Recent Chicago Restaurant Visit: Sullivan's Steakhouse

I have had the privilege of doing a lot of great dining out around Chicago lately. Most recently, I joined a bunch of other Windy City Bloggers at Sullivan's Steakhouse in River North to celebrate the start of spring. We were treated to a great evening of wine tasting, mixology lessons, and of course da sampling of delicious food from the seasonal menu at Sullivan's.

Sullivan's is a classic steakhouse with a more laidback environment right in the heart of River North. The food is solid American steakhouse fare and the service is excellent.

We began the evening mingling over glasses of wine while we enjoyed a few of the signature appetizers at Sullivan's. The first was a simple and tasty tomato and mozzarella skewer. It's a combination that you cannot go wrong with and the presentation was kind of ingenious: all of the skewers were mounted in an upside down halved orange and then drizzled with balsamic reduction.

The second appetizer was a crowd favorite-- and a favorite of many bloggers who have previously dined at Sullivan's sister restaurant Del Frisco's. The cheesesteak egg rolls are the real deal: Shaved steak and melty cheese in crunchy wonton wrappers dipped in sweet & spicy chili sauce and honey mustard. I'm glad there were so many people milling around our table because I could have easily eaten several of these by myself!

We then ventured downstairs to the main bar to learn how to mix two of Sullivan's signature seasonal cocktails. The first was The Knockout, a sweet combination of clementine vodka and fresh pineapple. The second cocktail was the Summer Rose. This pretty pink drink was made of gin, cranberry juice, rose liqueur, and lime garnished with a fresh rose petal.

We also got to watch the chefs in action firing off our entrees in the open kitchen. Upstairs we got to sample several of their most popular dishes and I definitely had a few favorites.

Sullivan's may be known for their steak, but the seafood here was equally good. First up was one of the seasonal options: a broiled halibut served over lobster and sweet corn salad with a fresh citrusy vinaigrette.

 The "Hong Kong Style" sea bass was one of my favorite dishes of the nights-- and lucky for you, it's always available on the Sullivan's menu. The bass was perfectly cooked and the preparation is simple and delicious with a sweet and savory sherry-soy glaze and sauteed baby bok choy.

And when at a steakhouse, sample some steak, right? Sullivan's served up a variety of their signature steaks: Filet Mignon, boneless ribeye, and dry-aged New York strip. The steaks also arrived with a selection of Sullivan's house sauces and I was loving the rich red wine-based Bordelaise sauce. It was a perfect companion to that nicely charred steak.

Several family-style side dishes arrived for us to sample and I had some very immediate favorites. Obviously, they both involved cheese. The white cheddar au gratin potatoes were really decadent, topped with rich cheese a touch of bacon. I really loved the three cheese mac though. Big pasta shells in a creamy three cheese sauce all baked with a buttery garlic breadcrumb crust on top. This is definitely a 'must order' side dish!

After so much food, we were so happy to see a miniature selection of desserts appear on the table. It was a great way to sample a few things and not leave totally stuffed. We sampled their New York-style cheesecake, a sweet and tangy Key lime pie, and the favorite among our group: a rich, creamy, and surprisingly light peanut butter mousse. The mousse was a miniature version of the Sullivan's seasonal peanut butter pie with a black bottom crust. It was so delicious!


Editor's Note: While my meal at Sullivan's was complimentary, all opinions expressed herein are my own.