In our quest for the best authentic Mexican food in our area, we were excited to find a new restaurant close to home.
Brisas del Mar II, located at 360 U.S. 27/441 in Lady Lake, opened for business this past June. We waited until now to give it a try so the staff could have time to work out any opening kinks and get in their groove.
Wow! What a pleasant surprise! This little gem is just shining in a location that has had its share of food establishments go by the wayside. The outside of the building has been completely remodeled, as well as the inside. The outside has a beautiful, spotless covered dining area complete with ceiling fans to keep you cool on hot summer days. And inside is festive with a modern flair featuring colorful, carved furniture, artwork and a full bar. The restaurant offers table or booth seating.
I brought along three of my most discriminating dining companions who savor the flavor of Mexican food as much as I do. We were immediately greeted upon arrival with a friendly smile and warm hello.
There was no waiting and we were seated in our booth immediately. As soon as we were comfortable, the chips and salsa were delivered. We also ordered the queso dip, which almost magically appeared as the chips did. The chips were warm, the salsa was nice and spicy and the queso was warm and creamy.
The menu offers recognizable favorites from many Mexican restaurants, along with their own signature dishes. The difference is the fabulous, fresh and well-seasoned taste!
Brisas del Mar II offers a varied selection of appetizers, along with soups and salads. The dining menu offers selections in beef, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetarian, a kid’s menu and “Gringo” dishes. And there’s a dessert menu as well. You can get your favorite margaritas and cocktails from the full bar, too.
I ordered the Burrito Bowl ($11.99), which came in a huge serving – really enough for two people – and seasoned perfectly. It had layers of grilled marinated chicken, black beans and rice, pico de gallo, and sour cream, all atop a bed of lettuce.
One of my dining companions had Fajitas ($13.99) with marinated chicken, onions and peppers on a sizzling skillet. It was served with refried beans, Spanish rice, lettuce, tomato, guacamole, sour cream and warm tortillas. We just love the sound of the sizzle as it comes to the table. The chicken was perfectly seasoned, and the portion was big enough to take some home.
Another companion ordered the Shrimp Tacos ($13.99), which were served in three warm tortillas topped with lettuce and fresh pico de gallo, served along with Spanish rice and beans, lettuce, tomato and guacamole. The grilled shrimp were big and juicy and filled the soft tacos.
My fourth companion ordered the Supremo Burrito ($9.99), which was a very large, seasoned, shredded-chicken burrito served with refried beans, guacamole and red sauce. It was fully stuffed, hot and seasoned to perfection.
Brisas del Mar II is by far among the tastiest of all the Mexican restaurants we have frequented. The service was excellent, the staff was friendly, the food was plentiful and delicious – and the prices were on par for the meal.
We truly are looking forward to our next visit so we can try out more fabulous selections – and a margarita is in my near future!
