RICH TABLE

What sets Evan and Sarah Rich’s place apart from other Northern California restaurants is the playful use of ingredients and the blending of homey and refined elements. On the nightly changing menu they might offer a pork chop schnitzel, the pounded and crispy breaded meat covering the plate, with a scoop of what tastes like classic French onion dip and thin threads of cabbage that stand in for sauerkraut. Or there will be a lightly grilled avocado half on smoked trout schmear, surrounded by poppy, sunflower, sesame and other seeds and topped with delicate sprouts, micro greens and radish coins. Ramen noodles are tossed in hoisin sauce and liberally studded with morel mushrooms. Even the Richs’ now-famous bread has a twist: It’s flavored with Douglas fir and served with house-cultured butter. With weathered barn siding, black metal light fixtures and scarred wood tables and floors, the interior of the restaurant similarly juxtaposes the refined and the homey. To get a real taste of the Riches’ talent, diners can opt for the multicourse tasting menu for $95.

Cuisine Northern Californian | Specialties Douglas fir levain with house-made butter; sardine chips with horseradish; dried porcini mushroom doughnuts; any dessert | Seats 49 (plus 12 at the bar) | Prices $18-$36 (plus 4% S.F. surcharge) | Noise rating AAAA | Parking Street, difficult Vitals 199 Gough St., San Francisco. (415) 355-9085. www.richtablesf.com Dinner nightly. Full bar. Reservations and credit cards accepted.

Spaghetti with abalone and broccolini at Rich Table in San Francisco.