I'm a big fan of being wined and dined on Valentine's Day - but sometimes, it can just end up being far too expensive.
This year, particularly with the cost of living crisis burning a big hole in all of our bank accounts, I wanted to find a cheaper alternative for food. I personally, am not too fussed about celebrating Valentine's Day, but it's always lovely to at least enjoy some good food with a loved one.
Tesco has announced the return of its Finest Valentine's Dinner for Two, which includes a choice of one main, one side, one dessert and one drink. Since this exclusive Clubcard deal costs £12, I knew I had to give it a try.
READ MORE: Tesco offers Clubcard holders exclusive Valentine's Day deal and it's £3 cheaper than last year
There have been so many occasions in the past where I've gone out for a Valentine's Day meal and been left with an eye-watering bill. Restaurants are known to hike up the prices this time of year, offering grand dining options with an array of different courses from cheeseboards to expensive cuts of meat for a hefty fee.
I for one just don't want to be spending that sort of money this time round, so I decided to stay within the comfort of my own home to try out the meal deal. Here's exactly what I thought about each dish.
The main course
My main course was the Tesco Finest chicken legs with mushroom white wine and tarragon sauce. I'm an absolute sucker for a chicken dish, so I knew I'd most likely end up enjoying this one.
There's something about a creamy sauce that feels luxurious. I wouldn't usually have a dish like this on a bog standard weeknight, and usually just eat something easy like lasagne or fajitas - so this felt like a real treat.
It was all really easy to cook, and all of the dishes went in the oven for the same temperature which made my life a lot easier. Let's be honest, there's nothing worse than scrambling with timings and temperatures when all you want to do is sit down and eat.
I added the creamy mushroom sauce 10 minutes before the timer was up and was left with a combination of chicken juice and a thick white sauce that worked really well together. The chicken legs had a fair bit of meat on them, which actually surprised me, because sometimes with chicken legs I feel like you're not really getting your money's worth - a bit like a chicken wing.
In terms of flavour, I would've liked the mushroom flavour to be a bit more potent, but it still tasted great nonetheless. Despite the messy presentation (from my part) this chicken tasted like something you could've easily ordered at a restaurant, for a fraction of the price.
Rating: 4/5
The side
For my side dish I had heart shaped potato croquettes, you get two in a pack but I was greedy and had two to myself. I honestly thought I wouldn't be full up after one, but I was very wrong.
I was a little worried that the potato croquettes would be dry and bland, but they were quite the opposite. The outer crispy breadcrumb layer of the potato croquette was lovely and herby, but not too overpowering.
The potato on the inside was fluffy, juicy, and not dry at all. I thought the heart shape was a lovely touch, and definitely added to the 'romance' of the meal.
Looking back, I'd probably just end up having one of these, and bulking up my meal with some vegetables instead - but there's nothing wrong with double carbs I suppose! This side dish was actually on par with the main, and was as equally as tasty in my opinion.
The dessert
I don't usually have much of a sweet tooth, but my Tesco Finest dessert was to die for. I chose the raspberry royale profiteroles and they were incredibly moreish.
The dessert was by far the best course for me, the profiteroles really added that 'special' feeling to the meal, as I don't usually eat them much. Filled with British cream and topped with a sweet raspberry fondant and red hearts, the profiteroles looked adorable, and tasted even better.
After scoffing three of these, I was ready to have more that's for sure. Although the profiteroles were sweet, they weren't too sickly which was a real bonus.
A dessert can go one way or the other, you can either end up feeling sick and full because it's too sweet, or wanting more - and I definitely wanted more of these.
Find out more about the Tesco Clubcard Valentine's Day meal deal here.
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