Well, we discovered a new place in Lake Wales – Brake Burger Garage. It came just in time for us to celebrate “Burger Week” in Polk County. Our only question is, “How had we missed this place for so long?”
We have dined at other automotive-themed restaurants like Ford’s Garage, which has several locations in Florida. But this is a one-off that has the look of a chain. We were particularly impressed by their menu.
From the Brake Burger to the Steakhouse Burger, there are a half dozen incarnations of America’s favorite sandwich. I went with the “Bacon Bleu,” boasting Bleu cheese crumbles, bacon, lettuce, tomato and onion. Sandra went for the Garlic Burger, which was garnished with provolone cheese, garlic sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion.
Sandra got the “combo,” meaning that hers came with waffle fries. Unlike some places, where the waffle fries come in bags, frozen – it appeared these were fresh cut. And, if you wish, there were a couple different versions of “Loaded Waffle Fries” as side dishes.
More than Burgers
But glancing through the menu, all beef patties were just the tip of the iceberg. There were chicken sandwiches, smothered chicken sandwiches, and even Nashville Chicken Sandwiches.
There also were all kinds of chicken tenders – including “Tuned-Up Tenders” tossed with Mango Habenero, Garlic Parmesan, BBQ or Jamaican Jerk.
The drinks were Coca-Cola products. They came as self-serve from a beverage island that carried the service station theme.
The only thing we didn’t like was the use of Styrofoam cups.
Wait, There’s More
Brake Burger Garage sounds like a fun little lunch place. And it is. However, on the way out we discovered a menu for morning offerings. It appropriately was titled “Brake-Fast.”
Glancing over this menu we found a lot of possibilities. The Grit Tots look more than interesting. The Smash Biscuit looks both affordable and tasty and the Breakfast Burger is a must-try for me.
Coming Back for More
Our dining experience was a good one. The food was good, they were quick at bringing it to the table and the price was reasonable. We’re not certain who came up with the menu, but Sandra and I both found more offerings we’d like to try.
This is not a large place. For instance, I counted fewer than four dozen chairs. It’s a cozy atmosphere, and despite the lack of any real sound baffling, the place was pretty quiet. In fact, we could have a nice conversation, even though we were a few yards away from busy State Road 60.
The only other thing we weren’t crazy about, was having to order at the counter. This was our first time and we had no idea what we wanted. It took a while to unravel the menu and make our order. The one nice thing was that we arrived before noon. By the time we left, the locals had arrived and they were hungry.
Plus There’s Merch
In doing research on the Brake Burger Garage, we found out there’s a line of merchandise. If you want BBG T-shirts, sweaters, hats, fanny packs or mugs – go HERE. They even have beach towels and sport towels emblazoned with their logo.
In the end, we’re not sure about any of that. What we do know is that next time we’re in Lake Wales, there’s a good possibility that we’ll once again visit the Brake Burger Garage and have another round off their menu. The Crown Jewel of the Ridge has a real hidden gem in this service station turned restaurant.
