On Newport's waterfront, rubbing shoulders with other fine dining restaurants and nestled among the shops built on the historic Bowen's Wharf, 22 Bowen's Wine Bar and Grille serves prime beef and seafood in an elegant atmosphere.

During the summer, 22 Bowen's features a raw bar, but year around they specalize in the finest cuts of prime beef. Their steaks range from the 8 ounce petite filet mignon up to a huge 44 ounce double porterhouse steak, but no matter what steak you choose, you can expect it to be tender and flavorful because ony 2% of the beef grown in the US is good enough to be rated prime, with the distinct marbling that gives the beef its tenderness, color, and rich flavor.

But not only beef; lamb, swordfish, lobster, chicken, and shrimp all have a place on 22 Bowen's menu.

I recently enjoyed 22 Bowen's hospitality, dining on one of their house specialties -- grilled filet mignon, sliced thin in a wild mushroom demi glace, lying at the foot of peak of mashed potatoes made with Maytag blue cheese and roasted shallots.

During dinner, I watched executive chef Brian Mansfield and his staff in the open kitchen grilling steaks and preparing dishes, making me realize that this is a restaurant where the food is taken very seriously. In fact, there are at least eight Johnson and Wales graduates working for 22 Bowen's, including the dining room manager, both executive chefs, and even the hostess.

Before my entree, for an appetizer, I enjoyed fried black bean ravioli with a spicy salsa and "spiked" sour cream drizzled across the crusty squares. But my eyes kept drifting toward the towers of thick-cut onion rings that the busy waitstaff carried out past my table. Those onion rings are Cajun seasoned and served with a horseradish cream sauce. As much as I loved the ravioli, next time I visit, I'll try the onion rings out of food envy.

My salad was made of baby spinach, Crimini mushrooms, sweet red onions, chopped eggs, and touched with a warm sherry dressing with bits of pancetta ham. Wonderful.

The atmosphere, as busy as the kitchen sounds, was dark-wood-white-tablecloth elegant, with a waitstaff that provided the kind of first class service you would insist upon at an upscale restaurant.

And the customers were clearly happy. The wine bar was full of patrons enjoying some of the restaurnt's 250 different wines, and every table in the dining room was occupied, upstairs and down, so reservations are highly recommended. On weekends, 22 Bowen's serves over 550 meals a day.

My desert was creme du lait, a sweet custard with an even sweeter crust of carmalized sugar, garnished with a sprig of mint. A marvelous ending to a marvelous meal.

22 Bowen's has our highest recommendation for anyone looking for a fine dining experience in Newport, particularly if the words "fine dining" and "prime beef" always go together in your vocabularly.

You'll find 22 Bowen's at the former location of the Chart House, at the bay end of Bowen's Wharf, America's Cup Avenue, Newport. Their website is at www.22bowens.com where you can find their hours of operation, menus, and even recipes of some of their favorite dishes. Call them at (401) 841-8884

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About the author, Paul Pence: Not a life-long Rhode Islander, Paul got to Rhode Island as fast as he could. He has 25 years of writing experience and numerous publication credits including the Providence Journal, the East Greenwich Magazine, Weissmann Travel Reports, Travel Lady Magazine, Jackhammer, Your Skin and Sun, TravelNotes, TexWoman, and many others.

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