Gonzmart Family Scores With New, Native American-Inspired Ulele!

By Matt Wiley

Don’t choke on the price point, Ulele is an experience.

For years, the Tampa Waterworks building in Tampa Heights has been decaying, forgotten in the shadow of downtown. But, that all changed last year when the Gonzmart family of Ybor City’s Columbia Restaurant fame secured a lease from the City of Tampa and announced plans to pump millions into resurrecting the historic, 100-year-old building (photo this page).

Legend has it that Ulele (pronounced you-lay-lee) was the daughter of a Tocabogan Native American chief who saved an explorer by throwing herself over him as he was about to be executed. Sound familiar? The rest is on the menu, along with some of the city’s best new tastes from Chef Eric Lackey.

It all begins when you pull up to the old, red brick water pumping station on N. Highland Ave. and hand the valet your keys. Positioned on the riverbank next to the new Water Works Park, diners descend a set of stairs next to a natural spring.

As you walk through the front doors, which are clad in colorful motor engine gears, the open atmosphere at Ulele is striking. To the right is the striking bar area, complete with embedded arrowheads, further emphasizing Ulele’s Native American motif. Bartenders bustle about between the bottle-filled shelves, which glide like sliding glass doors. Servers swiftly squeeze between tables in the high-traffic dining room.

Facing the bar is the massive barbacoa grill, with ample space for the wide range of chops, fish, steak and even garden-fresh veggies that sizzle over open flames. The two-story dining area is split by a staircase, under which Ulele’s expansive wine collection is housed. On the other side, tables are greeted with sweeping views of the Tampa Riverwalk through sizable open doors and windows. Dusk’s “golden hour” shines straight into Ulele, as orange rays gleam off the Hillsborough River. The walls are adorned with various paintings and artwork, as well as original signage from the building’s days of pumping water. History abounds.

Dining at the bar doesn’t disappoint. Ulele has several bartenders, to handle the high-energy crowd that keeps coming, but the service is never slack. Once seated, diners are presented with two double-sided menus, one for the drinker in you, the other covered in Lackey’s gastronomic creations.

For the beer connoisseur, Ulele crafts its own brews on-site. Consider the citrusy bitterness of the hoppy pale ale or the approachable and seasonal Oktoberfest. But, sign a prenuptial before sipping the over-hyped and fruity “Wedding Beer” lager. Play your cards right and you could find yourself on a tour of the 15-barrel brewery with brewmaster Tim Shackton.

Check out the unique preparations of local oysters, including charbroiled, or served in spiced apple cabbage “boats.” For the adventurous, Ulele offers a different way to put the shellfish down quick — in a shot of tequila! Easy to swallow, but difficult to comprehend, the smooth, salty oyster shot with spicy tomato sangrita sauce is an experience worth noting.

Once seated, diners get a peek at Ulele’s unique nosh, a Native American-influenced smorgasbord of steaks and seafood, among other peculiar pairings. The servers are knowledgeable and always ripe with recommendations. For starters, look no further than the Jalapeno Corn Beer Quick Bread, an ample, golden loaf of spice to share.

The Chilled Florida avocado soup is quick to cool the corn bread. Frosty and glistening emerald, the soup is another mind-melter. The charred corn datil pepper relish adds a dash of smoked spice, steering the soup from sweetness.

However, Ulele’s entrées truly stand out. Jealous eyes follow the robust scent of the Crackling Pork Shank. Like a sizzling fajita, it’s difficult not to notice the beastly, 1-½-pound slab of crispy pork fit for a culinary caveman. Trade the club for a fork.

The 8 oz. Flank Steak, too, is another Ulele rock star. Thinly sliced and marinated in garlic sea salt and olive oil, the steak comes covered in an avocado “Jimmychurri” sauce that immediately erupts with zest. Oh, and the mashed potatoes it’s served with are topped with fresh popcorn. Traditionalists will love the 14-oz. New York strip loin steak (above), which is dry-aged for 21 days. Our editor also flipped for the thick-cut, cast-iron-seared yellowfin tuna steak with pumpkin seed-crusted, ginger soy grapefruit reduction pictured above.

It may not be for the thinnest of wallets, but Ulele combines distinctive flavors with an irreplaceable ambiance that must be seen to be believed. Make a reservation (try to do so well in advance) and ask for a table by the river for dusk. You won’t be sorry.

Ulele is located at 1810 N. Highland Ave. in Tampa. For more info, please visit Ulele.com or call 999-4592.