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UPDATE: We just received late word that Love Park has cancelled this event.

There are so many excuses to celebrate in February: Valentine’s Day, Groundhog’s Day and the anticipation of Spring. Plus, there’s this: Winter Fest 2012 in Love Park.

On Saturday, February 11, from 1-5 p.m., you’ll find some of Philly’s favorite gourmet food trucks and brews like Guapos Tacos, Mini Trini, Buttercream Cupcake, Say Cheese Philadelphia and Yards Brewery gathered in the park serving helpings of all-you-can-eat-and-drink options for ticket-holders to degust.

Live music and Philadelphia’s RAW: Natural Born Artists will also be on board showcasing an exhibit entitled “Art Walk” for viewing and purchasing pleasures alike.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online or at the Fairmount Park Welcome Center in Love Park.

LOVE Park Winter Fest 2012
Where: LOVE Park, 15th Street & JFK Blvd.
When: Saturday, February 11, 1-5 p.m.
Cost: $20
More info: www.events.membersolutions.com

Celebrate Valentine's Day with your sweetheart with a romantic meal at one of Philadelphia's top restaurants. (Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC)

Valentine’s Day is now only a week away, leaving you with just enough time to plan that perfect romantic evening out in the city, including a wonderful special-occasion meal at one of Philadelphia’s many amazing restaurants.

One catch: reservations at many of Philadelphia’s top restaurants are booking up fast.

So to help you in your search, we’ve put together a list of some of the city’s most romantic (and delicious) Valentine’s Day dinners. At least two seats are still available in the restaurants listed below (we did our research), but you should make reservations soon!

Check out our top picks:

• 10 Arts: Impress your Valentine with a sumptuous six-course meal presented by 10 Arts’ Chef de Cuisine Nathal Volz. Your delicious dinner comes to an end with an indulgent progressive chocolate tasting. $195 per couple; $275 per couple with a Moët & Chandon champagne pairing. Availability is very limited, so make your reservations soon.

• a.kitchen: Feast on a special five-course prix fixe tasting menu with delectable bites including date-glazed foie gras bon bons, lobster ravioli and chocolate layer cake with carmel sauce. $65 per person.

• Barbuzzo: Reservations are extremely limited for Barbuzzo’s four-course Valentine’s Day dinner. If you’re hoping to woo the one you love with one of Barbuzzo’s incredible budinos, reserve your spot online now. $65 per person.

• Ela: Normally closed on Mondays, Ela will open their doors on Monday, February 13 and Tuesday, February 14 for a special four-course prix fixe menu of exciting dishes from Chef Jason Cichonski, including fluke tartare, lobster risotto, Robiola Bosina cheesecake and more. $65 per person. Optional wine pairing available for $30 per person.

• Chifa: Inspire romance with the bold Peruvian/Cantonese flavors of Chifa. Choose from two Valentine’s Day menus offering pork belly bao buns, pan seared foie gras, coconut panna cotta and more. $60-75 per person. Wine flights available for $30-45 per person.

• Distrito: You and your sweetheart will be all smiles after a festive Valentine’s Day dinner at Distrito in University City. Choose from two tasting menus ($45 and $65 per person) featuring Distrito’s famed ceviches, tacos and more. Add an optional Valentine’s Day cocktail pairing for $25 per person.

• Fare: Celebrate your love with a special Valentine’s Day dinner of high quality organic and sustainable cuisine at Fare restaurant and wine bar in the heart of Fairmount.

• Fond: Fond is planning a delicious four-course meal featuring New American cuisine for Valentine’s Day. Don’t miss out as seats go fast at this cozy East Passyunk BYOB. $65 per person.

You can find more romantic dining options, below.

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Chef Vetri says Alla Spina's look will be that of a converted car garage: lots of metal, wood, earth colors and graffiti. (Photo courtesy Marc Vetri)

Fresh off the resounding four-bell affirmation of Vetri in this Sunday’s Inquirer — in which critic Craig LaBan gushed: “the fact that [Chef Marc] Vetri refuses to rest on his classics is at the heart of why he remains a singular leader for his generation and why his namesake restaurant remains our very best” — Chef Vetri is busy preparing for the opening of his newest restaurant, Alla Spina.

Vetri and crew are now targeting February 27 as opening day for their latest venture.

