Kelsey’s Steak House, on Monday evening, held a Grand Re-Opening of their location in Valparaiso. In celebrating their Re-Opening, Kelsey’s showcased the new design the restaurant has in their bar area as well as the menu changes that coincide with the new layout and design improvements.
“Kelsey’s has always been known for our dinner bar,” said General Manager, Ken Blaney. “People come in and sit down to dinner. What we’ve created is new high-top tables and a special small plate menu in the bar for that person who doesn’t necessarily want a full meal. They want to come out somewhere and meet with friends, have good conversation and maybe watch a game.”
While some big changes have been happening in Kelsey’s bar, the dining area has remained the same and nothing will change to the dinner menu that has made Kelsey’s so famous.
“We’re not trying to change or take anything away from the dinner crowd,” Blaney said. “Our menu will stay the same and we’re just going to make the bar a little livelier of a place. The design is more open. We painted and reclaimed old pallets to build the bar, added the new higher tables and chairs, and we added TVs around the room. Most of the changes were decorating and with the new small plate menu. We’re looking to cater to the person who gets off work and doesn’t want to sit down to eat a big dinner. We want it to be a nice place to mingle.”
The changes to Kelsey’s have been around two months in the making. Another new feature they’ve started offering is a Sunday afternoon Bloody Mary Bar that is open from noon until at least 4pm. The main goal is to offer customers a wide selection of ingredients for them to make their own unique concoction. Among the many choices of ingredients to add to their Bloody Mary is pickled green beans and asparagus, sausage, artichoke hearts, garlic and blue cheese stuffed olives, cheeses and an extensive selection of hot sauces.
“We just thought it needed a new face and to freshen things up,” said Peggy Hood, Owner of Kelsey’s. “We wanted a new bar menu that would appeal to a more diverse crowd. It includes a wide range of local favorites in a more appetizer-type portions.”
“Ken Blaney coming back has been huge for me,” said Hood. “My daughter, Michelle, is also the head manager and it’s really taken a lot of pressure off of me. Having those two on the team has been such a blessing. I have such a wonderful crew too. The people that work here are the heart and soul of this place.”
Echoing Hoods’ thoughts and touching on the push to make Kelsey’s Steak House a local wine-lovers destination was her daughter, Michelle Prosser.
“We wanted to attract the younger crowd and stay relevant,” said Prosser. “We’re doing a lot of new stuff with our wines as well. I’m bringing in some new wines and I’m getting certified to be a sommelier. I’m trying to continue my education so I can bring that to my job here. We just really want to be the place for wine. We’ve always been a family restaurant and we will continue to be that and to be a great place for anybody.”