Saturday 29 December 2012

The Toucan

Before I get into the "meat and potatoes" of our trip to The Toucan, I will first apologize for taking so long to post the results of our adventures from last week... the holidays have been quite busy so far and as a result, I have yet to have a chance to sit to write.  (The nice thing is that I am officially now writing on my new MacBook Pro instead of struggling with my Dell! Woot woot!!). I should also let you know that the current holiday also means that all of our dining adventurers are slightly scattered over the next 2 weeks, so we will be taking a hiatus until January 10th, at which point our next dining experience will find us at Darbar. Until then, I thank you for being dedicated to reading my rambles over the course of the last few weeks, and I encourage you to continue to spread the word about the blog... that is, of course, assuming you have already been spreading the word... and that you actually like it enough that spreading the word is warranted... hmmm... This may or may not have been a "foot in mouth" situation... Or, I suppose as a blogger, more "foot in hand"... not quite as gross, but since I'm not a foot person, I'm still gagging a little bit.


But I digress... And the Toucan deserves better than me to be talking at length about holding feet (gag!).  Considered Kingston's local Irish pub, The Toucan (website found here) is located - like many of our stops - in downtown Kingston; directly on Princess Street. Open since 1986, the pub prides itself on serving reasonably priced authentic pub fayre and having 22 draughts on tap.  With deals like half-priced wings and half-priced nachos almost every night of the week as well as frequent live music nights, there is much more than beer drawing locals to this pub - then, you add flavourful food to the list, and it's a must-go.

Oh - and you should also know that Arthur the bartender is "Mr. Twitter" and is apparently worth following.

The pub is small at first glance, but once inside, you'll notice that it stretches much further back than expected - one level in the front, and 2 levels in the back in addition to a comfortable patio that is open spring-fall provide you with lots of seating options.  Ambiance and decor are... well... "pubby" - wood furnishings, bar as the focal point on the first level, a variety of wall hangings (including mirrored) advertising a variety of draughts, and music playing over the speakers on every level.  For the record, Jordan thought that it was important to note that the music was really good, too - Beck, Wilco, Black Keys... good stuff. Perhaps the only drawback of the music was that as the evening got later, the music got louder; making conversation a little more challenging.  That said, maybe a few pints would have helped the situation as we would have been more willing to get more "boisterous". :)

The menu at the Toucan has a pretty good variety - items you would expect from a pub, and some items (like the soup special for the evening - a curry coconut chickpea soup) that you wouldn't necessarily expect and perhaps leave you thinking that its nice they are willing to take risks.  I have certainly heard of people repetitively going there specific nights of the week for specific meals, and that is never a bad sign, either.


So what did we order? Here's the run-down:

Tonia: Curry coconut chickpea soup to start; falafel in a pita with tzatziki and fries.

Shirley: (Good to have you join us again, Shirley!) Steak and mushroom pie: tender pieces of steak and fresh mushrooms in a beef wine sauce topped witih puff pastry and gravy, served with fries.

Jordan: shared spicy Thai wings with Kendra to start. Fish and chips (haddock) served with fries.

Kendra: Chicken pot pie: comfort food classic; chunks of chicken with onions, peas and carrots in a rich cream sauce topped with puff pastry and served with fries.

Todd: Curry coconut chickpea soup to start. BLT with fries.

Carrie: Honey garlic chicken wings and a poutine (no one should be shocked by the latter).

Food arrived in good timing. Just enough time to have some good quality conversation (like the smell of bleach... how we got there, I don't know...) and catch up on everyone's weeks. Presentation: pretty good.  Nothing overly spectacular by any means, but it is a pub after all.  I don't think that anyone goes in to a pub expecting amazing presentation - just tasty fries.  And, if you do go to a pub looking for amazing presentation... please let me know if you find it - I'd love to go.

Not only was food on the table in good time, but it tasted good, too - which is never a bad thing. We were all easily able to munch through our selections, and did our usual offers to share so that we could all sample different things. The big surprise on the table in my opinion, was the soup special. Curry coconut chickpea soup was greatly enjoyed by Todd and Tonia, and even I sampled and enjoyed it - which, if you know my tastes, is quite surprising (the combination of coconut and chickpeas in a bowl sounds pretty awful to me so I was happy to try it and be surprised).

And the scores...

