Date Night Review - STAKE Coronado
Looking for a delicious, yet reasonable, date night for two? We definitely suggest taking a drive over the bridge to Coronado for a beautiful spot on the main drive - Stake Chophouse & Bar!
Written by Ashley Dunn
The Filet Mignon
The Deal - $59.99 Date Night
Stake is a modern steakhouse with a contemporary setting in downtown Coronado. They offer a full menu, with a fabulous array of cocktails and wine. Along with the full menu, Stake also offers a special date night deal - $59 per person, 3 courses. We decided to indulge in the Date Night for Two, which we paired with wine (for an extra $49 per person)!
The menu offered 3 choices for both the appetizers and main course, along with two delicious options for desert. There's also an option to add a lobster tail to your main course for $25 extra and you can order a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Rosé for $99 (regular price $130).
We were lucky enough to try EVERYTHING, which I review below.
If you choose to opt in for the wine pairing, each course also comes with a perfectly paired glass of wine. We definitely suggest it, if you’re interested, as their wine selection is magnificent!
As a reminder, this special is only available Sunday to Thursday and dinner starts at 5pm! The promotion will run until 6/17.
The Atmposhere
Coronado is one of my favorite places in San Diego — there’s really not a bad view in the city.
We were sat on the roof top patio, facing the main strip of Downtown Coronado. We watched the cars and tourists go by, felt the brisk ocean breeze, and enjoyed the sun rays as the sun started to go down.
Stake is in a great spot - if you’re looking to impress a date, we definitely recommend taking a walk on over to Hotel Del or wander over to the beach for a few.
The location itself was very modern and clean - the service matched the atmosphere too. Our waiter was wonderful! He even laughed at my corny jokes, so I’m giving him a 10/10!
First Course
Three delicious options ranging from seafood to salads! All classic steakhouse fares!
Wedge Salad
One of three options, the Wedge salad, is a classic.
With Iceberg Lettuce, Point Reyes Blue, Tomato, and Bacon Lardon - this salad was a great start for those who might be a bit nervous about seafood.
The first thing I must point out, if you can’t tell from the picture, the bacon was THICK. It definitely wasn’t your typical bacon crumble! A nice change, but nothing too wild for those who love a wedge salad.
The dressing was tangy, a bit similar to a balsamic vinaigrette. It paired very well with the blue cheese and bacon. Not a traditional dressing, but it was a welcoming change to aclassic salad.
The sun-dried tomatoes were a nice touch as well, giving the dish a dash of sweetness. Overall the dish was great, definitely a must try!
Wild Mexican Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail
A small, yet big, take on a shrimp cocktail. The shrimp themselves were huge - Wild Mexican Jumbo Shrimp. With only three shrimp, I was left wanting more. However, I had to remember there were two more courses left to conquer! It was just the right amount to start off with.
The cocktail sauce definitely had a kick to it. I could taste the horseradish instantly, but it was actually really good and cut the richness of the HUGE shrimp!
This was paired with one of my favorites - Cava, a Spanish champagne. If you love bubbles, it tastes almost exactly the same as Champagne, but it’s slightly cheaper. Although Chris is a wine connoisseur, the one thing I know is that bubbles pairs perfectly with absolutely anything!
Wood Fired Oysters Rockefeller
The third option for the first course are the Wood Fired Oysters Rockefeller. We tend to order fresh oysters, but we always love a good Rockefeller every now and again (If you’re not familiar - this just means they’re cooked, and have a decadent classic topping).
These were topped with bacon, spinach, pernod, and herbs. Squeeze a bit of lemon on top, as you might with fresh oysters, and these are a great option for those who are just starting out with seafood (and are nervous to eat fresh oysters due the fishiness).
These were paired with another one of my favorites - the Brut Rose. Brut Rose is my go to, no matter where we go for dinner!
This appetizer was definitely the showstopper, and a must try for anyone! You will see why Oysters Rockefeller have been on steakhouse menus FOREVER!
Second Course
The main event! Stake’s date night menu features three options for your entree. We got all three to taste and give you our thoughts.
Filet Mignon
First up is the Prime Petite Filet Mignon. It is served with a classic accompaniment of mixed mushrooms, asparagus, and a small potato gratin topped with garlic confit. This dish is a classic all around. It’s plenty big for a majority of people. The filet was perfectly cooked, as you can see, with a nice sear on top. It was the perfect contrast of textures, from the crisp crust to the buttery smooth interior.
