For almost four years Local 44, the West Philly beer-snobbish spot from Memphis Taproom and Resurrection Ale House owners Brendan Hartranft and Leigh Maida, has done a fine job of consistently turning out ambitious pub fare for those with more discriminating palates than your garden variety barfly. So it strikes us as being just a little bit odd that after all this time Hartranft and Maida are announcing that they’ve chosen former Zinc chef de cuisine Justin Bennett to lead their kitchen there. Foobooz reports that the new chef, who also spent time on the lines at Stateside, Kennett and the Corner, is going to overhaul the menu. Not all at once, but gradually over the course of weeks. The end goal is to bring the food up to the same level as the almost always stunning beer selection, and make the watering hole more of a food destination than neighborhood haunt. [Foobooz]
