~MAGNOLIA GASTROPUB & BREWERY~ is getting a new chef…well, kind of. Dennis Lee of Namu Gaji has been running the kitchen at Magnolia’s Dogpatch restaurant Smokestack since it opened last year, and now he’ll also be taking over at Magnolia. Hoodline reports that Lee has started transitioning into Magnolia already, getting used to the crowd and notoriously small and awkward kitchen. He isn’t planning to make a lot of changes and will keep the focus on California comfort food.
Scoop adds that Lee will be able to use Smokestack’s space for some Magnolia prep projects, including aging meat and making sausages, and they will also incorporate produce from the Namu farm in Sunol. Plus, fried chicken will be on the menu every day now, not just Thursdays. Expect a new menu in the next few weeks.
The Park Chalet has a few things to announce, starting with its new name: PARK CHALET COASTAL BEER GARDEN. There is also a new chef, Ian Hockenberger, who is continuing to serve a seafood-focused menu, with dishes like a bacon crab melt and a seared ahi sandwich. Guests can also now enjoy cracked crab on the lawn of Golden Gate Park as well as a seafood boil. Liter steins from the neighboring Beach Chalet will be on offer starting August 26th, and radlers and shandies are now available. The space also got a bit of a refresh (new paint, carpeting, and a refinished bar). 1000 Great Highway, 415-386-8439.
Magnolia Gastropub & Brewery. Yelp photo by Amanda S.
