Average Joe's Eatery & Patio Bar is riding a wave of innovation when it comes to servicing its clients on Trout Lake.
The completely renovated and revamped lakeside eatery is offering an interesting delivery method as it opens its patio doors for business today with a "new philosophy," according to the owner and the new face of the restaurant, local entrepreneur Jim Bruce.
Bruce, also the majority owner of the NOJHL's Powassan Voodoos, is employing three of his players to make end-to-end rushes — of Trout Lake, on Sea-Doos.
"The food gets packed into a thermal bag, is wrapped in sponges, and is condensed," so there is no space for movement inside, Bruce tells BayToday while juggling opening day preparations and receiving a food order.
Bruce says he has borrowed the basics of the dock-to-dock delivery system from "many moons ago," from a waterfront restaurant in Parry Sound. "This is a summertime thing and depending on how it goes, it could be a regular thing," he adds about the Sea-Doo service.
He says, "We've done some deliveries and the test runs went great," as Average Joe's went through a cold opening last weekend. Only items from the take-out menu will be available for dock-to-dock delivery.
Voodoo players Tomas Yachmenev, Eric Mondoux, and Jacob Peterson-Galema will man the delivery Sea-Doos and Bruce says Average Joe's will deliver food and alcohol (to customers of legal age) to any dock on Trout Lake.
"You can't get delivery on this lake," observes Bruce, while acknowledging some parts of Trout Lake are inaccessible. "There are still a lot of other places on the lake that would love to have delivery but nobody does it. Plus, we can get to the islands," where people spend time in the summer and there is no delivery.
Bruce says the original plan was to open the doors in April or May before the COVID-19 pandemic and construction slowed due to physical distancing regulations for the crews.
"It's a whole new deal. The only thing that remains the same is the name. The inside of the restaurant and the menu," have been updated. What remains, says Bruce, is the breathtaking views of the lake on Average Joe's patio.
He says he is confident enough in all aspects of his new venture to have no reservations about opening with limited seating and revenue streams.
"There is no other place that you can have a great dinner at a reasonable price right on Trout Lake," adds Bruce.
