Name: The Keg Steakhouse + Bar
Location: 560 King Street West, Toronto
Cuisine: Steakhouse
I was recently invited to an exclusive preview to sample The Keg's new winter cocktail menu. There are 10 new drinks that have been introduced this season in the cocktail and martini menu, and the ones that were featured in the event included Bourbon Maple, Apricot Whisky Sour, Pomegranate Royale and Cranberry Mojito. For each of the cocktails, a demonstration was held to show the process of creating the drinks, along with some tips on how to make it perfect. Each guest received their own full sized cocktail to sample and already laid out on the table were recipe cards for each drink that was prepared. During the cocktail sampling, all the guests received a wonderful platter of different snacks from their Casual Plates menu including a Prime Rib Slider, Meatballs, Tuna Taco, and Three Way Filet. After the sampling, those that wanted to stay for dinner had tables reserved to enjoy a delicious meal with wine, compliments of The Keg.
Appetizers:
Scallops & Bacon | Served with a zesty martini cocktail sauce ($13)
Shrimp Cocktail | Chilled black tiger shrimp with a zesty martini cocktail sauce ($12)
These appetizers were given out before the cocktail sampling. The scallop was perfectly cooked and the bacon had a delicious smoky flavour; and the shrimp with the martini sauce were very refreshing.
Bourbon Maple | Woodford Reserve bourbon, maple syrup, fresh lemon and cranberry juice ($11.00 2 oz.)
If you like a mix of bold and sweet flavours, this martini is for you. Upon the first sip, you can taste the richness of the bourbon and syrup, and then you get a nice tangy sweetness that follows through.
Apricot Whisky Sour | J.P. Wiser's Deluxe whisky, apricot brandy, fresh lemon juice, apricot nectar and a splash of ginger ale ($7.50 1 oz. or $11.50 Keg size 2 oz.)
This cocktail is one of my personal favourites of the night because it had a refreshing blend of citrus and sweet flavours from the lemon and apricot.
Pomegranate Royale | Absolut vodka, Pama pomegranate liqueur, honey syrup and fresh lemon juice topped with Freixenet sparkling wine ($7.50 1 oz. or $11.50 Keg size 2 oz.)
Another great drink that has sweet and zesty flavours, with a nice kick from the vodka.
Cranberry Mojito | Havana Club 3 Year Old rum, fresh lemon and lime juice, soda and muddled mint, cranberries and sugar ($7.50 1 oz. or $11.50 Keg size 2 oz.)
I love mojitos, especially when it's made with Havana Club. It reminds me of the time I vacationed in Cuba and had many refreshing mojitos by the beach. This new cocktail adds a twist to the traditional mojito by adding cranberries, which are perfect for this fall/winter season.
Samples from The Keg's Casual Plates menu:
Prime Rib Sliders | Shaved fresh off the roast and served with The Keg's horseradish Dijon Sauce ($14)
Tuna Tacos | Ahi tuna on warm tortillas with cabbage slaw and cilantro, served with jalapeno maple aioli ($14)
Three Way Filet | Filet medallions, served with a trio of sauces chimichurri, whisky peppercorn and Bearnaise ($20)
Keg Size Meatball | In-house blend of pork, veal and beef, braised in tomato sauce ($14)
Each of these snacks were very delicious and there wasn't one item that I didn't like. It would be awesome if they could actually come out with a menu option to get all 4 of these Casual Plates items on one platter like this so that people can try out each one. I would definitely order any of these snacks the next time I dine at The Keg, especially the Prime Rib Slider which was very juicy and tender!
House Special (Verbal, not on menu) | 7 oz. Flatiron steak sliced against the grain for tenderness in The Keg's house dry BBQ rub, tipped with BBQ butter compote, served with 3 black tiger jumbo shrimp, coleslaw and choice of accompaniment ($33)
My friend, Kim, ordered the House Special in medium rare with a side of caesar salad. The steak was very tender and it had a wonderful smoky flavour from the BBQ rub and butter compote.
Steak & Lobster | 6 oz. Grilled Top Sirloin with an oven baked 6 oz. Atlantic Lobster Tail ($42)
The steak was a nice medium rare and the lobster tail was nicely cooked and tasted very delicious with the melted butter.
Ice Cream | Premium vanilla ice cream served with your choice of chocolate sauce, caramel or fruit topping ($5)
Delicious classic vanilla ice cream, you really can't go wrong!
Billy Miner Pie | Mocha ice cream on a chocolate crust with hot fudge, caramel and almonds ($6)
Where do I begin? This ice cream pie was heavenly! I loved how the mocha ice cream wasn't too sweet, but just perfect. The hot fudge and caramel sauce added that extra touch of flavour and sweetness, and the toasted almonds gave it a delicious crunchy texture. If you have enough room for dessert, I highly recommend this ice cream pie!
The Keg has always been one of my favourite restaurants to dine at, and after sampling and watching the process of making their featured cocktails, I can truly appreciate the effort and quality that goes into each glass. My friend and I had such a wonderful experience sampling The Keg's new winter cocktail menu and we really enjoyed our dinner afterwards. A special thanks goes out to The Keg and Kelsey, Public Relations Coordinator, for inviting me to this great event.
The next time any of you visit The Keg this season, be sure to check out their newly featured cocktails and martinis. You won't be disappointed!
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