Aoko Review - Edgewater - Miami - The Infatuation

"Even though word has gotten out about this Edgewater sushi restaurant, Aoko still feels like a secret. With no sign on the door and tinted floor-to-ceiling windows, you'd think this place was built during the sushi prohibition era (which was actually a thing in early 19th-century Japan). Thankfully, sushi makes up pretty much the entire menu here in the form of excellent nigiri, sashimi, temaki, and maki. It's available a la carte and in a few omakase options under $100. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Aoko’s dining room is the kind of space we’d create after reading an Architectural Digest column on Japanese minimalism. It's sleek, with beautiful blue tones and smooth wood finishes. It’s a perfect setting for sushi heads to focus on fatty tuna in peace. Don’t leave before getting a whiff of their housemade candles in the bathroom, which are sometimes available for sale and will make your overpriced apartment smell like it’s priced appropriately. Food Rundown photo credit: Mariana Trabanino Cha Soba Salad The earthy noodles pair beautifully with strips of sweet shiitake mushrooms. It’s great to share as an appetizer for two, and they’ll even split it into separate bowls (this will prevent a fight over the last noodle). photo credit: Ryan Pfeffer Hamachi Carpaccio The hamachi carpaccio comes with tiny dollops of wasabi chimichurri, a few slivers of nori, and yuzu ponzu gel–a delightful trifecta right up there with neapolitan ice cream. photo credit: Mariana Trabanino Negi Toro Do not dunk this roll in soy sauce. That would be a crime punishable by incarceration (or a lifetime of forced bowl cuts). It arrives already brushed with a perfect hint of soy sauce and the tuna is so rich, you don’t need to tamper with it. photo credit: CLEVELAND JENNINGS / @EATTHECANVASLLC Nigiri Omakase There are three omakase platter options on the menu and this one’s our favorite. The selection of fish changes based on availability but you can expect various degrees of toro, salmon, a surprise dollop of caviar, and other cuts that dissolve like your will to work after a long lunch break. photo credit: CLEVELAND JENNINGS / @EATTHECANVASLLC Bara Chirashi This rainbow pile of cubed fish rests on warm rice and gives you a delicious—and slightly different—experience each time you go in for a bite. If you come by yourself, have this at the counter and don’t be afraid to eat the pretty flowers. They’re edible. photo credit: Mariana Trabanino Housemade Candle You’ll notice Aoko’s bathrooms smell like the lobby of an expensive Brickell building. This is because, in addition to sushi, they also make wood wick candles. They usually have some available for sale, so just ask. We did, and now our bathroom smells like the Icon residential tower too." - Mariana Trabanino