Ciccio's/Water SoHo

Recently, I was invited to Ciccio's/Water to sample some menu items and being that the Ciccio Restaurant Group restaurants have all been incredibly fantastic so far, I was looking forward to it all week! Ciccio's, located in South Tampa on Howard, is California Cuisine and a section of Ciccio's is Water, offering unique (and I add, fantastic) sushi. 

From the outside, one would think that Ciccio's would be dark and quiet. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the bustle inside. Combine already flowing conversations and good music along with the unique lighting (there is a lot of blues and browns, which go together rather well), and it really is a top place for dinner and drinks. 

When we arrived, we were taken to a table and given food and drink menus. Even though we would be sampling different items on the menu, brought over by the manager (Steve) and our server, I always like to look at the menu to get an idea of what is served there. Ciccio's/Water offers Fresh & Crisp Appetizers (or small plates), Salads, Pizza, Stirfrys, Water Bowls, Sushi Rolls, California Grilled Wraps, Pasta, California Bowls and other entrees. What I noticed immediately and love about Ciccio's is that there is a conscience effort to remain healthy and they offer meal options for those with healthy eating in mind. Fresh veggies are served with each Ciccio Entree and you can request brown sticky rice in any dish that comes with rice or noodles. If you want pizza, you can choose from Brick Oven Thin or Gluten Free Thin. You can also get your wraps made with a whole wheat tortilla.

After looking through the menu, we decided on 2 drinks. We were immediately drawn to the Specialty Sake Cocktails since I've never tried Sake before and decided on the Water Blue cocktail and the Strawberry Sake Mojito.

The Water Blue is made with Sake, Stoli Razberi, Blue Curacao and Sour Mix. The Water Blue is so incredibly flavorful and I would say it tastes very much like a Blue Raspberry Airhead (something very much to my liking) with a strong, but delightful finish.

The Strawberry Sake Mojito was a highlight drink for me. This Mojito is made with muddled strawberries, mint, sugar and club soda and it was simply amazing. 

Next, the food arrived! First, we tried the Buffalo Calamari with blue cheese aioli.

I have to say that this was some of the best calamari I've had and certainly the best buffalo calamari I've had. Perfectly cooked and with just the right amount of buffalo sauce, I would highly recommend this dish as a starter.

Next up were Chicken Meatballs. The Chicken Meatballs were served in a roasted tomato sauce with fresh oregano and parmesan cheese and I'm lucky I was able to snap a picture because they were gone quickly. 

Also as a start to the meal, we had the special, Baked Portobello Fries (unpictured- they were so good, they were gone in an instant). The Portobello Fries are baked with cheese and Panko breadcrumbs and served with a goat cheese fondue that is creamy and pairs perfectly.

Next up were the Beef Short Rib Soft Tacos and Filet Mignon Quesadillas.

The Beef Short Rib Soft Tacos are made with red onion, cilantro, avocado and poblano pico de gallo. The meat was so juicy and flavorful, especially with the taste of the cilantro. I loved that each component could be picked out, yet combined so well together to make a cohesive dish. The avocado was a nice addition and the poblano pico de gallo added a small spice.

The Filet Mignon Quesadillas were a favorite item of the night. The Quesadillas are made of strips of filet mignon, black beans, roasted poblanos and cilantro and served with spicy corn guacamole and sour cream. Again, the meat was juicy and flavorful and cooked very well. Of course, the spicy corn guacamole was unique and incredibly flavorful.

Next, we tried 3 different sushi rolls: Dino & Jimmy, Volcano and one of the specials being offered that evening.

The Volcano roll (pictured middle above) is composed of fresh Alaskan crab, cucumber, scallion, cream cheese and crispy onions, topped with wonton flakes and avocado, served with a warm seafood dip, kabayaki glaze and sriracha aioli.

The Dino & Jimmy roll, named after those who created it, is made with Alaskan crab meat, tempura shrimp, cucumber, avocado and scallion, topped with kabayaki glaze, sriracha aioli and sesame aioli.

