Edge, Steak & Bar invited us into the kitchen yesterday to spy on opening day behind the line, which we have to say, was pretty damn efficient for a first-time at bat. The steakhouse menu is a collaboration between Executive Chef Aaron Brooks, who has worked at Four Seasons properties from Boston to Vancouver, and Restaurant Chef James King, who recently left Verdea in Palm Beach.
Brooks says that "my time in Boston gave me a massive appreciation for East-coast
seafood. We are bringing down a lot of product from New England and
pulling from some great local fish and seafood as well. Cod and Capers for our
seafood, Bush Brothers for meat, fantastic companies, both family companies. Creekstone Farms, which are some of the best meats I've eaten, all grain
fed, a very consistent product. James has a fantastic knowledge of local purveyors, local farms that we are really trying to attach on to for our farm-to-table concept. We trying to mix fresh vegetables and salads with meats, to bring a lighter style to the steakhouse."
They had a good handle on incoming tickets, although we heard the words
"corvina" so often we wondered if they were sprinkling with it gold
dust. "It was off the hook, it blew up. It's a great dish, comes with a
small Greek salad, baby cucumbers, a lot of product from Swank Farms, we
finish it with queso fresco instead of feta cheese, to give it a Latin
injection. The fish is basil crusted, some sherry vinegar in there...out
of 73 covers, we must have sold about 18 portions. I couldn't believe
it, in the middle of service. we were like, holy...we're going to run
out of corvina on the first day."
Brooks moved down here because he was enthused about the hotel's desire to make over Acqua
into a destination that was less hotel bar, and more downtown stalwart.
"I've worked in hotels for about 10 years now, right now, I am so
product
driven, and try eat out, and to be as in touch with the community as
possible, we are really trying to market this restaurant as a stand
alone. It's supposed to give you the feeling that we are not a special
occasion spot, we want to be approachable, and have the food that people
want to eat three times a week."
The menu attempts to address the less is more version of eating out. "We have a 24-ounce Tomahawk, which is just a sensational piece of meat,
but we have some
smaller cuts as well. We also have our butcher's cut, which is 7-ounces
and a 6-ounce filet. I know people here in Miami are fit, which really
reminds me of how I grew up in Australia, how
everyone is so into outdoor pursuits and they want to eat lighter. They
don't want those rich dishes and heavy sauces that put you away for
days."
So obviously the menu is red-meat focused, but there are plenty of offerings that fall into other categories for those who intrinsically have less carnivore within.
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