First Look: Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar, Midtown

1065 Peachtree St., N.E., Atlanta. 404-745-5745, saltwoodatlanta.com.

Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar opened inside the Loews Atlanta Hotel in Midtown in early April, replacing the former Restaurant Eleven and Bar Eleven in a single open space. As hotel restaurants go, the concept is fairly sophisticated, celebrating charcuterie and other meaty delights while still managing to serve as a convenient lobby stop for guests, who can grab breakfast, lunch, dinner or a drink seven days a week.

The look: The meandering set-up, which includes a cocktail bar area, a charcuterie station anchoring the entrance, and a narrow patio perched above 11th Street, mixes mostly contemporary design elements with rustic touches such as wood blocks for serving cured meats and cheese.

The scene: Last weekend's Atlanta Food & Wine Festival at the Loews brought a whole lot of traffic to Saltwood. Executive chef Olivier Gaupin served a taste of his menu, including fried almond-crusted veal sweetbreads, at the opening toast on Friday. And a revolving cast of Southern chefs could be found at the bar much of the time.

The food: Gaupin, a native of Orleans, France, blends his European heritage and classic technique with Southern flavors and ingredients. On the starters menu, find charred Finisterre octopus with pear and poppy vinaigrette, pickled beets, chorizo and candied pistachios ($7), as well as Gulf Coast crudo ($7) with cobia, pickled rock shrimp, dill yogurt, smoked oyster aioli and yuzu juice. Along with housemade rabbit Terrine ($7), duck sausage ($7) and country and foie gras pate ($12), charcuterie offerings include Benton's smoked ham ($10) and Spotted Trotter salami ($8) and pork and duck prosciutto ($9).

The drinks: Signature cocktails include the likes of Two Faced Tea, with Papagayo, sweet tea and Sriracha bitters ($10). The wine list ranges from a $10 glass of Cambria Chardonnay to a $425 bottle of Veuve Clicot La Grande Dame Champagne.

The extras: At breakfast, look for the Southern Start ($9), an open-face buttermilk biscuit and scrambled egg dish topped with fried chicken and pickled red onions, with gravy and seasonal fruit or breakfast potatoes on the side. At lunch, the Saltwood Burger ($14) is a grilled beef patty with smoked sea salt, braised short ribs, CalyRoad Little Stone Mountain cheese and a sunny side up egg on an H&F Bread Co. bun.