The special roll we tried was made with tempura grouper, cream cheese and mango and topped with a lemon crab mix.

All rolls were made with white sticky rice and I thoroughly enjoyed each one! The ingredients in each roll are obviously fresh and the combined flavors were sensational. When I was talking to people about Ciccio's/Water, every single one said to try the sushi and I would recommend others to do the same - it's what they know and it shows!

Now, for my absolute favorite part of the meal: Lobster Baked Mac-N-Cheese with Truffle Oil Drizzle, something that we just had to request after seeing it on the menu!

Topped and baked with cheese and breadcrumbs, this dish was so rich and creamy! 

Lastly, for dessert, we selected the Apple Blossom and Tiramisu and I had one last drink, the Chocolate Chip Heaven.

The Apple Blossom is a classic treat, with warm apple cinnamon and a delicious crust, paired with vanilla ice cream, strawberries and pineapple chunks.

Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts, but sometimes the coffee flavor is a little overwhelming. I had zero complaints when it came to Ciccio's Tiramisu. All of the layers blended really well together and it was the best tiramisu I've ever had.

The Chocolate Chip Heaven, made with Absolut Vanilla Vodka, Godiva Chocolate Liquor and Baileys, was like a dessert in and of itself. It tasted like an adult chocolate milkshake and was a fantastic end to the meal....until...

We were brought an ice bucket with shots and a lit sparkler! I geeked out and got a little crazy excited over the sparkler, but it completely made my night! You can order a sparkler bucket as well; in fact, there were a lot of tables partaking in the fun with their group!

With 3 locations in the Bay area (SoHo, New Tampa, St. Petersburg), we sure to stop in for a meal! Ciccio's features a happy hour every week day and has a live DJ every Friday and Saturday evening. Also, Ciccio's is now open for lunch on Saturdays with live music on the patio from 1-4pm! Specials change weekly so there is always something new to try.

Finally, a huge thank you to Ciccio's for having me in and Steve for taking care of us!

Be sure to 'like' Ciccio's on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!

Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum event at Ciro's Speakeasy & Supper Club

This past Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend an event at Ciro's Speakeasy & Supper Club to sample the new Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum! As soon as I confirmed my place, I knew I had to get one of my most fun friends Nichole to go with me (see her recap here). 

Ciro's, known for being private, is coyly located in the back, and on the bottom floor of, a building of condominiums on Bayshore in Tampa. Maybe if the whole idea of being elusive wasn't the name of the game for Ciro's I would share their exact location. However, it's a little fun having to find it yourself  ;)

In true speakeasy style, we had to ring a doorbell and wait for someone to slide open a panel in the door for a password. Fortunately, there was no password required since we were there for an event, or maybe the "Captain Morgan" that came out of my mouth was the password and we got lucky, but nonetheless, it felt pretty cool and immediately made me love this place. For those wanting to visit Ciro's any other night, make sure to obtain the password before adventuring there!

The decor and atmosphere make Ciro's feel very cozy and mysterious. It seems relatively small (or maybe that was just an illusion), with about 6 high tops situated by the bar, and then a number of booths down a hallway. The booths were closed in on 3 sides and had a curtain you could close on the 4th side for complete privacy. Within the booth, you can select your own music for your group and there is a button to press to summon your waiter if you'd like more delicious food and cocktails.

Our event group met in the bar area and we were greeted with a punch cocktail called Captain's Punch created by Toby Maloney of Alchemy Consulting, a nationally renowned mixologist and expert in his field, who is versed in the history of spirits and entertained us with great stories all night. It was a fantastic punch that reminded me a little of a Rum Runner minus the overwhelming sweetness.

With dim overhead lights and a single candle on each table, the ambiance is on point with the theme of the restaurant (Prohibition Era). On our tables, we all had menus and received Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum booklets with recipes, history information and legend stories. 