Alla Spina will join Stephen Starr’s Route 6 as one of two new restaurants putting down roots in what used to be an old automobile dealership at Broad and Mount Vernon. And Marc Vetri is taking that theme pretty literally, saying that the look of Alla Spina “is basically a converted car garage. Lots of metal, wood, earth colors, graffiti. But you’ll feel [the] Italian theme.”

The main entrance will be on Mount Vernon, not Broad Street, right next to Route 6′s main entrance. Alla Spina will also boast three large garage doors that look out onto Mount Vernon Street. We’re guessing they’ll be open when the weather is right.

Both Vetri and Chef Jeff Michaud of Osteria took to Twitter recently to share progress inside the restaurant and bar, teasing photos of one of Alla Spina’s signature design pieces: an inside wall custom tagged by a graffiti artist.

Graffiti and a brand new tap system? Opening can’t be very far.

Alla Spina [Official Site]

Chef Brad Spence is dishing up an all-pig dinner at Amis on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy Amis)

Amis Trattoria, the Washington Square West Vetri Restaurant Family eatery, is hosting a four-course whole suckling pig dinner Wednesday night, February 8.

Chef Brad Spence is preparing the meal, just $65 with an additional, optional $35 wine pairing. It will be served at the Chef’s Counter for an extra-special evening.

Feast on Amis’ self-proclaimed “favorite animal,” from trotter to tail. Chef Brad Spence will be dishing up everything from porky borlotti bean stew to pici pasta with pigs head ragu & kale.

Latest word is that there are still a few seats left, so make a quick call and reserve your spot: (215) 732-2647.

Four-Course Whole Suckling Pig Dinner at Amis
When: Wednesday, February 8
Where: 412 S. 13th Street
Cost: $65, optional $35 wine pairing
More info: www.amisphilly.com

The food-and-drink-enthusiasts over at the Philly-based blog BigBite are inviting area chili-makers and eaters to join them at the 3rd Annual Philly Chili Bowl on Saturday, March 3.

BigBite is calling on Philadelphia’s chili connoisseurs to submit an application to compete by Wednesday, February 29. Applicants, which may consist of individuals or teams, will be asked to prepare six quarts of chili from scratch for the event, with excess chili being donated to Project H.O.M.E. after the competition.

If you’re more into the chili-eating than you are the making, then come out and try all the delicious bowls, grab some drinks provided by Narragansett Beer and judge the contestants in the People’s Choice round — all for just 5 bucks.

Three winners will be selected by a panel of judges including Drew Lazor, Editor of CityPaper’s “Meal Ticket,” Chef Kevin Sbraga and Emilio Mignucci, 3rd generation owner of DiBruno Bros. Winners will receive 2 seats at any upcoming class at Audrey Claire’s COOK.

To register to participate, check here.

3rd Annual Philly Chili Bowl
When: Saturday, March 3, starts at 4 p.m. for contestants, 5:30 p.m. for spectators
Where: Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catharine Street
Cost: $10 to compete, $5 to eat, drink and judge
More info: www.bigbiteblog.wordpress.com

Leave it to the experts to instruct you on how to pair hand-craft chocolates made at Shane's with delicious wine, selected from an unparalleled selection at Ristorante Panorama. (Photo courtesy Shane's)

Wine and chocolate.

Individually they’re two of the most delicious and decadent delights one can enjoy. But pair them together and the flavors uniquely enhance one another, creating a taste so exceptional that it practically feels illegal on the tongue.

Fortunately, it’s perfectly legal to indulge in this luscious combination. So the experts from Ristorante Panorama and Shane’s Confectionery want to make sure you know how to pair them correctly.

On Wednesday, February 8, from 6-8 p.m., join sommelier William Eccleston of Ristorante Panorama and Eric Berley of the newly-remodeled Shane’s Confectionery for an evening of tasting, trying, sipping and sampling of a variety of superior wines and ports, all the while becoming enlightened on how to mix and match them with a rich array of dark and light chocolates from around the world.

Tickets to this appetizing and instructive event (learn how to impress your date on Valentine’s Day!) can be purchased in advance online for $25 or $35 at the door.

