12 South's Josephine Goes Big With New Large Format Menu Options

Starting next week, something different and unique for the Nashville restaurant scene will be showing up on 12 South restaurant Josephine's menu: large format options. What does that mean? At most restaurants it would be referring strictly to proteins, whole cooked animals, or at least large sections of them. But executive chef Andy Little has decided to change things up a bit, offering the new menu options, available with 48 hours' notice, in meat, vegetable and dessert categories.

While Little knows that meat in a large format is not revolutionary, with other restaurants around the country having done it for some time, he thought it would be interesting to work with large format vegetable options, giving the guests the opportunity to try things such as whole roasted heads of cauliflower, whole oyster mushrooms or an entire acorn squash. Options for the meat portion will range from whole beef ribs to suckling pig, whole-roasted goose, split goat and even possibly a trio of roasted animal heads, including pig, lamb and goat. Dessert from new pastry chef Kayla May will start out with a chocolate and salty caramel tart. Says Little about the new addition:

I really believe that there are a fair amount of people in Nashville that will dig this way of dining out. We always want to be able to exceed people's expectations, make it an experience. And one of the main reasons we've decided to do this is that it's just a fun way to eat. It's communal, it's a little family-style. You're getting a little dirty, a little greasy, eating with your hands. One of the things that drives a good bit of the decision making [at Josephine] is what types of meals I'd like to eat. And if I knew that I could go get huge beef bones, marrow and tongue somewhere, that's where I'd be going. Also, part of doing the large format is to give us the chance to stretch our legs a little bit, keep things interesting in the kitchen as well.

Little says that each option is meant to serve four to six, with guests having the ability to reserve just for the large format or order one or two as a supplement to their meal. Pricing for the initial offerings will be $170 for meat, $80 for vegetables and $65 for dessert, with reservations being taken starting next Monday.