It’s finally official.

After announcing near the end of last summer that he was moving his Canape pop-up operation into permanent digs, chef Matt Gould on Monday unveiled Canape – the brick-and-mortar restaurant – at 1001 N. Fourth St.

The once-dark dining room and closed kitchen that used to be Asian restaurant Big Thai has become a bright space with a wide and open kitchen entrance that gives diners a glimpse of the cooking action.

Pale gray walls and white trim light the dining room. Sunlight entering via plate glass windows fuels a sidewall’s hanging perennial garden over a boxy, contemporary white couch.

The restaurant hosts two bars, one on each side of the dining room. The traditional drinks bar is fashioned from old barrels. The other is a food prep arena where diners can watch chefs craft cold foods and desserts behind a Plexiglas partition.

“I think our vision has always been the same, to be a progressive restaurant and to keep pushing forward the cuisine,” Gould said of the menu. “Now that we’re actually, physically open, it’s a communal effort.”

Cooks and bartenders collaborate to bring world flavors and their tastes and food experiences to the changing menu, Gould explained.

Lunch is the restaurant’s opening set. Service runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday and features what Gould described as ethnic street food at a good price. This week’s offerings, $3 to $6.50, have included housemade ramen noodles for an egg, scallion and pork noodle bowl and duck confit carnitas with cilantro and charred onions.
Dinner starts with a special “pop-up” event March 15 to introduce invited guests and the public to selections as Gould awaits Canape’s state license to serve alcohol, due next week, he said.

“Dinner is a refinement of all different types [of cuisine] we’ve been accustomed to or exposed to,” he said of the kitchen team. “We really like to shine for dinner.”

Dinner options, posted at Canape’s website, www.canaperestaurant.com, read much like Gould’s past pop-up dinners. Simple descriptions list “Duck Breast: edible earth, wild mushrooms” and “Pig Trotters: cauliflower, lemon, hazelnut, brown butter.” Gould said he expects full dinner service to begin next week. Contact Canape for information about Saturday’s pop-up.

Once Canape has its liquor license, house specialty drinks will be available. The Canape #1 blends Trey Herring’s Carolina Bourbon, sweet vermouth, Grand Marnier, green tea and clove. Desert Rose mixes Milagro Anejo tequila, orange, lime and rose.

Canape hours are posted on the website as 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and 11 a.m.-2:30 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. Diners are advised to call ahead during these early days to assure that the restaurant is open for dinner and for lunch on Saturday.

Gould partnered with the building’s owner, Army surgeon Ronald Rene, to create Canape. The chef and his staff have participated in much of the building’s renovations.

“I haven’t slept in a while, but that’s OK,” Gould said with a chuckle.

Gould understands the challenges of Canape’s location. The building is off the downtown beaten track in a mixed-income neighborhood. Gould said he would build business in part by directing downtown tourists seeking lunch to the free city trolley, which travels Fourth Street and stops at Fourth and Campbell streets.

“I feel pretty good. It’s been a long road. But I think the place looks gorgeous, the food is great and we have a really great staff,” Gould said. “We know once they [customers] get here, they’ll come back.”