I was about 400 pages into a re-read of the second volume of Solzhenitsyn's "The Gulag Archipelago" when a thought hit me: "I don't remember him writing this much about food. Did they really serve green chile pork carnitas with mac 'n' cheese in Soviet work camps?!"

I turned to the frontpiece and, sure enough, I wasn't reading a hefty Solzhenitsyn after all but, instead, the similarly oversized menu at Tom's Urban, one of the newer dining establishments at Mohegan Sun. It's the fourth Tom's Urban location, along with Las Vegas, L.A. and Denver and, jeez, when it comes to conceptualizing a menu, this Tom guy doesn't want to leave anything out.

The menu is so extensive that, in the interest of offering a reasonably comprehensive review, my wife Eileen and I decided to take the practical approach and just focus for now on Tom's "Most-of-the-Day Brunch," which is served from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. In the topsy-turvy universe of habitual casino denizens — some of whom entered the gaming area in 2011 and plan on exiting in 2009 — having brunch available in an extended format is very smart.

Tom's Urban is easy to find. Simply head to the box office at the Mohegan Sun Arena, ask them when they're going to book the Polish band Riverside, then head up the escalator to the large space previously associated with Virgil's Real BBQ and, before that, Big Bubba's BBQ. The gigantic space still looks much the same: sky-high ceiling; serpentine bar to the left as you enter; vast dining area proper to the right with tall-tops, booths and regular-height tables; a lot of glossy stripped-wood detailing; and more than enough giant screen televisions to show every NFL game on the schedule (though, on a recent Sunday, not the New Orleans Saints. Hmm.).

Anyhoo, yes: brunch.

The offerings break down into subcategories including Platters, Urban Skillets, Breakfast Sandwiches, Benedicts, Omelets, Pancakes and French Toast. There are, in addition to the menu's overall and sprawling list of beers, designer drinks and wines, breakfast cocktails comprising Bottomless Mimosas ($16 till 2 p.m.), a Bloody Mary and a Bacon Bloody Mary ($13.50 and $22.50).

On our first visit, Eileen tried a regular Bloody Mary and pronounced it bracing, spicy, quenching and more than just a slug of vitamin V splashed into a glassful of Mr. and Mrs. T's mixer. Our waiter was slammed — particularly by a large group that seemingly decided they wanted separate checks and would pay them by laboriously counting out pennies — but from the outset did a nice job of staying friendly and attentive.

From the Benedict possibilities, E ordered a Treehugger ($13) — one of a reasonable array of veggie options comprising eggs benedict with avocado in place of the Canadian bacon. The poached eggs were perfect, the avocado fresh and plentiful, the Hollandaise divine — and the Wolferman's English muffin stood up to it all.

Each Benedict comes with a choice of Asadero hashbrowns, cheddar polenta grits or — Eileen's pick — a kale and romaine side salad. It was, well, healthy, though the serving was more of a garnish than an actual salad.

Under the Urban Skillet section, I asked for the Nashville Kickin' Chicken Skillet ($14) and was rewarded with a chafing dish of creamy, tangy and ideally textured cheddar grits and cloud-like fluffs of scrambled eggs surrounded strips of moist chicken breast in a light, pepper-flecked batter. I didn't taste a lot of the promised Nashville hot sauce, but it was a very, very good dish, and I will eat it again. Perhaps in the next 10 minutes — no matter when you read this.

On a second stop, Eileen indulged a sweets craving and selected the Salted Caramel Skillet French Toast ($10). She was rewarded with six slices of thick, chewy Challah bread basted with a delicate wash of egg coating and serenaded with both a rich caramel sauce and salted caramel butter. It was beautiful — so much so that she didn't really need a provided container of maple syrup. I drank it instead, like a shot of liquor. Mmm.

I was unable to resist, from the Platters roster, something called the Hangover Slopper ($16). Yes, it's not the most appetizing name, but look beyond that to the ingenious construct: a huge, 100 percent Angus burger, cooked properly medium and with a bit of a tasty exterior char and nestled in a buttery brioche bun. Okay, the burger goes in the center of the platter like an island and was surrounded by a wondrous sea of pork green chili, pico de gallo, queso fresco, cheddar AND jack cheeses, and two eggs (normally fried but I asked for scrambled in true Texas fashion). This is, well, quite a slopper — and magnificent. The chili in particular was wonderful, with piquant green sauce coating thick shreds of pork shoulder, but the entire concept works in so many great ways. It comes with a side of shoestring garlic or sweet potato fries, which provide a nice if not wholly necessary textural alternative.

We both look forward to sampling the rest of the menu — even if it takes a few years.

Tom's Urban - Most-of-the-Day Bunch

1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, (860) 862-8667

Cuisine: Extensive cross-pollinization of comfort foods utilizing a global approach to flavors and recipes. The Brunch menu exemplifies this.

Atmosphere: Big, cheery and over-the-top in casino-y fashion; part sports bar and part culinary orgy

Service: Despite bustling crowds, servers on two visits largely did a fine job of keeping up. Worth noting that the kitchen staff didn't seem too concerned about the look of the plates; more than one came out looking as though the washing machine was overloaded.

Prices: $6.25-$16

Handicapped access: Sufficiently roomy in main dining room for easy wheelchair negotiation

Credit cards: All majors

Reservations: N/A; lines can be long at peak hours or before/after Arena concerts