Captain Morgan's Black Spiced Rum invites consumers to Step Into the Black (this was the name of the event) with its bold flavors and even tone. The Black Spiced Rum is crafted from Caribbean Blackstrap rum and select ingredients, including rich clove spice and premium cassia bark, and the liquid is finished with double charred blackened oak for a premium, smooth taste. The bold liquid definitely carries the exotic tastes of cinnamon and clove, followed by hints of warm spice and vanilla. I can confidently say that it's now my favorite rum, by far. One of the cocktails we received was Captain Morgan Black on the Rocks (Black Spiced Rum over ice) and, though strong, I immediately warmed to the taste of vanilla and appreciated the smooth finish. Toby recommends that if you drink this on the rocks, you let it sit before sipping. 

The next cocktail, the Henry Morgan's Old Fashioned, was crafted from Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum, Bitters, Raw Sugar and included an Orange Twist. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this cocktail, as I normally wouldn't have indulged in anything that had bitters as an ingredient. But, this cocktail was bold and pleasurable. 

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Henry Morgan's Old Fashioned

1 1/4 oz. Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum

3 dashes bitters

1 packet of raw sugar

1 orange twist

Place the orange peel, sugar and a few drops of water in a sturdy rocks glass and muddle with the back of a spoon. Stir the remaining ingredients in a cocktail glass with ice and strain into the rocks glass over fresh ice. 

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Thanks to Ciro's, we were also treated to some of their dishes. First up was their Black Truffle Popcorn. 

Lightly salted and popped to perfection, the popcorn is delicious with the black truffle oil. This is a must-try.

Almost immediately after, we were then presented with Ciro's Jumbo Grilled Asparagus, wrapped with prosciutto, and with lemon gremolata and parmesan tuille.

The asparagus spears were grilled perfectly and the drizzled sauce was a highlight.

Next, a Captain Morgan Black & Honey cocktail was served to us all, followed by Prime Beef Tartare. 

Stolen from Nichole

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Captain Morgan Black & Honey

1 1/4 oz. Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum

3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice (as Toby says, fresh lemon juice is from an actual lemon, not a store container!)

1/2 oz. honey

1 lemon wedge

Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until cold. Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with a lemon wedge.

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This cocktail was my favorite of the night. It reminded me a little of a Long Island Iced Tea, but more sophisticated and the taste was so much better thanks to the vanilla in the Black Spiced Rum.

The Prime Beef Tartare was tasty. I didn't know "tartare" meant rare until I googled the next day (I know! Shame on me...) so I ate it, but since I normally won't eat beef unless it's well-done (often times I tell the waiter/chef to just make it "burnt"), and I knew this wasn't, I couldn't stomach a second one. However, I do recommend for those who aren't as picky with their beef to try this!

After the Tartare, we were served with my favorite dish of the night- the Chicken & Waffles! A delightful fried chicken piece sandwiched between two pieces of buttermilk Belgium waffle and topped with chipotle maple gravy, the Chicken & Waffles would have carried me on aroma alone. 

The waffle was crispy and the chipotle maple gravy was genius. I have never tasted anything like it before and next time I visit Ciro's I will have to request an extra side of it.

We were then served the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, grilled atop fruit relish and drizzled with key lime mustard.

Being born and living my entire life in Florida, I've indulged in quite a few crab cakes at various restaurants around the state. None of them compare to Ciro's crab cakes. Crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside, the crab cake paired with the key lime mustard is simply out of this world. Pair with the grilled fruit relish and you have a fantastic bite!

As our last cocktail of the night, we had the Perfectly Black.

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Perfectly Black

1 oz. Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum

1/2 oz. sweet vermouth

1/4 oz. dry vermouth

3 dashes bitters

1 lemon twist

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to perfection. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

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The Perfectly Black was fantastic as well. I'm looking forward to making these drinks myself!

Our last Ciro's dish of the night was the dessert: Grilled Pound Cake. The Grilled Pound Cake isn't on the menu; the chef just thought it up and made it for us that evening, but perhaps it can be requested.

