Powder Keg Thoughts?
— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 12 August 2008 — 10 comments below »
The Powder Keg’s website is not yet up and running, but the first Waterfront eatery has been open for a week now. From what I can tell, there has been pretty steady traffic into the restaurant. I have been told by staff that the restaurant is open from 11am until 11pm, but they will close if no one is there after 10pm.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the place, menu, service, location? Please feel free to opine in the comments…
Hello Friends & Neighbors,
The Powder Keg is a terrific, cozy, and long-awaited addition to the neighborhood that should be well-supported not only because it’s great, but also because Gigi the owner and her partner are both loyal Waterfront residents.
The menu is straightforward and tasty with savory offerings like sliders, Crab Louis, Cab Cakes, Fish & Chips, and – I’m told – a delicious homemade Blueberry Cheesecake. With polished cement floors, outdoor seating, and two running flat screens, the restaurant is just fine for kids. And if you’re a parent like me who enjoys an adult beverage from time to time, the bar menu has much to please cocktail (my husband likes the Ginger Press), beer (friends like Stella) and wine lovers (see below) alike. And if you wish to support locally made wines – here comes my unabashed plug – please enjoy the following selections from my Sonoma-based wine company. All are sustainably farmed, 100% Vegan-friendly, and/or certified organic:
Cline Cellars Red Truck Organic Petite Sirah (featured in a new book: “The Wine Trials – 100 Wines Under $15 that Outscored $50 to $150 Bottles”)
Cline Cellars White Truck Organic Sauvignon Blanc (one of Wole Foods to-selling wines nation-wide)
Cline Cellars Red Truck Pinot Noir (fantastic value for the price)
Cline Cellars White Truck Unoaked Chardonnay (just favorably reviewed by KCBS’ Narsai David today!)
Picket Fence Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (fantastic wine made by Don Van Staaveren formerly of Chateau St Jean fame)
Bivio Pinot Grigio (just received a Wine Spectator rating far better than Santa Margherita, Kris, and Zenato)
No doubt the staff – many of whom are also locals – are all getting acclamated to their new establishment and whatever kinks we expereienced were all smoothed over by everyone’s very friendly, can-do attitude. We’ve had four meals there so far and all have been great!
- Carol Reber
I can honestly say that the crab melt was very, very good.
We’ve been there three times. The food and service have been great and the atmosphere charming and inviting. Someone we know has always been there each time. The Powder Keg is exactly what we’ve hoped to have in the neighborhood for many years.
I love the Powder Keg! The atmosphere is welcoming, and so friendly!!
Try the rockafeller and garlic oysters, delicious!!
Tracey Smith
Oh, yea,
Every time I go to the Powder Keg, there are neighbors there that I already know, or can get to know!!
I love the service! I love that we have such a cool place so close to where we live!
Tracey Smith
Let’s put it this way: if the Powder Keg is not successful and therefore don’t make it, our whole waterfront community will suffer a lot when it comes to see more businesses coming in the waterfront area, not even mentioning future developments which might be delayed until further good news from existing businesses…
So, yes, we should help them!
They are not perfect (yet), maybe too much fish for now, maybe this and that, but the team managed by Gigi is really motivated, happy to see the restaurant and the bar filled everyday.
We should encourage them by telling our friends to pay a visit to the Powder Keg! They deserve success.
Gerard
The PK is fantastic and is precisely why we moved here from SF.
We look forward to more of the waterfront evolving in this positive direction.
Hat’s off to Hercules and the people of the Powder Keg!
I saw this place when coming to see the Waterfront District for work related reasons a few weeks ago. It hadn’t opened yet, but looked promising from the outside. After doing some more research on this new area, I’m very impressed. I’d like to wish the best of luck to the owners if they see this, since this restaurant sounds like a great pioneering achievement and will be a great way to pull the new community together and begin building upon the local economy. I’ll certainly be checking this place out next time I’m in Hercules to see the advancements of the neighborhood.
Cheers!
We had dinner at the Powder Keg again last night
(this might be becoming habit forming)!
Crab cakes and a pint are becoming my personal favs off the menu.
It was full of patrons as usual, but the food came out quickly now that the cooks and servers have gotten into the swing of things.
We sat at a table in the octagon next to the window,
I do enjoy the views from the corner there down all the streets of the neighborhood.
Ahhhh…finally the kind of business we were promised when we moved to the waterfront…5 YEARS AGO! I can’t say I expected a tacky hair waxing salon, way too many real estate offices, and “by appointment only” kinds of businesses, but a small restaurant within walking distance, filled with locals, serving good food and offering great service? Yes, this I expected but feared we would never have. Now if only someone would open up a cafe where I could get a cup o’ joe and a pastry in the morning (that doesn’t also offer a creepy tarot reading).