A new menu and chef at The Dish Bistro

The Dish, 3131 E. First St., officially reopened last Friday after being closed since July 1, said Tom Smith, who owns The Dish and the adjoining RumRunner Wine and Cheese Co. with Jennifer Elchuck.

While the wine shop stays open, the restaurant traditionally gives its small staff time off in July.

This year the kitchen needed a little retooling, Smith said. That included overhauling most of the big dishes while retaining favorites such as the steamed mussels in saffron broth ($10.50) and the pan-seared jumbo shrimp with green olive and manchego stuffing ($12.50). Check out the full menu at www.dishbistro.com.

In the interim, The Dish served wines by the glass, drafts and a few little cold plates, such as cheeses and olives, he said.

The new chef is Martin Swindells, 32, who was previously executive chef at Wildflower, Smith said.

Before moving to Tucson a couple years ago, Swindells spent about a decade in the "upper crust" restaurants and hotels of Western Australia, Smith said.

Swindells completed what's called a proper apprenticeship at the Broadwater Pagoda Hotel in 1999 and the Subiaco Hotel, both in Perth.

— Inger Sandal