First Round Draft Bar and Grill

THE PREAMBLE

WORK. Not the kind that Rihanna sings about, but good, true, honest work. It puts food on the table and, for some; it can take you to unique and interesting places. For myself, small communities in Northern Ontario are a frequent destination. The summers are clean, clear-skied and full of pristine nature. The winter hits an abominable -40°C and after digging your car out of mountains of snow, your butt is already frozen before hitting the icy car seat. Oh, and don’t forget curfews due to wolves when they get too close to town. For now though, we enjoy the sunshine, dusty roads and all the other things that Florida Georgia Line mentions in every song.

THE PLACE

Atikokan, Ontario is your quintessential small town nestled in Northern Ontario. Two hours and some change due west from Thunder Bay, the community has character, great fishing and far too many moose sightings. Known as the canoeing capital of Canada, the paddling and the fishing bring people from across the province and as far south as Texas, Nashville and Missouri into town. There are fingerprints of more illustrious times throughout the town centre, with stories of the men and the mines documented on public murals on the sides of buildings. The people are welcoming, quick to chat and even quicker to smile. In the words of Katy Perry, “don’t be afraid to catch fish.”

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Not pictured above: moose

TO THE ‘CHOS

First Round Draft Bar and Grill is a new addition to the Atikokan dining diaspora, sparse as it may be. Located on the golf course, this 19th-hole restaurant has a rustic diner touch to it, with wood panels, excessive A/C and an open-style kitchen where you can watch the grill sizzle and spit.

The nachos here were pretty much what you’d expect from a small town diner. There was no diamond in the rough and there was no secret ingredient. If nachos were defined as melted cheese on tortilla chips with some other toppings, then that’s basically what you got.

There were tortilla chips straight out of a bag. There was some cheese melted on the chips. There were also toppings, albeit sparing. The salsa was straight out of the bottle. Topping depth was as superficial as a facelift on a potato. Technically, this was edible.

To put it another way, the sour cream was the best part, full fat goodness with no extra cost for top-ups.

In the words of the immortal Coach Taylor, “Not good enough, gentlemen, not good enough.”

This one is an official blegh.

RATING:

  • Overall: 6/20
  • Taste: 1.5/5
  • Presentation: 2/5
  • Mouthfeel: 1.5/5
  • Toppings: 1/5

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