A new Louisiana-style eatery is headed to the Bartlett Station Historic District.
Ragin Cajun Seafood & Po Boys will soon occupy the current El Idolo space at 2740 Bartlett Rd, according to The Daily Memphian. The building was purchased about a month ago by Mason Jambon, who is set to take over the property in mid-September.
A Louisiana native with over three decades of experience in the restaurant industry, Jambon has been cooking Cajun food his entire life. Noting the lack of similar offerings in the area, he decided to bring his vision to Bartlett.
To test their concept, Jambon and his wife, Kenady, launched Lagniappe, a Cajun-inspired food truck, a few years ago. They’ve been on the lookout for the perfect location to establish their brick-and-mortar eatery ever since.
“We’ve been looking for a spot for a long time,” Jambon told The Daily Memphian. “This is a concept that’s near and dear to me. There are a million little neighborhood restaurants around New Orleans, and that’s really what I’m trying to recreate.”
Jambon is already a familiar name in the local entertainment scene, serving as a managing partner of Loflin Yard, Railgarten, and Bounty on Broad. He’s currently working on a similar concept, Ramble on Summer, which is slated to open at the former Bartlett Nursery.
Ragin Cajun will feature classic South Louisiana dishes like jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice, and po’boys, as well as seasonal shrimp and crawfish boils. A highlight will be the barbecue oyster po’boy, with crispy fried oysters tossed in hot sauce, honey, and butter, paired with a blue cheese dressing.
Gustavo Lopez, owner of El Idolo, will close his restaurant but will remain in Bartlett Station with his new Lopez Grill, opening soon at the corner of Stage and Shelby Roads.
Ragin Cajun Seafood & Po Boys is scheduled to appear before the Bartlett Beer Board on September 3, 2024. Jambon expects about a month of renovations, with a targeted opening in October.
