Keg Cowboy

Back in the day when one could dine out, we visited the Keg Cowboy in downtown Lexington, SC and were quite pleased.

This restaurant/bar has a very rustic, casual inside.

One would not expect the menu to be as gourmet as it is.

It is handwritten on a chalkboard hanging on the wall so changes can be made based on the fresh ingredients that chef can get his hands on.

We started with the yummy KC pretzel which is house made and comes with grainy mustard and dijonnaise. 

My tasty lunch was the shroom panini. A delicious sandwich on house focaccia with roasted portabello, herbed goat cheese, IPA onions, basil and mayo. No french fries in this joint. My side was yummy asparagus.

Jim's choice was the Cuban Refugee. This is smoke pork loin, pickled red onion, gruyere and dijonnaise on house focaccia. The side here is the braised greens.

Our taste buds were very pleased! Our server, Charlie, was fantastic! I love a bar that brings us a large carafe of water so we don't have to ask for it.

The micro brew selection is small but there is a bit of everything for varying tastes. We enjoyed the light, crisp Allagash White from Maine.

There are bits of whimsical decor about. The quote from Jesus below reads "don't be a dick".

If you go, this treat is located at 108 E Main Street in Downtown Lexington, SC. I would recommend checking hours before going as the restaurant is not open all day. Hopefully when our world regains some normalcy, we will be able to revisit this delicious spot.

A shout out to The Haven Coffee House, also downtown here, that we stopped in while waiting for the Keg Cowboy to open. It is a great place for a cup of coffee and a bite to eat while hanging out.

I really hope these small, local businesses survive and thrive once we see life getting back to normal. 

Stay safe and healthy! 

Thank you for stopping by! ~Val

Nakd Bars

So this is a different sort of post for me. I was asked if I would be willing to review Nakd bars.  These healthy treats are made by Natural Balance Foods of the UK. They are looking to expand into the US market, hence the review! 

The bars are gluten and dairy free. They are also vegan and 100% natural with no added sugar or syrups. As a health nut with both dairy and gluten sensitivities, I was excited to try these! In addition, they are also iron rich which we need. To learn more about iron rich foods, please click the link.

Nakd Bars

How cute is the box saying Hello Gorgeous?

The ingredient labels are easy to read on the packages and I have listed them below by bar. Dates are used in all. I suppose that is what give them all a perfect, soft texture that also holds the bar together. Besides great texture in all along with healthy ingredients, I love their natural sugar fix. Perfect for the afternoon pick me up!

So here goes with the 14 bars I sampled! These are listed in order of my favorites to least favorite. This would vary for others since we all have different taste buds, but these were my thoughts.

Cocoa Orange
40% dates, 40% cashews, 14% raisins, 5% cocoa with natural orange flavor
This has always been a favorite flavor combo for me and the bar was a win!

Caffe Mocha
55% dates, 26% cashews, 12% raisins, 6% cocoa, natural flavors
This one would be perfect with a cup of coffee. It has that delicious coffee chocolate flavor!

Berry Delight
47% dates, 31% cashews, 17% raisins, 3% raspberries
This was delicious if you love raspberries!

Strawberry Crunch
43% dates 17% soya protein crunchies, 17% raisins, 17% cashews, 4% apple juice, 2% strawberry
Strawberry has always been a favorite fruit for me and this bar was a win with it's strawberryness.  I do like those crunchies too which are also in a few of the other bars.


Ginger Bread
48% dates, 32% almond, 18% pecans, ginger, cloves and cinnamon to spice
Loved! If you love the flavors of typical baked goods at Thanksgiving and Christmas time, this is for you. I loved tasting the holidays!

chocolatey flavors to pick from

Cocoa Mint
48% dates, 29% cashews, 17% raisins, 6% cocoa, natural flavoring
This is very minty with minty after taste. Mmmm! Another thing I have always been a fan of is chocolate and mint together.

Cashew Cookie
51% cashews and 49% dates. Cashews are my favorite nut. I would say the dates overpowered here but I still enjoyed it. It is nice and sweet in a natural way.


Pecan Pie
52% dates, 28% pecan, 20% almonds
This was the most nutty to my taste buds. It has a great sweetness with the dates.

Cocoa Delight
48% dates, 29% cashews, 17% raisins, 6% cocoa
While this was chocolatey it was not like a candy bar. It would satisfy a chocolate craving in a healthy way.

Bakewell Tart
49% dates, 35% cashews, 19% raisins, natural flavoring
Didn't think I would like this one since I'm not a tart fan, but I loved it!
Anyone who loves tart would probably enjoy it. Plus it will wake you up with its sour ways!

fruity flavors to pick from

Rhubarb and Custard
55% dates, 25% cashews, 19% raisins, natural flavoring
Sweet with tart undertones! Another tart treat I liked. Tantalizing on the tastebuds.

Apple Crunch
43% dates, 17%  soya protein crunchies, 15% cashews, 14% raisens, 7% apple, 4% apple juice
I was anticipating a strong apple flavor didn't quite get it. The bar was ok.


Banana Crunch
43 % dates, 18% soya protein crunchies 15% cashews, 15% raisins, 6% banana, 3% apple juice
I'm not a huge banana fan which is why this is towards the bottom of my list. However a banana fan may love this one (my boyfriend did)! 


Cocoa Crunch
43% dates, 16% soya protein crunchies, 16% raisins, 15% cashews, 5% cocoa, 4% applejuice
I did not care for the taste of this one!

Interested in trying them for yourself? You can shop at Natural Balance Foods to have them delivered to your door. You can start with a sampler package to find out which ones you like best. Shipping is free within the U.S.

I hope you enjoyed this review. I certainly had fun with it! No I didn't eat them all yet. I sampled and froze the remainder of each one for later enjoyment. They are great out of the freezer too!

Have a great week! ~Val