After a rave review from a friend, I had high hopes for NW Chophouse & Wine Bar in Newburgh, and it did not disappoint.

NWChop1
NW Chophouse & Wine Bar via Facebook
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I have been transformed me into a bit of a food snob. I now want the total package when I go out to eat - great food, relaxing atmosphere, awesome service. More often than not, it seems as though if the food is decent somewhere, the ambiance is off, or maybe the food is great but the service is terrible. The list goes on. It has become such a cycle of failed attempts at a nice dinner out, that I was about to just give up. Then my friend Alex told me about a recent trip to NW Chophouse & Wine Bar in Newburgh. After a little research of their menu online and a trip to their Facebook page, I decided that I would try it out. Having so many bad dining experiences lately, I was nervous, but NW Chophouse did not disappoint.

When I walked in, everything was fabulous - from the warmth of the walnut floors to the cool gray color of the walls to the pop of the red accent wall decorated with black & white artwork. The overall feel was comfortable and inviting. I was greeted by a friendly staff and seated comfortably at a small booth, just the right size. Since it was my first time there, I poured over the menu, taking in all of the options, but ultimately ordered one of the nightly specials - a perfectly aged, grass-fed, hormone-free, bone-in filet mignon with a side & a salad. Other options included fresh fish that is flown in daily. My fabulous waiter, Jeremy, brought out some of the most amazing fresh baked bread that I have ever had the pleasure of eating. They were a semi-sweet roll with a sprinkle of what I believe was basil on top. I could have eaten them all night long!

I won't lie, when Jeremy brought out my salad I was a little taken back by the simplicity of it - iceberg lettuce, 2 large croutons, a hefty sprinkle of white cheese and of course dressing of choice. Let me tell you, simplicity be damned, because this was the most amazing salad I have ever eaten. Whatever type of  cheese was sprinkled on my lettuce made it dance in my mouth, and the croutons, homemade. They tastes as though they were made from a corn-dog batter. They had a subtle sweetness to them. You could really tell that there was a great deal of care that went in to making my "simple salad." If there was one thing I would have had different, I would have liked to have seen a cherry tomato or two on there, but that's in part because I really like tomatoes. All I can tell you is that I ate every last piece of lettuce and cheese on my plate.

NWChop2
The Bone-in Filet / NW Chophouse & Wine Bar via Facebook
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Next up was the bone-in filet, ordered medium with herb & cheese polenta. I will admit, I rarely will order a steak in public. Typically restaurants deliver them to me over or under prepared or so tough and difficult to cut, that I worry that I may inadvertently send the whole plate flying across the room in a vain attempt at cutting it. Not so at NW Chophouse! Let me go ahead and tell you that not only was my filet perfectly prepared at a medium temperature, but it was so incredibly tender that I could have cut it without a knife. Yes, really. It was that tender. The flavor was amazing as well. The polenta was delicious. Without a doubt, this was the most impressed that I have ever been with an entree in a restaurant in the Evansville area. Of course dessert is always a must!

Jeremy walked me through the dessert selections for the evening that included a chocolate lava cake, tiramisu and what I decided to order, a baked apple cheesecake. Outstanding! It was a nice size serving of cheesecake, much larger than most places serve, and was topped with freshly baked apple slices. The entire dish was drizzled in some kind of apple-cinnamon sauce that was out of this world. I didn't want to stop eating. I actually considered ordering another one to take home with me.

NW Chophouse & Wine Bar is the dining experience that I have been looking for. In a single word - spectacular! All the expectations of an enjoyable dining experience were not only met, but far exceeded. This is definitely a must try restaurant. I will warn you that it is a little more expensive than your average chain steak house, but you are paying for a much higher quality product and experience. In my opinion, it was well worth the slightly higher price tag. If you are tired of the let-down of dining out, I highly recommend a visit to NW Chophouse & Wine Bar. This is the new standard.

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