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What to Order:
Tater Tot Nachos $9 The Pedro (sautéed chicken cutlet with peppers, onions, mushrooms, and jack cheese) $11 The Popeye (sautéed chicken cutlet with spinach, tomato, mozzarella, and balsamic drizzle) $12
In this age of high-concept restaurants, it's nice to see someone who takes a homed-in approach and does it right. At 12 South's The Flipside, owners Jason and Libby Sheer and restaurant consultant Tim Gibbons have taken a simple concept and presented it in numerous iterations in an environment that is both comfortable and fun.
At The Flipside, more than half the menu is chicken: Breasts are pounded thin, rolled in seasoned breadcrumbs, and pan-sautéed in olive oil. These schnitzel-like dishes are then topped with myriad options ranging from mundane to exotic to offer plenty of dressed-up choices. The concept arose from a meal that was common in Jason Sheer's family, and really, who doesn't like a good fried chicken cutlet? The magic comes from adding decadent ingredients like jambalaya, cheddar, and a fried egg (that's The Flipside). The Memphis takes advantage of barbecue sauce from The Flipside's neighbor, Edley's Bar-B-Que, with crispy bacon, cheddar, and pickles to create a Southern treat. More international is The Phuket, with peanut butter, sriracha, and Thai basil slaw to emulate a traditional satay sauce. (It works much better than you might imagine.)
The ambiance of the family-friendly eatery harkens back to the hip age of 1950s Palm Springs diners with high ceilings, pastel colors, and a clever old-timey frame built around the high-definition television over the bar, complete with superfluous rabbit ears. True to the retro atmosphere, water is poured from glass milk bottles, but don't overlook the list of shakes and ice cream floats on the menu. While there are a few salads offered, most of the menu is pure comfort food, from chicken wings and Canadian poutine as appetizers to sides of mac and cheese and tater tots.
A full bar features many craft beers in cans and on draft plus a complement of classic cocktails. Diners are encouraged to walk or bike, partly because parking is often problematic in the burgeoning 12 South neighborhoodbut also because that's how you might travel to a casual restaurant if you were on a family beach trip. The Flipside wants you to feel like you are at home while you're there or, even better, like you're on vacation.
2403 12th Ave. S. 615-292-9299; theflipside12south.com