Casper Fry is a fairly new restaurant located in the Perry district with Southern inspired roots. The restaurant was started by Deb Green with the help of her son Ben Poffenroth and daughter in 2011.

Casper Fry’s dining room is long and open with a bar viewed straight from the back with tables for smaller groups along the wall and party tables in the center. The restaurant is decorated with custom made tables and chairs made of plywood and wrought iron legs.

On the tables sit mismatched silverware sets and heavy glasses adding perfectly to the laid back atmosphere. Instead of country music playing over the speakers, the band Mumford and Sons plays out.

“We consider ourselves to be more southern inspired. We don’t want to be known as ‘that southern

restaurant’,” Poffenroth said.

Casper Fry came into creation after Green started to look into her family history, specifically her great-grandfather, Casper Fry, from South Carolina. Casper Fry was a prominent Baptist minister back in his time that inspired others to do good and help their community.

“We want people to understand that this is a family restaurant,” Poffenroth said .

Casper Fry is run by the family, with Poffenroth as the general manager. All of the menu items come from a collaboration between Executive Chef Joshua Martin, Sous Chef Gary Johnson, and Green. All the food at Casper Fry is inspired from traditional southern dishes.

“Joshua was born and in raised in Detroit on southern food,” Green said.

Martin’s Southern influence really shines through in the dishes prepared at Casper Fry. The menu includes all the traditional southern dishes that would be found in the south, like the fried chicken, pulled pork sandwich, and a shrimp po-boy. The team at Casper Fry uses fresh produce and meat from many local purveyors in Washington.

“All of our dishes are very fresh and local,” Green said.

All the meat and produce that is used in the restaurant is organic, the restaurant even cuts their own meat in order to have the best choices for the dishes.

“We think it’s important to know the story about the food we eat,” Green said.

Knowing where the ingredients come from really help in how to prepare the dish because the chefs can understand how to capture the flavors better.

At Casper Fry, many of the dishes are cooked in what is called a Josper Oven. The Josper Oven originated in Spain and is unique because it is one of 13 in the US. The oven starts at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit in the morning and then usually stays at 600 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and is powered by apple and oak wood charcoal.

“Flavors are limited in Washington because of the Josper oven,” Green said.

To get the best flavor for the dishes, all of the meat is smoked in the Josper Oven.

Casper Fry is open Wednesday through Monday from 11 am, until whenever they want to close.

“It has been blessing to work with my two kids,” Green said. “It has been a fun family journey.”