The cake had that grilled taste to it while still having the traditional fluffy pound cake quality that everyone loves. The berries were marinated and juicy and everything was sprinkled with powdered sugar. It was a perfect ending.

Lastly, we all had the opportunity to speak with Toby Maloney himself!

About Toby Maloney: He is the Chief Creative Office for Alchemy Consulting and is a self-proclaimed 'Intoxicologist'. He attended culinary school in San Francisco and has traveled the world. Toby has crafted award-winning cocktails for several venues, including The Violet Hour (his own bar in Chicago), which was named GQ magazine's "Top 25 Bars in America", and was deemed the "Ground Zero for cocktail culture" by Details magazine. The Violet Hour has earned a semi-finalist nomination for the James Beard Outstanding Bar Program 2012 award.

While mixing the cocktails, he told stories, made witty jokes, and highlighted the history of some drinks. Full of interesting information, it was an absolute pleasure to be a part of his "audience"!

Kentucky Derby Julep Drinks (Recipes)

This weekend, whether you are celebrating the Kentucky Derby or Cinco de Mayo (or both, like me!), you should be consuming some drinks! Margaritas are so easy to make, right? But how many of you have some Juleps in mind for Saturday? Today, thanks to Bulleit Bourbon, I'll be sharing 2 Julep recipes that I'm anxious to try!

First up we have The Ginger Julep '68 Flashback:

Isn't it pretty?

Why love it: The Ginger Julep '68 Flashback brings a warm, gentle heat to the julep cocktail family with an invigorating ginger kick and splash of lime zest.

To have more than one option, we have a second Julep drink, The Bulleit Rye Mint Julep:

The Bulleit Rye Mint Julep was created by professional mixologist, Toby Maloney from Alchemy Consulting who I had the pleasure of meeting Tuesday evening (that's saved for another blog post!).

Why love it: The mint julep has been the refreshing spring cocktail icon of the Kentucky Derby since 1938, proving its test of time as a classic and distinguished recipe.

Bulleit Bourbon was created in the 1800s by Augustus Bulleit and revived by the grandson of Augustus, Tom Bulleit, in 1987. They age and distill Bulleit Bourbon in small batches, even today, and the taste is supposedly unparalleled. Bulleit Rye is a small batch, straight rye whiskey made from 95% rye and 5% malted barley. Admittedly, I don't know much about Bourbon, but I intend on trying these drinks made with Bulleit Bourbon in the very near future! Check out all the accolades that Bulleit Bourbon has received here. Find more recipes featuring Bulleir Bourbon here. 

Pomegranate Glazed Filet Mignon with Harissa Steak Sauce

As I mentioned in this post, I received some recipes that Chefs Chad Johnson and Eric Lackey created and now it's time to share another one with my readers. Last time, I shared the Coca-Cola Balsamic Marinated Bermuda Onion and this time, we have...

Pomegranate Glazed Filet Mignon with Harissa Steak Sauce

by Chef Chad Johnson

Ingredients:

Pomegranate Glaze

1 cup pomegrante juice

2 tbsp sherry or cider vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp fresh thyme, minced

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Harissa Steak Sauce

1 tbsp ground caraway seeds

1/2 tbsp ground coriander seeds

1/2 tbsp ground cumin seeds

1 tbsp garlic powder

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp chives, minced

1 tsp honey

1 tsp chile paste

4 Walmart Choice Premium Filet Mignon Steaks

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan, combine Pomegranate Glaze ingredients and cook over medium heat. Reduce mixture by 30 percent. Strain and cool the mixture; set aside.

Toast the caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin and garlic powder in a dry pan until fragrant. Add remaining Harissa Steak Sauce ingredients, except the chives, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, remove from heat and let cool. Stir chives into finished sauce.

Preheat the grill using Kingsford charcoal, until briquets are consistently ashed over.

Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper.

Grill the steaks over a medium high fire until lightly charred on one side, approximately 4 minutes. Flip the steak and baste with the Pomegranate Glaze. After an additional 2 minutes of cooking, baste the steak again.

