OPEN 7 dAyS A WEEK, SEE POWdERKEGPuB.cOm FOR HOuRS. Gigi and Nicolette chose the name “Powder Keg” to pay tribute to the history of the Hercules community, which was previously the factory site of Hercules Powder Works. This was one of the largest explosives and chemical factories in the world, and in the early 1900’s, was one of the largest producers of all of the TNT used by the united States during the Great War. In keeping with the theme, Powder Keg Pub has been thoughtfully decorated with framed prints and articles about the Hercules Powder Works, as well as other “memorabilia” such as original powder boxes, powder kegs, and other original items that the owners have managed to procure. The front of The Powder Keg's menu provides a wonderful historical recap about Hercules’ history and the Hercules Powder Works. Other appealing decorative touches include tasteful tiffany lighting suspended from the ceilings, and my favorite of all—the beer keg bar stools! This was my first opportunity to actually eat at the Powder Keg, as on previous visits, the restaurant and bar were both full and overflowing with customers. during our visit, my guest and I had the pleasure of actually sitting and dining with owners Gigi and Nicolette, as well as the Bar manager, craig Stokes. We were also joined later by Head chef, Jules Lujan. As a result, we got the opportunity to try not only our two entrees, but everyone at the table ordered individually and we all shared a little of each other’s appetizers and entrées, as well. This was truly a culinary tasting! Powder Keg has a full menu of mixed bar drinks, beer and wine. many of the mixed drinks are original creations and/ or have unique names and/or ingredients. my drink was a Tropical Affair, and others ordered a Fresh Hound, Sunrise (non-alcoholic), and two Bloody mary drinks, the “miss Piggy” and “Bubba Gump”. I was especially intrigued by the beautiful presentation of the Bloody mary drinks. The drinks are all made from scratch—no Bloody mary mix. The miss Piggy is created with bacon infused vodka (made in-house at the Powder Keg), and includes caramelized bacon crumbles. A large slice of crisp bacon was visible sticking out of the drink next to the celery sticks and pepperoncini also served in the drink. The Bubba Gump boasted three large prawns hugging the rim of the glass, also adorned with the celery stick and pepperoncini. These are two of the four different Bloody mary offerings at the Powder Keg, which does a robust bar business both during and after restaurant hours. The appetizer selection at Powder Keg is extensive, and well over half of the offerings are seafood. Fresh shucked oysters are the first item on the menu, and Powder Keg has become the local “go to” place for this delicacy, serving approximately 1,200 to 1,400 oysters each week. Also offered are Oyster Shooters, Fried Oysters, Garlic Baked Oysters, and Rockefeller Oysters. Other seafood choices include Garlic Sautéed mussels, Prawn cocktail, and house made New England clam chowder. unfortunately, my guest and I are not not big shellfish eaters, so we were more inclined to avail ourselves to the nonshellfish selections, such as the Fried Zucchini, Fried mushrooms, and macaroni & cheese. We did, however, sample the fried oysters served with lemon and tartar sauce, which were crispy and cRAIG, NIcOLLETTE, GIGI ANd JuLES FRIEd muSHROOmS TROPIcAL AFFAIR cOcKTAIL
Contra Costa Marketplace - April 2015
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