Surf and Turf, Curbside
Bellini’s claws, beef sliders, burger, and crab salad all travel well.
By Jan Walsh
Bellini’s Ristorante is situated between Jordan’s Shelby County law office and our house. So, when working there, Jordan often treats us to take out from area restaurants. And tonight’s take home dinner comes from Bellini’s Ristorante and Bar, located on Cahaba Valley Road, just off Highway 280.
The only thing better than seeing Jordan heading to my door is seeing a bag of Bellini’s in his hand. We all agreed on a starter of two orders—one pound—of Fried Crab Claws because there are no better crab claws anywhere than Bellini’s. The plump claws are golden and crisp with a polenta crust on the outside, white, moist, and succulent on the inside—bursting with freshness of the Gulf. They are served with both drawn butter and smoked cocktail sauce. The butter is a nice touch.
Kev ordered the Bellini’s Beef Sliders, Jordan got the Bacon Pimento Cheeseburger, and I opted for my favorite salad—the Wood Grilled Caesar with Lump Crab. The beef burgers with fries arrive hot, and the salad is warm off the grill, with its crab topping chilled in a separate container. Three warm, soft slider buns envelop generous slices of tender, juicy steak and creamy melted gorgonzola cheese. The tasty beefy burger is enhanced by a mild, house-made pimento cheese and crisp bacon. Sweet potato fries were their choice of side, among other options of French fries, pasta salad and Italian salad. My salad is a large bed of fire grilled romaine with grilled red onion and cherry tomato. I crown it with lump crab—making a wonderful warm and cold salad. Wow! I have had this salad many times with grouper but never with crab until now. It is also available with other protein options of chicken, sirloin, shrimp, and salmon. Be it surf or turf, Bellini’s take out is tried, true, and consistently scrumptious.
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