Tonia: 4 forks. The soup was really awesome - super flavourful. The falafel pita was good in terms of flavour, but the falafel wasn't crispy.  Pita would have been better in a wrap as it was quite messy and hard to eat.  Tonia was happily surprised that she wasn't charged for a change from salad to fries.

Shirley: 3.5 forks. The beef in the steak and mushroom pie was tender and delicious, but the overall dish was a little too "doughy" for Shirley's liking.  

Jordan: 4 forks. Jordan said it was "really good pub food".  His fish was nice - crispy, light, flaky.  The fries were great.  The cole slaw was lacking creativity and was pretty ordinary (aren't we just becoming regular food connoisseurs?!).

Kendra: 4 forks. Kendra was happy with the food and the quality of the food, but said that she didn't feel "blown away" by anything. She expected more with the pot pie, but it was mostly just chicken - which is okay, but she was hoping for more of a variety of vegetables, too.

Todd: 4 forks. The BLT was really good.  The bread they use for the sandwich is amazing (Todd said he loved it!) and the BLT was well balanced.  Mayo was left to Todd to apply, which he liked.  Todd also stated "most surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed the soup.  I wouldn't have expected the whole chick peas to be good".  I think that Todd's review was a little longer, but my note taking skills couldn't keep up with the speed of his chatter as he was 3 sheets to the wind at this point...

Carrie: 4 forks. Great poutine. LOVE the gravy. Seriously. L-o-v-e. Perfect amount of cheese (you know when you get a poutine and there is only cheese on the top, and eventually you're left with fries and gravy, which isn't what you ordered, so you're left disappointed?  I don't like it when that happens... glad it didn't happen here!). The wings were tasty, but not as meaty as I'd like.

Overall score: 3.9 forks. Is the Toucan "Just a pub"? Based on that score, I'd say absolutely not. Go in for a drink, and be sure to bring your appetite.  It's all worth a try.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!  We look forward to meeting again at Darbar!
Cheers!
The Toucan on Urbanspoon

Sunday 16 December 2012

The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro





This week, our adventures took us to The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro.  Before I get into the details of the visit, I would like to do a shout out to my friend, Will, who joined me at Grecos this week on another fine evening - and of course, our visit was nothing short of phenomenal. Will has been a consistent reader and supporter of the 40in40 blog - thanks, buddy!


And... on to The Works!  I was genuinely concerned that I would pack on the pounds and go broke when I found out that The Works was coming to Kingston. With 7 locations in Ottawa, I have seen my fair share of Works burgers over the years with my sister and brother-in-law who live in our Nation's Capital, and I have loved every bite. While dining at a chain is, again, not our priority for the purposes of the adventure; I couldn't be part of the list-making without making sure that the Works made the cut.

The Works involves a 5-step process: 
1. Choose your 100% Canadian patty (beef, chicken, turkey, veggie, mushroom cap or elk). 
2. Choose your burger toppings. This is the hard part... why? Because there are over 70 combination choices. Are you vegetarian? No problemmo. A meat-lover? Then have a look at "Carnivore's Corner". Saucy, spicy, wild and worldly... it's all there. Just sit back, relax, and take your time while you read the very extensive menu.
3. Choose your bun. White, whole wheat or gluten free. 
4. Choose your side dish. In addition to being able to really personalize your burger in Step 2, you can make your meal as you see fit with your favourite side to compliment your topping combination.  Fries, broccoli, celery, "leafing on a jet plane", sweet potato strings, spicy die-cut chips, lumpy mashed potatoes or bold slaw (complete with jalepeno pepper juice and white pepper!)... I don't think I have been anywhere else that has as many options; which, I suppose, could be considered a good thing for some, but may be overwhelming for others.
5. Add-ons. This is yet another area of choice. Upgrade your burger to include more bacon, or perhaps you'd like to add tomato or pickle.  Change your side to Kraft Dinner (that's right... the yummy "cheese" pasta we all at at some point in our childhood), poutine or more... The options really do seem endless.

Like in any other dining establishment, beyond these 5 steps, there are also drink options and appetizers to consider. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic options include beer, coolers, wine, shakes, floats, soda, "killer krush" drinks, coffee, tea... And often, servers have suggestions on how to make combinations that make good drinks even better. 

