The Lodge: Brunch

When I first visited The Lodge a couple of weeks ago (view my review on their dinner menu here), I had the opportunity to view the brunch menu and I vowed to come back to try it. I was so impressed with the dinner we had, that I figured the brunch would be just as great. Guess what? I was right (of course).

We arrived Sunday morning for brunch and with a recommendation to try the Maxmosa, a large mimosa with champagne filtering into it, it was my first order of the day.

Have I mentioned my love for champagne? While I would definitely appreciate a "normal" mimosa, I chose to get it in strawberry. Passionfruit, Peach and Mango are also available. This drink was so refreshing and I enjoyed it through my entire meal. The Maxmosa being a signature drink, I highly recommend you order it!

Next, with recommendations from 2 managers, my table ordered The Monterey Hash, Lodge Queso Benedict and NYC Pretzel French Toast.

The Monterey Hash

The Monterey Hash was, in a word, delicious. It is a tater tot hash with onions, bell peppers and monterey jack cheese, topped with two eggs any style (we chose scrambled). The eggs were fluffy, the hash was crispy and everything was flavored great!

Lodge Queso Benedict

I already knew that the queso was great from a previous visit so I figured I would love this dish. The Lodge Queso Benedict is composed of a crisp English muffin, fresh avocado and 2 poached eggs, drizzled with queso. This dish seems simple enough, but the flavors and combination of all the components make it a refreshing delight.

NYC Pretzel French Toast

The NYC Pretzel French Toast is something I had been thinking about since first viewing the brunch menu. It was every bit of the perfection that I thought it would be. A street-style NYC soft pretzel, stuffed with sweet cream cheese and then prepared like the traditional bread french toast, this was my favorite dish of the morning. The pretzel was large and both sweet and savory. I'm glad someone thought of a dish like this! I'll be raving about it to everyone I know. The cream cheese was definitely noticeable, but not at all overpowering. The accompanying whipped cream and strawberries were a nice addition.

I chose the Home Fries as a side with my meal.

Home Fries

The Home Fries were pretty much devoured by us in no time flat. With a nice mixture of soft and crispy, the potatoes were also perfectly seasoned.

As with lunch and dinner, there are Lodge Specials during brunch. You can take advantage of specials on Mimosas and Blood Marys, among other items. Brunch is served until 3pm. During brunch hours, there are also a large number of lunch items available. Live music can be heard on the patio.

There is no doubt that I'll be back for brunch many times over. Next time, I plan on starting with a Strawberry Basil Mojito and ordering the Eggs Rancheros (2 eggs any style with Turkey Chili, Queso, Ranchero sauce and fresh Guacamole, served with tortilla chips) or the Banana Stuffed French Toast!

In fact, The Lodge has been nominated for Best BRUNCH in the Tampa Bay area on DealChicken.com and WTSP.com and it's rightly deserved! If you have tried The Lodge and have been blown away like I have, please vote here! If you have not visited The Lodge for brunch, there are 39 days left to vote so before then, be sure to visit and experience what everyone is talking about!  :-)

Also, if you have not already entered, there is still time to win my giveaway for gift cards to The Lodge! There will be 3 winners and I have 2 $25 gift cards and 1 $50 gift card up for grabs. This giveaway ends Thursday evening and winners will be announced Friday morning. The Lodge has quickly become one of my favorite places and I hope you all enjoy it too! **If you do not see the giveaway below, please click on "Read More" under my signature**

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