The Keg Mansion is definitely the most storied and grandest of all the Keg locations in Toronto. If it's your first visit, your server will probably take you down memory lane during your welcome, as they did with us on this visit. The Mansion has housed some of the most iconic Toronto families including the Masseys and the McMasters. To add to the intrigue, the women's washroom is said to be haunted as a lady passed away in there some years ago. Even if you aren't really that interested in the history lesson, the Mansion is really a sight to behold. There's a huge staircase leading up from the foyer to the second floor which makes for some great pictures as I saw many guests taking advantage of that night. I was seated in the front room which has luxurious mantle and many marble details. It was also decorated for Christmas which added to the great atmosphere. Just the story and the ambiance makes it a great location for a date.
On this occasion I had the portobello mushroom burger. The burger title is really misleading as it's definitely a sandwich in every way. The bread that was used was a ciabatta bun, was cut down the middle for easy eating and presented as a sandwich. This was a little surprising but there were no other surprises regarding the fillings as described. The sandwich was cold though so definitely the opposite of what I was expecting from a burger. This entree comes with a choice of side and I opted for a Caesar salad which was good. It was dressed lightly with ample parmesan shavings and croutons. All in all the dish was fine.
The highlight was actually the appetizer. The baked garlic shrimp is served in the dish that they use for the escargot. This leaves perfect little pockets of cheese and oil to dip the bread in. It's extremely savoury, definitely unhealthy but really good.
I'm sure there would have been a better option for a main and I would be much more pleased. Huge plus that this mid-town location actually has free parking. The building is really quite magical and what's carrying the 4 star review today!