I first learned about Edge at the Brickell wine and food festival, and then I was wowed by Edge again at Cochon 555 where my husband and I were blown away by chef Aaron Brooks' pork creations. So it was a no brainer when a group of friends wanted to try a new restaurant in Miami- Edge Steak and Bar! We made a reservation for 8, which they happily accommodated. When my husband called up, he made sure to tell the reservations line how much he loved the chef's blood sausage at Cochon, which will later play into to our fabulous experience.
The restaurant is located on the lobby level of the Four Seasons hotel in downtown Miami. The ambiance is far from that of a classic steakhouse- no dark wood, low lighting or leather. Instead, the restaurant is warm and inviting with a modern design. It fits perfectly into the trendy Brickell area of downtown Miami.
While waiting for our friends to arrive, we ordered a few drinks at the bar. Feeling rather indecisive that evening, the bartender was quick to suggest a delicious Passion Fruit Martini that was not as tough to stomach as a pure vodka martini, but was wonderfully delicious and less sugary than other signature cocktails. When the rest of our group arrived, we were promptly seated and our server greeted us with a wonderful surprise "The chef heard you enjoyed his blood sausage from Cochon 555 so he went ahead and prepared a few plates of them special for the table". We were automatically in love. I thought my husband was crazy for dropping the "Cochon" reference, but the chef really wowed us and made us feel special with that one. The sausage was, to be brutally honest, to die for. Even better than we remembered. The majority of our friends were initially worried about tasting "Blood" sausage. When they saw Carl and I going berserk over how incredible these sausages were, they all tried them. Much to their surprise they all loved them! One more reason we love chef Aaron Brooks (besides his adorable accent that makes an American woman swoon) and his restaurant so much was the surprise Manhattan jello shots they served us! Apparently the chef was so excited that we specially requested his blood sausage that he unloaded a serving of specialty Manhattan Jello Shots they had leftover from a special event the day before! These were not ordinary spiked Jello shots you find at a frat party, these tasted like an authentic classic Manhattan. We were thrilled and felt extremely VIP!
Now onto the meal. The ceviche appetizer plate was wonderfully fresh and authentic, with four different types of ceviche to go around. Next came the Lobster Corn Chowder Soup. Large chunks of lobster blended well with the sweetness of the chowder, and it was a "creamless" creamed corn, so it wasn't too heavy. I'm averse to too much cream, so I appreciated the preparation of this chowder sans cream!
As you all know, I'm from Texas so I have a pretty high threshold when it comes to rating steaks. I ordered the filet and it came out nice and medium rare. I have to admit, it wasn't as phenomenal as most steakhouses in Texas, but few steaks can compete. For a Florida steak, it was pretty stellar. The side of mashed potatoes was creamy and a hit around the table. We also ordered the quinoa which was a nice side item to see on the menu. I happen to love this grain and was extremely excited to see it on the menu. It's as fun to eat as it is to pronounce (keen-wah)! It had a perfect citrus flavor, and a lot of fresh crunchy corn to compliment the tart citrus. The French fries were also a big hit. They were nice and thick with a wonderful homemade flavor.
We were all too stuffed to really think about dessert. However, we had been eyeing these adorable green cotton candy puffs being delivered to the tables around us, and we were pleasantly taken back to fond childhood memories of fresh cotton candy when the server brought us several clouds of lemon lime flavored sugar! It was a perfect end note to a delicious dinner.
Overall, Edge is far from the stuffy restaurant one would expect in a Four Seasons hotel. The chef is truly talented and his menu reflects today's want for a creative farm to table menu while still remaining true to the classic steakhouse model.
*As a side note: something I have learned in the last year is the sheer perception of what one will mentally deem delicious and gross. Once able to move past the initial "ew that sounds gross" mentality, I've discovered some incredible delicacies that I never otherwise thought I would have enjoyed, hence my newfound love for blood sausage (I even enjoy head cheese believe it or not)! As a note to fellow foodies- if the chef has prepared it on his menu, or if he has eaten it and gone crazy over it on television, or if they sell it in any gourmet supermarket with a high price tag, it's likely not as "gross" as it sounds. After all, the chefs and owners of the gourmet markets are the people who know the really great stuff. Instead of immediately turning your nose up, give it a second thought and try it. You'll likely be rewarded!
