The Steakhouse is an all American institution. Great food and wine in elegant surroundings and Cole’s Chop House delivers on all those fronts. Based in historic downtown Napa, California it has been garnering awards since its opening in March 2000.

The setting couldn’t be better - a stroll through the town centre brings you to the restaurant with an outdoor seating area that leads straight into the main building. A stunning bar area for pre dinner cocktails leads into the main dining room with a mezzanine overhead.

Impeccably laid tables greet you as you take your seat for dinner. We started with the signature cocktail, a Red Pear. Pear infused vodka with pomegranate and lime. Absolutely delicious! (So good in fact - we had another later!)

The appetizers soon followed, a classic Caesar salad which was pronounced the best ever tasted. Made with anchovy and garlic dressing, the lettuce was crisp and the sauce didn’t drown the salad which many restaurants are prone to doing. The grilled Mexican white Prawn Cocktail is a Cole’s signature dish. Huge grilled prawns on a fantastic homemade sauce with a bed of tangy vegetables, a great way to start a meal.

As we waited for our entree’s to arrive the friendly and very knowledgeable staff kept the wine flowing and our water topped up. The wine list is Napa Valley orientated which considering the quality of wines on their doorstep is hardly surprising. Cabernets, Chardonnay, Merlot and Zinfandels all marry with your dining choices.

On to the main course, a 21 day Chicago “dry-aged” New York steak for myself had me salivating at the table. The dry aging process produces a meat that is incredibly tender and this was cooked to perfection. Seasoned well with a beautifully charred exterior, if only the UK could produce steak this good. I barely needed a knife to cut through the fantastic flesh, it was that tender. How do you describe meat this good? Succulent, buttery the superlatives could go on but I digress. The other main was a Filet Mignon with Alaskan King Crab meat again served to perfection with an accompanying side order of grilled asparagus. A word of warning if you choose the baked potato they are the size of a football (or should that be soccer ball?). Big enough to share if you are used to British portions!

We chose to end the meal by sharing a Bananas Foster, one of my all time favourite desserts. This didn’t disappoint. Brought flambéed to the table, allowing you to ladle the alcohol over the ice cream and caramelising the bananas. A great end to a great dinner.

The care taken over this menu is evident in all the courses served. Chef de Cuisine Jesus Mendez has produced superb seasonal fare coupled with quality ingredients. Cole’s Chop House isn’t just a tourist destination, the locals eat here too. That is always a good sign. It has won numerous accolades including “Best Steakhouse in the Bay Area”. I can follow that up with “Best steak I’ve tasted”. Pay homage to Cole’s Chop House - as a meat eater it is your duty!

Visit their website http://www.coleschophouse.com/and our thanks to Beth Fairbairn.

Also, get the recipe for the fabulous Red Pear Cocktail here: http://www.coupleswithoutkids.co.uk/red-pear-cocktail.html

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