World's Best Romantic Restaurants

The Dining Room, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, San Francisco, California
600 Stockton St. at California Street, San Francisco, Calif. Tel: [phone]

Embedded in a dazzlingly white hilltop building fronted by dignified columns and classical frieze, the Dining Room serves modern French cuisine with Japanese influences and employs a correct, attentive staff: They never hover, but they're always there when you want them. Tables for two are plentiful but not clustered, so you're not forced to overhear every syllable from the next table.

Chef Ron Siegel was the first non-Japanese to win Japan's televised Iron Chef competition. The wine list measures up to Siegel's sophisticated food.

Brown's Beach House, Fairmont Orchid Hotel, Big Island, Hawaii
1 N. Kaniku Dr., Kahala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii. Tel: [phone]

When big-city dining becomes a bit rushed or stuffy, a place to wiggle your toes in the sand, listen to the trade winds rustle in the palms and dine to the light of tiki torches could be just the ticket.

Oh, there's a hula dancer, too.

The tables are well-spaced and big, and servers strike a good balance between laid-back and attentive -- something many restaurants in Hawaii have yet to learn. The food is beach-casual, with fresh seafood, fruit drinks and subtly powerful mai tais.

Seagrille, Brentwood Lodge and Spa, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
849 Verdier Ave., Brentwood Bay, B.C., Canada. Tel: [phone]

The place to sit in the warm months at this beautifully situated resort on Vancouver Island is outside on the expansive deck. The deck overlooks a lush, temperate rainforest and expanse of water; if you're lucky, you can glimpse bald eagles riding the air currents.

Fresh Northwestern food adorns the menu, and polished, assertive British Columbia wines -- the reds can be very good, and match up well with the food. Service is casual but professional.