USA, CA: The Ukiah Brewing Company closes its doors to open soon as new restaurant

On Sunday, January 25, the Ukiah Brewing Company closed its doors. But Kevin Brogan, who owns the historic Marks Building that housed it, said a new restaurant will open in its place shortly, Daily Journal News reports.

"I think people are going to be blown away," Brogan said of the new interior. "Except for the Black Bart bar, everything else is gone. There are booths everywhere, and it is much more inviting."

On Wednesday, Brogan said he and the team he hired to launch the new restaurant, which includes Dave Richard, who previously worked for Crush Italian Steakhouse and Patrona Restaurant, and Taj McMinn, currently the chef/owner of Happy Thai, were testing food in preparation of the planned Feb. 5 opening.

"We'll be open that day, though probably not in time for lunch," said Brogan, who does not plan to announce the name until the restaurant opens. "It will be open for dinner, though."

As for the reason for the change, Brogan said "I was not passionate about the business I purchased."

He described the new restaurant as featuring "a gastro pub that serves everything from lumpia to local grass-fed burgers to lamb chops. The eclectic menu will change seasonally and will be based on what local farmers, ranchers and fishermen provide."

Brogan said the business will also offer "a comfortable lounge where guests can wait for their tables or (enjoy) classic and modern cocktails, handcrafted beers, local wines or desserts and coffee."

He said staff members, including Scott Jones, will brew beer on-site.

"We have $100,000 in brewing equipment, and we will continue to brew craft beer," Brogan said, adding that he will be scaling down the number of different types of beer made, focusing on just "six or eight kinds that we do really well."

30 January, 2015