18 Seaboard....My Anniversary Dinner Review (Raleigh: appointed, college, restaurants)

[Streamer1212]

My wife and I celebrated our 19th anniversary at 18 Seaborad last night, and as promised, here's my take:

We arrived for our 8:30 reservation and were greeted cordially and taken to our table promptly. The menu was inspired by traditional Southern fare, but with creative tweaks that made me think, "Well, that sounds interesting", and "Why didn't I think of that?". I do all the cooking at my house, and I noted a few of the dishes thinking "I could make that."

We shared an appetizer plate of fresh chorizo and fried pickle chips. The sausage was made in-house and was properly coarse and incredibly flavorful. I could've eaten it as my meal! The pickle chips were crisp and tangy, nothing like the soggy tavern fare touted around the Triangle. There was coarse brown mustard for the sausage and a buttermilk sauce for the pickle chips, and I tasted both, which were delicious. But the sausage and chips were so good by themselves that, after sampling the sauces, I set them aside and enjoyed the flavors of the dish itself.

We had a salad of simple field greens with pine nuts and crisp apples dressed with a perfect Basil Balsamic vinaigrette which was served with a basket of fresh warm bread. Basic, but terrific salad.

My wife ordered the wood-fire roasted chicken accompanied by fingerling potatoes and sauteed spinach with a sherry reduction. The word "savory" was coined to describe this dish. Aromatic, tender, moist chicken, well supported by the spinach and potatoes. The reduction was full of flavor without overpowering the roasty mellowness of the chicken. My wife "mmmmm'ed" with almost every bite.

I had a beautiful, well-marbled Blackened Ribeye with a very nice sauce served on the side. The ribeye was done to a perfect medium rare, and the Bleu Cheese Balsamic Glaze sauce was rich and flavorful.

Even the side dishes were incredible. I had Goat Cheese Smashed Red Potatoes and sauteed greens with bacon. I also sampled the Old Mill Cheddar Grits, which were smooth and creamy and cheesy without being gummy.

The Riesling that my wife had was a nice one, and not too sweet, which is an indicator of a quality Riesling. I finished my meal with a rich cup of dark roast coffee properly brewed.

The dessert menu looked fabulous, but we were too stuffed to oredr one. Nonetheless, our server, April, brought us a Pecan Pie Creme Brulee which was perfectly crusted, light-textured, firm custard, glazed pecans.......As the kids text today, "OMG!". It was delicious. As a special treat, the chef had written "Happy Anniversary" on the serving plate in chocolate ganache, which tickled my wife to death. I know that's not a big deal, but it was that extra effort to which they went to make our meal memorable.

And indeed it was.

All in all, Chef/Proprietor Jason Smith provided us with a fabulous meal in a well designed, comfortable, and friendly setting. It was served by a trained and knowledgeable server who knew the difference between hovering and attentive. The celebration of our very happy 19 year anniversary was exactly that: a celebration of marriage, fun, food and service that we will not soon forget. The whole evening cost us $76.00, not including the tip. We did not have a bottle of wine, but their wine list is substantial and well selected.

I've run out of superlatives. Please go and enjoy a meal with Jason and his staff.

18 Seaboard is just off of Peace St., near the Peace College campus.

Go. Now.

Regards,
Streamer1212

[CYB]

I will second that glowing review. My wife and I have been there several times. It is by far our favorite restaurant.

What impresses me the most is there hasn't been a letdown. I've really liked my first experience at alot of different places, only to be disappointed at subsequent visits. None of that at 18 Seaboard.

[RaleighLass]

So good to hear you had a fabulous meal at Seaboard! I love that place! Jason and his staff are superb at what they do. I've used the place for business lunches, my guests were always very impressed with the quality of food and service. It's also a great place to go for drinks and hors d'oeuvres. I usually go with my girlfriends, we always have a great experience and can chat without the distraction of loud music. It's one of Raleigh's hidden gems

[playnice]

We dined there for our anniversary last year and also thoroughly enjoyed it. I remember that we both kept commenting throughout the meal that we absolutely have to go back and sample more fare. Sadly, we have not made it thus far but now that you remind me......

[des1rees]

I agree with the reviews for 18 Seaboard. This is one of my favorite restaurants - go there for lunch often since it is near my work. Great food, consistently superior, good service, and I think Jason's constant presence at the restaurant maintains its high standards. Strongly recommend it for anyone...

[GucciLittlePiggie]

ive been there twice, and both times thought it was excellent. my foodie friend from out of town enjoyed himself as well.