Cheap Valentine's Day Date: Food Trucks Offer Sweet Deals for Two on Biscayne

Here's a dilemma for the ages: How do you celebrate Valentine's Day on a budget without seeming cheap? The only answer is a romantic picnic. For some reason, putting food in a basket makes everything seem all classy and loving.

The Biscayne Triangle Truck Roundup, or BTTR, on Biscayne at 127th Street, is having one clever and romantic picnic this evening. The trucks at BTTR will feature special picnic menus for two. Live jazz completes the mood while you and your sweetie find a spot, lie down a blanket, and have a picnic under the stars.

To set the scene, here are a few items to pack in your basket:

• A flameless candle
• Two blankets -- one for the picnic, another for snuggling (the forecast for tonight calls for highs in the low 60s, with partly cloudy skies)
• A small vase with a single flower
• Champagne (sneak it in, 'cause technically it's not allowed; we'll never tell)

And here are some of the specials that will be served tonight:

Mangia Mia Italian Kitchen will offer a "Bella Notte" Valentine's special, which includes classic spaghetti and meatballs for two, accompanied by two hand-dipped chocolate strawberries for dessert ($15).

Cucina al Mare will serve a "Lady and the Tramp" special: linguine in either meat sauce with

meatballs or veggie sauce with eggplant, for two ($15).

Purple

People Eatery's three-course meal for two includes two house or caesar

salads; two truffled goat cheese bison burgers with red

pepper, quail egg, arugula, and mayo; yuca fries with oxtail gravy and culantro sauce; two mini s'mores; and two glasses of iced jasmine green tea ($35).

Jefe's Original Fish Taco & Burger will have the Shack Pack (for shacking up -- get it?). The meal includes

fish tacos, tacos carnitas, chicken taquitos, real-deal fries with magic

dipping sauce, crushed-velvet cupcakes, Mexican Coke, Chiclets, a

candle, and roses ($22).

Catered Bliss will serve four chicken

sliders with sweet-potato wedges, two heart-shaped cookies, and

sparkling cider served in champagne flutes ($15.99).

Ms. Cheezious is having a lovers' special. Buy two sandwiches and get a sweet meltdown to share for free.

Trucks participating in this special V-Day edition of BTTR are the Rolling Stove,

the Flying Saucer,

Jefe's Original Fish Taco & Burger,

Big Kahuna,

Churro Mania,

Daddy's Grill,

Nacho Bizness,

Divan Bakery,

Ms. Cheezious,

Nacho Mama's,

Dog Eat Dog,

Guiseppe's Italian Sausage,

Cucina al Mare,

Moty's Grill,

ClaraBelle's Cupcakes,

Papas Tapas,

Miso Hungry,

Arepa Box,

Che Grill,

Purple People Eatery,

CoolHaus,

Catered Bliss, the Chill Stop, and

Mangia Mia.

Follow Short Order on Facebook and Twitter @Short_Order.

• Food Trucks
• Holidays