• Duck Fat Fries
• Truffled Mac & Cheese
• Imperial Farms Wagyu NY Strip Pavé
• Outstanding Wine Cellar
• Attentive and well trained staff
• Happy Hour Burger Bar Menu

Bourbon Steak is nestled in the plush tropical surroundings of Turnberry Isle, a luxury resort in the city of Aventura. As we made our way through the resort's lobby we were greeted by a dramatic 12-foot-high glass box that beckons the uninitiated with promises of gastronomical delights to come. I was eager to see what executive chef Gabriel Fenton had added to the Miami Spice menu. Known for their America and Japanese “A5” Kobe, as well as all natural Certified Angus Beef steaks, I hoped that at least one of these prime cuts would make it to the Spice menu. Considering that the cheapest steak on the menu (the 12 oz skirt steak) is $29 the prix fix, three-course Miami Spice menu of $35 is a real bargain.

We arrived early, just before the dinner rush and were greeted by manager John Ricardo and were immediately seated. Our oversized booth was wrapped in cozy caramel leather and faced the floor to ceiling wine cellar that makes up an entire wall of the dining room. The decor is elegant and contemporary with subdued, twilight lighting and aged angled mirrors that immediately made us feel welcomed yet delightfully pampered. We started with the trio of duck fat fries with accompanying sauces: smoked paprika-dusted fries paired with a barbecue sauce; herb-and-garlic-crusted fries with onion-infused ketchup; and lightly salted fries with truffle aioli dip. These were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, a real treat and will leave you craving more long after they have been exhausted.

We decided to order from the Miami Spice menu and started with the Smoked salmon with confit fingerling potatoes, roasted beet and the American Artisan Speck with Grilled Figs, Arugula, and Sherry Vinaigrette. The salmon had a delicately smoky taste and a wonderful silky texture and the artisan speck was a perfect start to our meal. For our main courses we tried the Imperial Farms Wagyu NY Strip Pavé (a $10 addition to the spice menu) and the grilled local Wahoo. The steak was perfectly cooked and the short rib croutons paired well with the tenderness of the Wagyu. The light and fluffy jasmine rice was an interesting accompaniment, but I would have liked to try one of the standard sides like the Truffled Mac N Cheese or the Cauliflower, Marcona Almond Gremolata.

All the steaks, with the exception of the Wagyu are cooked over seasoned wood-fueled flames and before grilling are first poached to mouthwatering tenderness. The Wahoo was flakey, full of flavor and served with marinated Japanese eggplant, sugar snap peas and Thai lobster consommé. The dish had a mild spiciness to it and the Wahoo, although slightly overcooked, was delicious. For dessert we opted for the Bourbon & Peach Bread Pudding with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. It was decadently rich and bursting at the seams with flavor. Served warm, the peach and bourbon flavors coupled with the vanilla bean fooled the senses into thinking that it was conceived in some fairy tale Grandmother’s kitchen, simply perfect.

The service was exceptional and our waiter Scott, from Detroit, who worked at the original Bourbon Steak, had perfected the fine art of being attentive without being intrusive. All said and done it was a great meal with fantastic service in an elegant location. We will definitely be back soon to explore the rest of the menu or maybe for the famous happy hour.