I’ve always considered myself a bit of an old soul. Even as a teenager, when all of my peers were raving about Beyonce and Jersey Shore, I was being enchanted by picturesque images of the ‘50s, the sparkle of the roaring 20s, and the unique manners presented by my personal hero Ms. Austen. As I’ve gotten older, I have of course learned that no decade or century was without its problems, and as an “unmarried woman with no fortune” as my hero might say, I’d probably not luck upon a Mr. Darcy, but there is still something about the “old fashioned” style of these bygone days that calls to me, a charm that I think is inherently held by artifacts of our past, whether they be personal or of humanity as a whole.
Now, at this point you’re probably looking at the title and asking where exactly I am heading with this, I promise there’s a point and I’m getting to it right now: I bring this up because tucked away in the back half of The Fountain Head Health Store, hiding behind rows of supplements and nutraceuticals, this is exactly how the Red Door Restaurant in Fergus left me feeling. From its warm hardwood floors, and engaging large personable decor, it had a feeling of somewhere that didn’t quite belong with the fast paced, easy convenience world – and it was all the more charming for it.
The Red Door Restaurant, however, is not nearly as “out of place” as one might think, as its aim of good quality nutritious food fits right in with the health food store that stretches in front of it. Owner Nathalie has always been interested in two things: cooking and the sciences – and if you ask her, she’ll tell you she changes her mind on which one she’s more interested in on any given day. Which is what makes the Red Door Restaurant so perfect, as it is more than just a middle ground between the two in a physical sense. Nathalie is able to use her knowledge of vitamins, nutrients and general health sciences to bring together good nutritious food for everyone to enjoy.
A big part of this is the ingredients that are used. Everything at the Red Door Restaurant is fresh and handmade. Nathalie doesn’t believe in “carrying over” from one day to the next, so even if you came in yesterday for lunch, you can rest assured that today’s menu is fresh, flavourful, inviting and new.
They also invest in fresh local produce, so all of their fruits and vegetables come directly from local farms, to be specific Joe’s Home Farm and Greenhouse in Centre Wellington. They provide the Red Door Restaurant with their chicken and produce. Nothing at the Red Door is complicated to make and that’s because Nathalie wants to ensure that the food has the highest nutritional value possible – which all comes from using fresh ingredients and avoiding over processing them. Though more than that, you don’t need to make complicated recipes to get big flavour; you just need good ingredients and the right spices.
In fact, the Red Door Restaurant started out exclusively serving vegetarian dishes, looking to fill a much-needed hole in our society’s restaurant options. Although they have added some meat options which everyone can enjoy, they still specialize in offering a full menu that anyone with dietary restrictions can enjoy. It doesn’t matter how exclusive your diet needs to be, just tell Nathalie what you can’t eat and she will make you something delicious that you can!
Often times the Red Door is mistaken for “fast food” but it’s far from it. Nathalie tells people that they don’t make “Fast Food” (which implies a lack of nutritional value, something rushed to give you convenience but caring little about quality), but rather they make “good food as fast as we can”.
And it truly is good food. Although they have their standard menu, Nathalie is always playing and experimenting with flavours and food. Their specials are often reflective of whatever they happen to have fresh and available at the time. Sometimes this can be off putting to people who aren’t always the most experimental in their eating habits, but Nathalie and I both encourage you to give it a try! It’s not about any one ingredient, but rather the way the flavours blend together, and we suspect you will be surprised with the end result. Most people are.
If you’re in the neighbourhood and looking for something nutritious and delicious to eat, stop in to the Red Door Restaurant to eat in or take out – and dare to try something new! Trust me, you’ll be so glad you did.
WRITTEN BY: JILLIAN KENT | PHOTOGRAPHY: CORY BRUYEA
