There still are ways to support local businesses and have quality food at the same time. The Saw Shop Public House in Kelseyville is a case in point. Just like many other restaurants in the county, it’s now possible to order, drive to Kelseyville, get your food and drive home without leaving your car. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the Saw Shop has implemented online ordering and curbside pickup. “We just rolled it out last week, and have been getting a few online orders a day,” Weston said. “And we’ve gotten great feedback. It’s easy to navigate, and people say it’s been fantastic.”
With the way things are now, the Saw Shop Public House isn’t just accommodating; it’s completely flexible. “It’s really up to the customer whether they want to come in to pick up their food, or have us take it to the curb for them,” Weston Seifert, owner of the Saw Shop, said. “And we’re keeping things clean. After every customer, we wipe down the door handles and countertops. We’re constantly sanitizing everything.”
Currently, the Saw Shop is offering meals for four people for $40. “We originally started the family dinners in February,” Weston said. “On Monday nights, we were doing a ‘dine and donate’ for local charities. Then, about three weeks ago we decided to do the family-style dinners daily. Now every night there’s a different family-style meal available. You get everything you need to take home and have a complete dinner.”
When we stopped by on Wednesday evening, the Family Dinner Special was two burgers, four sliders, and fries. The Saw Shop makes its burgers from Six Sigma Ranch’s beef, which makes them not just local, but also high-quality. The burgers were cooked to medium, keeping their juiciness, then topped with mixed greens, cheese, tomatoes, onions, and pickles. They were large, flavorful, and filling. In the takeout box, next to each burger, sat two sliders, ready to be eaten. The burgers alone were enough to fill up our family, but the cheesy, herbed garlic fries filled up the corners, leaving us full and satiated.
“Originally, I was planning on releasing a new menu in March,” Weston said. “But the coronavirus changed things. Right now, our menu is different than our normal menu, but it’s all fantastic.” However, he still is trying out new items, such as the spicy Asian cauliflower salad, which has a unique spicy/Asian feel to it. Romaine lettuce makes the base, then it’s topped with snap peas, crispy rice sticks, sesame seeds, and garlic. The sweet dressing complements the spiciness of the fried Asian cauliflower. It’s hard to tell that the hot wing-looking pieces of fried cauliflower are a vegetable. They’re crunchy, chewy, and gently spicy. It’s a refreshing dish, and filling.
And if you have room for something sweet at the end of the meal, be sure to pick up one of McKee Beall’s fantastic desserts, which are currently on sale for $5 each. We took home the tiramisu trifle; the layers of custard and tiramisu weren’t soggy like most tiramisu is. Instead, the dessert filled the mouth with flavors of coffee, brandy, and cream, and the thick layer of dusted chocolate on top filled out the flavor, creating a decadent treat.
The truth is, it’s hard to go wrong ordering anything at the Saw Shop Public House. For years, they have created high quality, great-tasting food. And Weston plans on keeping it up. “So far, things have been fantastic since I took over ownership in January, knock on wood,” Weston said. “I attribute that all to the staff. They hired me. And the community support has also been a big part of it. People come in and tell me they just want to help. I appreciate their support.”
The Saw Shop Public House is located at 3825 Main St. in Kelseyville. To order online, click this link. If you prefer, you can give them a call at 707-278-0129.
