The Keg Steakhouse & Bar

The Keg Steakhouse & Bar
42 Northfield Dr. East
Waterloo, Ontario

We've been to the Keg several times, with friends or by ourselves. There's nothing really "wow" us but we haven't had any unpleasant experience either. Few days ago we were out running errands. It was very late by the time we were done. I complained to J that I was so HUNGRY that I could eat a cow. So…the Keg it is.

The decor of the Keg seems to be a result of careful calculations aiming at pleasing the majority; it is rich, simple, conservative but not too traditional. Take their Christmas tree as an example. The theme of their Christmas tree is gold and ivory, full of gold metallic ribbon, gold and (ivory) feather ornaments, and lighted with ambient lights. It is so lush yet "quiet".

In fact, the menu also seems to be designed to appeal everyone. Fundamentally it is a typical steakhouse menu. For example, their signature prime rib is served with garlic mashed potatoes and horseradish. But there are also items seasoned with teriyaki or ginger sauce just to add a bit of Asian flare.

We started with calamari. For mains I had prime rib and J had crab meat w sirloin, a variation of surf and turf.

- Sweet hot calamari (sweet and spicy ginger garlic sauce)
- Prime rib, garlic mashed, horseradish and red wine herb au jus
- Crab meat sirloin: asparagus spears and crab meat on a sirloin ladled with a creamy three mushroom sauce (2.00 donated to a kids charity with every surf and turf combo)

The calamari is ok. The ginger garlic sauce is on the sweet side, lots of teriyaki in it. They need to rework on the formula of the sauce. To be honest, we would probably enjoy it more with conventional tartar sauce. But we acknowledge their effort on trying something different.

I asked to have my prime rib medium rare and they got it right! I suppose if you dare to list description of each degree of doneness, you really have to get it right. The horseradish was surprisingly intense, moderate consumption is recommended. We were impressed by the amount of crab meat we got for the dish crab meat sirloin but that is about it; we both agree that they did a better job on preparing the sirloin than the beef.

If you want to find a place for friends-gathering or a family reunion and you want to kick it up a notch, the Keg will probably be the choice which keeps everyone happy (except the vegetarian and vegan population. After all, it's a steakhouse.).