Being the largest and most well known steakhouse chain in Canada, The Keg needs no introduction. Steak is probably my favorite food in the world, so as a disclaimer: I’m not approaching this review from the perspective of a steak-lover. You’re not going to find dry-aged prime steaks here, or descriptions of marbling, where a cow came from or what its diet included. However what you get is a consistent experience and prime rib that’s available every day of the week without breaking the bank too much.
The Take-Out Experience
The Keg’s online ordering is powered by xDine, so it’s super easy. You can check-out as a guest, order without putting in a million details about yourself, and even pay at pick-up.
The pick-up process is also streamlined since there’s always a host to great you in their huge waiting area, and they have headsets to quickly communicate that you’ve arrived. The service has always been spectacular and impressively quick.
The Keg’s takeout packaging is among the best I’ve ever seen. They wrap the hot items in foil-lined paper bags to retain heat. This also serves to keep heat away from the cold items like salads and desserts.
Inside the foil bags, the hot items are kept in thick foil containers that allow you to reheat the food directly in the oven. It even comes with directions!
The containers are also thick enough so that you can cut your food without worrying about puncturing the bottom. Anyone who has ever eaten steak out of Styrofoam or paper containers knows what I’m talking about.
The Food
The complimentary table bread is offered at checkout, and it’s pretty large. It has a nice chewy crust with a soft center and comes with whipped butter. I really appreciate not being given those rock-hard single serve butter cups that a lot of restaurants use.
The salad was crisp and fresh and included tons of real blue cheese crumbles. I only wish there was more bacon! For those that don’t like blue cheese, there’s also a dill ranch option.
The Keg has pretty much perfected the art of making a mass-market prime rib that’s always available and cooked to your liking. It’s exceptionally juicy and tender, and the crust is coated with a really flavorful rub. They don’t advertise this, but I’m pretty sure I taste some degree of dry-ageing in the flavor and texture of the meat. This might explain why it’s always so good!
The side vegetables are pretty good value for $4 and include a variety of lightly steamed fresh (not frozen) veggies.
The Keg’s famous Billy Miner Pie is way too sweet and decadent for my liking, so I opted for the cheesecake. However I still found it too sweet and it lacked rich “cheesiness” at the same time. The graham base was soggy and the cherry sauce was sour, watery and bland. At least it helped to cut the sweetness of the cake. It reminded me of generic supermarket cheesecake.
Wine Pairing
The Perez Cruz is a great everyday Cabernet Sauvignon which consistently offers value. It has bright berry flavors, a medium body and soft tannins. It’s surprisingly easy to drink for a Cab and pairs well with a lot of meats. Prime rib lacks the char, dry-aged funk and bloodiness of steak, so I like pairing it with mellower Cabs like this.
Final Thoughts
The Keg isn’t exactly cheap, but you always know what you’re getting for your money, and never leave disappointed. Their takeout program is quite impressive and they’ve tried thinking of everything. Prime rib and steak isn’t something that would seem intuitively compatible with takeout, but The Keg has managed to make it work with delicious results.
4510 Still Creek Ave, Burnaby, BC
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Price Range: $$$ ($30-$50)
Rating: **** (4/5 – Recommended)
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