Salted Edge opened in October 2023 and sits on the West Shores Lake waterfront in Waterloo. It’s owned by restaurateurs Greg and Ashley Young along with chef Joel Hassanali, the chief managing partner. It’s one of two restaurants developed by their company, Lucky Eleven Hospitality Group. The shorefront view is striking, offering diners breathtaking sunset views as day turns to evening.
Hassanali also serves as executive chef at Pivot Prime, the most recent Lucky Eleven addition. His style brings bold, globally inflected flavors to both restaurants. Where Pivot leans into French-inspired steakhouse cuisine, Salted Edge plays more freely with modern American flavors filtered through his Caribbean roots and wider culinary travels.
Salted Edge dining area
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Inside, the dining room does a lot of work before the first plate arrives at the table.
The decor is sleek and contemporary with a refined restraint that never feels overpolished or cold. Warm wood tones and globe lighting cast a romantic ambiance over modern wooden tabletops and simple, elegant place settings. The open kitchen makes you feel part of the experience, the staff moving with a kind of quiet, confident precision.
The lake view is certainly part of the draw during the day, but sunset transforms the place into a more intimate, romantic setting that’s become a destination for date nights, celebrations and lingering diners by the water.
Salted Edge dock area
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The menu is as intentional as the decor. It carries touches of a steakhouse, a strong seafood presence and global influences that keep it from becoming predictable. Hassanali said that Salted was meant to bring something different to Omaha, and the menu reflects his own background and travels. Caribbean, Italian and French influences work into a broader American framework of cuisine.
While Hassanali is careful not to say it’s farm-to-table, he did note that it’s “locally sourced as much as possible.”
During our visit, Jennifer and I sampled a couple of cocktails, a seafood appetizer, two entrees and a delectable dessert.
‘The Ashley’ Skinny Marg at sunset
Photo by Jennifer Corey
‘The Ashley’ Skinny Marg has Tanteo tequila, Ancho Reyes Verde, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, cucumber, jalapeño and a white salt rim. This margarita leans into fresh cucumber, which gives it a crisp vibrancy, while the jalapeño adds a gentle heat. It’s not as sweet as a typical margarita, hence the “skinny” in the title. It’s especially good with seafood.
Lychee martini at sunset
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The lychee martini is made with Haiken Lychee Vodka, Lillet Blanc, coconut cream and fresh lime juice. It’s crisp and refreshing. The sharp, clean essence of lychee comes through first, with just a hint of coconut and a touch of lime. The Lillet Blanc lends fruity, floral and herbaceous notes. It’s a delicious sipper.
Cured salmon belly sashimi
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The cured salmon belly sashimi is made with yuzu miso dressing, pickled chili, charred green onion salad and chili oil. It’s lightly flame-toasted on top, giving it a hint of char. The yuzu miso brings a sweet, deep umami that’s a fantastic complement to the fish. The salmon itself is fresh, rich and succulent. The pickled chili and charred green onion salad bring brightness and bite to the dish.
Miso glazed Faroe Island salmon
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The miso glazed Faroe Island salmon comes with cauliflower purée, Napa cabbage, oyster mushrooms, broccolini and a salmon roe beurre blanc. The salmon is pan-seared and then baked, creating a crisped top and a moist, tender center. The cauliflower purée is smooth and silky and, with the miso glaze, an excellent partner to the fish. The salmon roe beurre blanc is a playful, flavorful addition. The cabbage and mushrooms carry welcome notes of miso. This is a well-constructed dish where the salmon is the star and the sides are much more than an afterthought.
8-ounce coffee-rubbed flat iron steak
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The 8-ounce, coffee-rubbed flat iron steak comes with pomme purée, charred broccolini, chimichurri and crispy shallots. The steak arrived a perfect medium-rare, tender, juicy and well seasoned. The coffee rub added a warm, slightly spicy profile without overpowering the beef. The pomme purée is buttery and slightly rustic, a great pairing with the steak. The broccolini had a lovely char and was tender while retaining a touch of bite. The chimichurri came on the side and brought a bright, invigorating lift. While it was great with the beef, I preferred to let the rub speak for itself. As far as steak and potatoes go, this is a hard dish to overlook.
The Kentucky Brown Butter Bourbon Cake
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The Kentucky Brown Butter Bourbon cake comes with caramel drizzle and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. A pipette of bourbon sticks out from the top, letting you squeeze it into the cake, around the plate or just take it like a shot—a small interactive flourish that makes the dessert even more fun. It also comes with a honeycomb crumble and a half tuile of sugar. It’s a Salted Edge staple and always on the menu. The cake by itself is magnificent. Crunchy edges give way to a spongy cake that boasts the robust nuttiness of the brown butter. Every element on the plate works, from the honeycomb crumble to the vanilla bean ice cream. When the bourbon soaks into the cake sponge, the boozy element takes it to a new level. It’s one bite of heaven after another.
Our server, Cierra, was warm, knowledgeable and a good reflection of the hospitality Salted Edge emphasizes. Her menu recommendations were spot on. We’re glad she steered us to the Kentucky Brown Butter Bourbon cake.
Salted Edge has been the talk of the town since it opened. Jennifer and I have heard, “Have you been to Salted Edge?” followed immediately by, “You must try it” more times than we can count. We’re happy to have remedied that with an experience that lived up to every enthusiastic recommendation.
Salted Edge open kitchen
Photo by Jennifer Corey
It takes more than a waterfront view, beautiful sunsets and a freshly decorated dining room to keep people coming back. It’s the food that sets the table at Salted Edge, but Hassanali and the Youngs let the waterfront ambiance serve as backdrop to a near-flawless culinary adventure.
It’s a complete experience that stays with you long after the last bite. It brings a kind of downtown polish to a Waterloo waterfront, making it one of the more compelling dining adventures in the Omaha area.
