Charley G's - Southern Louisiana Seafood - Since 1985

Valentine's Day Dinner

January Wine Dinner

Whiskey & Cigar Dinner

Join us on Thursday, November 3th at 7pm. $125.00 all inclusive!

September's Italian Wine Dinner

Join us on Wednesday, September 28th at 7pm for our September Wine Dinner.

Charley G’s Owner, Charlie Goodson, Honored by Louisiana Cookin Magazine as 2011 Culinary Humanitarian

Charley G’s, known for its twist on Southern Louisiana cuisine, is pleased to announce that owner Charlie Goodson will be one of five honored as the 2011 Culinary Humanitarian award recipients from Louisiana Cookin magazine in New Orleans, LA.

Goodson will be honored at this year’s Louisiana Cookin’s 11th Annual Chef’s to Watch dinner this month. The magazine honors those who’ve paved the way, and set a good example for what it means to give back to community & support our unique culture. Also honored that evening are Robert G. Antoon, David Blitch, Dickie Brennan & Tommy Wong.

Harrah’s New Orleans is the title sponsor and the dinner will be held in the beautiful Theatre at Harrah’s New Orleans on Monday August 22, 2011. The evening starts at 6:30 with a champagne and cocktail reception and a selection of passed hors d’oeuvres. At 7:15, a five-course dinner complete with wine pairings selected by the platinum sponsor Republic National Distributing Company will be served. For more information visit: http://www.louisianacookin.com/2011-culinary-humanitarians

About Charley G’s: Lafayette-based Charley G’s is recognized as one of the most critically-acclaimed restaurants not only in Louisiana but across the South. Owner Charlie Goodson has received several honors in his career. He was named restaurateur of the year by the Acadiana Restaurant Association in 1987, 1988, 1994 & 1998. In 2001, the Louisiana Restaurant Association named him the Louisiana Restaurateur of the Year. He was given the Louisiana Restaurant Associations “Active Member of the Year” in 1993. In 2006, Goodson was inducted into the Louisiana Restaurant Associations Hall of Fame. For further information, contact Charley G’s at 337-981-0108 or access the website at http://www.charleygs.com. Charley G's is located at 3809 Ambassador Caffery Parkway in Lafayette, LA.

Join us for our Abita Beer Dinner on Wednesday August 24, 2011 at 7:00pm.

Marinated Shrimp & Lobster, pickled vegetable salad
Satsuma Wit

Beer Battered Fish-n-Chips
S.O.S. Pilsner

Braised Oxtail Ragout, goat cheese polenta cakes
Jockamo I.P.A.

Abbey Ale Glazed Lamb Chops, turnip puree, wild mushrooms
Abbey Ale

Chocolate Molten Cake
Turbodog

 $75 per person, all inclusive!

This Event is Sold Out!

For more info on Abita Brewery visit http://abita.com

Charley G's Restaurant
337.981.0108

Wednesday July 27, 2011
from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM CDT

1st Course
Tempura Battered Boursin Stuffed Squash Blossom topped with Louisiana Jumbo Lump Crabmeat
2009 Fess Parker Viognier, Santa Barbara County

2nd Course
Ground Lamb & Shrimp Kebob, Red Harissa Dipping Sauce
2008 Fess Parker Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County

3rd Course
Skin-On Pan Seared Striped Bass, Braised Mustard Greens, Pork Broth, Sweet Potato Hay
Frontier Red, Lot 102, California

4th Course
Proscuitto Wrapped Fig Stuffed Quail, Grilled Strawberry & Arugula Salad
2008 Fess Parker, "the Big Easy" Syrah, Santa Barbara County

5th Course
Prosecco & Raspberry Gelee
2010 Fess Parker Riesling, Santa Barbara County

$100.00 per person, all inclusive (tax & tip included). Please register by clicking the link below.
Reservations can be made by phone with a credit card. 337-981-0108

Wednesday June 29, 2011
from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM CDT

1st Course
Masago Aioli & Crab Salad in a Cucumber Cup
2009 Peju Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

2nd Course
Seared Sashimi Tuna, Sweet Soy Reduction
2007 Peju Merlot, Napa Valley

3rd Course
Oxtail Ravioli, Roasted Summer Vegetables, Herbed Au Jus
2006 Cab Franc, Rutherford Reserve, Napa Valley

4th Course
4oz Petit Filet with Blue Cheese, Truffled Fingerling Potatoes
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

5th Course
Keylime Cheesecake
NV Laetita Brut

Click here to register or RSVP.

