With Valentine’s Day foodies thoughts turn to those of aphrodisiac cuisine - the typical foods of love are generally thought to be chocolate and oysters, but one you might not think of is blowfish. Long believed by the Japanese to be an aphrodisiac, blowfish is the most dangerous of the aphrodisiac foods. It is actually that danger, that is believed to be the reason behind this ugly little fish’s ardor-inducing properties. Although licensed chefs take great pains to remove the mortally toxic parts of the fish, they are only human, and even the tiniest slip-up during preparation can have deadly results. It is the adrenaline released during this culinary dance with death that is the true aphrodisiac.   So, if you’re Japanese for your Valentine’s dinner you might want to steer away from the riskiness of the blowfish and try something a little more fun and entertaining and we’ve got just the place.

Chef Abe Hiroki will be serving a seven-course Valentine’s Day kaiseki menu ($96/person).  Guests at EN (which translates to destiny) will enjoy dishes such as kaisen shabu shabu, an array of Japanese seafood and vegetables that valentines can prepare for one another, and hana sashimi, an array of local and imported Japanese fish designed to look like flowers in traditional ikebana arrangements.

Additionally, sake sommelier Takahiro Okada has put a together a selection of sparkling sakes to complement the festive menu as well as a sake pairing option for an additional $48. The special kaiseki menu will be available on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday leading up to Valentine’s Day in addition to the a la carte menu. On Monday, February 14th, the restaurant will offer only the special menu for the evening.