It used to be a place you had to stop at the crossroads of Highway 144 and Highway 560.
But the Larocque family has made the Watershed Restaurant in Gogama a place you want to go to chow down, shop and give life to your sleepy legs.
And that’s Pamela and Pete Larocque’s motto since they took ownership of the Watershed seven years ago.
“After years of camping in the area, we’ve renovated the restaurant to create a dining experience that will meet the needs of everyone in your vehicle and then some,” Pam said.
The Larocques have added a sub shop and a grab-and-go food service that offers pizza by the slice, homemade hamburgers and hand-breaded chicken and wedge fries so people can stock up their car to quickly continue on their way.
The in-restaurant dining experience offers customers lots of variety for all three meals of the day with daily specials and signature dishes.
The kitchen staff is home to a number of international cooks who are treating customers to ethnic dishes each day.
This fall, the Larocques will welcome two new staff from South Africa in addition to cooks from Columbia and Ukraine.
“Whoever is in charge of cooking for the day, gets to add a dish to the set menu from their home country,” Pamela said. “We’ve had beans and rice, cabbage rolls, schnitzel and so much more. You can stay in Gogama where the waters flow north to the Arctic and eat from all over the world.”
Being the only stop within a 100 kilometre radius in any direction, the Watershed also offers gas service, a gift shop, liquor store and a mechanic shop.
They also cater all meals to the 100-room rental unit two kilometres up the road in Sultan that is intended for the bustling mining and logging industry thanks to Côté Gold and the Interfor Sawmill.
Another 30 rooms at the Watershed Den are slated for those hunting and fishing in the area.
The family also has the contract for road maintenance in the area, which has grown the business from 15 employees to 60 with more on the way.
With long restaurant hours, lunch is the busiest time of the day. Pamela’s favourites are the real chicken clubhouse or Watershed burger that come with an appetizer on the side.
She says ice cream from Farquar’s is also a must afterwards.
Pamela says there have been a lot of changes in the past few years that made some regular customers nervous and leery.
“The table service changed so customers order up front at the counter and then sit down. It’s helped speed up the process for people who want to get back on the road. It’s been a game changer for visitors and even locals,” she said.
The restaurant is a happening place and remains open seven days a week.
Days begin at 7 a.m. until close at 8 p.m.
The on site store opens even earlier at 5 a.m. for breakfast sandwiches
You can follow Watershed 144 Ltd on Facebook and Instagram.
A website is being developed at www.watershed.ca.
Anastasia Rioux is a writer in Greater Sudbury. Let’s Eat! is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
