Just in time for Valentine’s Day, “The Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest” has released its eighth edition. The Shoalwater Restaurant in Seaview received the guide’s highest rating, Four Kisses – Simply Sublime.

“Can food be wildly romantic? At The Shoalwater … the answer is a resounding yes,” gushes the guidebook. “No matter what you choose from the imaginative and wide-ranging menu,” state the authors, “will be utterly fresh, delicious and beautifully presented.”

Several other local dining establishments are rated in the guide’s new edition, including The Heron & Beaver Pub, The Ark, The Sanctuary, The 42nd Street Cafe, and The Depot. Many of the area’s lodging facilities also receive high ratings, including The Shelburne Inn, China Beach Retreat, Boreas B&B, Caswell’s, Blackwood Beach Cottages, Whalebone House, The DoveShire, and Coast Watch B&B.

“Our beach community is uniquely poised to promote romance and relaxation,” says Shoalwater co-owner Tony Kischner. “We are blessed with a superb – and very romantic – natural setting, and we have developed a whole slew of wonderful places to dine and stay. I often say that there is more fine dining per capita available here than anywhere else in the state, which makes us a very desirable destination for those seeking a romantic get-away – we just have to keep getting the word out.”

For the Valentine’s Day weekend, The Shoalwater is featuring a special three-course Lover’s Dinner, which includes a choice of soup or salad, tenderloin steak and lobster (served with a pair of sauces), and co-owner Ann Kischner’s famous Boccone Dolce for two (a meringue heart filled with fresh strawberries and topped with Belgian chocolate sauce and fresh whipped cream). The cost of the dinner is $68 per couple; this menu will be available Friday, Saturday (which is sold out) and Sunday. The Shoalwater is open daily for lunch and dinner; the regular dinner and pub menus will also be available all week-end.

On Friday, Feb. 20, beginning at 8 p.m., The Shoalwater will feature Bunchgrass and Rulo wineries from Walla Walla in another of their six-course Northwest Winemakers’ dinners, a popular series now in its 18th year. Chef Lynne Pelletier will pair a very special menu to the excellent Chardonnay and Viognier from Rulo Winery and the Founders’ Blend and platinum-award winning Cabernet Sauvignon from Bunchgrass Winery. The cost of the food and wine for this event is $100 a person; reservations are required.

For reservations or additional information, call 360-642-4142 or go to (www.shoalwater.com).