For some of us, going out on a fancy date for Valentine's Day with all those starry-eyed young lovers has lost its appeal. Bad complementary champagne, ubiquitous heart-shaped plates, cloying waiters, and an endless sea of pink and lace just doesn't seem that exciting anymore.

Blame it on age, cynicism or both, if you have had the same partner for a few years, nice china in your cabinets and a good bottle of wine, then all you really want for Valentine's Day is to eat something yummy that someone else prepared and to be left ALONE: No kids, no phones, no people slobbering on each other at the next table.

Well, dear readers, you have options.

Top Drawer

To the rescue of decadents comes Chef Roberto Donna of Galileo, who is soon to be hamming it up with Al Roker on NBC's Today Show during the Olympics. Galileo is offering a fabulous four-course Valentine's Day dinner for $160 per couple to go. All you have to do is heat a few things up and pop open a bottle of your favorite wine or bubbly.

For the First Course, Galileo is offering a crab cake and white corn custard with lobster sauce.

For the Second Course, it's a tortelloni of fonduta cheese with black truffle sauce.

The Third Course is a choice of roasted rack of veal or stuffed filet of European sea bass with spinach and mushrooms wrapped in pastry with a saffron sauce.

Dessert is a white chocolate mousse in a chocolate cup served with hazelnut croccante (a.k.a. hazelnut brittle) and raspberry sauce.

To order, call (202) 293-7191 no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10.

Galileo
1110 21st Street, NW
Washington, DC
info@galileodc.com

Love, American Style

If you are looking for hearty American dinner with lots of fresh choices, try Chef Geoff's, at either the downtown or uptown location. Chef Geoff Tracy will pack up his four-course Valentine's Day offering to go, if requested.

The $59 per-person, four-course menus are somewhat different at Geoff's two locations. Here are just a few of the mouthwatering options:

• Cupid's Creamy Roasted Pepper Soup (both locations)
• Mini Raw Bar with Kumomoto Oysters and enormous Shrimp (Downtown)
• Bourbon Glazed Pork Shank with Pumpkin Risotto and Swiss Chard (Uptown)
• Roasted Quails with Arugula-Pecorino Salad, Wild Mushrooms, Truffle Oil, and Balsamic Reduction (Uptown)
• Sweet Potato Ravioli with Mascarpone and Amaretti Butter Sauce (both locations)

Naturally, dessert features chocolate, food of the gods, in the form of a chocolate fondue for two.

Chef Geoff's Downtown
13th between E and F Streets, NW
Washington, DC
(202) 464-4461

Chef Geoff's Uptown
3201 New Mexico Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
(202) 237-7800

Romantic Beginnings

If you are looking for a traditional romantic appetizer that will make your mate want to skip the main course, the Ritz-Carlton at Pentagon City is offering a "Romance to Go" package featuring a bottle of champagne or wine and keepsake flutes, a single long-stem rose, a gorgeous fruit and cheese plate for two, mouth-watering chocolate dipped strawberries, candles and rose petals for $99.

Order by Monday, Feb. 13, and helpful servers will pack your car with the goods at the valet stand between noon and 7 p.m. on the 14th.

Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City
1250 South Hayes Street
Arlington, VA
(703) 412-2760

Of course, you could always go with this DCist's old standbys: Order Tinkling Bells Pork from City Lights of China or a large pepperoni pie from Manny and Olga's, pop a romantic movie in the DVD player, and snuggle up on the couch with the fuzzy blanket. Zzzzzz.