Review - The Keg, Upper James, Hamilton

I know, I know...it seems like forever since I was able to sit down and update this blog...things happen, and sometimes work gets in the way of my extracurricular activities. That in mind, brings me to this post, which was long over due, as was the night itself.

Bob and I met up at The Keg on Upper James for our monthly dinner out, at about 5:30. It's been going on monthly for almost 5 years. However, the last 6 months worth have tended to be a "dine and dash" experience, which neither of us particularly enjoy. We decided that the Keg night was going to be different. Time to relax and enjoy the ambience that the Keg can give. We started the night with a nice Grey Goose martini, with extra olives. I was going to order mine "dirty", but, that would be a waste of a good vodka. With the hot bread that came with the drinks, we started to wonder if it was going to be another fast night out. We told Kendra to go slow, so we could enjoy the dinner tonight. After a few yuks about work, we started into the appetizers. We noticed that they have changed the menu a bit since last time, and what jumped out was an Ahi tuna appetizer, which, when presented, looked really good. Bob, always being on the safe side, had ordered a shrimp cocktail, to wash the tuna down, just in case (note - usually you get 5 shrimp, which you can't really split equally or gracefully at the table...Bob asked for an extra one, and Kendra thought she would be cute, so she cut one of the 5 lengthwise...had to laugh, but a little disappointed that they just didn't throw in a 6th shrimp!). The tuna was great, with a slight wasabi sauce on the side over some diced mushrooms. A far stretch from the Keg, since the appetizers are usually overwhelming at best. The tuna was a nice touch, and added a little elegance that the Keg had been losing over the years. We will do it again for sure.

After the appetizer, we ordered a Fetzer merlot to go with the prime rib we were about to order. The last time we were at the Keg, we were a little disappointed in the serving of the prime rib. It seemed they were cheaping out a bit, especially for a couple of big eaters like us. Bob had told me that he has that fixed...he told them that the last time we were there, we were disappointed in their prime rib, which is supposed to be their specialty. Kendra said she would take care of it, and off she went. After a couple of glasses of wine, dinner was served, along with a side of veggies - asparagus, szechuan green beans, and mushrooms. Prime rib was done perfect, but the baked potatoe looked and tasted as if it had been leftover from the day before. I don't fall for this "double baked" potatoe they have come out with. I prefer a fresh one, baked once. Given that it is a steakhouse, and a staple is the baked potatoe, you think they could have had enough of them and not reuse. Other than the baked potatoe, everything was great for dinner. Another bottle of wine came to the table, and I didn't think we would get through it, but we did. For dessert, I ordered the creme brulee, which a standard for me. It tasted a little store bought, and not freshly made, but I guess with the Keg, you can't ask for everything. A little too sweet, but still a nice finish for the end of the meal. Bob indulged in the Billy Miner pie, which is another staple of the Keg chain.

To top off the meal, we both had a Spanish coffee, and enjoyed the quiet ambience of the restaurant with everyone slowly leaving. Turns out, we didn't get out of there until 11:30!! Pretty late for a Tuesday night. However, we were never rushed, and with a bill of $208, I don't think Kendra was going to kick us out any time soon. Given the fact I had to work the next day, Bob topped up the bill to $250, and all in all, a great dinner and night out. We will definitely put the Keg back on our "to do" list real soon!