The Keg Restaurant in Yaletown had its opening week last week with a lot of buzz behind it; looks like they were really going all out with the place. Rumours had it of over 100 construction workers raced to get the place completed in time for the new Canada Line Sky Train opening. Stories of a massive roof-top patio with plenty of marble, glass & fire left me excited with anticipation for my first meal there.
The anticipation quickly died as I tried to book a reservation.
We called up on Monday afternoon to make a reservation for Tuesday night at 7:00pm. We were told that they were all booked up for reservations, but if we showed up at 6:30pm we should be fine. Given that our office is 25 feet away from the Keg I agreed to the terms.
I then walked over on Tuesday at 5:30 to put my name on the wait list to ensure we had a table for our group, but was told I had to come back by 6:00 to put my name down. I tried to assure the group of 5 young women that were hovering over the one computer at the front that I would in fact be back on time; that I worked next door... but that didn't matter.
Ok fine.
So I go back to work, and come back to the Keg 30 minutes later, wait in a small line up, then am again greeted by the same 5 young women still hovering over the one computer…
“Would you like the main dining area or upstairs patio?"
Having heard there was an 18 year wait list to get upstairs I was pleasantly surprised the upstairs patio was even an option. Today is my lucky day! After expressing my enthusiasm for this opportunity, I was informed I could just head upstairs and they would help me out up there.
I took the business class looking elevator up to the 3rd floor; doors opened up and I was quite impressed - beautiful interior, open air, more fireplaces, and a great buzz around the place. The vibe was very downtown financial district, and not so much Yaletown… but it definitely worked.
"I'm sorry sir, but there is a minimum 1hr. wait time for the Patio".
Hmmmmmmmph. So they sent me back downstairs to the front desk where I waited again in a small line up.
Me:"Hi, it’s me… I'm back... again, (remember me?) and would like to put my name down for a 6:30 table for 4”
Them: “I’m sorry sir but our reservations are full right now, but if you’d like to wait for the table, getting you in at 6:30 shouldn’t be a problem”.
Hmmmmmmmph. I was unable to convince them that I would in fact come back on time, and that they could bend the rules for a friendly yet increasingly annoyed neighbour, and we settled on my sitting at a table to make sure it didn’t go anywhere.
"We'll take you to your table right away sir."
We march back up to the 2nd floor. I sit down and ask where the washrooms are.
“Oh, sorry sir, you have to go back downstairs for the washrooms”.
Hmmmmph. Ok fine… walk back down. Back up to my seat. It wasn't so bad, after all the up and down and waiting in lines the 30 minutes I had to kill turned into 2, I had burned off an extra 150 calories and my guests had arrived.
Our group went back up to the patio for a quick tour of the place. Very impressive! A great view of Yaletown, beautiful open air concept with a central bar. We were informed the liquor primary license was only for 25 people which would prevent the bar from getting that same post-work buzz that you’ll find at Cactus Club Yaletown, but we were hopeful that the liquor board would review this over time. Apparently the opening few days there was a MOB of people up there, and even a (gasp) fight! I guess that is what happens when you open a steak house next to a skytrain…
We returned to our tables and ordered our drinks & meals.
The drinks arrived, and they had forgotten to put olive juice in a dirty Martini. We asked for a side of olive juice and a martini shaker to fix things up at the table. The beer came in rather unimpressive drink glasses... but after the effort that it took to get a table in the place, it went down well.
When the steak arrived, I was a bit confused at first... I ordered a Prime Rib, medium rare... and what showed up looked like a slab of roast beef cut from a big piece of meat. I looked over with envy to my friends New York "Keg Sized" that was grilled to perfection. I guess these are things you are supposed to know when ordering from the Keg? Which steak is cooked like a steak? Odd... I think someone failed to inform me that my steak that I ordered wasn’t a steak.
Well we slogged through the slabs of roast beef that were light-pink in colour all the way through, no grilling on the top… while enjoying great company.
The deserts arrived and were awesome; the best part for sure and wrapped up a rather mediocre meal.
Will I go back? Probably… given the place is right next door from our office, I’ll probably have to go back at some point.
A few tips for the Keg: I think they needs to seriously re-think their policy of booking tables. If someone shows up 1 hr before the booking time, works next door, and wants their name on the list... just put them on the fricken list, ok? This is Yaletown, and, well… I guess we’re all a bit pampered here.
Do not send people up to the patio for a table if there are one hour wait times. We Yaletown people don’t like to walk around or wait in lines… we like everything close & fast.
Dirty Martinis = olive juice. Come on now! This is almost as bad as how Earls Yaletown opened up and forgot to buy a latte machine.
Other than that, it was mediocre all around, with a VERY impressive interior.
So props to the architect – and good luck to the 100’s of new employees working the bugs out of the place. In the meantime, I’m heading back to Glowbal for some refined, Yaletown pampering.
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