Eats

Social Southern Table and Bar close to opening

by Elizabeth Rose

But mum is the word on the menu, the drinks and ... well, everything.

The group behind Charley G's is opening a new concept restaurant called Social Southern Table and Bar that is on track to be the most talked-about restaurant Lafayette has seen in quite some time.

Charlie Goodson, Jody Ferguson and Marc Krampe are opening the new restaurant in the former Canton City Inn next to La Fonda on Johnston. They were keeping quiet back in July about the new venture, and they're keeping quiet now, except only to say that it's a "speakeatery."

Photo by Denny Culbert

"It's a concept restaurant that's different from what Lafayette has and it's going to be absolutely beautiful," says Thomas Peters, owner of The Lab Handcrafted Coffee and Comforts and a friend of Krampe's. "It's much more akin to a more metropolitan areas, so I personally can't wait for it."

The restaurant is set to open in January, but a definite date hasn't been determined. There will be two dry runs, for a private party this weekend and another on New Year's Eve, in order to prepare for the media night on Jan. 9, according to Anna Goodson Stringer, one of Charlie Goodson's daughters.

"It'll be a casual-themed, chef-driven concept," Charlie Goodson said in July, also adding that Krampe will be the chef and Charley G's Holly Goetting and Courtney Vincent were to assist in training the new staff.

Since leasing the property, the restaurant has seen a complete transformation, which can be viewed here.