June 2008
Pg. 135

By Rona Gindin

  In Cocoa, A steakhouse in its Prime.

   Driving 60 miles or so to dine out might seem like an extravagance nowadays because of gas prices, but dinner at Ulysses Prime Steakhouse in Cocoa is worth the road trip.
Food, service and ambience are tended to seriously at this steakhouse, which is less than two years old.  It’s a sister restaurant to Café Margaux, long a respected eatery in historic Cocoa Village.
The restaurant is located in a tiny storefront, with seating in two small rooms.  The walls are chocolate brown, the floor carpeted, the linens white.  Little touches like eating utensils of an interesting shape, and artsy votive holders, show attention to detail.  Every item is served on an interesting dish-some modern, some old-fashioned.
Meals begin with hot crusty olive bread and oregano butter.  You must must must try the lobster bisque, which is one of the best anywhere.  This isn’t a thick creamy soup; instead, it has a lighter texture with a strong and clear lobster flavor.  The balance of elements could not be better, down to the Amontillado sherry stirred in.
The again, the filet carpaccio is astounding.  USDA prime filet mignon is carved ultra thin.  It’s covered with a lemon-basil oil, which is alive.  Translucent sheets of pecorino romano are ideal for rolling with the beef.  Mixed greens on a plate are tossed with a horseradish vinaigrette, which is welcoming, not harsh.  And a pile of Greek-marinated olives is so special that every one disappeared.
Other starters include seared duck liver with Sauterne-braised figs and a mandarin black pepper gastrique, and a shrimp cocktail with a fire-roasted tomato cocktail sauce.
The menu is comprised almost entirely of steaks, with one chicken dish, one fish specialty and two lobster tail options.
Every steak comes with four sauces, gratis.  The rosemary Cabernet demilace de veau was an excellent version of a familiar sauce.  The chocolate demiglace de veau was stupendous.  The special we had, “porterhouse” lamb chops with a mustard crust, was just as good.  They were served with small cubes of roasted root vegetables.
The appetizers and entrees were so satisfying I moved on to dessert, which I rarely trust enough to bother with.  Good move.  At Ulysses, they’re all made in house.  I scraped up every last bit of the chocolate banana bourbon cake.  A moist yellow cake had a creamy chocolate-peanut butter center and a thick layer of dark chocolate ganache.  Just as devoured was chocolate oatmeal raisin cake.  It had two sections: a dark flourless rich chocolate section, and a chocolate oatmeal-raisin layer that was unnecessary though not bad.  White-chocolate glaze tied it together.
It’s so refreshing to experience a restaurant that does everything right, even if you do have to drive 60 miles to find it.