Usually, a meal out with your loved one or best mate, including a bottle of wine, will cost you at least £50, especially around Valentine's Day. But M&S has a clever offer that gives you a top-notch three-course meal and drinks for just £25 in total. After trying it myself, I'm thinking about cancelling my dinner booking on February 14 and rushing back to M&S because it was truly scrumptious.
Now, I know that food from the famous British supermarket isn't just any food, it's M&S food (i.e. excellent) but I was still amazed by the quality of the starter, main course - complete with side dish - and dessert. The ensemble tasted like it'd come straight out of a high-end restaurant (Thomas by Tom Simmons or Parallel for example), if I do say so myself, and it was super easy to prepare at home.
Also, as someone who struggles with dairy and gluten intolerance (a terrible double blow), I was over the moon to have several gluten-free and vegan options when I went to pick out my meal.
Visiting my local M&S Foodhall the weekend before Valentine's Day - the one at Culverhouse Cross, Cardiff - I wasn't surprised that there were crowds of people gathering at the end of the aisles to snag their favourite choice before it was out of stock (although the meal can be bought online at Ocado, reports The Mirror ).
Starting at the beginning, the starter choices were the likes of Coquilles St Jacques, tempura veg fritters, breaded camembert and compote and luxury prawn co*cktail - with the majority containing gluten or dairy, I chose the last one being the only appropriate option for me (but as you'll discover later, it was an excellent choice).
For our main course, we were drawn to the slow-cooked lamb shanks in a rich red wine and rosemary sauce which we paired with a green vegetable medley of peas, leeks and kale with a mint butter and added a second side of smashed potatoes with basil drizzle (it cost us an extra £3.50 you only get one side with the deal). The dessert options were limited for my dietary needs, but I found a lovely vegan chocolate and caramel pot. We also grabbed a bottle of La Cascata Passivento, a red wine that pairs well with lamb.
We couldn't resist adding the Collection Hearts Full of Love s election and a pack of Peachy Whips for my partner.
I also picked up some pink tulips for myself to make the place look the part. The total bill came to £36, which included the dine-in meal and extra treats, which I think is an absolute bargain.
When I got home, I put the lamb in the oven first as it needed 40 minutes to cook and saved the red wine jus it came with to add ten minutes before the end and prepared the potatoes for a quick 12-minute bake in the air-fryer.
While it was cooking, we tucked into the starter and I was pleasantly surprised by the prawn co*cktail.
It was my first time trying it and it was wonderfully fresh. The prawns were meaty and the Marie Rose sauce was creamy and zesty.
Finishing off the lamb was next and the instructions were easy to follow. Ten minutes before the lamb came out of the oven for good, I added the jus and some of the meat juices to the tin and popped it back in for the remainder of the time.
Once the potatoes were crispy and soft, I drizzled the basil sauce over them. I microwaved the greens for three minutes after removing the herby butter from the packet (I wasn't taking any risks with dairy).
As we started eating, we both muttered 'oh my god'. The lamb was divine. It was juicy, full of flavour, tender - it just fell off the bone - and the red wine sauce added a lovely tangy sweetness that went perfectly with the meat. The potatoes were soft and the basil sauce they were covered in was fresh and herby, providing a nice contrast to the richness of the meat.
The greens offered a lighter touch to the hearty lamb dish - a meal that would have easily cost £20 in a restaurant.
After the main course, I was quite full so my partner and I decided to share the caramel pot and all I can say is wow. For those who love chocolate and caramel (which includes me), it's like a chocolate heaven in a pot.
The caramel layer - the first one you get to - is sweet, toffee-like, buttery and smooth. The chocolate layer underneath has a similar texture to chilled Nutella, in the best way. It was smooth, quite rich - perfect if you're a fan of dark chocolate like me - and had just the right amount of bitterness to balance out the caramel. All in all - a 10/10 three-course meal.
The Italian wine was fruity, rich, full-bodied (with notes of plums, raisin, dried figs) and smooth - and personally, it paired perfectly with the lamb and the chocolate dessert.
If you're looking for a posh Valentine's Day dinner but haven't been able to secure a last-minute booking or you're watching your pennies, this £25 meal deal for two - that's just £12.50 each - is the perfect solution. What could be better than enjoying a romantic meal that tastes like it's from a top-notch restaurant, all while wearing your comfy slippers?
The Hearts Full Of Love were described by my partner as luxurious and tasted far more expensive than they actually were. These milk and white chocolate hearts were filled with a creamy, salted white chocolate ganache. The Peachy Whip's raspberry and peach sauce was sharp but sweet, and the marshmallow, which had a slight peachy taste, was fresh yet indulgent. I avoided the chocolate by scooping out the centre, but my partner enjoyed the whole thing.
M&S are experts when it comes to Valentine's Day food, and I'll probably be dreaming about my entire three-course meal for the rest of the week.
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, Marks and Spencer isn't the only supermarket offering a bargain dinner. Tesco has its Finest Valentine's Dinner for Two for Clubcard holders, Sainsbury's dine in for two is only £15 with over twenty-five products to choose from, and Waitrose's meal deal that serves two is only £20.
