Chew Steel and I went out for dinner to celebrate. He asked me to pick the restaurant and was surprised that I chose The Keg in Signal Hill. Growing up, my family and I went to the Keg for all of our birthdays. Decades later, I still appreciate going. Let’s listen to Pulp for this post.
Albertans are steak snobs, and steak lovers here tend to underrate the Keg. We have great restaurants that do steak well, like Mercato Gourmet, Francine’s, Chairman’s Steakhouse, Cassis Bistro, and Modern Steak. But consistency matters to me, and even the heavy hitters don’t always get it right. I’ve had a sinewy steak at Vintage Chophouse & Tavern, so bad I had to spit out a couple of unchewable pieces. At Caesar’s Steakhouse, I’ve had one excellent steak and another that was dry. At Hy’s Steakhouse, I got an overcooked steak. Could I have said something to get it fixed? Sure, if I’d waved someone down, but these were work events, and I didn’t want to make a fuss in front of my colleagues. That’s where the Keg gets it right, and it isn’t about having a better steak. It’s about timing.
A host seated us right in front of the fireplace. I squealed with unbridled delight as we slid into the booth. Chew Steel picked the 12 oz New York striploin ($58), while I was craving prime rib (10 oz, $47). We ordered a bottle of 2022 Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon ($68) to drink with our meal. The bottle sells for about $39 at Zyn, so the Keg’s $68 is less than double retail. Restaurants typically charge two to three times.
I usually devour the complimentary bread, but I didn’t want to fill up and lose my appetite before our mains. We shared a corner of the loaf; it was warm, dense, and puffy, with a crunchy exterior. I noticed the generous amount of butter served with the bread.
My prime rib came with frizzled fried onions, a jug of jus, a twice-baked potato and horseradish. The meat was warm, a ruby medium rare, and so tender. The prime rib was flavourful enough that I didn’t feel the need to soak each piece in jus or dab it with the fiery hot horseradish. On its own, it was delicious.
The twice-baked potato arrived with golden-brown ridges piped across the top, and it was so hot I had to let it sit before digging in. The filling was buttery smooth, creamy, and heavy with bacon. It tasted like a pureed perogy. Absolute comfort food. The portions were so big, I took half the prime rib and most of the potato home.
Chew Steel’s NY striploin was just as good, though a completely different experience. The exterior was charred and crunchy, the inside juicy and a perfect medium rare. The end pieces, where the fat had seared and crisped, were an intense flavour bomb.
Keg servers check back once you’ve started eating, so if your steak is a poor cut or cooked wrong, you can say so before the meal is half over, without flagging anyone down or making a fuss in front of the table. Our server, Jill, timed it well. Not before I’d taken a bite, not right after the first one, but after I’d had enough to know whether my steak was right. It was. But if it hadn’t been, fixing it would have taken one sentence.
Though full, we devoured the Billy Miner Pie ($12). My spoon slid straight through the ice cream, which was soft rather than icy, with a smooth mocha flavour. I particularly adore the delicate crunch of the almonds against the heaviness of the chocolate sauce. The chocolate crust was intensely fudgey; it stuck to the roof of my mouth, so I left most of it for Chew Steel.
No one wants to go out for a steak dinner and leave thinking they could have cooked it better at home, for less. Not at the Keg. The verdict? About $195 before tip for a hearty steak dinner for two, with a bottle of wine and dessert, it was a steal.
For more standout meals, see my guide to the best date night restaurants in Calgary.
