Village Squire, 1976-03, Page 28+quire's
&tiLr
KEG 'N CLEA VER
proving again that chains
can be good too
London's Keg 'n Cleaver (333 Richmond
St.) proves once again that the word "chain"
doesn't necessarily have to be a dirty word in
the food business.
In fact it's hard to think of the London
location being part of a chain at all. Not
having visited any of the other 18 locations
across Canada it's hard to say, but there
seems little evidence that there can by any
similarity in decor of the restaurants. The
London location is the kind that many an
aspiring restaurant owner might have chosen,
an old warehouse. Old brick, barnboard and
high ceilings give the establishment character
that you just don't think of with chains.
There's nothing cheap either about the solid
wood tables.
It can be happily said that this was one of
the more enjoyable places we've had the
pleasure of visiting. The reason, wasn't really
the decor, though it was one thing: food.
The Keg 'n Cleaver specializes in beef and
lobster. Around those two items it builds an
interesting meal. We started off with french
onion soup, hot, tangy, delicious. It went well
with the hot bread that was served on the
side.
Then it was over to the good sized salad bar
where a wide variety of salad ingredients
were offered from lettuce and cabbage to
chick peas and pickles and celery. A choice of
four dressings was available.
The salad completed, the waiter quickly'
arrived with the main course. The lady had
Teriyaki, the Japanese prepared steak. The
gentleman had prime rib roast. Steak knives
were at the tables but they seemed hardly
necessary for the prime rib. It seemed the
nearly two -inch -thick slab of meat could have
been cut with a fork, it was that tender. The
same care that went into selecting great meat
seemed to go into selecting vegetables. The
baked potato that accompanied the meal was
moist, and snow-white and dripping with
melted butter.
The lady didn't have a potato and it may
have been just as well since the size of the
steak was so large she might have been
unable to finish. The steak was grilled crisp
on the outside but melt -in -your -mouth tender
on the inside.
The temptation of cheesecake was just too
much to pass up even though dessert seemed
hardly needed after the large earlier courses.
It was cheesy tangy, a little too tangy for our
palates.
There are many nice thoughts at the Keg 'n
Cleaver to go along with the food. The service
is fast, extremely friendly and informal.
There are nice little ideas like the menu
printed on a steak board.
There are also some things that not
everyone will like. Some people, for instance,
likely would prefer things a little brighter
than the lighting was the night we were there.
Decor doesn't mean much when you can
hardly see your partner across the table. The
clientele seemed to be youngish, twenties and
thirties this night and they probably enjoyed
the piped in music of the likes of Carole King
and Maria Muldaur, but older patrons might
not be so enthusiastic.
But these little things just can't stand in the
way of that beef.
Help your Heart...
C.9
Help your Heart Fund
A, VILLAGE SQUIRE/MARCH 1976
Triple K Restaurant
•HOME COOKED MEALS
•TAKE OUT ORDERS
•OUR SPECIALTY: HOME BAKED PIES
OPEN: Weekdays, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Fri-
days, 6 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.; Saturdays. 8 a.m.
to 12:30 a.m.; Sundays, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
On Huron County Road 25 south east of Blyth
KAY & KEITH HESSELWOOD, PROP.
Dine in old-fashioned style in this
120 -year-old Inn.
Dinner: 5:30-7:30 daily; Sundays 5-6:30
p.m. reservations only.
The Albion Hotel
Bayfield, Ontario
At the )unction of Hwy.. 4 8 8, Clinton
Clinton otiofd'
• Banquet facilities
• Lifncheons
• !)inners
• [I "edding receptions
• .Vightly
eitertainment
•Fully licensed under
the LCBO
482-3421