Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar

Since my first experience, I have returned twice to Saltwood. It really is one of my new favorite places to dine. I don’t know if it’s the tender pork belly, or the wide selections of incredible charaturie, but whatever it is, I’m hooked. Located in the Loews Hotel in Midtown Atlanta, this casual dining concept named for its emphasis on salted, cured meats and classically rustic presentation on wood blocks is really in a league of their own.

When you walk inside, you immediately notice the charcuterie station. This station serves as the restaurant’s centerpiece where patrons can pull up bar stools to sample house-made and locally sourced items while watching the restaurant’s charcuterie chef hand carve meats and assemble charcuterie plates.

This restaurant is a great size. It has a total of 190 seats which includes the bar, inside of the restaurant, 20-seat patio, 125-seat private dining space, and chef’s table. Saltwood specializes in small, shareable plates of signature house-made and locally sourced meats and cheeses, handcrafted cocktails, and local microbrews. I mean, what’s better than experiencing dishes that have house-made and locally-sourced ingredients? In my opinion, nothing!

Executive chef, Olivier Gaupin, who is a native of Orleans, France, is one of only four chefs in Georgia to carry the Maitres Cuisiniers de France (Master Chef of France) distinction. Borrowing from his European roots and his adopted Southern home, Gaupin brings a unique, yet refined approach to local ingredients and cooking traditions.

When I dined, I tried the following:

I started my meal with Finisterre Octopus. I was feeling very daring and it worked out in my favor. This summer I am going to eat this as often as I can. It was a delicious and very unique dish. The charred octopus was served with a salad, which was topped with pickled beets, candied pistachio and a poppy seed vinaigrette. If you have never tried octopus you are missing out. The best way for me to describe it would be octopus does not taste like squid. It’s firm and was cooked just right. Paired with salad I was a very happy camper.

SouthEast Farm Pork Belly

I love, love, love, LOVE pork belly. It’s literally bacon that melts in your mouth or like pork-flavored butter with a slightly crispy crust, if done correctly. This pork belly was extremely tender and delicious in the sous vide, and the outer layer of the pork belly crust was an Arabica crust. The pork belly was accompanied with pickled vegetables and caramelized beets, which were so fresh and scrumptious. I love the spring and summer menus with beets. They are so good and I am always excited to see how various restaurants prepare them.

Local Cheese

The cheeses on the menu are all from the CalyRoad Creamery in Georgia. I tried the Diablo, NickaJack, and Thomasville Tomme. The diablo cheese is an aged goat cheese that has a hint of spice which comes from the chipotle spice dusting and some red pepper. YOU MUST TRY THIS CHEESE! Next was the Nickajack. I selected this because of the name. Growing up my family would take road trips and I never there was a river called NickaJack. This cheese did not disappoint. This cheese was a hard apple cider washed, mild in flavor, yet semi soft and with hints of fruit and extremely savory. I figured I love cheese and hard apple cider so it was a win-win. . The apple cider in this cheese heightened the creaminess of the cheese. Last but not least was the Thomasville Tomme which was an aged cow’s milk cheese and was handcrafted in the style of French Pyrenees tomme.

Banana Pudding

This Banana pudding was creamy and served chilled. Typically I am always drawn to the creme burlee or a cheesecake. Growing up my mother was the banana pudding QUEEN. At my servers urging I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed. This dessert was perfect for the hot summer day. I love the mason glass it was served in. The portion was just right