The restaurant is located on the lobby level of the Four Seasons hotel in downtown Miami. The ambiance is far from that of a classic steakhouse- no dark wood, low lighting or leather. Instead, the restaurant is warm and inviting with a modern design. It fits perfectly into the trendy Brickell area of downtown Miami.
While waiting for our friends to arrive, we ordered a few drinks at the bar. Feeling rather indecisive that evening, the bartender was quick to suggest a delicious Passion Fruit Martini that was not as tough to stomach as a pure vodka martini, but was wonderfully delicious and less sugary than other signature cocktails. When the rest of our group arrived, we were promptly seated and our server greeted us with a wonderful surprise "The chef heard you enjoyed his blood sausage from Cochon 555 so he went ahead and prepared a few plates of them special for the table". We were automatically in love. I thought my husband was crazy for dropping the "Cochon" reference, but the chef really wowed us and made us feel special with that one. The sausage was, to be brutally honest, to die for. Even better than we remembered. The majority of our friends were initially worried about tasting "Blood" sausage. When they saw Carl and I going berserk over how incredible these sausages were, they all tried them. Much to their surprise they all loved them! One more reason we love chef Aaron Brooks (besides his adorable accent that makes an American woman swoon) and his restaurant so much was the surprise Manhattan jello shots they served us! Apparently the chef was so excited that we specially requested his blood sausage that he unloaded a serving of specialty Manhattan Jello Shots they had leftover from a special event the day before! These were not ordinary spiked Jello shots you find at a frat party, these tasted like an authentic classic Manhattan. We were thrilled and felt extremely VIP!
Now onto the meal. The ceviche appetizer plate was wonderfully fresh and authentic, with four different types of ceviche to go around. Next came the Lobster Corn Chowder Soup. Large chunks of lobster blended well with the sweetness of the chowder, and it was a "creamless" creamed corn, so it wasn't too heavy. I'm averse to too much cream, so I appreciated the preparation of this chowder sans cream!
As you all know, I'm from Texas so I have a pretty high threshold when it comes to rating steaks. I ordered the filet and it came out nice and medium rare. I have to admit, it wasn't as phenomenal as most steakhouses in Texas, but few steaks can compete. For a Florida steak, it was pretty stellar. The side of mashed potatoes was creamy and a hit around the table. We also ordered the quinoa which was a nice side item to see on the menu. I happen to love this grain and was extremely excited to see it on the menu. It's as fun to eat as it is to pronounce (keen-wah)! It had a perfect citrus flavor, and a lot of fresh crunchy corn to compliment the tart citrus. The French fries were also a big hit. They were nice and thick with a wonderful homemade flavor.
We were all too stuffed to really think about dessert. However, we had been eyeing these adorable green cotton candy puffs being delivered to the tables around us, and we were pleasantly taken back to fond childhood memories of fresh cotton candy when the server brought us several clouds of lemon lime flavored sugar! It was a perfect end note to a delicious dinner.
Overall, Edge is far from the stuffy restaurant one would expect in a Four Seasons hotel. The chef is truly talented and his menu reflects today's want for a creative farm to table menu while still remaining true to the classic steakhouse model.
*As a side note: something I have learned in the last year is the sheer perception of what one will mentally deem delicious and gross. Once able to move past the initial "ew that sounds gross" mentality, I've discovered some incredible delicacies that I never otherwise thought I would have enjoyed, hence my newfound love for blood sausage (I even enjoy head cheese believe it or not)! As a note to fellow foodies- if the chef has prepared it on his menu, or if he has eaten it and gone crazy over it on television, or if they sell it in any gourmet supermarket with a high price tag, it's likely not as "gross" as it sounds. After all, the chefs and owners of the gourmet markets are the people who know the really great stuff. Instead of immediately turning your nose up, give it a second thought and try it. You'll likely be rewarded!
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