I know I mentioned before that I still have a few things to catch you all up on from the weekend, and I’m pretty sure that this is the last of it, but you are definitely going to want to keep reading (*especially all of my local readers*) …trust me!
So on Saturday evening, I think I may possibly have eaten one of the best meals of my entire life. And I promise, that is not an exaggeration.
About a week ago, I was invited by Paul, one of the owners of Creo’ Restaurant, to come in for a special dinner tasting. (You may remember my two previous dining experiences at Creo’, which you can see both here and here). Both visits were equally amazing, so there was no doubt in my mind that this dinner was going to be any different.
Of course, I didn’t want to go alone, so I made sure that I could bring along my most favorite dining partner-in-crime.
We both came hungry and ready to try some items off of their special holiday menu.
Starting this Friday, February 10th – Tuesday, February 14th, Creo’ is going to be offering a special Valentine’s Day dinner menu (in addition to their regular menu), featuring a number of appetizers, entrees, and desserts to please any palate.
After first reading the menu, Jay and I realized that there were quite a few items on there that we either a) would never order on our own and b) made us a little nervous and excited at the same time. Good thing we were feeling adventurous!
But before we even got started with the food, we were greeted with an amazing bottle of Mumm Napa Brut Prestige champagne.
I had never tried this particular brand, but Jay and I were both huge fans of it. It was incredibly smooth, and the perfect amount of sweetness.
The two of us had really enjoyed sipping on this throughout our meal.
Along with the champagne, we were also immediately served a bread basket which was accompanied by some homemade honey butter.
I love how in the past three visits I’ve made to Creo’, the butter has been different every single time; and each one is just as good as the last.
Before getting started on the Valentine’s Day menu, Paul was nice enough to introduce us both to the executive chef who would be preparing our meal for the evening, Brian Bowden. Brian assured us that we were going to be in for a treat, so of course I got just a teensy weensy bit excited.
To start, we were served both of the appetizer options. The first was a Colossal Shrimp Cocktail, and when it says jumbo, they really are not kidding.
The shrimp were enormous and tasted so incredibly fresh. Even Jay, who is not usually too keen on eating shrimp larger than bite size, said that they were delicious.
The second appetizer option is the one that had Jay and I eyeballing each other and laughing the entire time, the Oyster Trio. The two of us never, ever, order (nor eat) oysters. Honestly, they’ve always sort of grossed us out and we just never saw the sense in paying money for something that you basically just swallow whole and can’t taste. But hey, when in Rome Creo’, right?
From left to right: Fried Oysters with roasted red pepper remoulade, Oyster “Shooters” with siracha and lemon, and Katama Bay, Martha’s Vineyard Oysters on the half shell with champagne pink peppercorn mignonette.
We both made sure to try at least one of all of them, but the remoulade sauce in the fried oysters put them over the top for both of us. Jay and I were both actually surprised at our reaction to the oysters, so I’d say that if you’ve ever been a fan, then this is definitely an appetizer for you to try.
For our next course, we were served the Artichoke Hearts and Crispy Hearts of Palm salad.
The salad was made with arugula, pistachios, cherry tomatoes, and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing and again, it far surpassed my initial expectations. The flavors were all so complex and paired together so, so well.
When it came to our entrees, Jay and I decided to choose two that we could both share, so I opted for the Roasted Chilean Sea Bass.
(Because we were there before the menu actually goes into effect, I was asked if halibut could be substituted, which was perfectly fine with me.)
The halibut was served in a honey soy butter sauce, which had just the slightest hint of spice to it, and the perfect amount of flavor that didn’t cause it to overpower the fish. The fish was tender and flaky, and and was accompanied by basmati rice and asparagus tempura.
Jay went with the “go big or go home” mentality (which I fully supported) and opted for the Surf and Turf. Jay and I both loved the simplicity of the steak; it was grilled perfectly to our liking (medium) and just didn’t require a whole lot extra. The tempura lobster tail, which was served in a lobster cream, was good, but not a favorite for the two of us.
The flavor of it was decent, but between the tempura and the cream, it was just a little too heavy for my liking. The accompanying whipped potatoes and grilled asparagus were both equally delicious and I probably would have polished them right off, but we were quickly informed that we still had one more course to try…
Would you take a look at that mouthwatering piece of heaven?!?!