Charley G's Restaurant
337.981.0108

May 25, 2010 at 7:00pm
$100 per person, tax & gratuity included

1st Course
Warm Brie Crouton, Green Apple & Golden Raison Slaw, Raspberry Vinaigrette
St. Germain Elder Flower Liqeur & Sparkling Wine

2nd Course
Chilled Cucumber & Avocado Soup, Jumbo Lump Crabmeat, "Mango Caviar"
2007 Treana White, Viognier/Marsanne, Central Coast

3rd Course
Veal Meatloaf, Herbed Potato Puree, Grilled Asparagus
Candor, Red Zindandel Lot 2, Paso Robles

4th Course
Mixed Grill Kabab, Grilled Baby Bok Choy
2008 Treana Red, Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah, Paso Robles

5th Course
Chocolate Pate with Raspberry Puree
Graham 6 Grape Port, Portugal

Click here to register or RSVP.

Charley G's Restaurant
337.981.0108

Join us on Thursday May 5, 2011
from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM for our
Spring Whiskey & Cigar Dinner on
the Charley G's patio!

Opening Cocktail
Balcones Baby Blue, Texas Whiskey

1st Course
Turtle Soup
Bernheim, Kentucky Wheat Whiskey

2nd Course
Grilled Lettuce Wedge, house made blue cheese dressing
Elijah Craig 18 year old Single Barrel Bourbon

3rd Course
Braised & Fried Pork Shank
House made sauerkraut, spicy bourbon mustard & mild mustard dipping sauce
Knappogue Castle 12 yr old Single Malt Irish Whiskey

4th Course
Chocolate Praline Tower
Conjune Cognac, France

*Wine selections will be available for each course

Cigars by The Cigar Merchant
Spirits by Glazer

Please click on the link below to register or RSVP.
Register Now!
I can't make it

If you have any questions please contact me via email or by phone.
Thank you & I look forward to seeing you at the Whiskey & Cigar Dinner!

Sincerely,

Charlie Goodson
Charley G's Restaurant
ctg@charleygs.com
337.981.0108

On Valentine’s evening we will have a special 3 course menu, with a multiple choices per course.
The dinner is by reservation only. We have 4 seating times available that evening: 5:45, 6:15, 8:00 & 8:30.
Larone Rubin will be on piano.
Every table will be getting a special box of chocolates to take home.

• 1st Course Choices
  • Winter House Salad
  • Southern Caesar Salad
  • Smoked Duck & Andouille Gumbo
  • Oyster Champagne & Brie Bisque
  • Coconut Shrimp with Zydeco Pepper Jelly
  
  
• 2nd Course Choices
  • Wood Grilled Lobster Tail
    wood grilled asparagus & béarnaise sauce
  
  
  • Pistachio Crusted Redfish
    grilled asparagus & strawberry beurre blanc
  
  
  • Charley G’s Blue Point Crab Cakes
    creole green beans & red bell pepper coulis
  
  
  • Wood Grilled Gulf Fish
    crawfish, andouille & sweet potato hash, roasted asparagus & crab sauté
  
  
  • Allen Bros. 8 oz Filet
    smashed potatoes, grilled asparagus & truffled demi glace
  
  
  • Surf & Turf
    Allen Bros. 5 oz Filet & Charley G’s Crab Cake
    smashed potatoes & asparagus
• Dessert Choices
  • Turtle Cheesecake
  • White Chocolate Bread Pudding
  • Red Velvet Tower
  • Grand Marnier Crème Brulee

Yield: 3 9" spring form pans

• 1 - 4 to 5 pound Duckling
• 2 - Onions Chopped Medium
• 4 - Chopped Rib Celery
• 2 - Chopped Bell Peppers
• 2Tbls. - Garlic
• 2 Cups - Dark Roux
• 2 Tbls. - Season Salt
• Tbls - Tabasco
• 1 pound - Andouille
• 1 Tsp. - White Pepper
• ¼ Cup - Chopped Green Onions
• ¼ Cup - Chopped Parsley

Method:

Smoke duck, debone, save bones for stock, may be done night before.

Cover bones with water in a 2 gallon stockpot and simmer for two hours. Strain bones and reserve stock.

Bring stock to a boil; add roux. Whisk until roux dissolves, about 15 minutes and let simmer.

Add onions, celery, bell peppers, season salt, white pepper and Tabasco. Let simmer for 1 hour until vegetables are almost wilted.

While simmering cut duck meat and andouille into cubes and set aside.

Adjust seasoning if needed, add duck meat, Andouille, green onions, parsley and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve with steamed white rice.

Yield: 3 9" spring form pans

• 2 qt Milk
• 2 qt Heavy Cream
• 3 c Sugar

Boil these three together.

Add and Blend 2 pounds White Chocolate.

Add 16 eggs blended, not whipped and mix well.

Pour in 5-6 loaves of cut up French bread, more if needed to soak up the liquid.

