Valentine's Day dining on a budget

Impressing a beau with a lush romantic dinner is a time-honored Valentine's Day tradition — one I've enjoyed several times myself.

But what to do if you have a love interest to impress, but no cash to lay out for a meal at the likes of Log Haven?

Let's cut to the truth behind a successful Valentine's: On this day, it really is the thought that counts. Better a cheap present that says, "I know you and love you," than a soulless $200 dinner.

Reminds me of the wedding gifts my husband and I got for one other. We set a $10 limit, and he found me a pretty little wooden puzzle box with a heart on top (he wrote a love note to put inside) that I still have, and love, to this day.

So, just in case you're both stumped and out of money, here are a few nice ways to spend Valentine's Day without spending more than ten bucks.

Kouing aman at Les Madeleines (216 E. 500 South, www.les-madeleines.com). If you want to give your Valentine a taste of something truly unique, you can hardly do better than this rich pastry, made practically nowhere in the States but at Les Madeleines.

They're huge, so you can share one with a cup of tea or hot cocoa and enjoy one of the most indulgent things I've ever eaten: buttery, creamy, sweet, salty, flaky, crisp, tender — almost indescribably good.

Breakfast. A good way to get lots of food for not much money is taking your beloved out to breakfast. Two places I can heartily recommend are Coachman's (1301 S. State, no cards accepted) and Millcreek Caé and Eggworks (3084 E. 3300 South, www.millcreekcafeandeggworks.com).

These restaurants look totally different — Millcreek with its sleek modern look and Coachman's with its escaped-from-the-'70s vibe — but share the things that matter: good service, great prices and utterly excellent food. Don't miss Coachman's eggs and bacon breakfast or Swedish pancakes; Millcreek does a fabulous eggs Benedict and a hearty chicken-fried steak plate with eggs, hash browns and toast on the side.

Bread and cheese at Harmon's. I'm not sure if every Harmon's is like the one I visit at 7800 South and 700 East. If not, it's worth the trip to talk to their bread and cheese people.

Tell them you're planning a romantic date and their trained cheese mongers and artisanal bakers will set you up right: a crusty baguette and a sliver of Brie, maybe, or a couple of Baci rolls and some apple walnut or smoked habañero cheese from Utah's own Beehive Cheese Company.