Want to know more about the restaurant itself? If I had to rename The Works, the word "quirky" would definitely be involved. Nowhere else have I ever seen light bulb salt and pepper shakers, been served drinks in glass measuring cups, onion rings on a vertical spear in tower formation, and my main course in a metal serving tray that makes me feel like I'm on a construction site.  Table tops are "branded" (quite literally) with the restaurant name. Very industrial pendant lights hang from the ceiling and the walls of the restaurant are creative and fun - made of brick and rough mortar with pipes, licence plates, valves, gauges and even old bottles and cookware haphazardly placed throughout. I'm not sure who's imagination brought this restaurant to light, but I think that their brain would be one that I would love to get inside of... but more than likely, I could only handle being there for a few minutes, and I'd have to jump right back out due to the sheer frenetic nature of it all... It is definitely a restaurant I'd love to take credit for... but let's be honest - I won't be taking credit for any restaurants in my lifetime. Eating in restaurants, yes. Creating them... no.  

And that, perhaps is a good segue to the details of our dining choices (please note the creative titles)! We were joined yet again by Kendra and Jordan this week, as well as by our good friend, Ellen.  Sadly, Samer wasn't able to join us this week, and won't be with us again until the new year as he has joined his family in California. We miss you, Samer - and look forward to seeing you again when you return tanned and rejuvenated!  A thank you, at this point, as well, to our server - Jefferson - who kept us well taken care of and entertained all the while.

Starters for the table: The Tower 'O' Rings with Beechhouse and Chipotle Mayo dips on the side (there are a number of delicious dips to choose from) and some Crispy Dills. A warning: both are very hot when they arrive, so don't do as I do and jump in so quickly that you burn your mouth... Both are definitely worth a share at your table for a couple of reasons: first, they are just plain delicious; and second, since burgers are made to order, cooking time is longer than "fast food joints" so a starter is a nice way to get things rolling while your tummy grumbles for its dinner.

Carrie: "Growler Five-O": field mushrooms, smokey BBQ sauce, cheddar, double smoked bacon. I chose a beef patty, whole wheat bun (the healthy part of my meal), poutine as a side, and added tomato and pickles to my burger. 

Tonia: "Malibu Meltdown": double smoked bacon, crunchy o-ring, beechhouse sauce, havarti, gouda and brie cheeses. Beef patty, white bun, side of sweet potato fries.

Todd: "Sexy Burger" (if anyone is going to order something sexy, it's going to be Todd): pineapple, sweet and spicy sauce, cream cheese and hot peppers. Vegetarian patty, white bun and a poutine.

Ellen: "B-O-B": caramelized onions, bold BBQ sauce, crisp bacon and jack cheese.  Beef patty, whole wheat bun, Caesar salad.

Kendra: "Oil Thigh": Caramelized onions, chipotle ketchup, havarti cheese, 4 strips of double smoked bacon (we seem to be a bacon crowd!). Beef patty, white bun, side of onion rings.

Jordan: "Down Under": Jordan arrived asking if there was a burger with egg on it, and he found it! Caramelized onions, egg, purple beets, grilled pineapple and gouda cheese ("a kiwi special"). Beef patty, white bun, side of fries.

First opinions of these burgers? They are huge. A direct quote from someone at the table (I wish I could remember who, but I think I was a little stunned with excitement and hunger, so I only heard words, not specific voices) "This looks glorious!"

Jordan digs in!
I definitely recommend requesting a knife when you visit The Works. Cutting the burger in half not only helps manage taking a bite of the gargantuan sandwich, but it also allows you to show off the layers of amazingness if you happen to be writing a blog and including pictures. Taking pictures of your friends who choose not to cut the burger in half is also fun (thanks, Jordan!).



And the final scores:

Carrie: 5 forks. As usual, I was not disappointed with The Works. Big, delicious burgers. Absolutely delicious on all counts - burger, poutine... goodness... I'm very sadly getting hungry writing about it because I am thinking about it again. My only advice: Bring your appetite.

Tonia: 4.5 forks. Tonia reported that her burger was "scrumptious", and that her sweet-potato fries were good, but seemed like mass-produced fries. The beechhouse sauce is amazing, and adding bacon to her burger was definitely a choice she was happy with.  While Tonia enjoyed the deep fried pickles a lot, she has had better elsewhere.

