Valentine's Day dinner doesn't have to be expensive. Consider the three-course V-Day meal at Brasa (777 Grand Av., St. Paul, 651-224-1302, www.brasa.us), where chef Alex Roberts and his crew are accepting reservations and serving plates of roasted Shrimp, smoked trout on baguette and vegetable chips with guacamole for starters, a choice of two meats (rotisserie chicken, slow-roasted pork, braised beef and more), three side dishes (choose from yams and andouille sausage, rice and pigeon peas, cheese grits, fried plantains, potato salad and more) and simple desserts. Cost is $23 per person, and while the special dinner is available at Brasa's much smaller Minneapolis location (600 E. Hennepin Av., Mpls., 612-379-3030), reservations will not be accepted.
RICK NELSON