Pour into 3 9” spring form pans that have been greased

Wrap in aluminum foil, cover with greased foil and bake in over at 300 for 1 to 1 ½ hours

Sauce:
1 qt heavy cream boiled then add 1 pound of white chocolate

Louisiana Chefs Unite for James Beard Foundation

Culinary Event of the Year “Chefs for Louisiana Cookery” Celebrates the State’s Bounty

New Orleans — Sunday, March 21st, 2010, the state’s most celebrated chefs will come together at Kingsley House for a fundraiser benefiting the James Beard Foundation. Chefs have teamed up with each other and local farmers and fishermen to create a menu that is a true testament to the quality ingredients native to Louisiana.

Oysters, strawberries, crabmeat, shrimp, sweet potatoes, French bread, Tabasco hot sauce, Cajun caviar and rice are just a few of the ingredients that will take main stage with chefs including Donald Link, John Besh, Darin Nesbit and Frank Brigsten. Sure to be a delicious event, it will also be educational. Various purveyors will be on hand to teach guests about their industries, including Tabasco’s Master Cooper, Hamilton Polk, who will demonstrate barrel making; and Popcorn rice farmer, Jimmy Hoppe will illustrate the process of growing his crops.

The Chefs for Louisiana Cookery event is in part a celebration of the announcement for nominees of the 2010 James Beard Awards, which will occur in New Orleans on March 22, 2010. The James Beard awards are the culinary industry’s equivalent to the Oscars and are celebrated in May in New York City. Last year was the first time the award nominees were announced outside New York, and the chosen location was Chicago. Since 1986, the James Beard foundation has been on the forefront of America’s culinary revolution, and remains North America’s only historical culinary center. The 2006 Foundation Awards were a tribute to the culinary legacy of New Orleans, and proceeds raised from those ticket sales were donated to help rebuild small, classic New Orleans restaurants.

Chefs participating in this event have either cooked at the James Beard House in New York or have been recognized through their awards program. The majority of chefs are based in New Orleans, but other regions of the state will be represented, including Lafayette’s own Holly Goetting from Charley G’s Seafood.

The event will run from 3-7 PM at the Kingsley House, 1600 Constance Street, New Orleans and will feature live music and spirits from Republic beverage in addition to food. Tickets in advance are $100 for regular admission and $150 for VIP ($75 and $125 for members of the James Beard Foundation). Tickets will be available through www.JamesBeard.org.

Participating Chefs and Restaurants:

• Mark Quitney – 5 Fifty 5
• Andrea Apuzzo – Andrea’s
• Haley Bittermann – Bacco
• Susan Spicer – Bayona
• Darin Nesbit – Bourbon House/Palace Café & Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse
• Frank Brigsten – Brigtsen’s
• Holly Goetting – Charley G’s Seafood
• Tory McPhail – Commander’s Palace
• Emmanuel Loubier – Dante’s Kitchen
• David Slater/Chris Wilson – Emeril’s
• Greg and Mary Sonnier – Uptowner
• Brian Landry – Galatoire’s
• Donald Link – Herbsaint/Cochon
• Jacques Leonardi – Jacques Imo
• Chuck Subra – La Cote Brasserie
• Michael Farrell – Le Meritage
• Justin Devillier – Le Petite Grocery
• Michelle McRaney – Mr. B’s Bistro
• Gus Martin – Muriel’s
• Kristin Essig – Nola Bean
• Richard Hughes – Pelican Club
• John Besh – Restaurant August
• Scott Boswell – Stella
• Tariq Hanna - Sucre

For more information contact:
Wesley Noble - 504.274.1811
noblew@dickiebrennanco.com

Charley G's has donated $1,000.00 in gift cards to Hospice of Acadiana during the 2009 Hospice telethon because of the credits collected from our frequent diners.

Our frequent diner program allows patrons to collect 5% in credits for personal use or donate the 5% credit to one of four local charities. Ask your server on your next visit.

Become a Charley G's club member and enjoy the benefits!

Lafayette, La –July 2008-- Charley G's announces today a new frequent dining club program to give back to its loyal customers and the community of Acadiana. The dining club program allows customers to save on future purchases by becoming a member or donate the credits from the member card to a local charity.

"At Charley G's we are dedicated to giving back to the local community," said Charles Goodson. "It is important to us to support the people the people who have been so good to us over the years by sharing our time and resources with them."

To join, request a club member form at Charley G's on your next visit and you can start earning a credit of five percent to use towards future purchases or donate to a local charity. If you intend to donate your five percent credit the form allows you to choose from three local charities. This year’s charity selections are Acadiana Outreach, Hospice of Acadiana & Stuller Place. The five percent credit will be given to your charity of choice in your name quarterly.

About Charley G's: A leading restaurant in Acadiana offering a polished dining experience with an unrivaled commitment to quality product and service in a relaxed atmosphere.

The Times of Acadiana

Holly Goetting likes working at Charley G’s because of the unlimited freedom she and her staff have. The main idea is that as long as the customers like a dish, they can keep making it.