Remove the steak from the grill and allow to rest for 6 minutes. 

Baste the steak again after resting and serve with a side of the Harissa Steak Sauce.

Walmart Choice Steak Challenge

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to the Walmart Choice Steak Challenge presented by Kingsford Charcoal and Coca-Cola. Tampa has been selected as one of eight markets to be selected for this challenge taking place in Walmart parking lots nation-wide. At the Tampa event, our very own Chefs Chad Johnson from Bern's Steak House and Eric Lackey from Flamestone Grill competed to determine who has the best steak-grilling skills in town. Walmart shoppers judged the Walmart Choice Premium Rib Eyes prepared by the chefs.

Before the event started, both chefs were happy to share some tips and busted some myths of grilling:

Tips:
1. Drink beer while grilling. Seriously, this was their #1 tip and personally, I find it to be a good one!
2. Don't puncture the steak.
3. Create both a hot zone and a cool zone on your grill. To create the hot zone, position the coals 6 inches below the top of the grill. The hot zone is great to finish off your steak once it has been cooked almost to the way you want. The cool zone would be an area where the coals are 10-12 inches below the top of the grill and is great to have when a steak seems to be cooking too fast. A chimney is recommended so the coals burn evenly.
4. For a simple marinade, just leave your steak in olive oil for 15 minutes before grilling. The olive oil really allows the steak's natural flavors to shine through.

Busted Myths:
Myth #1: Start cooking your steak at room temperature.
Busted: Actually, it's much preferred to start grilling your steak right after you take it out of the fridge.

Myth #2: Poke the steak for the marinade.
Busted: It's better to not puncture the steak as punctured steak on the grill will allow the natural juices to seep out.

Myth #3: Only flip steak once so you cook once on the front and once on the back.
Busted: The chefs recommend you flip your steak multiple times. In fact, a minimum of 4 flips is great.

After chatting with the chefs, the event was underway!

Chef Eric Lackey with the Kingsford representatives

Chef Chad Johnson prepping his steaks

Chef Chad Johnson grilling

Chef Eric Lackey taking a photo-posing break from grilling

Steaks from Chef Chad Johnson (Bern's)

Steaks from Chef Eric Lackey (Flamestone)

And the winner is...

Chef Eric Lackey from Flamestone!!

Chef Eric will now move on to compete in New York, along with seven other chef finalists, on May 22nd! Good luck to him! We will definitely be visiting Chef Eric at Flamestone when he gets back from New York.

Prior to the event, the chefs cooked up some delicious grilling recipes that Kingsford graciously shared. All photos and recipes are courtesy of Kingsford. I'll be sharing one recipe now and 2 more at a later date.

Coca-Cola Balsamic Marinated Bermuda Onion

by Chef Eric Lackey

Ingredients:

2 jumbo red Bermuda onions

1 12-ounce can Coca-Cola

2-3 cups hot water

1 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Leave ends on onion (can trim) and cut in half. Peel away paper-like skin. Place in food storage container.

2. Mix Coca-Cola and vinegar. Pour soda-vinegar mixture into food storage container with onion. Add as much hot water as needed to submerge onions. Marinate overnight in fridge.

3. Preheat the grill using Kingsford charcoal, until briquets are consistently ashed over.

4. Remove onion with marinade from fridge and grill onion for 20 minutes on medium heat, turning occasionally. Before removing from grill, find hot spot to char onion and caramelize natural sugars for a few minutes to finish. 

Also, thanks to Kingsford, I have some koozies and hats to give away! Leave a comment below if you want a koozie or hat and I will give them away until I've run out.

Mo' Ziki

I don't get out to Largo too much but whenever I do, Mo' Ziki is now on my list of places to eat. In fact, I would make a special trip to Largo for Mo' Ziki. Relatively new to the restaurant scene, Mo' Ziki combines Greek inspired flavors with a unique twist.