This, my friends, is their homemade chocolate cake (made with layers of chocolate fudge cake, dark chocolate mousse, and ganache), which came paired with fresh berries, whipped cream, and their homemade strawberry sorbet.
Creo’ makes all of their desserts from scratch, including all of their ice creams and sorbets, and I can honestly tell you that this was THE BEST strawberry sorbet I have ever tasted, hands down. I was one happy camper.
We obviously loved it.
Throughout our dinner, Paul came over to us numerous times to check in and see how things were going. He was very attentive and answered any questions that we may have had.
One question in particular I had was when I saw this card about their Perfect 10 Frequent Diner Program.
Creo’ offers this program free of charge to their customers, which is actually a really cool concept. Basically, every time you come in and dine at Creo’, 10% of your bill gets bank rolled toward a future purchase. There’s no limit to how much you can save up, so often times, customers will continue saving up until they can get an entirely free meal. Isn’t that cool? I think more places need to try implementing this!
*****
So now…this is where my local readers are going to get a real treat, because Paul is offering all of my loyal STSL readers a pretty awesome deal.
Any readers who join Creo’ for dinner on either Sunday, February 12th or Monday, February 13th, will receive they’re choice of Complimentary Champagne OR a Complimentary Dessert.*
*with the purchase of two entrees.
All you need to do is print out the special STSL coupon, which you can find by *clicking here.* And even better, you can even make your reservations online right from Creo’s Facebook Page! But as great as that offer is, there’s still more…
***Creo’ is offering one lucky grand prize winner a complimentary, four-course Valentine’s Day dinner, complete with a bottle of champagne.***
***GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL WHO ENTERED!***
The winner of the Four-Course Valentine’s Day dinner has been chosen using a random number generator. The lucky winner is…
Congratulations, Laura! Please email me at sweettoothcourtney[@]gmail[.]com ASAP so we can get you set up for a delicious dinner!
**Remember, the complimentary coupon is still available for all, so feel free to print and use!**
To Enter: Leave a comment on this post telling me why you would want to win the four-course Valentine’s Day dinner.
I will choose the grand prize winner this Thursday, February 9th. Good luck to all of my local readers!!
Amanda says
I love creo! Haven’t been there in awhile. I would love to win. My hubby’s bday is 2 days after Vday and he is turning the big 3-0! Would be nice to take him out to a nice dinner to celebrate. Not too mention it will be our 16th valentine’s day together :)
Farrah says
I am a stay at home mother of two girls….enough said! The hubby and I rarely are presented with the opportunity to not only get out of the house, but to go to a NICE place for dinner. Creo is a foodies dream and I have never had the pleasure of dining there. The next two weeks are very special in our house. My husband, Bryan, celebrates his 40th birthday tomorrow, Valentine’s Day is on the 14th and we celebrate our 11 year wedding anniversary on the 17th. SO much to be celebrated. *fingers crossed*
Jen says
I would love to win the four course Valentine’s Day Dinner at Creo. My husband and I have yet to try Creo but have been wanting to! We love visiting new restaurants! My husband usually cooks me dinner every Valentine’s Day so it would be nice to give the chef a night off and be able to go somewhere and enjoy a wonderful meal :) Our first Valentine’s Day together I (way out of character for me) hopped a plane and joined him and his family in Florida where they were on vacation. My flight was delayed 5 hours but I made it to him before Valentine’s Day was over. This is our first Valentine’s Day as husband and wife (we just got married on 9/10/11) and dinner at Creo would be a great way to celebrate :)
Lauren @ Chocolate, Cheese and Wine says
I absolutely love the idea of the 10% rollover. What a fabulous way to build customer loyalty (rewards) and allow people to save money!
Courtney says
I’d love to win the Valentines meal as I am a struggling grad student and I’ve been to creo once before and loved it! Glad you guys had a wonderful evening!
