World and American cuisine collide at Cooper's Hawk

The first thing you see upon entering Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant is the Napa-style tasting room where wine club members or customers can taste and purchase their favorite wines.

You can see immediately why reservations are highly recommended for this casual yet upscale dining experience, a medium-sized chain with locations in 12 states.

When first seated, the waitress will take your drink order and offer three free tastings of a chosen wine list. A hot pretzel bread with butter is brought out before your meals arrive.

★★★★ ½

Address : 4705 Talmadge Rd., Toledo

Phone : 567-832-1111

Category : Contemporary American with world flavor infusions and a guide to a wine pairing

Menu : Pasta, risotto, burgers, sandwiches, Thai lettuce wraps, house-made meatballs, flatbreads, salads, steak, chops, desserts, vegetarian options, and Life Balance items (300-700 calories)

Hours : 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Wheelchair access : Yes.

Average Price : $$$-$$$$

Credit Cards : Most credit cards.

Website : chwinery.com/locations/toledo-oh

On our first visit on a Friday evening, we ordered their famous Over the Border Egg Rolls (19.99) made with a Southwest flavored chicken, corn, black beans, cilantro, and cheese, featuring a trio of sauces (tomatillo salsa, cilantro ranch, and a cashew dipping sauce) and accompanied by a crisp and fresh Asian slaw. The egg rolls’ spice infusion were delicious and the sauces added varied flavors — spiciness and tanginess from the tomatillo salsa, creaminess with cilantro flavor from the ranch, and sweetness from the cashew sauce. I like to mix all three. One of my favorites on the appetizer menu. My companion said they were crisp and stuffed with a flavorful filling and felt that the sauces could appeal to any palate.

For dinner, my companion ordered the parmesan-crusted mahi mahi ($32.99), served with roasted broccolini, Mary’s potatoes, crispy capers, and lemon butter. She said it was perfectly cooked, flaky, and moist. The crispy capers and a grilled lemon provided a nice tartness and salinity. While she wouldn’t typically pair a potato mash with a fish, the creaminess complemented the Mahi Mahi well.

I ordered the jambalaya ($24.99), served with chicken, shrimp, andouille sausage, onions, tomato, peppers, and white Jasmine rice. I could taste the spiciness of the andouille sausage with sauteed onions, green and red peppers with a spicy garlic tomato sauce. At first, I thought the shrimp might have been overcooked, but it was cooked perfectly and the rice helped tone down the spiciness of the dish.

For dessert we shared the Cooper’s Hawk Chocolate Cake ($11.99) made with a specialty chocolate called Valrhona, hazelnut ganache, and served with Tillamook brand vanilla bean ice cream and cream sauce, then topped with a dollop of whip cream. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. The cake was moist, creamy, and just amazing. At first it seemed like it might be a little too much, but it was light and creamy, but enough to be shared (if you wanted to share).

The second visit we went to on a Thursday evening. As an appetizer we ordered the Carne Flatbread ($15.99), similar to a flatbread pizza, topped with cheese, barbecue sauce, cilantro lime aioli, red onions, and roasted red peppers. It was fresh and tasty although the meat was a little overcooked and chewy.

My companion ordered the pretzel crusted pork chops ($32.99), served with a maple barbecue glaze and candied bacon, which she felt was a nice blend of sweet and salty.

I ordered the Country Rigatoni ($24.99) served with Italian sausage, mushrooms, chicken, roasted grape tomatoes, herbs, and a creamy tomato garlic sauce. This is one of my favorites, but I must admit that I have omitted the mushrooms (it’s a texture thing). I also like to order extra sauce on it because there’s usually leftovers and I know the noodles soak up the sauce. You can taste the garlic, onions, a sweetness that maybe comes from basil and other herbs, the tomatoes add an extra tanginess, and chicken is tender.

This time for dessert on recommendation from our waitress, we shared the carrot cake ($6). The cake was light, moist, with bits of fresh ginger, chunks of carrots, and a rich frosting, but avoided being overly sweet.

Overall, our experiences with the hostesses and waitresses were good, our food was prepared in a timely manner, the desserts, and of course the wines were exceptional. All were very helpful when we had questions. Again, definitely make reservations, but sometimes if you get there before 5 p.m. they may be able to seat you depending on the day of the week.