Todd: 4.5 forks. Someone asked Todd (voices again...) if his burger truly was sexy. He reported that it was definitely a good mix of flavours, and that he would recommend the veggie burger - it was cooked very well. Like me, Todd is a lover of the poutine, and enjoyed his on this visit. 

Ellen: 3.5 forks. Ellen stated that her burger toppings were delicious and that the BBQ sauce and caramelized onions were particularly good.  Sadly, the bun was paradoxically toasted but not warm, and the salad wasn't great - "not flavourful, and funky croutons".

Kendra: 4.5 forks. Overall, Kendra really loved the food, and particularly really liked all of the dips. While my ears weren't working well enough to know who was always saying what on this night, I certainly know that it was Kendra who said "When I find a good dip, it brightens my life"... And while I'm sure that Jordan has brightened her life, I'm also sure that he is not the dip she is speaking of.

Jordan: 4 forks. Jordan was very intrigued by the beets, and stated that the burger was well balanced - creamy cheese, sweet pineapple... the whole combo worked very well, and the caramelized onions were really nice.  In Jordan's opinion, the fries were chip-truck-esque. Really good!

Overall score: 4.3 forks!

I don't think I would have predicted that a "burger joint" would get such a good score going into this adventure, but The Works certainly isn't your average burger joint. Go with your friends, go with your appetite... Just go.



"Wilson" is EVERYWHERE!
 Next week, we are heading to The Toucan - a pub in the heart of downtown!

The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro on Urbanspoon

Sunday 9 December 2012

Frankie Pestos

Where to start... I guess I will start by saying that I was excited to go to Frankie Pestos this week for a couple of reasons.  First, Todd invited his friends Kendra and Jordan to join us this week, and - let's be honest - it's just plain awesome to meet new people. I hope they enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed theirs.  Frankie Pestos also appealed to me this week because by some act of randomness, it was one of the few places in Kingston that I have yet to go, and to be honest - hadn't heard all that much about... 

New people, check. New food, check.

And, now I suppose that I should get to the nitty-gritty.  Frankie Pestos is in a primo location. Seriously - primo. (Is primo Italian for prime?  Sounds like it, so I'm going with it.) Like other restaurants on our adventure, it is right "in the thick" of it all. On the corner of Johnson and Ontario streets, this restaurant is close to its competition, downtown attractions including the Market Square skating rink (now open for your enjoyment!) and shops. While parking can sometimes be a pain, for those who like to wander around downtown, it isn't a complete deterrent.  The restaurant is an Italian Eatery with a variety of pastas, pizzas and main course dishes (find the restaurant menu here). Owned by a second generation Italian, Frankie Pestos opened in 1993 and is self-described as a "perfect compliment of old and new Italian traditions in food and wine".  I'm not an expert on old or new traditions from Italy, so I can't be the judge of that, but I will give an honest opinion of our night... and sadly, it wasn't exactly the "perfect compliment" of anything...

First impressions? The restaurant is nice-enough... The decor left me feeling somewhat confused. Partly because I wasn't sure if I should be dressed up or dressed more casually, and partly because I wasn't sure why a restaurant would have the need for so much fake foliage. Flowers, leaves... you name it, they've got it - near booths, above doors, in the fake Juliette balcony (yes - there is a fake balcony; complete with a clothes line... perhaps patrons have spilled wine and needed a wash in the past?), and even in the bathroom. And, now that I've said bathroom, I feel like I need to address that topic as well. Partly because it was really, really hot in there, while the rest of the restaurant was quite cool... I'm not sure why, and I didn't want to ask... and partly because a drawback of many restaurants downtown is that floor plans are smaller - causing a need for owners to get creative.  Kitchens are often seen in basements, and bathrooms are sometimes on different floors as well.  This is my pet peeve - and not just for Frankie Pestos - but for so many of the restaurants in downtown Kingston. A lack of accessibility... getting into the restaurant is often a feat in itself - add to that the impossibility of maneuvering anywhere within the restaurant and having the misfortune of not having the freedom to use the facilities... accessibility issues really need to change in this city.

