If you haven't already, check out my previous post in February on the previous tenant of 564 Gladstone, C.C.B. Electric, which moved there after nearly a century on Bank street. The day I posted that entry in February, the C.C.B. signs were flipped inside out.
Work continued behind closed doors--and paper-covered glass--sometimes late into the night.
Then, in the last week of April, changes were much more prominent on the outside. Everyone really went all-out with the Red Apron theme. Here some painters are painting the blue stripe red, while standing on red ladders. In front of them, a red dump truck is unloading materials for the parking lot in the rear. A worker in a red hard hat gives the camera a look.
Everything was kept under wraps until opening day, when the fruits of all that work came to light and invited everyone in. There is much more space for customers than the old one, which was just large enough to walk into. These three wooden tables can be extended and chairs placed around them to seat groups of up to 30 people. Jo-Ann enthusiastically told me of their plans to hold dinner events every now and then after hours. (I think this would make a great community association outing!)
In the back of the store(which is much narrower than the front), a team of employees perform all manner of tasks to fulfill Red Apron's orders of scrumptious locally-made and locally-sourced food. I just finished a shepherd's pie made with braised beef from Fitzroy Harbour (my beef producer of choice, they're at the Ottawa Farmer's Market) and Quebec cheddar. It was hands down the best shepherd's pie I've ever eaten.
Red Apron is open Monday to Friday 9am-6pm; an hour later on Wednesdays and Thursdays. They have new and seasonal dishes regularly and also a number of options for delivery and pick-ups.
Go on and try it![Edit June 20, 2011: See the blog entry on Red Apron's re-opening party by Ottawa Citizen's foot critic Ron Eade, referenced in this blog entry by David Reevely.]
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