The Hi-Tone is finally, finally (!) serving food. It’s been a process, says Hi-Tone owner Brian “Skinny” McCabe. It took three and a half years to bulldoze through low-dollar summertimes and “janky-ass” equipment to get to this point.
The menu is spare but creative, designed by Josh McLane. The emphasis here is on hand-held foods. Think of those paper trays and you’ve got the picture.
There’s the Tapenadchos, with homemade pita chips and olive tapenade and pizzas straight out of your high-school cafeteria (cheese, pepperoni, and sausage). Sandwiches include the Hamtone and the vegetarian Cara. HEELS is a tribute to McLane’s band and is made with bacon, Provolone, spicy peanut butter, and homemade fruit jam. “It’s a beautiful, beautiful marriage,” says McCabe of the sandwich, which he says is straight-up stoner food.
Right now, the Hi-Tone is working out the kinks. Getting the staff used to serving food, correcting the typos on the menu. But, McCabe says, so far so good. Folks are coming after work to eat, or eating before gigs. “I won’t say it’s selling like hot cakes because we don’t serve hot cakes. It’s selling like hot sandwiches,” he says.
Specials start at about $3, and sandwiches run to $9.
One thing that folks can just forget about is the resurrection of the old favorite dishes from the original Hi-Tone. No way, no how. “It’s my Hi-Tone,” McCabe asserts.