Ristorante Panorama and Shane’s Confectionery Wine and Chocolate Pairing
When: Wednesday, February 8, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Ristorante Panorama, 14 N. Front Street
Cost: $25 in advance, $35 at the door
More info: www.localwineevents.com

For the first time in five years, Inquirer critic Craig LaBan established which restaurants in Philadelphia are the super elite.
(Graphic via Philly.com)

As we mentioned last week, Sunday was a big day for the Philadelphia restaurant scene.

Philadelphia Inquirer Restaurant Critic Craig LaBan yesterday unveiled the results of revisiting the Philadelphia region’s top restaurants for the first time in five years to see which restaurants deserve his coveted four-bell rating.

A quick refresher: Craig LaBan employs a bell system for reviewing restaurants, awarding a restaurant between zero and four bells. No bells is poor; one bell is hit-or-miss; two bells is very good; three bells is excellent; and four bells is superior. And rare.

LaBan considered 13 restaurants as four-bell contenders when he began his quest back in the fall. And five restaurants rose to the top.

The new four-bell restaurants are (drum roll, please): Vetri, Zahav, Bibou, Talula’s Table and Fountain Restaurant at The Four Seasons Hotel.

(Turns out we were not that far off with our guesses last week.)

LaBan writes of the new Philly restaurant elite,

“From the timeless crystal elegance of the Fountain, to the exotically-spiced charcoal-grilled kebabs of Zahav, to Vetri’s inspired pasta riffs, to the seasonal whimsies of Talula’s Table, to the rustic soul of French bistro fare on a pedestal at Bibou, these restaurants cover it all. Every one has managed to distinctly capture that elusive feeling of enchantment: a sense that dinner is more than just a meal of memorable flavors and gracious service, but a special moment in time at a table that could be nowhere else on earth.”

Congratulations to each of the four-bell restaurants. It is a distinction that is well deserved in each case.

Over on Philly.com, there is a lot of great content related to the four-bell recipients, including a full write-up on each one as well updates on the other eight restaurants that were considered. (The other eight restaurants in the 13 considered were Lacroix, Le Bec Fin, Tinto, Barclay Prime, Morimoto, Osteria, Amada and Talula’s Garden.)

On Thursday, LaBan is going to release more great restaurant content when the Inquirer puts out his list of “Best In Their Class” rankings for categories other than fine dining: e.g. Gastropubs, New American BYOB, New American Full Service, Updated International, Italian and Great Restaurants That Don’t Get Talked About Enough. So stay tuned.

Craig LaBan’s Best Restaurants in the Philadelphia Area [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Previously: Philadelphia Inquirer Restaurant Critic Craig Laban To Name The Five Best Restaurants In Philadelphia This Sunday, February 5

Still don’t have your Valentine’s Day plans squared away?

Top of the Tower, located on the 51st floor of Three Logan Square, celebrates Valentine’s Day a little early with dinner, dancing, panoramic views and cabaret entertainment on Saturday, February 11.

Whether you’re single or attached, enjoy bites to eat from various dinner stations, a full bar pouring all drinks under $10 and a love tunes showcase from Eddie Bruce and the Tom Adams Trio.

Doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. with dancing to follow.

Tickets can be purchased online.

Top of the Tower: Valentine’s Day
Where: Three Logan Square, 51st floor, 1717 Arch Street
When: Saturday, February 11, 6 p.m.
Cost: $90 per person
More info: www.topofthetower.com

Taste of the Nation returns to the Loews Philadelphia Hotel on May 7 with a newly appointed chef chair.

Top Chef winner and owner/executive chef of his eponymous restaurant on the Avenue of the Arts, Kevin Sbraga will follow in the footsteps of two-time chair Jennifer Carroll, another Top Chef star who will continue to support the cause as honorary chair.

Taste of the Nation even ups the foodie goodness with a limited-time offer for $15 off regular ticket prices, now through March 19. (Hint: Valentine’s Day is fast-approaching.)

During this year’s event, Sbraga and about 40 of Philadelphia’s best chefs will serve inventive and mouthwatering dishes to eager attendees, who chase each delightful bite with refreshing drinks from top mixologists.

Plus, guests can try their luck at the silent and live auctions — always crowd-pleasers, with restaurant gift cards, hotel stays, crafts, sports prizes, tickets, chef dinners and more.

Part of the national organization Share Our Strength, Taste of the Nation is a premier culinary event that raises money to achieve its goal of “No Kid Hungry.” In fact, 100% of ticket sales go directly to like-minded local beneficiaries: The Food Trust, Philabundance, Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger and Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center.

