The Dish

by lauren baugh

Let’s talk meat and potatoes… Steak is one of the simplest meals to prepare, but a good steak is a coveted meal option. I write this article monthly, and when I heard of this new steakhouse, I thought, this is a great opportunity to feature a new, locally owned and operated spot that one can take a client or family member and leave feeling full and happy. Prime 239 did not disappoint at all. We went on a Friday night, and it was VERY busy. This was right after the hurricane, so people were itching to get out and get some good food. The atmosphere is quite inviting. There is a partition at the entrance that enables you to see just a sliver of the action. That sliver shows an action-packed restaurant, which definitely draws you in. We opted to sit at the bar while we wait for our table. At the bar, we are greeted by several friendly faces, ready and eager to serve us some of their specialty cocktails. Ordinarily, I order a Mich Ultra in a bottle or a glass of red blend. I figured this was not the place to throw back a beer, so I ordered a glass of Pinot Noir. Steve got an Olde Fashioned. This was not just any Ol’ Fashioned (see what I did there?!), this was the smoked old fashioned. Both selections were wonderful.

The atmosphere, the great drinks, awesome company … what could possibly add to this experience? THE FOOD. We watched as various tables around us got their food, and we were filled with envy. The smells, the plating, the options we saw...it was more than tantalizing. We were excited to sit down and order. After we had a drink, or two, we were called to our table, and sat down in a comfortable booth, right by all the action. The hustle and bustle of the space around us was exciting. The staff looked happy and excited to be there. They had a sense of pride about them. Then our lovely server came over. She was friendly, bubbly and excited to meet us and see what we would order.

We took some time to check out the menu and both decided to try their oysters, which featured half shell Gulf oysters with a champagne mignonette. I did not know what mignonette is, but it sounded yummy. When those oysters came out, yummy was indeed the proper description of said mignonette. The oysters were super fresh and tender! I was excited to try a few side options, which are portioned for the table and not individually. We opted for the Wild Mushroom Risotto, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and Jalapeno Creamed Corn.

sets the bar as a local steakhouse

For our star of the night, we ordered two hand-cut steaks, the filet mignon and the ribeye, both cooked medium rare. I opted to have them add a side of the chilled horseradish crema. I thought the spice of horseradish would pair nicely with the wine and the filet. I was right. The steaks were perfectly cooked, and I mean perfectly. The crust on the outside of my filet was a chef’s kiss and the fat-to-meat ratio on the ribeye, was absolutely a sight of fantasies. As we each took a bite, we looked at each other as if to say, “Yep, this is exactly what each steak should taste like.” Prime 239 is certainly the place to set the standard locally for good steaks. Each of our sides was, well, yep, you guessed it, amazing! The jalapeno creamed corn, SO good! There was not much left over from any of these dishes. We could not stop. Each bite we took was full of flavor and seemingly better than the last. We left satisfied with both the meal and the service. The price reflected the food and service quality, and it was well, well worth it. 10/10. I would recommend going there, for any reason. Date night was our reason, but entertaining a client, having your family out to dinner, treating an employee or your office to this delight are all wonderful reasons to go check it out. When it comes to steak, they set the bar. Do not sleep on the chance to go to this place before everyone finds out how great it is!

Photos above left to right: bread, half shell Gulf oysters with a champagne mignonette, Escargot Rockfeller, Filet Mignon, Wild Mushroom Risotto, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and Jalapeno Creamed Corn. 1715 Cape Coral Pkwy W., Unit 32 Cape Coral, FL 33914 Monday - Saturday 4 - 10pm Closed Sundays (239) 673-8816 prime239.com

Lauren Baugh is the Executive Director at Lee County Bar Association and can be reached at lauren@leebar.org.