But I digress, and as I said, Frankie Pestos is not the only downtown establishment with this flaw, so I won't hold it against them (for too long, anyway!). Perhaps I will move on to discuss our overall experience. We were greeted promptly and politely at the door and shown to our table, from where I could see that there were only a handful of patrons visiting for the evening. Our server, Colin, was very polite and attentive - checking in quickly and often throughout the service. Expeditors also assisted with the service, which was helpful in getting items out to our table to everyone at the same time. Once drinks were ordered, a basket of toasted bread was delivered for us to share. This is always a nice gesture, but it was cold, so it wasn't enjoyed as much I think the gesture intended. Beyond that, here's a summary of what we ordered:

Tonia and I shared bruschetta to start, and Kendra and Jordan shared calamari fritti.  The calamari got positive reviews from all who tried it, and while the bruschetta was decent, it tasted more like a pizza (surprising or expected from an Italian restaurant?) and I was shocked by the amount of grease on the plate from the moment it arrived. I think that if I was serving the plate, I would have looked at it first. After looking, I'm sure I would have wiped the grease from it... An oversight?  Perhaps... but sadly, we would discover that other dishes would arrive greasier than expected.

Other orders...

Carrie: Canadese pizza: tomato sauce, pepperoni, sausage, pancetta, sliced red and green peppers, mushrooms and mozzarella; served with caesar salad.


Tonia: Nonna pizza: tomato sauce, charbroiled chicken breast, roasted sweet red peppers, mozzarella, feta cheese, and basil pesto; served with caesar salad.

Samer: Pollo Con Salsa al Pesto: a lightly breaded chicken breast, pan seared and topped with goat's cheese (which Samer asked to have removed), roasted red peppers, and pesto sauce served atop roasted garlic potatoes and seasonal vegetables; served with garden salad.

Todd: Amalfi: spaghettini tossed with baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and artichoke hearts in olive oil and basil-pesto sauce, baked with crumbled goat cheese and served with caesar salad.

Kendra: Pasta Vongola: fettuccini pasta, fresh clams and red peppers, tossed with spicy white wine butter sauce; served with caesar salad.

Jordan: Vitello Parmigiano: lightly breaded veal parmesan topped with tomato sauce, baked with mozzarella, bocconcini and parmigiano, served with a side of fettuccine Alfredo and a caesar salad.



And our thoughts?  Sadly, not great ratings...

Carrie: 1.5 forks. The caesar salad dressing was nice... but beyond that, things weren't as good as I'd hoped for. When the bruschetta arrived, Samer said "looks like pizza!"... and... it tasted just like cheese pizza, which would be okay if I was expecting a (greasy) cheese pizza - but I wasn't.  The pizza I ordered - not very tasty. The mushrooms didn't taste very fresh - in fact, for the first time in my life, I had mushrooms that tasted like fungus... and the sausage not only had a funny flavour, but was very cut very thick and didn't seem cooked.  I picked those off, and still couldn't finish the pizza, and what I did eat, I ate because I was hungry. I couldn't resist taking a picture of my plate when I stopped eating because I so rarely leave with food on the plate unless I am absolutely STUFFED.

Tonia: 2 forks. Tonia also thought that the caesar salad dressing was nice, but that it didn't make the salad phenomenal by any means. The pizza-like bruschetta was also noticed by Tonia (we may be harder to please since we have had really good bruschetta elsewhere), and she thought that her pizza was lack-lustre. The chicken was too chunky and was dry as a result.  Also, her pizza arrived luke warm.

Todd: 3 forks. The garlic bread to start was cold, which was disappointing. While Todd said that his meal was fine overall, he also commented that it was something that he could have made at home.  Todd used the term "fine" 5 times while trying to comment, which is "fine" by me... I, too, was somewhat lost for words.

Kendra: 2.75 forks. Good caesar salad, and Kendra liked the calamari and the dips that came with it. The food was a little cold when she got it, and Kendra said that the clams were over cooked... as a non-eater of clams, I had no idea what they should be like, so I asked, and Kendra said that they were "crumbly" and shouldn't be.  One clam even pulled a bit of a disappearing act - having left its shell on its own, Kendra was left to search for it in her pasta.  

Jordan: 2.5 forks. Jordan said something that many of us talked about at some point in the night: "I ate it because it was in front of me"... he did, however, like the calamari.