The mixed mushrooms were fantastic as well - a variety of types from cremini, maitiake, trumpet and more! They were a welcome side dish to the steak. The grilled asparagus came as two giant spears perched atop the steak. They were well cooked and I have no complaints. The potato gratin was probably my favorite bite of the side dishes. For those who are not familiar with potato gratin - it’s a layered potato dish consisting of thinly sliced potatoes stacked on top of each other, with butter and cream intermingled. It is then baked to a nice crisp and sliced. It was topped with a slow cooked garlic clove for even more flavor. This was a delicious bite for sure!
Halibut
Halibut! A flatfish commonly found in the icy cold beautiful ocean waters of Alaska. For those that have not had Halibut before - it is very mild, with very little “fishy” flavor.
This is a great entrée to spice things up. Steaks are always a good choice, but can occasionally be too heavy for a dinner. This entree is definitely on the lighter side, with its delicate filet, fresh vegetables, and perfectly smooth cauliflower mousse.
The halibut was cooked perfectly and had a nice crust on the exterior, offering a little crunch followed by the velvety smooth interior. The dish was served with cauliflower, asparagus, maitake mushrooms, and green garlic. Garnished with pea trendels (baby pea plants), this dish was springy and delicious. Definitely a must try!
Eye of Ribeye
Eye of Ribeye! A twist on a classic steakhouse cut, The Ribeye. This cut is the center of the ribeye, so it leans more to a 7oz-ish cut, as opposed to its larger traditional cut of 12-16oz. This is definitely a lot more of a manageable size. Although I do tend to order a Ribeye at most steakhouses, they often are too large and I usually do not finish, or I overeat. Either way, it’s is not an ideal situation. So I was very excited to see this slimmed down cut on the date night menu! It gives me that juicy, slightly fatty, bite that I love about Ribeye’s… but in a much more petite size!
The steak was very well prepared with a very nice crusty caramelization on top, definitely a showstopper!
It was accompanied with the same side dishes as the Filet. See our review of those side dishes below.
“The mixed mushrooms were fantastic as well - a variety of types from cremini, maitiake, trumpet and more! They were a welcome side dish to the steak. The grilled asparagus came as two giant spears perched atop the steak. They were well cooked and I have no complaints. The potato gratin was probably my favorite bite of the side dishes. For those who are not familiar with potato gratin - it’s a layered potato dish consisting of thinly sliced potatoes stacked on top of each other, with butter and cream intermingled. It is then baked to a nice crisp and sliced. It was topped with a slow cooked garlic clove for even more flavor. This was a delicious bite for sure!”
Dessert Time
Finally, the best for last - DESSERT!
By this course, we were pretty full. So Stake sets it up perfectly by making the final course shareable!
There are two options for dessert - something for the chocolate lovers and something for the fruit lovers.
I, the chocolate lover, fell hard for the Stake Chocolate Cake - with cocoa nibs, chocolate sauce, and whipped creme fraiche. With every bite, I highly recommend adding a bit of the whipped creme fraiche. It reminded me of cannoli filling and paired perfectly with the moist chocolate cake!
We also tried the Taste of Local Strawberry - which essentially included several different variations of strawberries! Strawberry mousse, strawberry compote, fresh strawberries, Valrhona strawberry chocolate crumble, key lime creme, and finally a vanilla sponge cake. It sounds like a lot, but it was the perfect size and everything came together beautifully.
These were both paired with a sweet wine - a red for the chocolate and a white for the strawberry.
Summary
Overall Review: 9.2/10
With great views, perfect location, and delicious food - we highly recommend Stake for a fun little date night!
Food Review: 9/10
Everything on the date night menu was delicious, we hope to come back to explore the full menu as well!
Wine Review: 9.5/10
All very delicious! Stake has received several awards for their amazing wine selection. Whether you stick to the date night pairings or explore the glass/bottle list, you can’t go wrong!
Atmosphere 9/10
Stake is located in the heart of Coronado, with the patio having wonderful 360 views of downtown. Very modern and clean, with great service, Stake is a great spot for dinner.
Visit Stake Chophouse
Call for Reservations: 619-522-0077