Couple eating seafood dinner romantic
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Valentines Seafood Dinner | Home vs. Restaurant

As restaurants around the country prepare for one of their most busy days of the year, some are having second thoughts about where they’ll be taking that special someone this year.

*Important Tip:
If you do plan to have a romantic night out this Valentine’s Day, be sure to call and make your reservation as soon as possible. Some restaurants in the Pinellas County area are already fully booked.

Home Cooked Seafood Dinner

There’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal especially after a long day of work. It’s much better if it’s fresh fish prepared with lots of herbs, seasoning, and love. But not everyone has all the time in the world to prepare or cook dinner. When it comes time for the year’s most romantic date night many understand the importance of going above and beyond for that special someone, even if that means excessive wait times and inflated prices.

While it’s easier to just eat out and have a fill of your favorite fish from a reputable restaurant, the advantages of cooking at home should be seriously considered this year. For starters, it is more comfortable to eat at your own dinner table at home. Since your home is a place where you can let your hair down, as they say, you don’t have to dress up and can even eat in your pajamas if that’s what you feel like wearing. However, as it’s Valentine’s Day, who’s to say you don’t dress to the nines regardless of location.

The most important factor: you can be sure about the quality of food you will serve is of the highest standard. And by buying and preparing your own fish, you can be sure that you’re getting fresh and locally caught seafood. Below is a list of advantages for eating a home-cooked fish dinner versus eating out:

Freshness

Whether you order it online or pick it up at your local seafood market, you can be sure of its freshness when you buy your own fish. For example, at Wild Seafood Market, you will know when and where the fish you bought was caught. Every fish we sell contains a tag with a QR code that you can scan to know all the details about the fish you bought. You will know from what boat the fish was loaded, from what area it was fished, and when.

Price/Cost

Generally, one of the most important considerations when comparing eating out with eating at home is the cost. Even if its not fish, eating at home is way cheaper than when you eat at a restaurant or order takeout. In fact, there was a study conducted by Forbes that says it is five times more expensive to order food delivery than when you cook your own food at home.

That said, we all know Valentine’s Day is the time to splurge and not worry about the costs behind the perfect date night. This year, however, with costs on the rise, a seemingly never-ending pandemic on hand and more tourists, snowbirds, and those escaping to Florida to avoid stricter regulations in other states, it’s only practical to reconsider the ‘splurge-worthiness’ of the “holiday”.

Sustainably Sourced

Eating sustainably sourced and wild-caught fish helps in the efforts toward preserving the fish’s natural habitat and population. If you’re the one personally buying the fish you’re going to cook, you can look for fish that’s been sourced responsibly. There’s almost no way to know these things when you eat at the restaurant.

Here at Wild Seafood Market, we only sell wild-caught and sustainably sourced fish. As much as we love fresh and quality seafood, we also love the waters where we fish. Thus, our mission has always been to adhere to harvesting seafood sustainably. We follow all the federal regulations when it comes to fishing as well as go to extensive lengths to ensure that we always fish responsibly.

Tips for the perfect Valentines Day seafood dinner at home

  • Shop on the 13th of February. Don’t wait till you get off work on Valentine’s day to get the seafood you need.
  • Appetizers, entree & dessert. Be sure to acquire some fish or better yet, Stone Crab Claws for your appetizer along with the perfect dipping sauce. For the entree, keep it simple with either Red Snapper or Red Grouper and as this is a romantic evening, go ahead and have our experts fillet the fish for you as cooking the whole fish is a bit on the messy side when it comes to table fare. For dessert, hot lava chocolate cakes can be picked up at most grocery stores and paired nicely with vanilla ice cream.
  • The Wine: Be sure to choose a good white wine for the meal however when it comes to dessert, a full-bodied red may be nice to have on hand. *Bonus tip: Invest in a good wine bucket if you don’t already have one. You’ll want to keep your white wine chilled and a proper ice bucket will help you stay at the table in lieu of running to the fridge for every refill and prevent your wine from sweating on the table.
  • Hide the TV remotes: After dinner is over, play a card game or go out dancing but whatever you do, don’t get sucked into a Netflix night. Instead, make it one to remember. Find an upscale bar with live music such as Rubies Elixer in Downtown St. Petersburg and if you plan to drink, take an Uber.

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