourced treats using the very finest ingredients, and preparing the meal is simplicity itself.

Then, with your coffee and liqueurs, why not spoil yourselves with a sweet treat like these divine choc

chip and Rolo blondies? They're easy to make and you could even give them a romantic twist with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.

Some after-dinner entertainment

I promised a little glamour to round the evening off, and here it is. Who wouldn’t also enjoy the thrill of a trip to an online casino to enjoy a game of roulette or blackjack, or perhaps a spin on the slots? With a little imagination you could be playing the tables in Monaco, trying your luck in Macau or hitting the bright lights of Vegas. It's simply a question of choosing the right no deposit bonus casino from the many on offer and then you can start to play.

So there you have it. A romantic night in that may even be better than going out - especially as you won't end it by discovering that the soonest that an UBER can pick you up will be 1am in the morning!