Tomorrow is Qixi Festival, Maybe Try Some Of These Dinner Deals

Qixi, in case you didn't know, is Chinese Valentine’s Day. And it's tomorrow, Tuesday, August 25. Did you forget? Oh no. Oh... okay, don’t panic. It's fine. It's going to be fine. You know what it’s about. Romance! Dinner dates! Candles, prosecco and set menus. Here are six of the many, many Valentine's Day dinners available around town to reserve that could maybe, hopefully, save your relationship. Or if that's not your speed, we've got some music, some romantic staycations, and some suggestions on places to break up. A little something for everyone.

Polux by Paul Paitet, the star chef’s French bistro is doing a sharing menu at 588rmb per person, comes with glasses of rose.

Bird on Wuyuan Lu is offering a thematic six-course set dinner. Bloody Valentine, because the dishes are all colored red. Price is 588rmb for two, including glasses of rose wine.

The recently opened Pistolera at Shanghai Center is doing a set dinner that comes with six dishes and two glasses of wine. Price is 520rmb for two.

The Apartment, the New York style lounge that just returned to Shanghai last month, is doing a six-course dinner set for two at 688rmb, comes with two drinks. For just the right amount of sophistication. Dinner is available from 6pm to 10pm.

Charcohol, the places that does charcoal grilling and craft cocktails within a characteristic moody interior, is doing a ten-course sharing menu for two for a cooooool 999rmb. The menu includes some of their signature dishes and two glasses of Prosecco.

Something Other Than Dinner

If you can't carry a dinner conversation, try a concert instead. Jazz at Lincoln Center has some uniquely Chinese city-pop on from Si Tu He Lun and Band on for August 25 and 26.

Prefer something during the day? Futuristic digital wonderland teamLab and the Bundside Hotel Indigo do a two-person package deal for 549rmb which includes two entry tickets and an afternoon tea at the Quay restaurant.

Or, if you really need to make an impression/make up for something, you can try one of the couple-friendly staycations at Sukhothai or the Park Hyatt.

Just Quit Already

Maybe it isn't meant to be. If you're looking to call it quits this week, here are a couple of suggestions: Tianzifang is public enough to hopefully avoid a scene, and, worst case, it's a tangled enough mess of lanes that you ought to be able to lose a pursuer; any Haidilao will have a pot of boiling oil within reach and the spice could help you feign tears if necessary; a beautiful bookstore like The Mix Place should keep a lid on any loud fights and they have a nice self-help section you can leave your new ex at; the stifling atmosphere at Da Vittorio makes it impossible to shout, tables are spaced far enough apart that no one will know what's being said, and if you time your exit before the bill, the four digit blow to your now-ex's wallet will go some way towards making up for what they did; or try the Corner Pub, which has three tables on the street, making it easy to drop the ax and bolt, leaving them something to ponder.