Duck Hunt

Ugly Duckling owner Jon Majerowski surveys his domain.

The Ugly Duckling serves up a beautiful time

by Amanda Wolfe

published September 20th 2006

In a lost-in-time area like downtown Swanton, the last thing you'd expect to find is a funky, big-city style bar and eatery. And, you wouldn't expect it to be housed in the brightest orange building Northwest Ohio has probably ever seen.

A few people in the community were surprised by the citrus hue of The Ugly Duckling ("A few people asked if there was an ordinance against painting a building that color," laughs owner Jon Majerowski). However, loyal patrons from in and around the area couldn't be more pleased with the place. Everyone from the young nightclub crowd to the local Little League team flocks to "The Duck," seeking either the res-taurant's creative twist on hearty pub grub, or its unusual options for a simple pint of brew.

The Ugly Duckling defies convention on every account – their location, their atmosphere, their food and drinks. Even the menu is an exercise in rebellion, peppered with smart-alecky descriptions, pop-culture references and downright surreal clip art. While sandwiches and panini are offered, the restaurant specializes in a variety of chicken "chunkers" and half-pound specialty burgers. Our waitress, Nichole, recommended the Loaded Fries ($3.99), a huge basket of crispy french fries blanketed with cheddar, tomato and bacon, which could have been a meal in itself.

Next, we chose the Uncle Rico burger ($6.99), named for the steak-eating uncle in the film "Napoleon Dynamite," and the Super Mario Italiano chunkers ($6.99). The latter was a surprising combination of chicken chunks, tangy marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese – resulting in a bite-sized variation of a good chicken Parmesan. The burger, a half-pounder covered in sauteed onions and cheese, was cooked to crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside perfection and served upon a toasty, buttery bun, accompanied by more delectable fries. Pure, old-fashioned, delicious Americana. Though we were far too full for dessert, we found out that one of the offerings was a mini cheesecake chimichanga. The creativity extends through every course of the meal.

For those who like their chunkers a little more traditional, The Ugly Duckling offers a spectrum of sauces – ranging from the classic Apple-Q barbecue and the mild, fruity Polynesian to the legendary Annihilation. The Annihilation sauce is so hot, those who can eat 10 or more chunks or wings covered with it are immortalized with a photo upon the 'Wall of Flame.'

When it comes to beer, the Duck also does not disappoint. We sampled the Burnin' Helles, an Ohio exclusive, distinctive for both its light malty flavor and its formidable 6.3 percent alcohol content (average suds are 4.65 percent). We also sampled the Spykes; these little bottles, recently introduced by Anheuser-Busch, infuse the brew with a choice of flavoring, including mango, melon or even chocolate. These turned out to be surprisingly good, turning a simple domestic draft into something almost resembling a spiked mango soda. (Keep these away from the kids.) Of course, if you like your pints a little more conventional, there's a nice selection of both draft and bottled beers at an equally nice price; for the really cash-strapped, a 12-ounce Bud Light draft will set you back a mere dollar.

Entertainment at The Ugly Duckling is picking up speed; besides having an outstanding jukebox selection, they also have open-mic night every Thursday, and plan to introduce karaoke next month. Current food and drink specials include 25 cent wings on Tuesdays and a $1.50 beer of the month.

So, the next time you're up for a road trip, give Swanton a shot ... and look for the little orange building. It's a slice of American heaven that's worth the drive.

The Ugly Duckling

90 Dodge St., Swanton, Ohio
419-826-DUCK
uglyducklingswanton.com

Mon-Thu: 11 am-11 pm
Fri-Sat: 11 am-1 am
Closed Sun

Visa/MasterCard accepted
Wheelchair accessible