Nearly five years to the date since opening, Loews Atlanta Hotel will launch its new restaurant Saltwood.
The restaurant, which replaces the existing Restaurant eleven and Bar eleven, will focus on shareable small plates and charcuterie featuring local ingredients in a more open, adaptable space designed for casual mingling and social gatherings.
“We’re thrilled to reveal this fresh look and concept, which aligns so well with the lifestyle in the Midtown neighborhood,” said Josep Juncosa, director of food & beverage at Loews Atlanta Hotel. “The ambiance, the food and the drinks all speak to the shift toward communal and casual dining experiences people are looking for.” He added, “We’re confident that Saltwood will help us break out of the ‘hotel restaurant’ perception by showcasing some truly exceptional food to locals and visitors alike in a fun setting.”
Executive chef Olivier Gaupin, a native of Orleans, France, and one of only four chefs in Georgia to carry the Maitres Cuisiniers de France (Master Chef of France) distinction, will helm the kitchen along with Chris Espanola, restaurant sous chef.
House-made and locally sourced charcuterie will feature heavily on the menu including Pork & Duck Prosciutto (sweet peppers, capers, roasted pine nut, balsamic reduction), Rabbit Terrine (lentil salad, grapefruit, charred pineapple), Benton’s Smoked Mountain Ham (Dancing Fern cheese, fig molasses), and Saltwood Spam (pretzel bun, hoisin spicy mustard).
Menu highlights include starters such as Cucumber Soup (almond crackers, toasted pine nuts, smoked yogurt) and Charred Octopus (pear and poppy vinaigrette, pickled baby beets, chorizo, candied pistachios), and entrees ranging from seafood and meat to offal and pasta such as Cobia (crudo, pickled shrimp, dill yogurt), Lamb (belly, pickled grapes, saffron golden quinoa, harissa jus, gremolata), Blood Sausage (egg, sweet potato and poblano hash, crispy tripe, apricot butter vinaigrette), and Forbidden Rice Risotto (Reggiano, butter poached lobster, pea tendrils, chive oil, chervil).
“Design, ambiance and colors are what inspire me, so the transformation of the restaurant has been really energizing,” said Gaupin. “Guests can expect that energy and creativity to translate to the menu, where we adhere to the philosophy of clean and simple, but with some unique and local twists.”
