So, here’s a romantic idea if you plan to stay at home with your Valentine. Wield the ladle with your partner and lay out a memorable meal, spiced with the right aphrodisiacs. Some popular eateries in the city have drafted simple recipes guaranteed to send your senses spinning. Stir up the romance with a tempting cocktail, a tantalising entrée and a luscious dessert.

* A zesty cocktail from Rahul Khanna of Below 8, bar n’ lounge, can get your adrenaline rushing.
Cappuccino virus, Two Shots
You’ll need: 10ml each of Baileys
Kahlua
Chocolate vodka
Amaretto
Method
Float cream on top of spirits. Garnish with grated nutmeg or chocolate. Serve with crushed ice.

* Move to the main course with oysters, and Giuliano Tassinari from Olive Beach tells us how.
Warm oysters with julienne vegetables, Serves Two
You’ll need:
Oysters (available at INA market), 10
Carrots, leeks and zucchini, julienne, 1 cup
Beluga caviar, 1 ounce
White wine, 2 tablespoon
Pernod, 2 tablespoon
Shallots, 1 tablespoon
Olive oil, 1 tablespoon
Butter, 2 tablespoon
Method
Shuck oysters. Reserve the bottom shell and the liquid. Wash the shells well and put on a sheet pan in a warm place and dry each oyster on a towel. Sweat shallots in oil and cook until tender and sweet. Deglaze a pan with white wine and Pernod. Reduce liquid by half and add oyster liquid. Remove from heat and whip in butter to prepare the sauce. Blanch the vegetables until tender. Drain and spread on a sheet tray to cool. Warm the vegetables in a small pot with vegetable stock and olive oil. Place equal amounts of vegetable preparation in 10 reserved shells. Quickly sauté the oysters in butter until just warmed. Place the oysters on top of the vegetables. Add shallots to the sauce prepared earlier and emulsify with a blender. Spoon this sauce on each oyster. Top each preparation with caviar and serve warm.