Enigma

By: T. Bennison

Article Category: Restaurant Review

A lot has changed since we first featured Enigma three years ago.

Back then, my daughter was a somnolent tot just 8 months out of the womb and Enigma was a cozy café occupying a small space in Satellite Beach’s Atlantic Shopping Plaza.

My daughter is a big sister now, and won’t nap for all the treats and toys in the world. After all, that would break the flow of her endless chattering, and the Lord knows we couldn’t have that. It’s hard to believe that during that first visit my wife and I were actually able to carry on a conversation without being interrupted by her theories on what makes raccoons “mean” or “nice,” or by dictates that we now refer to her as “Christopher Robin” lest she refuse to acknowledge our presence.

Enigma’s grown up a bit, too. In its 2005 guise, it was a tiny and unassuming place, whose loyal customers would wait patiently outside for tables to open up. Now situated about two miles down A1A from its old location, Enigma is like a butterfly newly burst from its cocoon, replete with ample parking, outdoor seating, a large bar and lounge, expanded menu, a salad bar, and a beautifully decorated, 10,000 square-foot dining area. But as with children, enumerating Enigma’s differences reveals far less about its current state than the factors that remain unchanged.

Originally established in 2001 by Melbourne native Deborah Ingram and chef Lucio Gonzalez, Enigma (then Enigma Café) built its reputation on inventive and delicious dishes served in a relaxed, casual setting. The place was regarded as a treasured secret by locals who flocked there regularly for good food and conversation, its low profile among the shops of a nondescript plaza effectively disguising it from the hoi polloi. But as unassuming as it was then, there was a feeling amongst its devoted clientele that it was only a matter of time before Enigma shed its anonymity for greater exposure.

All the things that gave Enigma that sense of percolating success seven years ago are still in place and act as the driving force behind its new identity, something regulars Ed and Jeanne André foresaw during the eatery’s infancy. Partnering with Ingram and Gonzalez, the couple helped form Enigma’s fresh incarnation atop a foundation laid with those original standards: excellent, made-to-order food and warm, friendly ambiance. The new digs may be bigger, but that hasn’t changed Enigma’s essential air of a hometown gathering spot.

You’d think that longtime customers would resist the change, but incredibly, over 90% of Enigma’s original fan base continue to dine there, some several times a week. As before, customers play an important role in Enigma’s character, lending their names to many of the recipes they’ve either inspired or concocted themselves. Ideas are whipped up in the kitchen and sampled by the staff and if the new dish passes muster, it’s added to the malleable menu and named after the lucky creator.

Many of the old customer-inspired favorites are still on the list — the Roscoe Dale (chipped steak sautéed in garlic with gorgonzola cream over pasta), the Ed André (bacon, red onion, and romano cream sauce over pasta), the Stack Davis (grilled portobello mushroom, grilled chicken, and roasted red pepper topped with basil and parmesan dressing), and Pete’s Wicked salad (grilled shrimp, baby spring mix, carrots, craisins, pumpkin seeds, bleu cheese and olives in a balsamic vinaigrette) — and they’re part of what informs the rest of the selections, which are chosen, not for their trendy appeal, but for the eclecticism that’s long been Enigma’s trademark.

The additions of a fryer and large grill helped develop Enigma’s unique new menu as well. Appetizers like zucchini sticks and fried calamari make appearances alongside other items which are more akin to Spanish tapas, and the generous portions are still up the standards Enigma set in place during its inception. A traditional Greek platter (with hummus, tabouli, vegetables and pita) shares space with Mexican shrimp cocktail, meatballs, enormous crab cakes, escargot, and Thai-inspired coconut shrimp.

A host of chicken, veal, and seafood dishes make use of some innovative pairings, but Enigma’s specialty dishes are the best introduction to their inimitable style. The Portobello alla Lucio (grilled and topped with basil, tomato, extra virgin olive oil and fresh mozzarella),  another carry-over from the restaurant’s beginnings, is one of our favorites, but the vegetable fajitas and eggplant Florentine are strong contenders. Unforgettable steaks are another new addition; Choose from a 12-oz rib eye, and 8-oz. filet mignon, and a 12-oz. New York strip. And people rave about their burgers; a Kobe bacon American cheese variety and an 8-oz. Angus are sure to please devotees. Twelve-inch gourmet pizzas are also given the Enigma treatment on a menu that defies easy categorization.

Many of these items appear on their popular lunch menu as well, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a more delicious and economical alternative to those chain meals you’re so used to grabbing. Conveniently, Enigma offers take out, yet with the efficiency of their service and the calming effect of its casual surroundings, you’d be silly not to linger for some respite from work.

Unfairly judging the place by its imposing exterior, many potential visitors assume that Enigma is one of those upper-crust establishments, prohibitively expensive and as sterile — and as stingy — as a Swiss safe. Nothing could be further from the truth. Enigma’s portions are large, its prices are comparable to, if not better than those of any corporate-owned restaurant, the food is fresh and delicious, and the atmosphere is as relaxed as you’re likely to find.

While it’s much easier to focus on what’s changed since Enigma first began, you’ll find greater reward in appreciating the constants that ushered in its wonderful metamorphosis.

Enigma is located at 1550 Highway A1A in Satellite Beach. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Early bird specials are available Tuesday through Sunday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Enjoy 2-for-1 Happy hour nightly from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and live music in their lounge area. Call 779-8202 for more information on their live music schedule, to call in a take-out order, or to make recommended reservations. You can also visit them online at: www.enigmabeachside.com

T. Bennison; Photos by Rich Sullivan

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