Restaurant review: Federal Bar in Lakeland an inviting spot, day or night
LAKELAND — Long dormant and falling into disrepair, Lakeland’s historic downtown post office has been reimagined, and now houses two of the city’s more interesting food-and-drink venues.
Mojo Federal Swine and Spirits takes up roughly two thirds of the refurbished, Georgian Revival-style building that dates to 1917. This barbecue-meets-whiskey bar emporium opened in January and promptly earned high marks from this reviewer for the breathtaking space and laudable menu.
Federal Bar followed suit in May with an equally compelling space of soaring, beamed ceilings, original brick walls and expansive windows that illuminate the room’s historic features. There are two rooms, each with its own handsome bar, and several flat screens for sports telecasts.
While Mojo Federal is part of a statewide chain, Federal Bar is independently owned by Stuart and Kara Simm, a Lakeland couple who also own a local home inspection business. The pair has taken pains to decorate with old photographs, potted plants, wood casks and sturdy, high-top tables.
A likeness of Tennessee distiller Jack Daniel greets guests at the bar’s entrance, setting the mood. This is, after all, a bar, with a bevy of creative cocktails like the Knuckledragger Margarita, infused with pineapple, jalapeno, lemon and lime; and the more serious The Federal, a straight take on the classic Old Fashioned, complete with a flamed orange peel to boost the aroma.
The drink menu is curated by bar manager Emerson Bamaca, who held a similar position at Lakeland’s defunct Posto 9, a Brazilian gastropub that closed its doors in early May. The menu at Federal Bar is the creation of kitchen manager Paige Licari, a former cook at Posto 9.
I like Licari’s slim, thoughtful menu of finger foods, smoked fish dip, handhelds, bowls and more. A highlight is a Reuben sandwich reimagined as a Cuban, the whole affair crisply pressed and anointed with pickle chips, mustard and sauerkraut, $12.95.
Nibbles include excellent pickle fries, cut long and thin; and a small platter of melt-in-your-mouth ahi tuna, thinly sliced and lightly seared, embellished with pickled ginger, wasabi and a light, chili-flavored teriyaki, $12.95.
For a more substantial meal, I recommend the slider trio with smoked pork, chicken and beef, all shredded and sandwiched between soft pretzel buns, $11.95.
Less interesting is a 1917 salad, sporting bits of feta, ham and black olives and dressed with a ho-hum avocado vinaigrette. Much more appealing is a bowl of brown rice and quinoa, gussied up with tangy shreds of pickled red onion, corn, cabbage slaw, cotija cheese and a light, avocado dressing. The substantial bowl is topped with a tangle of the house’s lean, tender barbacoa beef, $12.95.
Kara Simm, mother to 2-month-old son, Harrison, said she and her husband, a native of England, have designed a kid-friendly environment with high chairs, mac-and-cheese, curly fries and other goodies. The place also serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays with items like sausage, egg and bacon egg rolls and Belgian waffles.
Not to be missed is an adult-sounding dessert of smoked maple and bourbon-flavored ice cream accompanied by cinnamon-scented churros filled with sweetened cream cheese.
The expansive rear room and bar can be reserved for private events and meetings. Live entertainment is featured Friday and Saturday evenings, and during Sunday brunch.
The Simms have fashioned an inviting spot for any time of the day or night, one that fits in with the historic integrity of the building and serves as yet another shining example of downtown Lakeland's burgeoning status as a destination for an eclectic mix of interesting food, drink and entertainment.
Eric Pera can be reached at eric.pera@theledger.com or 863-802-7528.
Federal Bar
124 S. Tennessee Ave., Lakeland; 863-816-3968
Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 11 a.m. to midnight Thursday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
FOOD: ★★★ 1/2
SERVICE: ★★★
AMBIENCE: ★★★★
THE GIST: Bar and entertainment venue with a short, thoughtful menu and weekend brunch.
Credit cards: All
Price range: Most items less than $13.
Appropriate for kids: Yes.
Must try: Ahi tuna appetizer; sliders, pickle fries, barbacoa bowl, Cuban Reuben.
THE STARS
5 stars: Extraordinary.
4 stars: Great, goes above and beyond expectations.
3 stars: Good, meets all expectations.
2 stars: Fair.
1 star: Poor.
Star ratings are based on reviewer’s impressions of food, service, ambience and value for the money.