Valentine’s Day 2021: Where to eat and what to watch

By Dorian Young//

Love is in the air in Frederick, Maryland! As Valentine’s Day approaches, take a look at the top 10 restaurants in Downtown Frederick to order takeout from then head back home and pair your meal with a movie.

1. The Tasting Room ($$$) & Overboard (1987)

Enjoy a full meal of gourmet starters, entrees and desserts from The Tasting Room while watching Overboard, a film starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. Joanna Stayton (Goldie Hawn), a spoiled rich woman, falls from her yacht and loses her memory. Widowed carpenter Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell) takes advantage of the situation once he learns of Joanna’s condition by claiming to be her husband. Dean then brings Joanna home to his four children to be their mother, and although Joanna doesn’t recall her past, she is sure of two things; she isn’t a part of the working class and she most certainly isn’t the mother of four.

2. The Wine Kitchen ($$$) & Pride & Prejudice (2005)

The Wine Kitchen’s menu consists of gourmet meals, as well as all-American starters and entrees. If you and your significant other are looking for a variety of choices, you’ve come to the right place! Enjoy your feast while watching Pride & Prejudice, a film based on the novel of the same name by Jane Austen. Starring Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy, Pride & Prejudice follows the story of Elizabeth, a young woman who lives in the English countryside with her family. Elizabeth is introduced to Mr. Darcy, an upper-class unmarried man, and there is an instant connection between the two. The pressure on Elizabeth to marry by her family and the reserved nature of Mr. Darcy, threaten to ruin their budding relationship.

3. Le Parc Bistro ($$) & Midnight in Paris (2011)

Spend Valentine’s Day in Paris, France! Le Parc Bistro serves French cuisine, and what better way to enjoy the food than while watching a film that takes place in the country the food is inspired by! Midnight in Paris stars Owen Wilson as Gil and Rachel McAdams as Inez. Gil, a screenwriter and novelist, and his fiancé Inez are vacationing in Paris when Gil finds himself thrown back in time after encountering a group of seemingly familiar revelers. The more time he spends in the past however, the less Gil wants to return to the present—and to his fiancé.

4. Lazy Fish ($$) & Splash (1984)

Lazy Fish is an Asian fusion sushi restaurant that serves a variety of sushi, seafood, noodles, specialty rolls and soup. Enjoy your Asian cuisine while watching Splash, a movie starring Daryl Hannah as Madison and Tom Hanks as Allen Bauer. The film follows the story of a young boy who falls in love 20 years later with the same woman—who is actually a mermaid. The two easily fall in love, but Allen finds himself struggling to decide between life on land in New York City or life under the sea with Madison. Before he can come to a decision though, the couple’s time together is suddenly cut short when a scientist with his own agenda intervenes.

5. Isabella’s ($$) & West Side Story (1961)

What better way to enjoy classic Spanish cuisine than paired with a classic movie-musical featuring two gangs, one American and one Puerto Rican, constantly pitted against one another? West Side Story follows two New York street gangs that are constantly fighting over control of the Upper West Side of the city. Tensions are heightened between the gangs when members from each, Maria (Natalie Wood) and Tony (Richard Beymer), fall in love with one another.

6. Cacique ($$) & Like Water for Chocolate (1992)

Cacique serves a mix of traditional Mexican and Spanish dishes. Pair the food with a movie that’s full of spice, forbidden love, family tensions and emotional cooking. Like Water for Chocolate follows the story of a girl named Tita (Lumi Cavazos) who falls in love with a man named Pedro (Marco Leonardi), whom she can never marry. As her mother’s caretaker, Tita must sit back and watch Pedro marry her sister. Her emotions come out through cooking, and family tensions rise over the course of several years until they reach a breaking point.

7. Cucina Massi ($$) & Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Watch the iconic spaghetti-kiss scene while enjoying your own bowl of classic Italian pasta! Cucina Massi serves Italian starters, entrees and desserts at a reasonable price. Choose from various seafood, pasta and pizzas. They also have Valentine’s Packages for couples! Enjoy your meal with the classic Disney film Lady and the Tramp. The movie follows a cocker spaniel named Lady (voiced by Barbara Luddy) who has been spoiled all her life, and Tramp (voiced by Larry Roberts) a stray mutt. After Lady finds herself alone in the world, Tramp takes her under his paw and teaches her how to live on the streets.

8. The Orchard ($$) & To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)

If you’re looking for food that has been locally sourced and a menu with a variety of meals, The Orchard is the place for you! With vegan and gluten-free options, you can’t go wrong with any of their starters, salads, stir fry bowls, sandwiches or entrees. While enjoying your meal, pair it with a Netflix original about Lara Jean (Lana Condor), a high schooler who wrote five love letters throughout her adolescence. Life becomes extremely complicated when an unknown person sends the letters out and Lara Jean is confronted by her past crushes. In particular, former crush Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), who comes to Lara Jean with an interesting proposition to solve both of their love-life problems.

9. Brewer’s Alley ($$) & 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Brewer’s Alley is a pub that sells Americana cuisine, which includes snacks, starters, pizza, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers and more. Pair these classic American foods with the romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You. The film stars Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona and Julia Stiles as Kat Stratford. Kat and her younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) attend the same high school and live with their single father who states that unless Kat is dating someone, Bianca cannot. So, Kat’s younger sister and would-be boyfriend Joey (Andrew Keegan) set out to get Kat and Patrick together so that the two youngsters can date. The question is, will Kat and Patrick fall in love for real?

10. JoJo’s ($$) & Isn’t It Romantic (2019)

JoJo’s is another Americana restaurant with daily specials, starters, soups, salads, classic entrees and sandwiches. Instead of pairing these American foods with a classic rom-com, pair it with a recent romantic comedy instead! Isn’t It Romantic stars Rebel Wilson, Adam DeVine, Liam Hemsworth, and Priyanka Chopra-Jonas. Natalie (Rebel Wilson) is an architect working in New York City who is rarely noticed by her superiors. Things take an unexpected turn in her life when she is knocked unconscious during a subway mugging and wakes up to find New York transformed into a beautiful, loving city—which Natalie knows it is not. She soon finds herself living inside of a romantic comedy reality where Natalie is trying to fall in love with someone, while struggling to love herself. How will her real-life romantic comedy come to an end?

**pricing key: $$$: expensive, $25-45 per person; $$: moderately priced, $10-$25 per person.

Pricing excludes drinks, tax and tips.