Staunton is rocking!
Once a sleepy little valley town known primarily as the birthplace of Woodrow
Wilson, Staunton is spreading its wings and bringing in art, fine restaurants,
and lots of tourists. One restaurant, the Chop House Tavern, makes the 45-minute
drive to Staunton well worthwhile.
Our daughter, Laura, treated us to a dinner there in celebration of Nancy’s birthday, and what a dinner it was.
Located in the heart of Downtown Staunton, the Chop House is not a good steak house, it’s a great steak house. It’s a farm to table concept featuring the very finest cuts of meat along with some exciting seafood entrees. Plus, Chef Ryan Zale creates scrumptious sauces to bring out the flavors in every dish.It’s a smallish restaurant, maybe 15 tables and reservation are essential. We arrived for our 5:30 seating and explored their extensive menu. As an appetizer. I went with Tavern Crab Dip featuring fresh lump crab meat, cream cheese, and grilled bread. It was phenomenal – as good as it gets if you’re a crab fan. The girls had Fried Oysters in Cornmeal on Pickles with a Buttermilk Remoulade. Their salads were crisp and simply perfect, and a bowl of Orange Cream-cycle House-Made Ice Cream sealed the deal. Their service, by the way, was exceptional.
Other interesting dishes that caught my eye for future visits include one of their specialties, a Korean BBQ Meatloaf. Their Duck Fat Fries with House-Made Peach Ketchup will be included on my next order, and maybe the 16-ounce Ribeye. We will definitely be back.
The Chophouse Tavern is open Monday through Saturdays, serving dinner from 4 to 8:30 pm. They’re located at 29 N Augusta St. in Downtown Staunton. Call 540-712-0340 or go to info@localchops.com for reservations.
