NORTHFIELD, Ohio – Legendary Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar’s name has been removed from the upscale restaurant at MGM Northfield Park. After 10 years in the racino, Kosar’s Wood-Fired Grill was reinvented and renamed Valley’s Edge Steak & Seafood.
Named for its proximity to the Cuyahoga Valley, the restaurant is closest to the casino’s north entrance.
“We want to keep this experience fresh for guests,” says executive chef Chris Poplin, of the changes launched earlier this fall. He calls the new fine-dining restaurant “an eclectic steakhouse with a modern twist.”
Valley’s Edge, which measures 4,682 square feet and seats 313, is one of four restaurants on the property. The restaurant sits at the top of the casino food chain, offering prime USDA beef among premium dishes.
Financial support for the rebranding came from the MGM corporation, but the concept was local. MGM Northfield management created and executed the concept. They worked with Dora Estephan and Nicolette Zahniser of Cleveland’s Estephan Group on the design and hired local construction workers to bring it to life.
The decor is simply elegant with natural elements, like long wooden planks hanging overhead. The venue features local artists such as cast aluminum guru Don Drumm of Akron as well as Diane Seskes, Paul Johanni, Lisa Kane and Metallic Evolution.
“It’s a tribute to the people who live here and know Northeast Ohio,” says chef Lee Cooper, who worked on the rebranding and created the fall menu. According to him, during the transition, about 90 percent of the menu changed.
From left to right, pork osso bucco on roasted garlic mashed potatoes, double lobster tails, old-fashioned smoked. (Photos MGM Northfield and Paris Wolfe)MGM Northfield
For fall, diners can expect the most common cuts of steak cooked over hickory and cherry wood flames. These can be accompanied by gorgonzola, mushrooms and onions, béarnaise, Oscar, shrimp, scallops and lobster. Seafood includes walleye, salmon and sea bass. Pork, chicken and vegetarian dishes are also available. The presentation of these common dishes is unusual, even visually dramatic.
The cocktail menu is named after local scenic areas such as Towpath Bramble, Brandywine Falls Kir Royale and Old Fashioned of the Western Reserve. A smoked Old Fashioned comes with a rock candy stick for added sweetness and drama.
Guests can come for casino entertainment or just to dine. To inspire visitors, Valley’s Edge is hosting a six-course dinner with wine on November 15. Dinner costs $65 for food, $100 with wine pairings. Reservations are required and limited.
Paris Wolfe writes about food, dining and drinking for Cleveland.com. You can contact her with story ideas at pwolfe@cleveland.com. Here is a directory of his latest messages. Follow her on Instagram @pariswolfe.
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