As one of the dining stalwarts in Raleigh, Sullivan’s Steakhouse has offered a high-end steak and seafood menu to locals for years! Located on 410 Glenwood Avenue, I was pretty excited to get the invite for their VIP Arrival of the Stone Crabs event. I haven’t been back for a visit in a while so it was good to refresh my memory on what makes Sullivan’s such a pleasant dining experience…
Inside of Sullivan’s, you’ll be immersed in a warm, clubby atmosphere with a formal dining room, classic bar and lounge along with a private room for our event. Sullivan’s draws an older, professional crowd and is usually quite busy on the weekends. The start of Florida stone crab season on October 15 means that Sullivan’s is flying in batches of these delicious crustaceans on a regular basis through mid-May. Stone crabs are one of the most sustainable seafood catches, the crab has one claw removed (minimum size of 2.75″) and then returned to the ocean to re-grow if things go right.
Our meal starts with sommelier Katie pouring us some sparkling wine and a white to complement the crab. Two large bowls of stone crab claws are brought to the table and jaws drop. Large is not the right word, try colossal! These claws are 1/2 lb. each and are a beautiful pink hue tipped with black. While crab is usually a ton of work, the size and heft of these claws means that getting the meat out is a productive act. A side of dijon-mayonnaise sauce along with cocktail sauce are paired for dipping.
The stone crab meat is sweet and tender, perfectly fresh since it was just shipped in this morning. With the contrasting sauces, it all makes for a refreshing taste of the ocean! And a rich, luscious one at that. But being that it’s Sullivan’s, Chef Robert Crawford brings out the popular cheese steak egg-rolls to the table. Perfectly crispy with a chewy skin, the beef and cheese are meltingly good and create a casual surf n turf feel to our meal.
And as the wine and crab flows, talks turn to the great oysters and desserts at Sullivan’s so voila, they show up at our table! A lovely set of oysters, cocktail shrimp and later on in the evening, a creamy creme brulee. A couple of hours in and I’m definitely ready to tap out when it come to this event and meal!
Over the course of the event, service is spot-on, timely and gracious which is what you should expect at Sullivan’s. This place consistently offers outstanding service and makes the meal an amazing dining experience on a regular basis. And while I don’t get here as often as I should, I do appreciate the magic formula that Sullivan’s delivers: well prepared classic American eats, great wine and cocktails along with superb service.
It’s worked for years here and Sullivan’s still has got it going on along with these wonderful stone crab legs. So thank you’s to Chef Robert, manager Todd along with Quinn PR for the invite to your VIP event. It was a fantastic dining experience and y’all have got seven months to enjoy these delicious crabs!
Sullivan’s Steakhouse– Arrival of Stone Crabs VIP Event
410 Glenwood Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27603
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