For the past several weeks, the little white house on South College road has been undergoing a transformation from steak house to Sicilian villa.
The former home of Tchoup’s Midcity Restaurant at 117 S. College Rd., Lafayette, has new awnings, new plaster on the walls, and a brand new dining space ready to welcome guests for a night of fine Italian cuisine.
CuGino, from longtime Lafayette restaurateur Gene Todaro and partner Hunter Moody, will open at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15. The menu features delicacies like creamy Cacio e Pepe, pork cheek ragu over polenta, veal piccata and a burrata dish that Moody says guests have been raving over during the restaurant’s soft opening period.
“The chefs have done an incredible job executing the dishes,” said Moody, mentioning that the menu is focused on high-end, rustic Italian and Sicilian dishes from the best ingredients.
CuGino means “cousin,” and it’s also a play on Gene Todaro’s name, who opened the Italian restaurant Marcello’s in Lafayette in 1981.
Other highlights from CuGino’s soft opening menu include classics like arancini, lasagna and fettucine alla vodka. According to Moody, the restaurant was inspired by Galatoire’s in how they hand sear the fish of the day. The cannoli — also a guest favorite so far — is made in-house.
Todaro and Moody have overseen a renovation of the dining space, with one change being the plaster walls that have given the restaurant a completely different air.
“It’s mud and Venetian plaster. We haven’t even covered them yet with pictures and other art, they’re so nice the way they are,” Moody said.
He says that the team is eager to welcome diners as they begin the CuGino journey.
“We feel really fortunate for the opportunity to fit into the Lafayette restaurant scene, among so many great ones.”
Dining and Cooking