V is for Valentine’s Day, a fabulous steak night offer at Coniston Hotel’s View restaurant and also, for Value.

Set in splendid grounds in between Coniston Cold and Hellifield, this luxury venue’s main dining area is famous for its panoramic setting above rolling parkland – there’s a clue in the name. But after dark, it’s still a wonderful place for an intimate dining experience.

Now, that may sound odd given that the chimney from its central roaring log fire must rise 10metres to the sweeping roof, but all that space means comfortable room between tables and no risk of private conversations being interrupted or overheard. Perfect for romantic whispering.

And so to the meat of the matter… the top kitchen team have created four special steak platters for sirloin, ribeye, fillet and flat iron cuts all sourced from the starry beef cattle of Lee Gate Farm, Malham. The starters are full of beefy goodness too. I began with sous vide fillet in smoked bone marrow, mixed herbs, crispy beef tendon and roast garlic emulsion. Now, that’s a lot happening on a small plate – but the tastes were distinct and huge. The tender fillet noisette could have been a death row last mouthful and I was tempted to just stop after that and leave the room.

However, supported by a beautifully blackcurranty Rioja, it was back to the fray and, father forgive me, more fillet. As part of the Valentine’s menu, this 6oz beauty is offered with torched foie gras, fondant potato, wilted baby leaf spinach and a celeriac and red wine reduction, or the option of real chips, supersweet baby toms, leaf salad and sautéed mushrooms.

My tastebuds having been dazzled by the starter – I went for the latter options (which I now sort of regret, due to raw desire). Naturally, less ornate in flavour than the entrée, it was equally as delicious thanks to the outstanding flavour of the  perfectly cooked steak. One downward slice and the knife hit the plate, it was that meltingly tender. I had it rare, but if you wished for blue, I’m sure they’d oblige (note to self for next time).

If steak be the food of love, then chocolate is the pudding and so it was onto a dreamy chocolate brownie with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. Gorgeous and chocolate, plus chocolate, plus ice cream equals a very contented degree of wellbeing on a wet February night. On that note, I began with the Value word, and do note that two steak dinners does come with a bottle of house wine. Coniston Hotel is a very nice “house” and I imagine its wine is too. An exceptional night and my only buyer’s remorse is not having gone for the fillet with foie gras option. Next time.

Coniston Hotel's Valentine's Steak Night runs from today (February 12) until Sunday. 6pm to 9pm.