After opening in 2011 on Union Street in San Francisco, The Brixton slowly but surely began to evolve into more of a drinking establishment.

But last week, after a revamp, the restaurant, named for an iconic rock and roll venue in London, reopened as a modern gastropub, with as much emphasis placed on the food as the drink.

To redesign and expand the menu, owner Hugo Gamboa brought in long-time Bay Area chef Joey Altman of San Francisco’s Hazie’s as a consultant.

Last week, I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant to try a sampling of the new menu the night before it opened to the public. It’s an eclectic mix with everything from deviled eggs topped with bourbon bacon ($14) and Korean barbecue ribs ($24) to a spicy tuna roll ($21), a Brixton Prime Rib burger ($25), and shrimp scampi and linquine ($28).

The interior still has that rock and roll feel, with framed black and white photos of iconic rock stars. The look is industrial chic with exposed pipes on the soaring ceiling glammed up with chandeliers, wood columns in the bar area, and an indigo farmhouse-style chair rail on the perimeter in the dining room.

The cocktail menu is sizeable. The Brixton Bramble ($15) hit the spot on a summery night with a tangy, fruit blueberry shrub mixed with the herbaceousness of gin and a splash of lemon.

Altman sent out an amuse of spicy tuna tartare on a nugget of crispy rice. Think tater tot — only in rice form that’s crispy all over, and soft and slightly chewy inside. You’ll find it on the regular menu ($21) in a larger size, but still made for sharing.

We also tried an abbreviated size of the house-made mozzarella sticks ($16 for a full order). I don’t usually get too excited by mozzarella sticks, but this version was definitely a cut above, crusted in Parmesan and herbs, then fried till supremely crunchy. It proved the perfect contrast to the gooey interior of the milky tasting Belfiore mozzarella. Alongside were crocks of marinara and ranch to dunk into.

Hamachi gets the crudo treatment ($23) with raw slices of the buttery tasting Japanese amberjack arranged in a pool of ponzu and topped with slices of serrano.

The restaurant offers three types of Osaka-style pressed sushi made in traditional wooden molds. The Osaka-style dragon roll ($24) features a brick-shaped rice sandwich of shrimp tempura, cucumber and nori crowned with avocado, tobiko, togarashi, sriracha aioli, and unagi sauce. You’re instructed to eat it with your fingers rather than chopsticks because it is not easy to pick up. Indeed, even using your fingers, you’ll find the sushi will easily fall apart as you attempt to take a bite. It would be easier to eat as a maki roll, but it’s nice to see the restaurant use this technique that you don’t find done very often these days, even in Japanese restaurants.

The real star of the plate was the unusual way the pickled cucumbers and ginger were served. Rather then small clumps of each arranged on the plate, both had been julienned and tossed together almost like a slaw. It was downright delicious, with the two co-mingling with quenching, cooling, and sweet juicy warmth. It made me want to try making it at home to go alongside grilled fish or shrimp.

Slices of ahi were coated in sesame seeds and seared for the tataki salad ($26) that featured a mix of endive, watercress, apple, and cucumber, all finished with a zesty, umami-filled ginger-miso vinaigrette.

For the mains, there was fresh halibut from San Francisco’s Four Star Seafood brushed with pesto, and arranged atop corn and cherry tomato risotto. The day before officially opening, the risotto was still a bit of a work in progress, as the starch from the arborio rice grains hadn’t emulsified into the corn broth to create the expected creaminess. Altman took a taste back in the kitchen, and agreed, saying he would instruct his cooks to stir the rice and broth more vigorously to achieve the proper effect.

The grilled bone-in pork loin chop ($32) was juicy and tender, and brushed with a hoisin-ginger glaze. It was served with stir-fried shiitakes and bok choy, along with rice dotted with sesame seeds and scallions.

To encourage regulars, the restaurant is launching a “Members Only” card that gives access to exclusive events, priority reservations, cocktail classes, and more. The price is $199 for a year. It also provides members a weekly $30 food and beverage credit for the year, and a complimentary dessert at every reservation (a value of more than $1,500).