Chef Elijah Bowe prides himself on overseeing a menu that epitomizes seduction — one that is chockfull of foods that have an effect on the libido with offerings such as succulent seafood and luscious pastas and all the meat that anyone could want, beautifully presented in an elegant dining setting.

Foods are famous for their effect on the libido — combine that with Valentine’s Day, the love of your life and a restaurant that is recognized as having one of the most distinctive dining rooms, that epitomizes elegant dining, with a wine and liquor cellar that are a true connoisseur’s delight — you have the complete package at which to impress your significant other, according to the Graycliff executive chef.

For the chef, romance and food are at the same level. Neither is more important than the other for Bowe, who can recall the early days of his career when he was at the bottom of the kitchen’s totem pole, and could barely scrape together enough funds to entertain. He says he won his wife Melanie over with his ability to cook.

“When I associate Valentine’s and romance, I always associate it more with food rather than roses and even jewelry. I wowed my wife with my culinary skills rather than I could with gifts and flowers.”

It’s that culinary prowess that shows up on the Graycliff restaurant menu that Bowe said is a showcase of foods meant to seduce your significant other.

“All of our menu items — from appetizers to desserts are decadent, sinful and meant to excite,” said Bowe. “The menu is chockfull of seafood, and pasta, which females gravitate towards, and is filled with meat for the men,” he said.

“In my years of cooking I would say at least 95 percent of Bahamian women love pasta, and very few women don’t like lobster. Put the two together with some truffle oil, and you have a winning combination right there.

And when it comes to meat, while Bowe likes it all, he says rack-of-lamb rules with him.

“I’m a meat lover, and most males like meat — T-Bone, Porterhouse, rib-eye — but I think the rack-of-lamb is the unsung hero in all meat dishes, even for women. If you have rack-of-lamb for dinner and you offer some of it to your partner, I’m sure she would enjoy it equally as much as the male. And we have a nice big Colorado rack-of-lamb, so you know you’re going to get a nice big portion. It’s hearty, and to me is one of the better cuts of meat, even above beef in my estimation. Not taking anything away from all of the wonderful products that comes from the cow, but I think lamb is equally as delicious as steak.”

Challenged to select the perfect Valentine’s Day meal for himself and his wife, from the decadent menu, Bowe said he would ply her with all things seafood from start to finish, while his meal would be all about the meat.

The chef’s choice for his wife would start her off with the Coquille de fruits de mere pere Jacques (mixed crustaceans and Canadian sea scallops blended with cream, plum tomato and topped with Italian Reggiano Parmesan cheese); the feuillete de homard poelle a la crème de safran (morsels of Bahamian lobster tail in a full cream sauce perfumed with Spanish saffron pistils); the bouillabaisse a’la Bahamian et rouille (seafood bouillabaisse, grilled ciabatta bread and basmati rice with a red pepper rouille).

For himself his meal would start with the sinful Foie gras poelle aux dates et pommes au calvados (pan seared fresh foie gras with dates, and caramelized apple with calvados); the chaudree de conques (Bahamian-style conch chowder); the Coeur de filet aux quatres poivres et cognac (Angus beef liet with crushed black, green, white and red peppercorns and shallots in a Cognac cream sauce).

“It’s a rich, hearty meal that would go great with a good bottle of red wine that would combine to make for a beautiful evening,” he said.

He would complete the evening of decadence with a soufflé sampler (Grand Marnier, chocolate and strawberry) from Graycliff’s seemingly unlimited flavor list, which should be ordered with the entrée. Souffle is an aerated dessert, and not like a cake. They’re baked to order, and you want it to come from the oven straight to the table so that you get the full effect. Ordering soufflés with the gives the pastry chef enough time to prepare it, and means you don’t have to wait for your sweet ending to the meal.

Before the evening concludes, be sure to take in all that Graycliff has to offer.

“The entire ambiance is second-to-none,” said the chef. “We have the wonderful garden in which you can take a walk, you can go out by pool, and hopefully it’s a nice, starry night to enhance the evening, take a tour of the wine cellar … the restaurant has the total package, especially for a couple — atmosphere, great service and the menu is second-to-none. Combine everything together, and you can’t ask for a better evening.”

While the entire menu will be available for Valentine’s diners, Chef Bowe is presently working up a special menu that will also be offered on the night, and he said he would be staying true to producing a menu meant to seduce.

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