Sullivan’s Continues Run on Glenwood
The Triangle has been very lucky in the last couple of decades to get an onslaught of new restaurants. Several have come and gone, but many of the best have risen to the top and stood the test of time. In the 1990’s the Glenwood Avenue area (“Glenwood South”) was beginning a huge resurgence. The conversion of the industrial portion of the Pine State Creamery was the tipping point toward the revival of downtown Raleigh. One of the leaders in that conversion was
Sullivan’s Steakhouse
, which was a high-stakes bet to bring high-end steaks inside the beltline.
The restaurant’s is a typical urban steakhouse themed with a salute to old-time boxing. The dark terrazzo floor, moderate lighting, handsome stained wood walls, and century-old black and white photos establish a very masculine setting that sits well the deco style of the building’s exterior. The menu is a typical steakhouse menu, featuring nine different steak cuts, as well as some seafood options, lamb, and a few others. The entrées come with a lettuce wedge salad, but all other sides are a la carte.
Saturday was our first experience dining in one of the chain’s 19 locations. We had been to the bar to gawk at hookers several times, but had not dined there due to its extremely pricey reputation. Our experience was consistent with that reputation.
We were seated and made an immediate selection of a half-bottle of some Cab from their very nice wine selection. First we were served individual 4” diameter bread rolls that were fine, but nothing remarkable. Next, we started with Sullivan’s the famed iceberg lettuce wedge salad which lived up to its impressive reputation. The blue cheese dressing was outstanding, giving a bias of sweet not found in cheaper dressings. The salad was topped with delicious diced tomatoes. We each opted for the fresh ground pepper (until recently I assumed every nice restaurant offered pepper on their salad). What the dish lacked was some crispy bacon. While the dressing on the Raleigh Times’ version (original menu) didn’t quite compare to Sullivan’s, it did feature some delicious crispy bacon that made this one of the best salads in Raleigh.
We opted for the Mushroom Duxelles Filet and the 16oz New York Strip as our entrees. The strip was excellent, rolled in large grounds of kosher salt and pepper. I ordered the steak medium and it came out, as expected, medium-rare. The Mushroom Duxelles preparation is a finely chopped sauté that was too salty to earn the “delicious” badge, but was still good. My potato was excellent, but nothing particularly interesting. The White Cheddar Au Gratin Potatoes were very good, but a bit too heavy in bacon fat. For desert we were given a flavorless chocolate soufflé.
Our food was excellent overall. However there were disappointing aspects with the meal’s overall experience. One problem that has besieged this restaurant is the deteriorating dress code of the clientele. Sitting next to our table was a guy in a tight t-shirt, blue jeans, and flip flops, eating with his elbows all over the table. Unfortunately he was one of many meatheads in the dining room wearing what amounted to yard clothes. At first we thought we were being unfair, but then we thought about out other recent experiences in other comparable restaurants and don’t remember this problem.
Another irritation was the restroom. After washing the only option to dry my hands was a stack of tri-fold paper towels sitting in a pool of water on the counter. While this is not something that would turn me off in a fast-food joint, we are talking about the most expensive restaurant in town. At least give us a high-grade paper towel, however a linen towel is expected in a fine dining restaurant.
The service was fine, however we did have to wait about 10 minutes too long for our check. Later that week, however, we received a handwritten thank you note from our waitress. It was an outstanding touch that didn’t take much effort, but resonated well with both of us.
This was a $150 meal for two and while the food was excellent, it is a price that exceeded my experience. Sullivan’s is easily one of the best steakhouse options for us in Raleigh, however my food was somewhat forgettable, and the experience is not what it should be to qualify as one of our best overall dining options in Raleigh.
Rating: Five Stars (out of seven)
Ridgewood Proposes Sweeping Entrance Change
One of Raleigh’s oldest standing examples of sprawl is proposing a significant change to their Wade Avenue entrance.
www.abetterridgewood.org
outlines the plan, which includes
tearing town the tiny doctors offices next to Kerr Drugs
, tearing down the gas station, and (apparently) tearing down the houses that sit on the center’s entrance road.
