mAc N cHEESE APPETIZER Hercules very tasty. The Fried mushrooms were my favorite of the appetizers, but honestly, they were all very good. The batter on the zucchini and mushrooms is light, flavorful, and fried crisp so as to preserve the juiciness of the vegetables within. The macaroni and cheese was creamy and baked with crunchy bread crumbs, prosciutto, and generous amounts of cheese on top. Gigi also ordered a beautifully presented iced platter of fresh clams on the half shell, which were heartily consumed by the seafood lovers among us! Our final appetizer was served after chef Jules joined us, who personally prepared for us the daily special, small squared portions of pork bellies caramelized on each side with moist centers. These were served over a roasted butter nut squash puree, with caramelized onions and molasses drizzle. We enjoyed the rich flavor of this unusual appetizer, which is something we’d never previously tried. Already feeling extremely full and satisfied, we indulgently selected individual entrees from the menu, which we cut into smaller pieces for sharing. Powder Keg’s menu includes salads, sandwiches, burgers, and full dinner entrees served beginning at 5 Pm daily. One crab melt, one tuna melt, two hamburgers, and fish and chips rounded out our culinary tastings, and each choice was served with either garlic fries, regular fries or onion rings. Burgers are made from seasoned Angus beef, and the French fries are cut from fresh Idaho potatoes, which may be ordered thin (i.e. shoestring) or hand cut. Side salads are also available as accompaniment to sandwiches or burgers. Fresh tilapia is used for the Fish and chips instead of the traditional codfish, and I could definitely tell the difference in the taste when I sampled it. Each entrée was generously portioned and beautifully presented—especially the hamburgers which appeared to be nearly 6 inches high! If you like burgers, you should definitely try one at the Powder Keg. I loved the flavor of the cowboy up burger, which includes bacon, pepper jack cheese, onion rings, jalapeno peppers and chipotle BBQ sauce. yum! And yes...we had dessert too! We sampled the crème Brulee, which is a standard offering on the menu, and also sampled another of Jules' specials--Bread Pudding with a sour cream mousse topping, which was excellent! Gigi also had the bar prepare us mini-portions of dessert cocktails—Banana crème Shots, made with Frangelico, Banana Liquor, with graham cracker crumbles on the rim—and the Ghirardelli, made with vanilla vodka (made in-house), Frangelico and Ghirardelli chocolate sauce. I cannot wait to go back to Powder Keg for many reasons. First and foremost, I almost feel like part of the family now because everyone was so friendly and welcoming during our visit. Other reasons to return include Powder Keg’s collaboration with the Hercules community Garden, which allows them to serve organically grown and freshly picked herbs and vegetables whenever possible. mondays through Fridays, they have Happy Hour from 3 Pm to 7 Pm, offering $4 draft beers and well cocktails. daily cocktail specials are also available Sunday through Thursday for $4, such as margarita mondays, Rum Punch Thursdays, etc. (I plan to go on Saturday when they have $4 all-day Sangria!) From a dining perspective, the very talented chef Jules creates daily specials which enhance an already robust menu. you won’t want to miss Prime Rib Tuesdays; and, if you’re an oyster lover, you won’t want to miss the $1 Oyster specials on mondays and Thursdays. Finally, Powder Keg has great breakfast menu served only on Sundays from 9 Am to 1 Pm. Although Powder Keg is a bit “off the beaten path”, it is well worth the trek to Hercules to check it out. Whether you want a scrumptious lunch or dinner, fresh seafood, Sunday brunch, or just casual drinks and appetizers after work, you can get it all at this quaint little restaurant near the bay—without having to venture into San Francisco! Geoffrey Lavitoria, Agent Insurance Lic#: 0C08703 1327 Sycamore Ave Hercules, CA 94547 Bus: 510-724-1800 State Farm, Bloomington, IL 1211999 Clothing, Furniture, Art, Home Décor, and Much More. Buy • Sell • Consign 618A Alfred Nobel Drive, Hercules 510.761.1242 • 510.964.9384 nouveauxriches1@gmail.com Hercules Sp tlight
Contra Costa Marketplace - April 2015
To see the actual publication please follow the link above