Taste of the Nation Philadelphia
When: Monday, May 7
Where: Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Millennium Ballroom, 12th & Market Streets
Cost: $70 for general admission and $120 for VIP, now through March 19 ($85 and $135 regularly)
More info: www.strength.org

Celebrate Super Bowl Sunday, the second biggest eating day of the year (after Thanksgiving) with any of our top picks for wings at bars and restaurants across Philadelphia. (Credit: iStockPhoto)

So the Super Bowl is this weekend. And we thought it made for an appropriate time to bring you a new roundup of places to go for great wings around the city.

Also, in case you didn’t hear, today, February 3, marks the 20th anniversary of a little event called the Wing Bowl, the annual competitive eating competition at the Wells Fargo Center.

And the greatest competitive eater of all time, the legendary Takeru Kobayashi, competed at this morning’s Wing Bowl (the clock started at 6 a.m.; these people are serious about their wings). Not surprisingly, he won, ingesting an unbelievable 337 wings, and in so doing, demolished the previous record by more than 80 wings.

Now on to the roundup. There are simply too many places serving great wings in Philadelphia for us to include in a single roundup, so instead we’ve tried to provide a selection of places to go for some amazing wings. This list is not limited to traditional Buffalo wings; we also wanted to include some upscale takes on wings, a few options for rotisserie wings, and even a few places to go for Korean-style wings.

In honor of Kobayashi’s incredible performance earlier today (and the 20th Annual Wing Bowl itself) as well as the Super Bowl this Sunday, we present to you our top picks for delicious wings in Philadelphia.

As always, let us know your favorite spot for wings in the comments below. Happy eating!

• Pub and Kitchen: Pub & Kitchen is a restaurant/bar/gastropub located on the south side of the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. P&K sources their chicken wings locally from Eberly Farm (near Lancaster) and serves two kinds of very popular wings: a traditional Buffalo-style wing and an awesome honey whiskey variation. The actual wings are smaller than most but the quality of the wing more than makes up for it.

• Union Jack’s: The sign outside reads “World’s Best Wings” and the regulars inside agree. Bring your appetite because with sauces ranging from traditional “Hot” to “Raspberry Jalapeño,” you’ll want to try them all. Two locations: Manayunk and Glenside.

• Byrne’s Tavern: A Port Richmond favorite, Byrne’s Tavern serves up tender, fall-off-the-bone wings that have kept the crowds coming for nearly 35 years. Available for eat-in or take-out, the wings come in servings of 12 to 100 and are best accompanied by an order of the Irish bar’s popular potato logs.

• Cafe Soho: The wings at Cafe Soho are (urban) legendary. They’ve been endorsed by the likes of James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Solomonov (whose wings at Federal Donuts also grace this list, below) in the New York Times. Cafe Soho’s twice-fried Korean-style chicken wings come in two varieties: spicy and a special garlic and soy sauce. Order both. You won’t regret it. (215)224-6800

• Curran’s Irish Inn: At Curran’s Irish Inn, located in Northeast Philly, the Best of Philly wings come in a variety of temperatures and seasonings: hot, mild, medium, Cajun, garlic, barbecue or plain. Those who want to try more than one kind of the mouthwatering wonders (and who wouldn’t?) can opt for Pudgy’s Wing Sampler, which gives you 15 wings in three styles.

• R2L: Chef Daniel Stern dishes up pan-roasted wings covered with a spicy sauce, scallions and served with long hots that are just as vibrant as R2L’s breathtaking views of the Philadelphia skyline. Tip: plan appropriately and stop by in the early evening to catch a sunset.

• Federal Donuts: Fried chicken and donuts. An uncommon but undeniably delicious combination. And Federal Donuts nails both. So well in fact, that they received a huge write-up in The New York Times. Federal has introduced whole wings into their offerings on the weekends. Available in the two glazed flavors: chile-garlic and honey-ginger; as well as the three crispy varieties: ranch, Harissa and Za’atar.

• Percy Street: Wings? Tails? Whatever. Gobble down Percy Street’s Turkey Tails tossed in Sweet Thangs BBQ sauce and wash them down with a Hillybilly Gatorade.

We’ve got many more recommendations below.
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