We must admit, we were shocked to hear that Chaise Lounge closed suddenly in order to radically reconfigure itself as The Southern (tagline: “kickass bar + comfort food”). But we’re not exactly surprised. Chef Cary Taylor’s cooking has long outstrapped the clubby, vibey space (to the point where Vettel, finally getting over his aversion to the Miami-esque scene, was really surprised by how much he liked it), and whenever the topic arises of chefs who could really shine if they got a better restaurant, his name inevitably floats up. Yay for the powers that be, then, who have decided to play to Taylor’s Georgia-based roots with a menu that’s southern in spirit, with some on-trend twists: fish tacos, cassoulet, the now-ubiquitous poutine. The rejiggered space will open on February 5; for a sneak peek of the menu, read on.
Bar food
Cheese straws - $4.00
pecan butter, cayenne, cheddar
Waldorf salad - $6.00
Cranberry, Gorgonzola, yogurt dressing
Oyster roast - $10.00
Sun-dried tomato, horseradish, saltines
Mac ‘n’ cheese - $6.00
Gouda, macaroni, breadcrumbs
Southern poutine - $8.00
Hand-cut fries, tasso ham, cheese curds
Johnnycakes - $8.00
Gunthorp Farms pork, chow-chow, cornmeal
Carolina tacos - $10.00
Day-boat mahi, chipotle, cabbage slaw
Croquettes - $9.00
Jamón Serrano, smoked turkey, Jarlsburg
House burger - $14.00
Smoked bacon, pickle relish, cheddar
Plates
Crab cakes - $12.00
Arugula, shaved apple, Dijon aïoli
Grilled shrimp - $13.00
Three Sisters grits, cheddar, Frank’s red hot
Duck cassoulet - $16.00
Rosemary, garlic sausage, black-eyed peas
Green tomatoes - $12.00
Stickney Farm chèvre, caper relish, lemon
Country captain - $14.00
Roasted chicken, curried raisins, pine nut
Braised pork - $16.00
Cider glaze, wheatberry, kabocha squash
Sides ($6)
Hand-cut fries
Spicy cheese grits
Garlic spinach
Roasted mushrooms
Rosemary black-eyed peas
Truffled fingerling potatoes
Desserts
Carrot cake - $6.00
Cream cheese, toasted pistachio, rum raisin
Mississippi mud - $6.00
Coca-Cola, Georgia peanuts, chocolate