Samer: 1 fork. Samer's salad was "sucky" - limp and tasted old.  He was disappointed with his main course as well, stating that it was very greasy (another plate with grease puddles)... the chicken tasted like cheese (which he doesn't like, so he purposely ordered it without) and overall wasn't very good. The vegetables were pretty good, but there weren't very many... At the end of his meal, Samer asked "does anyone want to go out for wings?"

Overall Rating... 2.1 forks... 

I will admit that this week, the writing did not coming as easily to me because I very honestly didn't enjoy my experience, probably wouldn't go back, and don't enjoy writing negative things... But I promised myself to be honest through this entire process.  That said, since visiting and sharing my experience pre-writing with friends, I did hear some people say they were surprised, or that while they may not have been to Frankie Pestos before, they have heard good things about it.  Maybe we went on an "off" night?  Maybe there were different cooks... Maybe our tastes are just really different from other people...? Who knows. 
Sadly, my favourite part of the meal: the candy with the bill!

What I do know is that while I probably won't go back, I think there are Kingstonians who will - and do.  I will just enjoy spending my money elsewhere.


Restaurant Wilson makes another appearance!
















Oh. And in my type-a-ness (which my friend, Grant, likes to refer to as my type "anus" in reference to my being an ass at times), I looked up primo on Google translate.  It really is Italian for prime.

Next week, we are headed to The Works!  Another chain... but fairly new to Kingston, and worth the stop!

Frankie Pestos on Urbanspoon

Monday 3 December 2012

The Keg Steakhouse & Bar

There is something to be said about a restaurant where you know that no matter when you go, or how big your party is, you will have excellent service from well trained staff and eat excellent food cooked exactly as you like it. There is also something to be said about a cozy restaurant where you feel like you could stay for hours... and maybe even have a nap without feeling uncomfortable (which I didn't do, for the record... but could have). The Keg Steakhouse and Bar is such a restaurant - and while we had to break slightly from our trend of "no chains" over the course of this adventure in order to go there, we certainly did not feel guilty.  Not even for one second.
On their website (found here), The Keg invites you to "experience a steakhouse with a difference".  The "difference", you may ask?  Well, I was thinking about that, too, over the course of our visit, and ultimately I think the difference is that they pay attention.  To the big details, to the little details, and every detail in between... there is very little that this franchise hasn't thought about in the development of their business - in fact, I would argue that there is nothing that they have missed.  The result of this attentiveness? What I would argue is that the result is the making of not only the best steakhouse in Kingston, but even further, the operation of what could very well be the best steakhouses from coast to coast in this great country of ours - and even in some states, too.
To begin, I feel like I should talk about arrival at the restaurant.  As you enter the door, you are quickly greeted by friendly staff.  The hostess table is organized and truly operates like a well-oiled machine.  No one waits longer than necessary, and staff work together to ensure that tables do not sit empty. While parking at the Kingston location can be slightly tricky (the joys of downtown!), if you are lucky enough to get a spot in one of the few spaces in the lot designated to the restaurant, the staff will put a parking validation card on your car for you... A pretty great touch when it is cold out and the last thing you want to do is wander back to your vehicle.  Another great touch? The validation card treats you to a free slice of the ever-popular Billy Miner Pie on your next visit. Such a simple gesture on their part - but yet, I can't help smiling from ear to ear with excitement just at the thought of it as I type now! The restaurant is warm and inviting. Lights are low, but not so low that you feel as though you need your hands up ahead of you while moving to or from your table... If you arrive stressed, the atmosphere alone is enough to help you relax and un-wind. The simple pieces of art along with very comfortable seating options are welcoming and calming. Further, the acoustics in the restaurant are softened somehow - so no matter how busy it gets, you aren't stuck listening to someone else's annoying Aunt Gertrude tell a boisterous yet boring story to her family members about how she grew the biggest pumpkin at the annual fair from her corner booth in another section of the restaurant.  The Kingston Keg is also somewhat of an architectural marvel, in my opinion... maybe my friend, Jason (an actual architect) would have another opinion... but those are the only words that I can find in this (educated but tired) brain of mine to describe a restaurant that inside consists of an unexpected space that goes on further than you could ever imagine while standing on the street and peering into the windows (not in the stalker-type way... no need for that!)... Twists, turns, and the occasional level change comprised of 2-5 stairs leave you in need of asking for directions to the restroom when you visit for the first time, and smiling at the idea of the seemingly infinite amount of space inside compared to the small outdoor footprint.  All of this combined with exposed brick and limestone walls as well as wooden beams really amount to one word. Gorgeous.  To top it all off, we were lucky enough to be seated at a booth with a fantastic view of Springer Market Square... adding a somewhat magical feel to the visit.