After these buildings are removed, the center will have new sidewalks, bike racks, improved accessibility for the disabled, additional parking, and additional public art. The gas station will be replaced with a charging station for electric cars. There will be no new retail space added.
Ridgewood Shopping Center has transformed itself nicely through the years. While it did have Villa Capri and a great stereo store for a while, it also had a Winn-Dixie and the most depressing sewing store on the planet. Through the last two decades they have done an outstanding job of finding tenants that make the center unique.
Some of the plan’s choices are a little bizarre, though. While the gas station is outdated and is no longer the last chance to get gas before Durham, it still is needed in a part of town where gas stations are less common than they were 20, 30, and 40 years ago. Five years ago there were 241 billion cars on the road. Only a few hundred have been replaced by plug-in models. The McDonald’s in Cary has a pair of plug-in stations, but employees I spoke to have never seen anyone use them yet. A renovated gas station that isn’t a cookie cutter (one that houses a cool coffee shop or has drive-thru full service with grocery pickup) could be a great source of new revenue for Ridgewood.
Very small retail spaces in a safe part of Raleigh are extremely rare. Perhaps some creative thinking could be implemented to utilize the aging offices as a source of revenue, rather that just putting up a parking lot .
The additional parking spaces will be the most inconvenient ones in the whole center. People wanting to go to lower level shops like Brueggers will benefit from the spaces, but nobody seeking stores on the main strip with Whole Foods will be happy settling for a space beyond the drug store.
This plan looks like a way to spend a lot of money and get nothing in return. With a very big 3rd recession dip likely looming, Ridgewood ought to hold tight and do whatever they can to keep rents as low as possible for at least a couple of years. We are getting ready to see a big wave of retail closings in the second half of the year, and local merchants, including restaurants, will be greatly affected. This is not the time to spend tons of money trying to cutesy-up a retail center.
Hamilton Makes All-Star Starter List
Congratulations to Raleigh-native Josh Hamilton who was elected to his third MLB All-Star Team today. He is coming off a record-setting June with the most hits in a month in Texas Ranger history. The game takes place next Monday night, July 13.
Space Savers “Restructuring”
Space Savers’ website is no long taking orders, offering refunds, or accepting returns. The site carries this message:
After 20 Years in the organizational and storage business, we have concluded that we need to restructure our company. We are grateful for the loyal customers who have shopped with us over the years. At this time, we regret that we can no longer take orders, offer any refunds, or accept returns.
I was recently at their retail store in Cary and they were running a 30% off sale. Very interesting…
Lilith Fair Cancels Dates, Including Raleigh
The Lilith Fair has canceled a slew of dates across the southeast, including dates in Raleigh and Charlotte. According to the New York Times, slow ticket sales in a bad economy are to blame. Terry McBride, a Lilith founder, said, “We are in the midst of one of the most challenging summer concert seasons with many tours being canceled outright. Everyone involved with the tour would like to apologize to the fans and artists scheduled to play in these markets, and express appreciation for all the support for the festival’s return. Lilith remains the only tour of its kind, and we are confident that fans will be amazed by what each date has to offer.”
Jonas Brothers Cancel Raleigh and Charlotte
It looks like Raleigh and Charlotte are not only getting hit by the Lilith Fair cancellations. The Jonas Brothers, with Demi Lovato opening, having cancelled October dates for Raleigh in Charlotte. Their press release announces "recent changes in the Jonas Brothers schedule and the addition of several international tour markets on their upcoming Live In Concert world tour."
D.H. Hill Color Wall to Relight
The color wall art piece that can be seen through the large windows of D.H. Hill will be relit at a special event coinciding with the reopening and dedication of Hillsborough Street. The even will take place on September 25.
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