By Amy Van Veen (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: February 1, 2012
1276 Tower Street
Abbotsford, BC
604.852.7884
Hours: Monday to Wednesday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Thursday to Saturday: 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Sunday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Prices: up to $23.95
Bars and grills are in no short supply – both together and apart. There are bars, there are grills and there are bar and grills. But how many give you a clear vantage point of an international runway? (Less models, more airplanes.)
The Baron Bar and Grill overlooks the Abbotsford International Airport runway. Granted, when it’s dark out it just looks like a lot of lights, but it gives patrons a little something extra with their meals when airplanes come in.
The Baron, known by those who have been by their bright red door and falling under the guise of the Red Baron, serves appies, steak, chicken, fish, rice bowls and, of course, burgers – because no grill would be complete without a comprehensive list of burger options. For the other menu choices, there are the expected fettuccine or steak along with the little more unexpected Grand Marnier mushroom chicken and butter chicken, but for the burgers, there’s a little more variation instead of one steak dish or one fish dish. For those looking for something basic, like me, opt for the modest burger, or, for those wanting something a little different, spice it up with the afterburner or make things interesting with the blue cheese mushroom burger. For the truly brave, though, The Baron offers an Everest even Ron Swanson would be proud to try. Baron’s Ultimate Monster Burger entices those who dare to try with twice as much beef, three different cheeses, bacon and sausage, fried egg, the Baron’s own onion straws—think a curlier, crispier, less offensive onion ring placed on the burger—and mushrooms. For the few brave heroes who find their way to the other side of this monstrosity, The Baron gives a prize. A pen. I, for one, didn’t have the guts to risk a heart attack for such a prize, but I’m sure finishing it is a prize unto itself.
The modest burger, for only $11.95, along with that day’s drink special—a $3 pint—made for a satisfying, comforting dinner. The fries were perfection and provided the perfect crisp on the outside, soft on the inside pair with the burger that, though traditional, was clearly made from quality ingredients. Instead of requiring constant napkin use, this un-greasy burger left me feeling full without feeling gross. It’s definitely the least exciting menu option, but for those wanting a low-risk dinner, it works.
The waitress, as well, provided friendly service without being too friendly, and everyone—from the hostess to the bus boy—seemed genuinely happy to serve people; that type of consistency is rather uncommon in the hospitality industry. The Baron’s interior wasn’t anything special; it offered both bar tables and regular tables in one large, albeit spatially divided, room. Their claim to fame, though, is their outdoor patio which, for dark winter evenings, isn’t as much of a selling point, but as the days get longer and the nights get warmer—eventually—The Baron, with its red front door and monstrous menu, would be enough of an enticement to anyone wanting to feel a little outside sitting limits without driving an hour to enjoy it. With better prices than Finnegan’s and a fairly close drive, The Baron Bar and Grill offers something familiar with a bit of a different spin.
