Local food tempts more than taste buds

"What are you doing on Valentine's Day?" Depending on one's current romantic status, the answer to this question will involve one of several different possibilities.

For the single woman such as myself, there's the probable scenario of hanging out with girlfriends, eating fro-yo, and watching empowering chick flicks (recommended: last summer's blockbuster "Legally Blonde") in celebration of female independence.

Many single men will forget that this is even a holiday. In fact, even most coupled-up-men probably need a reminder that February 14th is a day of some significance.

Then there are the couples — those at whom the concept of Valentine's Day is truly aimed. These pairs of happy Princetonians spend this day celebrating their love (or like, or even lust) in all its mushy glory by doing something romantic. This "something romantic" generally comes in the form of a date.

The local places that spring to mind as appropriate for the holiday – Les Copains or Mediterra – serve up gourmet fare along with significant price tags.

As college students already paying tuition, we don't need a single dinner that rises into the triple digits (especially if you're the one treating your date) even if it is only for that one special night. It's ridiculous to spend a enough money for a whole class's worth of textbooks on a single dinner — save the really pricey places for parents' weekend.

This realization forced me to get creative. The holiday is, after all, about romance, so I thought that the best place to eat would serve the type of food most proven to get people in the mood for love.

Searching the Internet under "aphrodisiacs," I uncovered some surprising results. Did you know that Thai food is lauded for its aphrodisiac qualities? Many of the dishes are made with chili peppers (which are known for getting the heart pumping) or oyster sauce — and we all know about the legendary effects of the oyster.

My suggestion for dinner is Thai Village, a place many of us already know and love. This choice may seem mundane, but when you order a dish like Kwayteow Keymon (noodles in oyster and chili pepper sauce at $9.95) or Bi Ga Graw (triple spicy tofu stir-fry with chili peppers at $7.95), the aphrodisiacs in these spicy dishes pretty much guarantee the rest of the night will be anything but dull.

Next comes dessert. This is the time for a romantic visit to a place like Lahiere's. By stopping in for something sweet after the main course, you can conclude the evening in the elegant ambience that makes the place such a popular date locale. The desserts are much less expensive than the entrees, and many of them are so rich that you and your date can split one.

Chocolate, a food long touted for its ability to release endorphins, is ubiquitous this time of year, but few desserts make better use of it than Lahiere's molten cake. This is a deceptively simple-looking chocolate pound cake topped with a dollop of vanilla ice cream which, when sliced open, reveals a center of gooey, warm chocolate ganache. It is sure to tempt the palate in preparation for the romantic night ahead. And for only $8.50, it won't shatter the mood by draining your wallet.

There you have it. With this plan, you get it all – romantic food, ambience, decadent desserts, and most of all, affordability. What could be more ideal than that?