Moe says
My boyfriend and do not typically “celebrate” Valentine’s Day – one year we got each other cards, the other years we’ve just enjoyed nice meals at home – no flowers, chocolate strawberries, etc. This will be our fourth Valentine’s Day together, and I think I’m having the opposite feelings from most couples who have been together a decent amount of time — this year, I actually want to do something special to celebrate! Creo would be perfect because not only do we live in the neighborhood and have had yet to try it, but I believe I’ve read that they cook with ingredients from their own garden (while in season). My boyfriend and I joined a farmshare last year and had lots of fun cooking with local vegetables, and it would be amazing to see how the local “pros” do it. :-)
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
What a neat giveaway! Looks like a fantastic meal. I’m obviously n ot entering (it would be quite a long hike!)
Lauren says
Oh my goodness, this looks like one of the best meals I’ve ever seen! Seriously, from drinks to dessert, it’s my kind of meal. That’s funny that you say that Jay doesn’t like big shrimp…my husband is the exact same way but for me, I like them big. Must be a girl thing…. ;)
Brittany V says
My boyfriend and I would love to try Creos! We rarely eat dinner out, and this would be such a fun place to try! He typically cooks dinner for me on Valentine’s Day, which is super special, but he also cooks just about every other night too!! He says he enjoys it, but it would be nice to give him the night off! :)
Tammy says
I would love to win because I love Creo! Also, my boyfriend’s dad has been sick and we’ve been traveling back and forth to Rochester every weekend. We’ll actually be home this weekend and would love this special treat.
Tina @ Best Body Fitness says
Take me there….
Lucky duck whoever wins! (although I’m secretly hoping its the momma I saw commenting up above). ;)
Farrah says
<3 Thanks!
Lauren says
I would love to win the four-course Valentine’s Day dinner because I LOVE Creo AND Valentine’s Day is my birthday! It would be the perfect way to celebrate with my boyfriend!
Lauren Bednarz says
This place looks amazing and I am really jealous for various reasons, the number one reason being I no longer live in the Capital Region so I am not able to eat there myself. This fact will not stop me from entering this contest for my amazing mother and stepfather who live in Albany county.
They are two of the most selfless people I have ever met. They are always thinking of everyone else before they consider themselves which leaves them constantly doing favors for others. I am actually the person who benefits most from their selflessness. Last year when I got married they insisted on paying for the entire wedding even though I knew it would be a financial difficulty for them, but it is something they wanted to do. My mom helped me with every detail – picked me up format the airport, drove me to every meeting, arranged for the favors, made out the invitations, place cards, etc. You name it, she did it. It was such a great help to me since I was no longer living in the area (my now husband and I moved to Madison, WI a few months before the wedding). They made my life easier then, now and always and this is why I want this for them because they deserve it. They make the lives of others better. Oh, and they LOVE food!
I am done with my comment novel now.
Lauren
Caitlin C. says
What an amazing meal! I wrote about oysters today too – funny! And I have the same feeling as you about the raw ones haha but stuffed/fried/garnished ones certainly taste more flavorful! Your fish looks excellent, i def would’ve picked your entree. Glad you enjoyed!
Emily says
Oh my goodness, that dinner looks amazing! I love creo, I’ve never been disappointed eating there. If I won I would probably give the dinner to my parents because they really deserve a good night out :)
Jasper @ crunchylittlebites says
sounds like such a wonderful night! thanks for sharing!
Talia @ Bite Size Wellness says
Wow Courtney! You guys were certainly wined and dined! Amazing. I recently tried oysters for the first time too! Thanks for sharing! NYC is a bit too far otherwise I promise I would be begging:)
Nicole says
What a delicious meal! I’ve been to Creo once, it was incredible. If I won, I’d surprise my mom and take her as my date. She lives in Clifton Park, and I live on Long Island but just so happen to be coming up that way next weekend! Hubby would have to take a backseat to this one, I don’t get the chance to take my mom out as often as I wish I could! She would love it :)
Laura says
I’ve never been to Creo but I’ve heard amazing things about the meals there. As my boyfriend and I are currently doing a long-distance thing, it would be so cool to surprise him with these incredible dinner plans when I come back to the Albany area this weekend. We rarely have the time together to go out and this would give us an excuse to be “fancy” for once!
Chelsea says
I have never been to Creo, after this review we might have to go. But going for free would be better!
