THERE is one very good reason why you would be well advised to book a table in advance at Sam?s Steakhouse.

The restaurant, which is just off the reception area of the Holiday Inn in Patong, sells the best steak on the island, and it is booked out almost every night.

This intimate, but regal and elegant, restaurant has been serving up prime US and Australian steaks for quite a while, and their customers keep on coming back for more.

But it?s not just for the steaks.

The eatery has a varied menu to suit any palate as well as an extensive wine list.

Matthias Jaeckel is responsible for all of the food in the Holiday Inn and, as you would expect, he knows his stuff.

The classic Caesar salad, (315 baht) which is prepared at your table, caught my eye for starters but with a prime US steak to look forward to, I passed on the starter.

The bread basket included four different types of bread, all cooked in-house and accompanied by three types of butter.

A small glass of pineapple and caraway sorbet came as an entr?e, and it was a delicious opener.

Selecting the wine was more difficult because there are more than 160 wines to choose from.

In the end I went with Mathias?s recommendation and had the Chilean Anakena, Central Valley 2007 white (280B per glass).

The Chilean Anakena is a Sauvignon Blanc which is crisp, had no discernable pinch and was full of fruit and herbs.

It?s a long tasting wine which gives you the luxury of either drinking it alone or allowing it to complement the food.

I also tried the Anakena Rapel Valley Red (280 Baht), which is a Cabernet Sauvignon mix and it was rich and complex, with rounded tannins and a very long finish.

The list of steaks is very impressive, and the beef is all grain fed certified Angus beef.

You can get a 300g Australian rib eye or a 200g US prime tenderloin (both 1480 Baht).

I opted for the tenderloin, which came with steakhouse fries and spinach with garlic.

The steak took a while to cook, but it was worth the wait.

It arrived perfectly cooked and tender with a light texture and chock full of taste.

The spinach was ever so slightly tinged with garlic, but completely unobtrusive.

It was buttery, not acidic at all and heavenly on the tongue.

I ordered the B?arnaise sauce, which was exactly as it should be, but I was also given a small offering of mushroom and pepper sauce and a large collection of mustards to choose from.

All of the vegetables are produced locally wherever possible, which is in line with the Holiday Inn?s community strategy.

I followed up with the tropical fruit cheesecake (220 baht), which included fruit on every layer.

Glace cherries and two chocolate swirls were cooked into the biscuit base, and the collection of tastes and textures was delicious.

The cheesecake was followed by complimentary After Eight ice cream balls covered in chocolate and served in a bowl of dry ice and water.

Although it is a steakhouse, vegetarians are also catered for, and the menu is changed regularly, as are the specials, which are listed inside the menu.

The service, as you would expect, was faultless and gracious.

But be warned, the food is subject to a 10 per cent service charge and 7 per cent tax, but Phuket residents can get an automatic 20 per cent discount card by calling the Hotel on 076 340 608/9 or by emailing holiday@phuket.ksc.co.th