EdgeWild Restaurant and Winery is a great option for an enjoyable evening of delightful food, wine and conversation. Whether you choose to sample wines in the bar area or around the fire pit, or dine in one of the two spacious dining rooms, there’s a great vibe here, handled with flair by management and staff. Add to that the sounds of live music on the patio on weekends and you’re in for a fun—and delicious—evening. 

EdgeWild is committed to using fresh and locally grown food when available. The menu offers 13 appetizers  (dubbed “First Press”), ranging in price from $8 -$16. We shared Thai Tuna Tacos ($11), which turned out to be three crisp blue corn taco shells filled with seared ahi tuna and topped with Thai spiced vegetables. An attractive zigzag of red curry aioli decorated the plate. The generous serving of tuna was perfectly prepared, seared on the edges and pink in the center. The julienned vegetables were mildly pickled with just enough spice to complement, rather than overpower, the tuna.

The salad offerings (“A Little Green”) include something for every palate and range in price from $5-$12. We ordered the Grilled Caesar Wedge ($7), which the waiter offered to split. A full order would have made you plotz.The Wedge consisted of a half head of romaine that was lightly grilled before being dressed with a bold Caesar dressing. The salad was topped with shavings of fresh Parmesan, house-made crisp herb-and-garlic-spiced croutons, a squeeze of fresh lemon

juice and fresh ground black pepper. It was accompanied by a slice of cheese focaccia. This was a truly regal Caesar.

Though we passed on soup, there are three selections on the menu, each in two sizes. Ranging in price from $4.50-$6.50, the choices include a wild mushroom soup, a seafood chowder, and a French onion soup.

There are a dozen “Full Bodied Entrees,” including chicken, beef, fish, and vegetarian. The Wild Catch ($28) featured a generous serving of fresh Alaskan halibut that was sautéed, served atop a mound of saffron-orange rice pilaf and garnished with a fresh mango and jicama salsa.  Perfectly cooked, the fish was tender and flavorful. The fresh-made salsa was a lovely balance of sweet and savory and paired well with the mild fish. The rice pilaf, though tasty, was a tad sticky.

The Beef Tenderloin Trio ($24), as with several menu items, included different toppings, one for each tenderloin, which can be ordered on the side. When the dish arrived, the waiter asked that we cut into the meat to make certain it was prepared as requested. We had ordered it medium-rare, and that’s how it arrived. The meat, which was tender and juicy, boasted that savory umami flavor that comes from a great steak seared to perfection. 

Two of the sauces—bleu cheese butter and Dijon mustard cream—were too heavy for my taste and would have masked the superb flavor of the meat. The third topping, roasted shitake mushrooms, was a deliciously earthy complement to the meat.

 The beef tenderloin came with creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. The spinach was tender and fresh, but the vegetable’s flavor was overpowered by the smoked Gouda cream sauce. We substituted, at no extra charge, the garlic and herb bistro fries for the potatoes. The fries, hand-cut, deep-fried and topped with garlic, herbs, and Parmesan cheese, were served with a kalamata aioli. These were absolutely divine.  (For those who aren’t fans of aioli, ketchup is available.) 

While the entrees come with two sides, diners can substitute or add from the “Perfectly Prepared Sides” menu, which includes butternut squash risotto, grilled asparagus and seven other side dishes at $5 each.

Diners who prefer something lighter can select from the “Structured Sandwiches” menu, which includes burgers, a couple of vegetarian options, and other beef and chicken sandwiches ($8-$12). In addition, the “Whole Cluster Flats” menu ($11-$12) features five flatbreads, ranging from roasted mushroom to the classic Margherita.

Waiters presented four dessert options tableside on a tray. They included a blueberry crisp and a giant chocolate chip cookie, each topped by a mega scoop of vanilla ice cream; a banana bread pudding; and a hazelnut torte. We shared a huge serving of bread pudding, which was drizzled with a white chocolate sauce. Though quite tasty, it could have been moister.

For wine lovers, an exciting feature of EdgeWild is the wine club. Membership fees range from $19-$28 per month depending on the club you select. As a member, you receive a bottle of EdgeWild wine each month and, if you choose to drink it at the restaurant, there is no corkage fee. 

The restaurant’s partners Andy and Dee Dee Kohn and Chris LaRocca, who also have interests in Chandler Hill Winery in Defiance, source wines from select high-end winemakers in California, Oregon, Washington State and Missouri. Those wines, along with some others that are aged in a barrel room on the premises, are privately bottled and labeled under the EdgeWild name. Wine on the menu is available by the glass ($6.25-$8.50) or by the bottle ($24-$46), and club members receive a $5 discount on all bottles. 

Despite the crowds, jean-clad waiters and waitresses are quick to greet you. The service at EdgeWild is timely, the staff delightful, and the food and wine truly enjoyable.