Ania says
I’d love to win dinner at Creo – and be able to pass it along to my parents who live in the region so they could have a nice treat on Valentine’s Day : )
Sara says
My fiance and I would love to win this giveaway! We are newly engaged and are trying to save for our wedding, so we never, ever get to go on dates. In fact, this Valentine’s Day we’re doing nothing to save up the money we would usually spend. We would be super excited to win this!
TheBloggersBrother says
YES PLEASE I WOULD LOVE THIS SO I DONT HAVE TO MAKE A RESERVATION ANYWHERE FOR VALENTINES DAY….THIS WOULD BE SUPER…YOURE THE BEST SISTER EVER….HOOK A BROTHER UP!!!!!!!!
Erica @ For the Sake of Cake says
This looks like such a fantastic meal! If only I lived in upstate NY! ;-)
My husband & I had a meal similar to this not that long ago. It was fun to try some new, out-of-the-box food!
Veronica says
I would love to try this Valentine’s menu! I have never been to Creo, but always wanted to! And, my husband and I are in SERIOUS need of a date night!
CC says
I would love to win because I’ve lived in Albany all my life and never tried Creo!!! I hope I win :)
car says
i love love love creo! i would be so thrilled to get to enjoy this meal w/ my boyfriend. very jealous of your experience!
Patty says
Ive never been to Creo and would love to be able to go out to dinner w/ my boyfriend for Valentines day. We’ve been dating for a couple years now and have been hit with numerous financial hardships. I work multiple jobs to keep a float; He found a great job this past fall after being unemployed for quite a while but the other week we found out that he is getting laid off in March. With my work schedule and our living situations we don’t get to spend much time together, just the 2 of us. It would be great for us to be able to go out for one stress free night and enjoy each others company over a fantastic meal.
Lindsay @ Fuel My Family says
its 430, I was getting a little hungry but now after reading this post I am starving! Everything looked AMAZING!
mom#to#three says
Would LOVE to go for dinner on Valentine’s day ~ thank you for the opportunity!
michelle kim says
What an incredible looking meal! The halibut looks awesome!
Mary says
Hi! I have been to Creo once and it was soooo delicious!! I would love to go to dinner there on Valentine’s Day. If I win, I will be brave and ask a guy to dinner!
Em says
This would be the perfect opportunity for us to celebrate our recent engagement. We got engaged on January 2 (your anniversary) and still haven’t been out to celebrate. We are paying for our own wedding so we are trying to save every penny we can. Not only would this be an awesome celebration dinner but a great opportunity for us to try Creo!
Stellina @ My Yogurt Addiction says
Holy YUM, that dessert!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I lived in your area so that I could be part of the giveaway! BOOOO :(
Madison says
I would loveeeee to win this because my fiance and I just purchased a house and our dog is having eye surgery to fix a scratched cornea on Monday ( YES, they have dog eye doctor’s believe it or not) so going out to eat for a romantic dinner is pretty much out of the question due to monetary reasons. I would love to win this so we could go out for 1 night and focus on amazing food and each other :) !
Catherine says
i would love to win this four course meal because then i could take my mom out on valentines day!!
Cassie says
I love creo! And it’d be a great place to go in case my honey forgets to make reservations! ;)
Erin says
Creo’s food is amazing! I would love a Valentine’s dinner out. I am getting married in about a month and of course we are saving every penny we have for that! It would be so nice to have a romantic Valentine’s dinner with my soon to be husband :)
Amy says
Creo food is so delist. I’d love to win to take my wonderful husband on a date. We’ve really been trying to save and dinners out have been sacrificed. We both love creo and it would be yum.
Amy says
Delish damn u autocorrect
Xzania says
I love the ideas you have here and for me, they are really awesome!
Laura says
Mumm is my absolute favorite champagne! I am a former Napa Valley Resident and I now live in the Albany area as well and it makes my heart so happy to know that Creo carries it! They have a red champagne that is called Cuvee M Red that is absolutely delish – if you ever have a chance to try it – you will not be disappointed! I know that the Wine Bar on Lark carries some of their stuff as well!
Heather T says
I would loveeeeeee to win a 4 course Valentine’s dinner!! It would give me and the hubby a wonderful opportunity for a date night, considering we’ve only had one since the baby was born (on our anniversary).
colleen laquay urbaniuk says
holy cow those portions are incredible!!! those shrimp were huge! (and i’m with jay, anything beyond bite size isn’t usually something i want to try). the chocolate cake w/ sorbet has to be my fave. i mean, who can pass up homemade anything? not me. ask my thighs, cause that’s where it usually hangs out with his friends.