I suppose that at some point, I should get to the point of this blog and start to talk about the food... I think I could go on forever about the environment itself... but I will leave it to you to experience for yourself.  So... the menu. Of course, as a steakhouse, the Keg is best known for its steaks; but there really is so much more offered. Salads, seafood, chicken, ribs, delicious appetizers, fabulous desserts and - something that they are certainly proud of - an extensive drink menu including a great variety of wines and cocktails.  Whether you are a steak-lover or a vegetarian, I have no doubt that you could find something delectable to enjoy. And on that note, perhaps I will get to describing what we had!  Tonia's mom, Shirley, joined us yet again (how could anyone pass this up?!), and it didn't take us long to make up our minds about what to order... Keg Classic dinners - including a salad to start, grilled vegetables and your choice of potato - being very popular with us! 

Complementary, deliciously warm bread was brought to the table in no time. Tonia and I ordered baked goat cheese (Warm goat cheese coated in crushed almonds, with tomato basil salsa.) to start.  It is something that has caught our eye in previous visits, and for the sake of the blog (yeah... that's it... for the sake of the blog...), we didn't hesitate to ask for a serving during this visit.
Shirley enjoyed escargot stuffed mushroom caps with garlic and herbs to start... Something that fascinates me when I see it, but not enough to interest me in getting it... maybe one day that will change - Shirley certainly thought the order was well worth it!

Main orders:

Carrie and Todd: Teriyaki classic dinner; Caesar salad, (Spinach salad for Todd) and garlic mashed potatoes on the side with the delicious grilled vegetables (I also got to enjoy all of Tonia and Samer's mushrooms - yum!)

Tonia and Shirley: Filet minion classic dinner; Caesar salad to start, and garlic mashed potatoes with grilled vegetables

Samer: Creole Chicken (not surprisingly, a dish served with shrimp and scallops!), which he expressed he wanted our server, Steph (who was fantastic!) to "classic-it", adding a mixed greens salad, garlic mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables (minus the mushrooms... which again, landed on my plate).

As expected, we were very happy with everything that touched the table.  Taste-buds were tantalized... so to speak... resulting in the following scores:

Carrie: 5 forks. I don't make steak at home, and The Keg gives me good reason not to.  I just don't think I could do it justice. One of my favourite "small details" during the meal was that the Caesar salad arrived cold. Not just yummy - but COLD... making it taste fresher that "those other places" make 'em. Also - I wish they could tell me what they do to those darn mushrooms to make them so darn yummy.

Tonia: 5 forks. The Keg is definitely the best steakhouse in town.  The baked goat cheese was phenomenal.

Samer: 4.5 forks. Samer was "speechless" after his meal (THANK YOU, Keg!... just kidding, Samer!) other than to say that his salad was beautiful and the food was delicious.

Shirley: 5 forks. While Shirley was so stuffed after her escargot that she didn't eat a whole heck of a lot, she insisted that what she did eat was absolutely delicious. Presentation was excellent, and the food was a great value for what you get on the plate.

Todd: 5 forks. Todd was especially impressed with his ability to request the spinach salad at no extra cost, and unlike many other venues we have been to thus far, he wasn't charged for a refill of his soda water - which was a huge bonus. Seriously, Kingston - if you are reading, give the man a break on his soda waters!  Todd mentioned that his food was worthy of 4 forks, but the spinach salad and soda water kicked it up a fork.

Overall score: 4.9 forks. Pretty close to perfect. Some people hesitate to go to the Keg because they don't necessarily want to shell out a lot of cash, but in all honesty, Shirley is very right in saying that the food is great value - your plate (and belly) will be full, and everything is absolutely tasty.  My only complaint? No way did I have room for Billy Miner Pie at the end of the night... 

You'll be mine next time, Billy Miner... next time...
Anyone for onions?
What you take home is put in a bag and made to look like a gift!

Frankie Pestos is our next stop! This will be the first visit for some of us - very exciting!



The Keg Steakhouse & Bar - Kingston on Urbanspoon