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)

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