As North Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14, they look forward to sharing love through thoughtful gifts of candies, cards, meals and moments.

Beyond North America, cultures from around the world share their own traditions.  We looked into a number of these loving celebrations via Old Strathcona’s ethnic restaurants.

Ousia Restaurant

Matthew Lakis, owner of Ousia Restaurant at 10842-82 Avenue, which serves flavours and fare from the Mediterranean, shares some traditions of love from that part of the world.

“I’m from Cypress and that’s considered the birthplace of Aphrodite,” says Lakis.  “There’s a rock off the coast of Cypress where Aphrodite rose from the water so it’s considered the island of love.  A lot of foods you eat from there are aphrodisiacs, like figs and chocolate.

Ousia will feature a special menu on Valentine’s Day, called The Love of Food, based around aphrodisiacs.  Look forward to such delights as figs wrapped in prosciutto, drizzled with honey, roasted, and nestled in a salad.  “We’re doing raw oysters on the half-shell with a couple of sauces,” says Lakis, “and as a main we’re doing a strip loin with a chocolate espresso sauce and a sweet potato mash.”

Ousia offers a romantic candlelit intimacy and Lakis adds, “It’s a great place to take a date.  It should be a great evening.”

Langano Skies Ethiopian Restaurant

At Langano Skies Ethiopian Restaurant, 9920-82 Avenue, owner and chef, Ansale Sumamo believes that the sharing of love is celebrated through food.

“I think love has been very important in this culture for a thousand years.  When you share your food with people you’re sharing love.  And that’s an every day celebration.”

Langano Skies creates the perfect opportunity for an intimate evening thanks to another food-related love tradition: “Take your loved one here and feed each other with your hands,” says Sumamo, adding with a chuckle, “In Canada they think, ‘Why are you shoving your hand in my mouth!’  But when you share a platter together here you can eat it with your hands.  It’s very intimate.”

Says Sumamo: “In Ethiopia at the end of every day you share your supper.  We’ve had lots of wars, and no matter what shortage of food we’ve had, you always share your food with people, with your visitors.”  With tables that accommodate large groups or simply dinner for two, families as well as couples will enjoy sharing a loving meal together – whether using hands or utensils!

Sabzy Persian Grill

At Sabzy Persian Grill, 10416-82 Avenue, owner Ahmad Sabet explains that there is much history surrounding love in the Persian culture.

“The pomegranate is known as the food of love,” says Sabet.  “It’s red and its grains teach you patience.  It’s known as one of the most romantic dishes in Persia.”  As such Sabzy’s Valentine’s Day menu will feature a Pomegranate Stew that taste buds will readily fall for.

Other Persian love traditions include mehregan, from the root word, meh, which means love and kindness.  “We have a one week celebration in the early fall known as the week of kindness,” says Sabet.  “You work with each other and offer some help.  This is a very ancient celebration.  We celebrate it at the restaurant and people love the energy of this.”

Sentiments of love from around the world are perhaps best summed up when Sabet notes, “We embrace all cultures and love that goes beyond the physical aspect – when it becomes more divine, kind, unconditional.  Then we become people who are borderless.”