All set for Valentine’s Day in Jalandhar: Lavish menus, candlelight setting, live music

Heart-shaped arcades and balloons have been put up, while tables have been elegantly arranged with pairs of roses in sleek vases and designer candle stands. A playlist with a mix of old and new romantic songs has been curated. Above all, preparations for a special cuisine have been planned as the city's hotels, restaurants and cafes are all draped in red to welcome Valentine’s Day guests tomorrow.

The newly opened Niro Cafe at Model Town has come up with a Red Heart Coffee served with a red velvet cookie. Phomo restaurant, on Model Town road, too has planned a special pan Asian menu which includes a mango sago martini, pink tuna dil love sushi, dil heart dumpling with bloody mary sauce and beetroot red dragon fruit uramaki. Fine dining restaurant Posh Plates too has planned a lavish, exotic menu which includes burrito salad, avocado sev puri, asparagus sushi and a Turkish platter.

Interestingly, even as the eateries have got advance booking for the day, most gift shops did not have any footfall today. There were hardly any takers for the heart-shaped red cushions and teddies as had been the trend earlier. Chocolates, however, still remained the most favourite gift option for young couples celebrating V-Day.

"I shall go in for a pack of my favourite Lindt, Cadbury Silk Bubbly chocolate and Ferrero Rochers for my husband," said Samaira, a newly wed woman, making her purchase in the Model Town market.

The flower shops certainly had many more customers asking for red rose sticks and bouquets. Owing to a surge in demand for roses, the stick which otherwise cost Rs 50 or so was available at double the price.

"Flowers symbolise love, passion and admiration for someone. So, I shall be gifting it a bouquet of red roses to my old time schoolmate at a quiet cafe in Urban Estate", Aarav, a collegiate.