In This Issue

Even Keel Cafe -
Just What You’re Looking For

Bountiful breakfasts, al fresco lunches, hearty dinners, a “grab-and-go” counter with fresh baked goods, sandwiches, and salads, a quick coffee bar with a variety of blends, a martini bar to smooth out the day…from early in the morning to well into the evening, Even Keel Café has everything you’re looking for right in the heart of downtown Nantucket! 

Starting at 7 am, you can stop in for  warm croissants, muffins, or bagels and freshly brewed Carrabassett coffee, latté, espresso, or cappuccino to enjoy while you read the morning paper in their casual seaside café, at their long counter, or on the Keel’s back patio.  Their Tofu Scramble, Homemade Granola, and Steel Cut Oatmeal with brown sugar are a few of their healthier options.  Or you can indulge and feast on Lobster Benedict, New York Strip Steak and Eggs, homemade Corned Beef Hash, or Even Keel’s amazing Hurricane French Toast prepared with Cisco Brewers’ Hurricane Rum and Portuguese sweet bread.

No time for a  sit-down breakfast? No worries!  The counter crew at Even Keel will whip up an Egg Sandwich (a mini-omelette with meat and cheese on an English muffin) or the Keel’s hefty Breakfast Burrito that you can take with you on your travels.

At 11 am, before breakfast ends at noon, lunch begins at Even Keel.  Salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers, and thin crust pizza are among the offerings, and a variety of finger foods round out the selection.  Their traditional Lobster Roll is a delicious coastal New England treat, as is their Grilled Sea Bass Sandwich with saffron basil aioli.  When downtown Nantucket is crowded, the Keel’s spacious back patio offers a quiet respite in a pretty garden setting—you can relax in the summer sunshine or choose a table in the shade.

When you come to dinner at Even Keel, come hungry! Portions here are very generous and the prices are reasonable — what a treat to see dinner entrees on Nantucket below $20!

You can still order the Angus Burger and the Thin Crust Pizza that are served at lunchtime, as well as several of the salads and starters from the lunch menu.

	Lobster Nachos are a tasty starter.  This platter is plenty large enough to share with your companions.  The pile of warm, crisp, housemade  tortilla chips is  topped with cheese, veggies, and lobster meat — a tasty New England version of a southwestern dish.  The cheddar cheese, black beans, roasted corn, red peppers, and chunks of lobster are baked together so that the chips stay crunchy and the toppings are warm and spread throughout.  Generous dollops of chilled sour cream, fresh guacamole, and red chile sauce are served with the nachos.
	To begin with a simple taste of Nantucket, order the Bacon Wrapped Scallops.  These are a favorite at island gatherings, and one sweet-salty-crunchy-juicy mouthful is all you need to adopt these as your own favorite finger food.
	Mini Crabcakes were a special of the evening when we dined at Even Keel, and we hope these are added to the regular menu.  Thick and full of moist crabmeat, the cakes had a surprise ingredient of crisp kernels of fresh corn, which added a delicious sweet crunch of flavor.  The trio of cakes was served with a basil vinaigrette
	The Grilled Wild Salmon Salad makes a stunning light summer meal.  One of seven different salad choices, this one is a sensational composition of mixed greens tossed in pomegranate vinaigrette, sweet dried cranberries, crunchy spiced walnuts, and creamy crumbles of goat cheese.  Placed overtop is a filet of salmon hot off the grill and bright orange sweet potato crisps.  The emphasis is on the salmon, clean, simple, and as fresh as an ocean breeze.  The other elements—the fruit, the cheese, the nuts, and the crisps—add delightful bursts of flavor and appealing texture changes.
	We also highly recommend the Grilled Steak Salad, also a meal in itself. Piled atop the greens in this satisfying salad is a good portion of ancho rubbed skirt steak cut into tender slices and drizzled with a superb tangy balsamic vinaigrette.  Roasted tomatoes and onions, blue cheese, and garlicky croutons bring all the flavors together—be sure to get some of each ingredient in every mouthful. The only thing you need to accompany this meal is a tall, chilled Cisco Whale’s Tale Pale Ale.
	The nightly specials offered at Even Keel Café are always a good choice. We sampled a Thai Chicken Curry that showcased a statler chicken breast, pan-roasted till the skin is well-browned and crispy but the meat stays moist and tender. The chicken is served in a pool of fragrant and deeply flavored Thai green curry sauce unlike any we’ve previously tasted.  The curry is distinct but not overwhelming and not too spicy.  This entree came with basmati rice, which was ideal for finishing off the luscious curry sauce, and crisp stalks of asparagus.
	You won’t go wrong ordering the Cornflake Crusted Cod—one bite and you’ll know why this fish is a New England staple.  The moist and meaty codfish is rolled in finely crushed cornflakes to give it a crunchy coating.  A colorful chilled relish of diced bits of cucumber, red onion, tomato, and juicy mango garnishes the cod.  For this season, Even Keel has changed the accompaniments on this patron favorite from mashed potatoes to perfectly prepared black beans with roasted corn salsa and seasoned rice.  The changes makes the entree lighter for summertime and adds another dimension of interest and flavor to the dish.
	Another sensational seafood entree is the Pesto Roasted Sea Bass.  More delicate in taste and texture than codfish, this whitefish is beautifully roasted with fresh pesto and roasted red peppers on top.  A luscious sweet red pepper cream sauce is poured over the bass and over the linguini that is served alongside.
	The Vegetable Risotto Provencal is a welcome addition to the Even Keel dinner offerings.  For this entree, the creamy risotto is served in the middle of the dish, topped with a generous amount of parmesan, and surrounded by the vegetables.  With the vegetables cooked separately and served around instead of in the risotto, they retain their crisp, fresh textures and their individual flavors.  It’s an inspired preparation.  The medley of vegetables includes broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, red onion, tomato, spinach, and kalamata olives for a briney punch.  You don’t have to be vegetarian to love this dish.
	Even Keel offers a tempting selection of cakes and pies for dessert, along with a Buttercrunch Brownie Sundae that will please the kid in everyone.  All are indulgent and very good, particularly the Lemon Berry Cream Cake, the Key Lime Pie, and the spicy Carrot Cake.

You can also finish your meal with one of Even Keel’s refreshing specialty drinks.  Yes, this café has a full bar, with more than 18 wines by the glass and by the bottle and a fun selection of martinis, margaritas, and specialty cocktails.  For “dessert,” we suggest the Frozen Mudslide, an adult concoction of 888 vodka, Bailey’s, Kahlua, and ice cream.

Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, or cocktails that brings you into town, the Even Keel Café has just what you’re looking for at prices that won’t break the bank.

Even Keel Cafe

www.evenkeelcafe.com (online reservations available)
40 Main Street   •   508-228-1979  open year-round
Breakfast daily 7 a.m. to 12 noon  Sunday Brunch 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lunch daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dinner nightly from 5 p.m.
Dinner entrees $16.75 to $26.50
(light fare also served at dinner priced from$10.50 to $16.75)
Indoor & Outdoor Dining
Children Welcome
Casual Dress
Take-out Available
Full Bar
major credit cards accepted