Chef Brandi Key is calling her updating of the Max's Wine Dive menu a process of hitting the "reset button."

That term also can apply not just to the refreshed menu but to her career as a chef in Houston.

In March, Key was named culinary director for Lasco Enterprises, the restaurant group that includes the Max's Wine Dive and The Tasting Room brands as well as Boiler House in San Antonio. Her new position came after splitting with Clark Cooper Concepts where she worked for eight years, first as executive chef for Coppa Ristorante Italiano and then as head of culinary operations for the company's many restaurants including Brasserie 19, Ibiza, Coppa Osteria, Punk's Simple Southern Food, SaltAir Seafood Kitchen and The Dunlavy.

She immediately set out to "reset" the company's biggest brand, Max's Wine Dive, which has two locations in Houston (the original on Washington Avenue and one on Fairview) and outposts in Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth and Denver. A number of Max's classic dishes (the fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, burger, cracklin' chicken, fried egg sandwich and chicken and champagne Cobb salad) remain on the menu, which has been updated with new dishes that include shared plates, lighter options and gluten-free alternatives.

"We took the things that made us who we are and added some diversity and a lot more variety," Key said of the menu, which debuts today at Max's on Washington. It will roll out in about three weeks at the Fairview location and then at each of the other out-of-town restaurants.

Instead of about 22 items, the new menu has 30 with more small plates and snacks meant to share. The new starters include crispy deviled eggs with house made pickles and dill aioli; Salisbury steak meatballs on mashed potatoes with caramelized onion and peppered brown gravy; hummus garnished with roasted cauliflower, golden raisins and dill; beer cheese fondue with pretzel bread; story pork ribs with citrus marmalade; crispy fried Gulf oysters with malt vinegar tartar sauce; chicken noodle soup; and beef tartare set on top of a five-cheese grilled sandwich.

New entrée options include beef tenderloin medallions with mashed potatoes, garlic broccolini and mushrooms; rice noodles and vegetables in a spicy yellow curry sauce; seared yellowfin tuna poke with avocado, tomatoes and hard-boiled egg in a tomato-horseradish vinaigrette; scampi-style Gulf shrimp on creamy orzo; southern style meatloaf with peppered brown gravy and jalapeno-cheddar grits; and seared catch of the day (redfish, snapper, grouper) with arugula and citrus salad.

The menu comes as Lasco is re-positioning Max's for possible further expansion.

"They wanted to breathe fresh air into the restaurant," Key said. "We want to get Max's to be a great platform of great, craveable food."

After installing the new menu in Fairview in a couple of weeks Key said she'll then roll it out at all Max's locations and then begin tackling menu updates at The Tasting Room. Get ready for more culinary reset buttons from Lasco.

Max's Wine Dive, 4720 Washington, 713-880-8737; maxswinedive.com/Washington. Open Monday from 11 a.m. to midnight, Tuesday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to midnight.

Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Follow him on the podcast BBQ State of Mind to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.