Southern flavor comes to South Perry neighborhood

Another restaurant will be added to the South Perry neighborhood when Casper Fry opens in late May or early June at 928 S. Perry St. next door to Title Nine.

It’s the folks behind Madeleine’s – Deb Green, her son Ben Poffenroth and daughter Megan VanStone – who are opening the eatery. Poffenroth will manage Casper Fry.

“We have been looking for a new project for a couple of years,” Green said. “But this will be really different from Madeleine’s.”

Madeleine’s chef Joshua Martin is moving to Casper Fry, which will be open for lunch and dinner, serving a menu with a Southern flavor profile.

“Joshua was born in the South, and he has barbecue running in his veins,” Green said jokingly. “More importantly, he gets my vision for the menu, and he can execute it.”

At Casper Fry, customers will be treated to homemade sausages, in-house canning and pickling, alongside Southern classics such as collard greens and, of course, smoked and barbecued meat. Local farmers and growers – as well as produce from the South Perry Farmers Market – will be prominently featured on the menu.

Green is bringing in a Josper oven to aid the Southern flavor.

“It burns woodchips and it gets ridiculously hot,” Green said. “It can be used for grilling and broiling, and as a smoker, too.”

The interior of Casper Fry is being decorated with reclaimed materials, metal lamps, tables made of planks and Toledo-style chairs.

“We will have a full bar,” said Green. “I guess at one point we could do a Bloody Mary bar and brunch on Sundays.”

So what’s with the name? Casper Fry was Green’s great-grandfather. Born in the South, he was a jack-of-all-trades, but mostly a Baptist minister, Green said. At one point, his congregation was in a church across the street from the restaurant’s location.

“The family still owns his house over on 10th Avenue,” said Green, adding that Fry would probably roll over in his grave if he knew she was opening a bar across the street from his old church.

Casper Fry will seat 90 people and have additional outside patio seating on the east and north sides of the building.

Green said Casper Fry will add something to a neighborhood that has already become a great destination.