Broken Record Gets New Chef, New Name: Hood Grub

There's been another chef shakeup in the kitchen of beloved Excelsior dive bar Broken Record: Mark Furr has left the ship, and it's been taken over by new management in the form of Margo Cristein and Annie Wood, who also co-own Fremont New American restaurant The Vine. Cristein is a regular at the Broken Record, and when she saw that the food portion of the operation was available, she jumped at the opportunity. (The bar, as well as sister spot Church Key in North Beach, is owned by Jason King.) Cristein and Wood have rechristened the kitchen Hood Grub, and their chef from the Vine, Michael Nguyen, took over the helm at the beginning of January.

Christein, who says that "nothing made me feel more like a jerk than ordering crawfish and grits on a china plate in a dive bar," is taking the food in a more approachable direction for neighborhood locals, with options like pulled-pork sandwiches and turkey legs served in a paper bag. They've also brought back the sweet potato tots from the days of James Moisey and Shane LaValley (who now own Rickybobby in the Lower Haight), and are planning to offer a few egg dishes at brunch. Everything on the menu is organic and sustainable, and nothing will cost over $12. Current kitchen hours are 5-11 pm daily, excepting Sunday brunch, when they open at 11 am. They'll be installing the Hood Grub signage next week, and are hoping to expand their hours further as they get settled in, particularly on weekends.

· SF Bartenders' Favorite Spots to Drink [~ ESF ~]
· The Vine [Official website]
· The Broken Record [Official website]