Goetting has been with Charley G’s for seven years now. She studied at the culinary school of Nicholls State University in Thibodeaux where she learned some of the history of Cajun cooking. Since then, she’s been to other states to study and cook, but she felt the need to return to Louisiana.

"I loved Lafayette. I’ve always loved this area," Goetting said. "It’s the most hospitable place I’ve been. ... I missed Acadiana."

These days, Goetting works with a staff of about 10, working together and inspiring each other to create the decadent appetizers, entrees and desserts customers have known to trust. To test out an idea or taste, Goetting said they might introduce it as an appetizer and then listen to customer feedback of whether they like it.

The menu changes three times a year to follow the seafood seasons, and they try to incorporate local in-season vegetables into the dishes. They are also known to bring back local favorites from season to season.

"We really work as a team," Goetting said of her staff, "and I stress to really love what you’re doing and put love into your food because you can tell when there’s no love."

For news article visit :The Times of Acadiana

The magazine of Nicholls State University.

Chefs du Jour

Success has indeed been sweet for six graduates of the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute. Although they chose the same major, they traveled different paths to reach their own version of culinary dreams. You can find four of them at some of Louisiana's top restaurants and two at a major food manufacturer.

What I do:
I work with a kitchen staff of 12 at various food stations and prepare the daily catch during the week and expedite (bridge between wait staff and kitchen staff to ensure orders are filled and delivered) on the weekend. About 80 to 90 percent of the recipes used at Charley G's are my creation.

How I got here:
I started college at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette studying interior design and worked after class at restaurants like T.G.I. Friday's. When I realized I enjoyed work more than school, I made the switch to culinary arts at Nicholls where I felt that I really fitted in. After graduation and a brief stay in Colorado, I went to work at my first choice, Charley G's (the classiest restaurant in Lafayette), and worked my way up from pastry chef. I love the team effort at Charley G's and having the freedom to be myself and get my creative juices flowing.

Honors:
The first woman executive chef in Lafayette, Goetting was named a 2005 Chef to Watch by Louisiana Cookin' magazine.

Tuna Tartar with Wasabi-Soy Vinaigrette & Black Sesame Crackers

Serves: 2

• 8 oz. tuna, sashimi grade, small dice
• 8 oz. seaweed salad
• 3 oz. wasabi-soy vinaigrette
• 6 black sesame crackers
• 1 tsp. black sesame seeds
• 3 in. PVC pipe mold
• 3 wonton wrappers

Wasabi-Soy Vinaigrette

• ½ shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. black sesame seeds
• ¼ c. soy sauce
• ¼ c. wasabi paste
• 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• ½ c. vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients except oil in blender. Turn blender on low and add oil in a thin, steady stream. Set aside.

For black sesame crackers:
Cut three wonton wrappers diagonally. Fry in oil until golden and crispy. Sprinkle sesame seeds on crackers immediately after removed from the oil.

Assembly:
Place PVC pipe in center of plate. Put seaweed salad inside and press down firmly. In a small bowl toss tuna in vinaigrette and place on top of seaweed salad. Press down firmly again and pull mold off. Drizzle wasabi-soy vinaigrette around tuna tartar mixture, sprinkle with sesame seeds and top mixture with 3 crackers.

The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) inducted Charles Goodson of Charley G's in Lafayette into its Hall of Fame during the annual President's Reception and Grand Awards Banquet on Aug. 6.

Goodson has been an LRA member for almost 21 years, and during that time served as a chapter president, state president, state board of director and chairman of the association's Legislative, HostPAC and Membership Development committees as well as the Chapter President's Council.

Goodson served on the National Restaurant Association's Board of Directors and received the LRA's "Active Member of the Year" award in 1993 and the "Restaurateur of the Year" award in 2001.

Other members of the LRA Hall of Fame include Ralph Brennan, Virginia & Savare DeFelice, Gregory Hamer and Shirley Deluzain.

To view our news release archive, or for more information about the restaurant industry, please visit our Press Room at www.LRA.org.

The Louisiana Restaurant Association is one of the largest business organizations in the state, representing more than 7,000 restaurant operations and related businesses. The restaurant industry in Louisiana is the state's largest private employer with 130,000 employed directly and another 55,000 indirectly employed. Restaurants in Louisiana are expected to generate sales of $4.8 billion in 2006.

The 22nd Annual Acadiana Culinary Classic was held Monday June 5, 2006.

Charley G's competed in 3 categories with 4 dishes, taking home the bronze and silver medal in 2 categories.

Chef Amy Salsman took home the Bronze medal for her salad-

Mixed greens with Wisconsin gold & spicy walnuts topped with honey basil vinaigrette. She also took home the Silver medal for her dessert- Carrot Cake with butter milk glaze & cream cheese icing.

We would like to congratulate and thank Chef Amy Salsman and Executive Chef Holly Goetting for their hard work and dedication.