Perfect Dinner for Two: A Simple Menu That Looks Like Fine Dining

There is something truly special about a dinner prepared just for two — the atmosphere becomes more intimate, the flavors richer, and every detail turns into a small ritual. You don’t need to be a chef or spend hours in the kitchen to create a menu that looks like fine dining. All you need is the right choice of ingredients, a touch of aesthetics, and an appreciation for the moment.

For this dinner, we’ve created a menu that is simple yet spectacular: a harmony of freshness, texture, and elegant, clean flavors that resemble a restaurant with Michelin ambitions — but with minimal effort at home.

Menu for two

1. Starter: Burrata with Roasted Cherries and Balsamic Reduction

Why it works: creamy burrata, the sweet-tart note of cherries, and fragrant balsamic create a dish that looks refined yet takes only 10 minutes to prepare.

How to serve: in a deep plate, with a drizzle of olive oil and toasted almonds.

2. Main Course: Steak Tagliata with Rosemary and Garlic Butter

Why it works: simple, quick, and visually striking. Thinly sliced steak over arugula and Parmesan looks like a dish straight out of a modern bistro.

How to serve: on a wooden board, sliced, with sea salt and a touch of lemon.

3. Dessert: Chocolate Fondant (10-minute) with Forest Berries

Why it works: no elegant dinner is complete without a warm, velvety chocolate center.

How to serve: on a small plate, with a dusting of cocoa, a few raspberries, and mint.

Recipes

Burrata with Roasted Cherries

1 burrata

handful of cherries (fresh or thawed)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp honey

olive oil

pinch of salt

Preparation: Lightly sauté cherries with honey and balsamic (2–3 minutes). Place burrata on a plate, spoon cherries over it, and finish with olive oil.

Steak Tagliata

1 quality steak (ribeye or sirloin)

1 tbsp butter

1 garlic clove

rosemary

arugula + Parmesan

Preparation: Sear steak for 2–3 minutes per side over high heat. Add butter, garlic and rosemary at the end. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.

Chocolate Fondant (for 2)

50 g dark chocolate

40 g butter

1 egg + 1 yolk

40 g sugar

20 g flour

Preparation: Melt chocolate and butter. Whisk egg, yolk and sugar. Combine, add flour. Bake 7–8 minutes at 200°C (center must remain molten).

Wine Pairing

White Wine

Chardonnay (barrel-aged)

• buttery, warm, elegant

• ideal with burrata and roasted cherries

Red Wine

Pinot Noir

• delicate, aromatic, romantic

• perfect with steak tagliata

Special Recommendation

Brunello di Montalcino

• a luxurious choice for a special dinner

• depth and complexity beautifully match both the steak and the chocolate dessert