3 stars for seafood-heavy eats at Edge, Steak & Bar at the Four Seasons Miami

Edge, Steak & Bar at the ever-elegant Four Seasons has done everything it can to dispel that fancy-hotel vibe of stuffy inaccessibility and make itself welcoming, especially to locals. Hotel executive chef Aaron Brooks and restaurant chef James King have created an eclectic, flesh-centric menu that ranges from staples like jumbo shrimp and stone crab claws to pork belly and pan-seared duck with figs.

Ambience: White-washed oak nooks are upholstered in almond-colored leather, and rugged planked flooring is balanced by ivory Venetian plaster walls that sparkle with industrial brass and glass lights. A lively marble bar and solicitous staff add to the seventh-floor space’s warm atmosphere.

What Worked

• Barbecue-dusted potato chips
• Addictive french fries
• Warm, golden-crusted rolls
• Red-tinged chorizo and Cheddar croquetas with a light and spicy romesco sauce
• A lobster corn soup chunky with toothsome lobster
• A “gorgeous” Caesar salad made with Swank Farms greens
• A particularly impressive raw starter: corvina with green apple; standout tuna with pickled shallots, crunchy jicama threads & a sweet zap of watermelon; Angus tenderloin studded with mustard seeds & croutons and tender, show-stealing sliced scallop marinated in a gingery bath with grapefruit and baby basil
• Signature corvina as pretty as a Renoir with jade-green pesto, rainbow of baby heirloom tomatoes and ribbons of zucchini
• Fish and chips with house-made tartar sauce and crispy purple cabbage slaw
• An eight-ounce burger of Creekstone beef with sharp Vermont Cheddar and house-made pickles
• A tender, flavorful 6oz prime Boston-cut strip 
• A juicy, well-seasoned 24oz bone-in Tomahawk
• A thoughtfully composed, moderately priced wine list that spans the globe with more than 100 selections arranged by flavor profile
• A tapas-size dessert trio (available at lunch) – brownie, warm berry crumble and deconstructed Key lime pie with a wonderfully mouth-puckering tang balanced by a puff of sweet cream and coconut

What Didn’t Work

• A too-heavily spiced lobster roll on a gorgeously griddled bun
• Ping-pong-ball size cheesecake pops

This story was originally published January 31, 2012 at 6:01 AM.