RICHIE’S EXPERIENCE

Meal: Deviled Eggs of the Week (Bacon & Cheddar), the Chicken Tendy Basket (Spicy), and a Rye Old Fashioned.
Bill: Came to $25 before my tip.

WHAAAAATS good folks!!!! It’s been a minute, but I swear we haven’t forgotten about you guys!! Seems like forever since we’ve done one of these (and I promise you we’ve tried, all three of us are parents in a weird world, and life gets in the way of deliciousness sometimes). The ladies and I have been chomping at the bit to get back in the groove of things, and I promise you we will have reviews more regularly!

Steph got us back in line this time (she tends to be the voice of reason that wrangles us in), so we linked up for a meal at one of the newer spots in town…….The Lodge. I gotta say, I’m glad she did!! Without further ado, let me give you my take on it.

Atmosphere and Vibe

For those who don’t know, The Lodge is at the same address that used to be the Curve Inn. I word it this way because it is NOTHING like the Curve Inn (no disrespect to the previous place, but they really flipped what was there on it’s head and made this their own). I loved the Curve for what it was………..a dive bar just outside of town that made bar food really good for cheap prices (not to mention the dollar beers on tap, the pool tables, the lop-sided bathrooms, and the Karaoke on the weekends). The Lodge isn’t that in any capacity. They did an amazing job renovating and expanding the building, and you can really only tell it’s the same place if you spent time in it previously. It used to be tight and dank (as a good ol’ dive bar should be), but now is light, open, and very spacious inside. They also have a fenced area outside where they serve drinks and an abbreviated menu, which has also been renovated from the previous layout.

The vibe is bar and grille, sporty even, but something about the place feels slightly upscale. It could be the newness of every surface in the place, but you feel like they appreciate quality. Because of the openness of the dining area and the abundance of wood surfaces, it does get loud when dining in, but it’s not off-putting by any means. It gives a feel of busyness, and it completely feels at place to the experience you plan on expecting there. I’ve been to The Lodge several times, and I definitely enjoy the environment.

Food

“Rags to Riches” is what comes to mind when I think of the food experience, and I can definitely explain myself. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED a good Curve burger and some seasoned up french fries. I even loved grabbing some cheap drinks and some fresh made pork rinds on a Friday or Saturday night. The Curve made some good food, but you really never expected for it to feel like a dining experience. You expected bar food that was just an afterthought to sober you up while you drink, or to grab and go while you had other tasks to do. The point is, you went to the Curve because you were going to the bar to do bar things, and if you happened to eat while you were there, so be it (it wasn’t the focal point for the visit). The Lodge changed that.

The ladies that own The Lodge clearly wanted their customers to have a DINING experience. I’ve been there several times, and I realized this from the first visit. Their food feels like more than bar food, and tastes like they kidnapped an executive chef and gave him creative freedom over a bar menu. The food somehow pays homage to the bar menu, but wants it to be clear that they are more than comfortable challenging your favorite meals to a fight (and they have no intention of ever being the underdog in that fight).

Since they’ve opened, I’ve had the pleasure of trying their smash burgers, the early bird and firebird sandwiches, a few of their weekly featured deviled eggs, and a couple of their weekly featured mac & cheeses. I’ve also had multiple drinks on their menu, and have yet to be disappointed. This particular visit, I had the bacon & cheddar deviled eggs to start off, and the spicy chicken tendy basket with seasoned fries. I’ll say right off the bat, they were both amazing!!!! My personal specialty that I make for all family events is deviled eggs, so I am probably the pickiest person when it comes to them. I myself tend to experiment with them when I make them, so I appreciate when someone can not only pull them off in their traditional presentation, but offer a weekly switch-up that blows it out the water. Legit, their kidnapped executive chef (come on ladies, I know you have somebody professionally trained back there) is doing his damn thing, and enjoys showing off the skill he ABSOLUTELY HAS!! As for the chicken “Tendy’s”........these were all breast meat, perfectly cooked. How were they cooked? Broasted. BROASTED! Thinly battered, perfect crispiness to the coating, tender juicy meat, and flawlessly executed seasoning. It was one of those moments (let the record show, the same thing happened when I had their broasted chicken sandwiches) where you purposefully get quiet while eating, so you draw less attention to yourself in hopes that the people with you forget you are there and don’t ask you for a bite. LOL! I love my Feast Mode squad and we always share what we order, but the thought did cross my mind to be selfish.

