Hi-Lo BBQ Launches New Menu, Drops Lunch

Hi-Lo's dining room. [Photo: Blair Sneddon]

Two weeks ago, Hi-Lo BBQ's opening chef, Ryan Ostler, left the restaurant, and owner Scott Youkilis replaced him with Robin Song, who's also the chef at sister restaurant Hog & Rocks, across the street. (Michael Bauer may be to blame for that one.) Since then, the oft-confusing counter service has been dropped in favor of table service, and now Song has also dropped an entirely new menu, viewable here.

Said menu has been severely edited from the original, with the traditional ribs, brisket and hot links now only available as a full platter for two instead of a la carte. The well-liked meatloaf sandwich and sake-braised pork belly are completely gone, and new, more upscale dishes like fire-roasted brassicas and Thai BBQ chicken with rice noodles have taken their place. The "animal of the day" special remains (it's currently bone-in pork belly). The price point is a bit higher, too; here's the old menu for comparison. Fans of the drink menu, by Scott Beattie and Michael Lazar, will find it more or less unchanged.

In keeping with the more upscale focus, lunch service is dunzo for now, so that the team can focus on dinner. They are, however, offering a special treat for the Fourth of July: spare ribs, available for $32 a rack (approximately 12 bones) and reheatable on a home grill or in the oven. Call them at (415) 874-9921 to order by tomorrow night; pick-up will be on the afternoon of July 3.

· Ryan Ostler Out at Hi-Lo BBQ, Robin Song Takes Over [~ ESF ~]
· Bauer Slams Ostler's Food at Hi-Lo BBQ [~ ESF ~]
· Eater Inside: Hi-Lo BBQ [~ ESF ~]