Lynn says
Awww shoot!! I wanted to reply to this sooner and I forgot to… Oh well, here goes anyhow!
Creo = YUM!! My husband and I have only been there once, for New Year’s Eve last year, and it was SOOOO deliciously fantastic! I ordered an amazing pesto risotto with asparagus and shrimp (I think), and oh. my. word. it was lip-smackin’ GOOD! My husband and I don’t get out for dinner very often, and when we do, it’s usually the likes of Panera or Chipotle (no complaints on that though). I would **L.O.V.E.** to win a Valentine’s Day dinner so that my husband and I actually celebrate the holiday of lurrrvveee… Otherwise, well, it’s the couch for us.
I can’t say we’d be more worthy than anyone else here, but it sure would be sweet. Truth be told, I’m pretty lucky in love with my husband… together for 8 1/2 wonderful years. I wish the same happiness upon everyone else who commented!! HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!! :)
Kristen @ notsodomesticated says
Don’t pick me because I’m not local haha! ;) But I had to comment that the dinner looked amazing!! But I think I would have gone straight for that dessert!
Laurel says
After spending the past few months job hunting, we are finally moving to Albany in a few weeks! A four course meal and a really big glass of champagne sounds like the perfect way to relax and celebrate! Woohoo!
Jenn says
Yum! I’m a bit jealous I’m not any closer to try it out, looks delish!
Lindsey says
My boyfriend and I were set up by mutual friends a year and a half ago and our first meet up was actually for happy hour at Creo. Would be so fun to go for a Valentine’s Day treat!
Laura@mypurposefullife says
That meal looks SO good! It’s so fun sometimes to just go balls to the wall and have champagne and multiple courses. :) That cake makes me want to drive Upstate to go to Creo’ tonight!
Danielle says
I’d love to win this for my parents since they never do anything special on Valentine’s day and deserve to go out! I’m currently in Australia so although I can’t go I know for sure they would love to go to Creo! Have you tried Creo’s pizzas? Amazing!!
Katie@RunBakeFun says
Holy Shrimp! What an awesome display of deliciousness! Wish I could take advantage of their offer and enter your giveaway..it’d be a bit far though, seeing as that I’m all the way across the atlantic! Good Luck to all the lucky ones living in NY! :D
Maggie says
I would love to win the four-course dinner because my husband and I have a four month old baby, so we don’t get many chances to go out for a nice dinner. Plus, my birthday is coming up next week!!
Caroline says
I would love to win a Valentine’s Dinner because between my 2 jobs, my hubby’s full-time job and full-time school schedule, we just don’t get to spend a lot of time together! I would absolutely love to enjoy a long, indulgent V-Day dinner with him so we can relax and spend some quality time together :)
christy says
My husbands birthday is February 9th so we often don’t do much for valentine’s day (to save money)… we have never been to Creo but heard great things! This would be a nice way to celebrate valentine’s day while still being able to celebrate his birthday too!
Becky says
A Creo dinner would be the perfect kick-off to what we’re hoping to be the best year yet! We were wondering how/when/where we’d be able to do Valentine’s Day this year (both because of time and money), and this would be an amazing treat! (Not to mention the fact that all of the photos you posted above will keep me drooling for days: what an amazing spread!) I’d love to be able to surprise my husband with a Valentine’s Day dinner this year. I think most of us girls see Valentine’s Day as the girl’s day. But, sometimes, Valentine’s Day plans should be up to the ladies: our guys need to know just how much we love and appreciate them too. Thanks for the great review!
Sabinna says
Valentine’s Day is really near and a lot of couples are planning how and where to have the date…
Arimey says
It’s the hubby and my first Valentine’s Day as a married couple, so this dinner would be perfect! We’ve been trying to plan something special, but weren’t sure what to do. He’s been extremely busy with work lately, traveling and putting in long hours, so it’d be really nice to have the time to enjoy what’s sure to be an amazing meal and reconnect.