Since we all agreed on trying different drinks as well, I went with the rye old fashioned. I love a classic whisk(e)y drink, so this was something I could compare to others I have had across the board. It was also perfectly executed. There’s really nothing else to say about a perfectly made drink. It was just another element of the dining experience that made it completely satisfying.

Wrap Up

The Lodge gets a strong Feast Mode Activated approval from me. When I initially heard that the Curve Inn was purchased and was going to be reopened, I assumed that it was going to be fixed up and continued as the Curve. I am happy that they took the path they did. I love that The Lodge is a different experience from what was there. The Curve was a staple in it’s own right, and can properly be retired and appreciated for what it is. The Lodge is definitely a new beginning for this location on Blue Star Highway, and will have no problem holding its own amongst other places in South Haven. They managed to hit the ground running during a time where COVID restrictions were still lingering and affecting many places around us. I feel pretty excited for their future, and I will definitely be sending people their directions when I am asked what places I recommend for great food and a fantastic overall dining experience.

STEPH’S EXPERIENCE

Meal: Cheese & Carbs Appetizer, The Swerve Out, and Colorado Bulldog (drink)

Bill: About $30 before tip

Listen… Richie has already covered this, but we know we have been slacking, ok? We actually made multiple visits to The Lodge and another restaurant but never got around to actually posting the reviews *insert face palm.* Here we are, FINALLY, spilling the tea, and we hope to get more feasts in and official ASAP.

Vibes

Let’s get down to business. The Lodge’s vibe is exactly what you might expect: hunting lodge meets local good-eats. It’s always very clean and the staff is super friendly and personable. As a mom, I appreciate the family-friendly atmosphere with it’s casual food and decor. It’s definitely a chill dining experience that never fails to satisfy. I also love the outdoor area which has picnic tables and cornhole games as a hang out while waiting for a table.

Food and Drink

My beverage of choice this evening was the Colorado Bulldog: vodka, Journeyman’s Snaggle Tooth coffee liquor, cream, and root beer. It was basically a grown up root beer float and delicious! It was absolutely huge! My only “complaint” is that it didn’t seem very strong and I’m a lightweight. A cocktail that I HIGHLY recommend, however, is the Blueberry Jam. They make it with local Degrandchamp’s Blueberry Jam and it is AMAZING! Literally the perfectly refreshing drink, especially on a warm day (lemon vodka, Degrandchamp’s blueberry jam, squeezed lemon juice, and soda).

As an appetizer, I chose the Carbs and Cheese. It’s loaded broasted potatoes with cheese, beer cheese, cheddar, tomatoes, scallions, and hot giardiniera. I LOVED these! The potatoes are perfectly cooked with a crispy outside and soft inside. They were absolute perfection! You do have the option of upgrading them to include bacon and/or chicken, but I liked them just the way they were.

For my meal, I chose the Swerve Out; a quesadilla filled with cheese, roasted sweet corn, black beans, green onion, and jalapeño. Was it good? Yes, but it lacked flavor. I expected it to be somewhat spicy and have a southwestern flair but it was a little bland to me. I don’t think I would order it again. What I WILL order in the future is the spicy broasted chicken dinner. HOLY MOLY THAT MESS IS GOOD! I can’t put into words how the incredibly juicy chicken, the satisfying crunch of the skin, and the perfect blend of spices come together to create a symphony on your taste buds. Pair the meal with the mac & cheese and broasted potatoes for the perfect comfort food meal.

I can easily say that feast mode is definitely activated at The Lodge. Go where the locals go and GET THE DANG BROASTED CHICKEN!