As far as the scene goes, Mo' Ziki, with it's deep blues and vibrant greens, is a relaxing and easy atmosphere. We were definitely impressed with how everything flowed.

Atmosphere and concept is obviously very important to business partners, Josh and Geoff. In fact, they boast a concept that is fresh, fast, flavorful and affordable and it's true! The combo meals won't even come close to breaking the bank, yet you get a great deal of food that you will not be disappointed with. 

To get started, we browsed the wall menu:

To start, patrons pick a style. Choices include Pita (white or wheat), Wrap (white, spinach, wheat, tomato basil), Bowl (meat, rice & choice of toppings), Salad (with meat option) and Greekadilla (grilled tortilla and choice of stuffing). We selected the Gyro pita and Greekadilla with chicken.

Next, choose your meats, vegetables and cheese (ranging from peppers to olives to feta), as well as your sauce. Dressings are also available, including Greek Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Low Fat Vinaigrette and Honey Mustard. On the Gyro pita, we chose light lettuce, green peppers and the Spicy Ziki sauce. On the Greekadilla, I chose chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, cucumber, pepperoncinis with cheddar cheese and the Roasted Red Pepper Ziki sauce, recommended to me by a staff member.

The Gyro Pita was a quality blend of beef and lamb fresh from the spit and especially paired with a sauce, it took on a great flavor.

I chose the Chicken Greekadilla with the spinach tortilla. My first reaction when the chicken was placed in the tortilla was, "Wow, look at the chicken!". It was obviously juicy and grilled and you could tell immediately from the other side of the ordering glass. When we tasted it, there was immense flavoring thanks to the seasoning Mo' Ziki uses. The chicken was grilled to perfection.

On top of our main meal, Geoff brought us samples of all of the sauces, as well as the steak and the Greek Lemon Soup. The steak is so amazing. It's greek-style grilled and sliced into tender strips and the freshness shows. The Greek Lemon Soup is a newer item on the menu and it'll be something I order with all future Mo' Ziki meals of mine.

The sauces and dips vary and I really enjoyed all of them. Ziki sauces include Traditional, Roasted Red Pepper, Roasted Garlic, Kalamata Olive, Lemon Avocado and Mo' Spicy. Hummus options include Classic and Roasted Red Pepper. The Ziki sauces are all Mo' Ziki signature, taking a traditional tzatziki sauce and not only making it their own, but then expanding to also offer this variety. My favorites were the Traditional, Roasted Red Pepper and Lemon Avocado. To try to describe the Lemon Avocado will probably do it an injustice - you just have to try for yourself!

Another unique dip is the K-Zo which is an original blend of cheeses and sauces, served with warm, grilled pita wedges. It's not pictured because we ate it that fast. Described by my table as a 'super mac and cheese dip', the K-Zo was quite possibly my favorite part of the whole meal. Along with any of the above, Mo' Ziki offers a number of other sides and extras: Hot vegetables, potato salad, pita wedges, bagged chips, side of meat, chocolate chip cookie and Baklava. A kids menu is also available (choose from Grilled Cheese Pita, Chicken & Cheese Pita or Gyro Pita Pizza). On Thursdays, get a FREE kids meal for each adult combo meal purchased.

Even though everything is made to order and you sort of, to a certain extent, determine your own fate here by your combo of ingredients, there is no denying the quality and flavor of the meat (and really, everything that is offered). The vegetables are crisp and juicy and their meats are cooked in a Greek-style marinade unique to Mo' Ziki. 

I'll definitely be coming back here again, especially for their $5 Pita Sundays (or $5 Pita happy hour from 3pm-5pm Monday-Saturday. You can also become a member of Club Ziki where you can build points to earn free menu items!

Thank you to Geoff for inviting us and we will be seeing you all soon!

Mo' Ziki is located at 10801 Starkey Road, Unit 11, Largo, FL 33777 and they are open Monday-Sunday from 11am-9pm. Be sure to 'like' them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!

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**