My favorite place to celebrate a special event in Tampa is the
Council Oak Lounge located inside of
Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. Delicious food, amazing wine and live music - what else can you ask for? A smoke free environment! This is huge news for all Council Oak Lounge fans, this establishment recently became smoke free!
Sundays - Thursdays,
Council Oak's lounge menu offers a variety of specially priced items. The famous Council Oak Prime Burger is how we first got introduced to the lounge a few years back and still stands out as one of the top 5 burgers I've tried in the US.
In January, my husband Gabe passed his Mental Health state licence exam and we celebrated at Council Oak. I was very excited to check out the
recently updated lounge menu which includes many new dishes and suggested pairings (craft beer and wine).
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| Photo credit: Leo Arboines, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa |
We'll start with my meal first - the Lobster Roll ($26) with housemade spiral chips. The suggested pairing for this dish was Rombauer Chardonnay, Carneros, California ($22). Interestingly enough, I was introduced to Rombauer for the first time 2 weeks prior to this dinner while in Houston waiting on a flight and quickly gave myself a note to buy a bottle when I returned home. I couldn't have paired a better wine selection with this perfect lobster roll. It was full of perfectly prepared lobster meat and giant in size. I must state for my fellow Lobster Roll connoisseurs, this was served on a housemade roll, not a traditional New England style toasted bun.
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| Photo credit: Leo Arboines, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa |
Gabe ordered the Council Oak Steak Sandwich ($19) served on a pretzel roll with wild mushrooms and sautéed onion served with housemade spiral chips. The wine pairing for this was Cabernet Sauvignon, Brandlin Estate, Mount Veeder, California ($28) but Gabe opted for a glass of the The Prisoner Proprietary Red Blend, Napa, California ($25). If you're a fan of Council Oak steaks (I mean, who isn't), I strongly suggest trying this sandwich out. It's literally a perfectly prepared steak inside a pretzel roll at a very affordable price.
A few other new items on the Council Oak Lounge Menu that I am looking forward to checking out: Short Rib Open Face Grilled Cheese ($18) with pimento cheese and arugula salad. Suggested pairing: Shiraz, Yangarra, McLaren Vale, Australia ($16)
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| Photo credit: Leo Arboines, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa |
Fried Oysters ($15) with pickled vegetables, spicy crème fraiche tartar sauce. Suggested Pairing: Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin “Yellow Label” Brut Champagne, Reims, France ($25)
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| Photo credit: Leo Arboines, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa |
Smoked Salmon Tartine ($14) with Salmon caviar, avocado mousse. Paired with: Vermentino, La Spinetta, Tuscany, Italy ($13)
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| Photo credit: Leo Arboines, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa |
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