A neighborhood pub atmosphere, combined with good food and reasonable prices, make Keg a great place to hang out.
By MICHAL TOIBAMeat stuffed beets 311(photo credit: Courtesy)
If you’re looking for good food at a reasonable price, accompanied by a healthy assortment of alcoholic beverages and international beer, head down to the new Keg bar-restaurant on Bat Yam’s up-and coming promenade.More a restaurant than a bar but sure to attract those with a taste for fine beer and beer-lovers in general, Keg has an intimate sit-down environment combined with a neighborhood pub. The bar wall is decorated with open keg barrels serving as shelves that bear a wide selection of liquors, while a more tranquil beach view extends beyond the windows.Vintage posters of Scarface and Johnnie Walker adorn the rest of Keg’s walls, while an old silent blackand- white film plays in the background, projected onto one of the walls like at a drive-in movie.Yan Gicelter, one of Keg’s chefs and owners, opened the bar-restaurant with his brother Marc just a few months ago. Gicelter immigrated to Israel in 1990. When he couldn’t resume his medical studies begun in Azerbaijan, he decided to delve into the culinary world. The career change worked in his favor. Gicelter, a man who understands food and knows how to experiment with different cuisines, comes up with unique and appetizing dishes.“Each of us gives his own touch,” he says about the menu he and his brother created.“But it’s not just about inventing a dish,” Gicelter says. “You have to know how to prepare and deliver a dish so that you don’t keep guests waiting for too long while still offering them a creative and quality meal.”Indeed, this calculated and careful thinking is reflected in Keg’s menu.As you savor one of the specially selected draft beers – Keg offers lagers, wheat and ale beers from countries such as Belgium, the Czech Republic and England (NIS 17-32) – you can indulge in one of the hybrid European-Mediterranean dishes, part of what Gicelter calls “new Israeli cuisine.”A sure-to-please appetizer is the creamy eggplant mousse with date honey (NIS 22), which goes well with one of the house breads, either small slices of hearty brown bread (NIS 12) or a soft, chewy pretzel (NIS 12) – an uncommon combination but no less delicious.For those craving a starter from the sea, the warm seafood salad (NIS 42) is a popular choice. It includes calamari mixed with potatoes and tomatoes over yogurt.Before moving on to the main course, you can try the meat-stuffed beets (NIS 44), a truly special dish that is reminiscent of Mom’s homemade borscht but with a modern twist. The dish features three beets stuffed with ground meat and spices, topped with a ginger pomegranate sauce and served warm.For a meat dish, you can try one of Keg’s tasty sausage plates. The tender chicken and beef sausage (NIS 34) comes with roasted potatoes and horseradish. It is not too heavy but definitely filling.Those who love spicy can opt for the sausage with homemade mustard.And, of course, one must always save room for dessert. Although they are traditional desserts, the crème brulee (NIS 28) and the chocolate soufflé (NIS 32) are prepared exceptionally well at Keg. The custard and hard shell are lighter than standard crème brulee, a nice change that works well for the dish. It’s light enough so you can order the rich chocolate soufflé as well. The writer was a guest of the bar-restaurant.
Keg, Not kosher Open Sun-Thur, noon-midnight. Fri – Sat noon-1 a.m. 61 Ben-Gurion St., Bat Yam promenade.
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