Twelve Eighty is ready for Fall Food Service with a divalicious menu. One of the most appetizing (pun intended) aspects of dining at a restaurant with a farm-to-table focus is the change of seasonal food. The Twelve Eight restaurant makes it home in the middle of the Woodruff Art Center in Midtown Atlanta.
Recently a few Atlanta food bloggers were invited to a special tasting of the restaurant’s Fall menu offerings. Diva Foodies had been invited to Twelve Eighty’s spring tasting so I was especially excited about the surprises that were in store for us this time. Thanks Chef M aka Melissa Pelkey-Hass, The Front Porch Gourmet, for including Diva Foodies in this fun food event.
As I experienced at the spring tasting not only was the food delicious but the guest care from staff and chefs was exceptional. We were greeted so warmly that I felt more like a friend than a customer. You know when behavior is authentic and I believe it is genuine at Twelve Eighty.
When I think about Fall-into-Winter foods, hardier dishes, that perhaps include root veggies or stews, come to mind. Often this type of menu can lean towards a food preparation where the flavors of the natural ingredients get muddled. I was pleasantly surprised, (although I should not have been!) that Executive Chef John C. Metz and Chef de Cuisine Andreas Georgakopoulos created a menu that elevated ingredients like beets and cabbage in a way that complemented but didn’t overwhelm.
We all appreciated that not only did the staff (Kaffee Hopkins, director of brand marketing, Anne Szczeny, marketing coordinator, Alex Polazzo GM and Timothy Pettus, restaurant manager) take an active role in hosting but the chefs did as well. Th chefs explained each dish in detail and were available to answer questions. I must admit it made us feel welcomed and well… special.
Chef de Cuisine, Andreas Georgakopoulos| GM, Alex Polasso | Executive Chef John C. Metz
A Few Twelve Eighty Fall Menu Faves!
Our tasting adventure began with a Roasted Beet Panzanella Salad. The pretty red and golden beets were holiday festive. They added a sweet contrast to the creamy Burrita cheese. The crunch of Brioche toast along with the caper berry, lemon thyme vinaigrette nicely balanced out the dish.
I’m calling this one ~ not your daddy’s pastrami sandwich! Growing up in Boston, where it seems delis are in every neighborhood, I can attest that pastrami is not an easy meat to get right. Cook too long and it’s chewy and dry. Don’t pay attention to the fat to meat ratio it’s greasy and icky.
I was intrigued about the Pastrami Spring Rolls. Twelve Eighty’s fusion of deli and Asian totally worked! House-cured pastrami (which was perfect!) married well with the Swiss cheese and oyster mushrooms. The crunch of the egg roll and bite of the pickled red cabbage set this one apart. And it was fun to eat a spring roll pastrami sort of sandwich.
The spicy picked remoulade of the Orchestrated Fried Green Tomato Napolean brought a kick to a traditional southern dish. The tower was topped with a perfectly cook shrimp. The combinations of flavors including the tang of goat cheese brought this into modern southern cuisine.
If you’re in the mood for a burger, and who doesn’t like a great burger (?), the Woodruff Burger will add tasty notes to your meal. What put this over the top was the tomato bacon jam. Oh my! Oh my! Oh my!
And then dear food friends, there came the desserts! A parade of sweets was set before us. It was a beautiful way to end a delicious and fun Twelve Eighty food blogger tasting! I most certainly enjoyed all four of Pasty Chef Derrell Lawery’s creations.
Warm Butter Pecan Rum Cake
Molten Chocolate Cake
Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee
Cocktails Anyone? 
Yes, please and thank you!
Timothy Pettus, Twelve-Eighty Restaurant Manager
Twelve Eighty has a full bar. However, if you want a different type of adult beverage, I suggest you try one of the crafted cocktails. We tasted several including — The High Kick Mule made with bourbon and ginger beer, The Twelve Eighty with vodka and orange bitters and the Zelda Fitzgerald – a nod to the 1920’s made with G’Vine Gin, Grapefruit, Squeeze of Lemon.
And of course, any meal goes better with friends! Cheers to the wonderful Atlanta food bloggers & social media people for welcoming me into their community.
It’s important to understand that Atlanta is over flowing with restaurants. It seems new ones open every day. Even if the food is fantastic this is one tough city to make a successful go as a restauranteur. Guest care is critical because not only does it set a
restaurant apart from its competition but the feelings created play an important part of the total guest experience.
Carl Buehner is attributed to this quote ~ They may forget what you said — but they will never forget how you made them feel. However, in the food business you must have both elements. Let’s rephrase that quote a bit ~
“They may never forget what they ate And they will never forget how you made them feel.”
In my humble opinion, Twelve Eighty delivers on both! Thank you staff and chefs of Twelve Eighty for a wonderful dining experience.
Waves to my fave little Atlanta blogger Sage, Sage Loves To Eat!
Twelve-Eighty is located at the Woodruff Arts Center | 1280 Peachtree Street Atlanta, GA.
The meal including beverages was complimentary as part of a blogger influencer program. All opinions are those of the author.