Sandy says
I truly enjoy dining in your establishment. Food is always delicious and statisfying!!! Woould love to join you for Valentines day and treat my husband to your truly wonderful dining. After all, Valentines Day is for LOVE!!!!!
Janelle says
First off I LOVE Creo! I’d like to win this because being a single Mom I haven’t had a nice Valentine’s Day meal in ohhhh 9 years I’d say. I’ve always somehow found myself single during this holiday. I’m a big fan of spoiling myself but with a high maintenance pre teen to spoil I definately take the back burner. This would be an awesome treat!
Jennifer says
I love, love, love creo. My husband and I ate at creo on our first night ever in albany, when we came from out of state for a job interview. The restaurant sold us on moving to the area. Now it is our go-to date spot. What would be more perfect for valentine’s day!
Adam Potash says
I used to work at Creo when I was a student at SUNY Albany. Everything at Creo has always been beyond perfection. The service it excellent, the food is excellent and it didn’t matter if I was working or coming into eat I always had a fantastic time. I moved back to Long Island after I graduated but I still talk with my girlfriend of 5 years how this is the first year we wont share a Creo masterpiece meal. I would really like to surprise her (and drive the 130 miles) just to have another perfect experience at Creo again.
Courtney says
I would love to win dinner at Creo! We have not been there yet, but we’ve heard awesome reviews about it. The one time I was supposed to go with work I ended up calling into work that day with the stomach bug : (
Tammy says
I would love to win the dinner at Creo b/c my husband and i could use a night out mid week!!!! and this is our 10th year anniversary :-)
Kathy says
I LOVE Creo!! Just introduced this fab place to some of my out-of-town friends and they want to come back SOON. I wish I had ordered that chocolate cake….oh, well, there’s always something to look forward to at Creo. Not only is the food and service exceptional, my significant other and I did our own martini tour of the Capital Region last year and the winner is… Creo! Perfectly made, creative cocktails sure to please! Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone!
JN says
Hi Courtney!
I would LOVE to win this because unfortunately, I will be spending Valentine’s Day working at my regular day job, and then working Valentine’s evening working the Siena game at the TU. I won’t even get to see my honey until late that night, if he’s even still awake when I get home. It would be really awesome to win this dinner. I really like Creo, I love their commitment to using fresh, local and/or sustainable ingredients, and I really would love to try their Valentine’s Dinner. That cake looks phenomenal! :)
Thanks!
Sam says
I would love to win a 4 course dinner because… we’re trying to save all of our money for our wedding! I’ve never been to Creo and would love to give it a try. I’ve been intrigued by their mix of cuisines. Also, that sea bass looks to die for. Oh yeah… and I’ve been starving myself for work’s “Chunk-off-athon” and this could be my first real meal in 2 months :) Yum.
Annie says
This would be such a treat to win. Money is very tight as we continue to plan for our wedding in July and my fiance is currently out of work. We were hoping to go out for Valentine’s Day combined with 1 month of not smoking for my fiance, but after really looking at our budget a quiet dinner at home is more likely.
Ashley says
My fiance and I don’t normally do anything big for Valentine’s Day and keep it romantic and simple, but this would really make it special for us this year! I’ve been to Creo a handful of times and always really enjoy their menu selections, the food is consistently fantastic! Having a delicious four course meal at Creo would be a special treat that is never in our budget normally!
P.S. I clicked on the coupon link and I think it’s broken. :-(
Courtney says
It should be fixed now…thanks for the heads up!
barry simon says
I was born 2/14/1954. My birthday usually can’t be celebrated at a restaurant because of how busy all the (2) two tops etc. I am trying Creo on Valentines day with my wife and love of my life Nancy. I would not be on this planet were it not for her saving my life 13 years ago. I had a heart attack, gall bladder removal and a brain tumor removed all within 9 months of each other. She taught me to appreciate every day and as of the last few years we are socially active because of me. I was the one that no one wanted to be near. Now we have alot of friends and I am very active in our community helping to put a smile into every one I meet.
Danielle says
That looks like a wonderful meal!!! I would love to win this. This is my first V-day as a married lady and it would be great to celebrate in style! :)
Emily says
Congrats to the winner although she didn’t really answer the question!! (Kristi Gustafson wouldn’t have allowed that) :)
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