Many Wilmington-area restaurants are offering special menus for Valentine’s Day. Here are two specials diners might want to try (as no one has shot a final arrow through the heart of COVID-19, it’s best to call ahead to confirm hours and requirements):

Chef Dean Neff continues to create buzz with his focus on seasonal North Carolina seafood offerings, as well as other Tar Heel ingredients at Seabird, 1 Front St., in downtown Wilmington. These days, Neff is thinking a lot about how food brings people together.

“At a time when we don’t feel like we have as many connections, independent restaurants are helping people stay connected to their community, and feel a sense of place,” Neff said Tuesday. “We’re able to share an experience that is uniquely about where you’re from, and connects you to the people who grow the food, or harvest it, right here in Wilmington – not to mention those who cook it and serve it.”

Although some restaurants are closed on Mondays, it’s a regular night for Seabird. However, the Valentine's Day menu will be the only offering. The full listing is online, but here are a few highlights: lobster ravioli with smoked creamed greens; braised short ribs with winter root puree, black truffles and cabbage. And, as always, raw oysters and saltines are on offer. All selections are four-course meals at $75 per person with wine pairing also available.

“Historically, Valentine's Day is an important day for restaurants,” he said. “Now, more than ever, it seems important for people to experience something special and outside of their ordinary lives and from people who really care about it.”

Valentine’s Day diners looking for meaty dishes can find specialty options at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, downtown at 224 N. Water St. The steakhouse with New Orleans roots is offering prix fixe meals for two Feb. 11-20. Among the offerings are beef tenderloin and roasted chateaubriand – a 22-ounce beef tenderloin served with cognac sauce and finished with Ruth's Chris’s signature melted butter.

According to a Ruth's Chris news release, chateaubriand is the perfect Valentine’s Day indulgence: “Chateaubriand is the most decadent, tender beef roast and is perfect for this special occasion for two. This cut is a roast-size filet mignon, designed to impress with delicate beef flavor and incredible tenderness.”

For drinks, the chef recommends the raspberry rosemary cosmo (raspberry vodka, fresh raspberries and aromatic rosemary); Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon (notes of ripe plum, toffee, red currant and cardamom); and Domaine Carnero brut, (with notes of citrus and tropical fruits and a hint of toastiness).

Whatever the restaurant choice, Neff believes it’s the perfect reason – as if one is needed – to slow down and indulge with loved ones. “For me, personally, Valentine’s means making time for the people you love, for those who are most important in your life,” Neff said. “And for me, that often centers around food and time at the table together.”