Painting, sipping, sky-high dining and intimate degustations – woo your boo with these date night ideas
Need to shake up date night but you’ve run out of ideas? It may be tricky to get creative when it comes to new romantic activities (that don’t totally flop), but that’s where we step in. Whether you need to impress your new Tinder gem or your significant other is tired of the usual movie-and-dinner combo that you take them on, we’ve got some out-of-the-box date ideas that are sure to get you in the good books.
Unlock your inner Picasso at this art class
Painting plus wine is a winning combination, if you ask us. There’s only one ingredient that can improve the situation – and it’s Italian food. Thankfully, Italian eatery Cucina Vivo is melding all three of these components into one fun-filled session when Cork, Culinary & Colour comes to visit. Simply pick a date – Saturday April 10 or Saturday April 24 – then impress your lover with your art skills before digging into a decadent Italian high tea full of delights such as bruschetta, arancini, prosciutto-topped pizza, cannoli and tiramisu. Plus, you can cheers to love with your fella or lady friend with refreshing Cape Mentelle and Chandon drops. To secure a ticket to this creative class, head here.
Dine in the sky at this next-level restaurant
We can’t confirm if science backs this, but there’s no better way to impress your special someone than with a fanciful feast. So you can blow the socks off your date, Nineteen at The Star is putting on a chef’s showcase menu every Friday and Saturday lunch until April 30 that is full to the brim with chef Uday Huja’s finest signature dishes. Indulge in a sumptuous spread of fresh oysters, pumpkin risotto with toasted pepitas and sage brown butter, ocean trout roasted on a maple cedar plank and grain-fed scotch fillet with roast onion and horseradish. Satiate your sweet tooth with seductive desserts like chocolate meringue pie topped with Pedro Ximénez ice-cream and coconut-and-mango panna cotta with smoked macadamia ice-cream. To secure a booking for yourself and your partner in wine, pop over here.
Let your love bloom with help from lip-smacking bites
If the act of spinning spaghetti bolognese around your fork whilst you work on your couch groove is getting old, then we know of a deluxe dinner date that will win you some brownie points. From Monday March 22 to Friday April 30, make your way to Garden Kitchen & Bar for its Blooming Set Menu. Start off the flavoursome journey with house-baked focaccia paired with sun-dried tomato, olive tapenade and petit herbs before moving on to house-cured ocean trout served with Mount Tamborine avocado cream, quinoa salad and flaxseed crisp. The breathtaking main affair will see you and your crush devour Sunshine Coast lamb loin served with fondant kipfler potato, pickled baby zucchini, sunchoke chips and jus, before the bloomin’ great banquet culminates with a silky chocolate hazelnut raspberry bar with apricot jelly, raspberry and Baileys ice-cream. To learn more, pop over here.
Fill your belly at an intimate 18-course degustation
There’s a saying that goes ‘full bellies equal warm hearts’ and we wholeheartedly agree with this statement. If there’s one thing Kiyomi’s tastebud-tempting 18-course Omakase feast can guarantee, it’s that you’ll leave feeling satisfied. The exclusive event will be presented over ten incredible nights and will be capped at just seven patrons per event to ensure a truly intimate and memorable dining experience. Lucky ticket holders will enjoy a front-row seat to witness the amazingly talented Chase Kojima and his team of chefs create culinary magic before their very eyes. The exact menu will be decided on the day of the event, but you can be guaranteed the celebrated venue will showcasing the impressive skills of the kitchen team. There are very limited seats available on select dates between March and May – jump over here to book your seat at the table.
Take your tastebuds on tour
Grab your darling’s hand – we are going on culinary journey, friends! If you simply cannot decide on where to wine and dine your sweetheart, fret not, as you can give them a small taste of everywhere with The Star Grazing Tour. You’ll kick off this four-part dinner with stellar views and sumptuous bites at Nineteen at The Star, where you’ll tuck into Sydney Rock oysters dressed with Ruinart champagne mignonette, before heading to Garden Kitchen & Bar to taste-test oven-roasted Hervey Bay scallops served with taramasalata dip and focaccia bread. Afterwards, you’ll stroll to Kiyomi where you will dive into a salivation-inducing David Blackmore marbled wagyu served with koji and wasabi before satiating your sweet tooth at Cucina Vivo with a cioccolato rosso ferrari aka a chocolate volcano – molten chocolate sauce and all. Plus, we hear there might be a mystery post-dinner cocktail on the cards. For more information, head to The Star’s website.
This article was written with our friends at The Star. To learn more about 40 Days of Flavour at The Star, head here.
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