AUBREE’S EXPERIENCE (From Soft Opening in June 2021)

Meal: Paloma, Mojito, Caramelized Onion Dip, Deviled Eggs, Buffalo Chicken Salad, Sweet Potato Fries, Kids Chicken Tender Meal, and a Coke

Bill: $86.21 before tip

We were so excited to try The Lodge as the new spot “Where Locals Go” when we got in to one of the soft openings Steph and I were like “heck yeah” and of course my little minion Starlin tagged along. I saw some of the construction taking place as they were doing it and a Facebook update here or there regarding the status and what they had done; being in real estate, I know the amazing transformations that can take place as well as I am sure everyone sees on HGTV. However, NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING prepared me for the outcome of this place! It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G from the exterior to the interior. They did a wonderful job redoing it, brightening it up, using neutral colors, and the decor aims to be a local watering-hole that reminded me of being at just that-a Lodge; just as the name is and without the membership!

Wooden rectangular tables of 4 line the wall to the left and square 4 tops were in the middle of the dining room and towards the back there were some bigger 6 tops. The bar is conveniently nestled in by the kitchen and out of the way of the dining area with ample seating from the looks of it. We were greeted by a happy hostess who joked with my son and sat us at a wooden 4 top along the wall. Immediately, my son was commenting on the deer heads mounted on the walls-plenty for little ones to look at. They played older hits softly in the background which was nice because it was a chill vibe that adults will enjoy, but also family friendly. We did spot one of those snazzy jukeboxes you can download the app and pick the music so that is always a fun addition to any place! Why don’t more places have jukeboxes anymore?! Bring them back!

Our server's name was Kelly, she was phenomenal. I had a Spicy Paloma upgraded with El Jimador Silver since the drinks are made with well liquor unless you specify and man those fresh jalapenos in there were hot! We know I love hot things so if you are like me DRINK UP! Starlin had a coke-we were SOOOOOO happy they have coke products. If you are going to have a pop, it has got to be Coke. We had to get the Deviled Eggs as everyone who had already been there was raving about them. They were good, nothing really special but they tasted fresh and homemade so that in itself was right by me. I did see something that mentioned once they get going they may do a weekly featured Deviled Egg, that would be pretty cool. My favorite Deviled Eggs that people always love are Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs. My friend Rose made them one Friendsgiving and after that I found a recipe and tweaked it to my liking and never looked back. Steph picked the Caramelized French Onion Dip with kettle chips to start, it was good but I am not big on french onion flavor stuff or potato type chips so it was just ok for me. You could tell there was a hint of spice in the dip as Steph pointed out and it was definitely better than anything you will get out of a container. I can absolutely see how people will love this stuff!

For my dinner I had a Buffalo Chicken Salad, now this was everything a BCS should be! With grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, green onions, bleu cheese crumbles, tomatoes, buff sauce and guess what? The homemade ranch passed the test! Ranch Whore right here! LOL. It was perfect and I ate every last bit of it! BCS is one of my favorites.Steph did give me a bite of her chicken and mac & chz and damn….I can’t wait to get that for dinner. *insert mouth watering* I had a side of sweet potato fries which were good. Starlin had the chicken tenders with kettle chips on the kids menu and he said they got four stars eating almost all his chips before I noticed he needed to eat his chicken. Just a heads up the kids meal only came with one tender so if you have a big eater I would go for the adult chicken tender basket. I had a Shaken Mojito made with Bacardi and that was quite refreshing, the mint was fresh and the lime ample. We felt very loved and taken care of there, the owners and other servers checked on us or pre-bussed throughout our meal. My all time favorite friend since preschool and bartender Miss Holly showed up to eat on her day off (she is now going to be a staple there and I am sure her regulars will agree they are going to see her there!) she sat with us for a bit. I saw multiple friends there so the vibe was very “local and hometown.” Of course I had to leave with a black sweatshirt sporting The Lodge logo “Where the Locals Go”!