Casual Friday
RT Bistro (Hayes Valley)
RESTAURANTS • First Word
The Skinny: Evan and Sarah Rich have branched out yet again. RT Bistro, opening today, is the latest restaurant from the couple behind much-loved Rich Table and counter-service/delivery operation RT Rotisserie.
The Vibe: RT Bistro shares a building with Rich Table, which allows the two businesses to share prep spaces, staff, and farmers market hauls. It also shares the Riches’ terrific taste and inventive mixtures of French, Italian, and Asian influences, this time in a spare and cozy space (formerly O-Toro Sushi) that’s now paneled in Douglas fir and oak. The remodel reflects the couple’s love of the Kirkwood ski mountain at Lake Tahoe, with a carved-wood topographical map and vintage photography on the walls. It’s akin to a lively mountain dinner party, and will clearly be a prime spot for buyouts when you need to seat 35.
The Food: While distinct from Rich Table’s menu in some ways — less pasta and fancy snacks, more hearty fare and French bistro twists — the DNA of the two restaurants is clearly linked. There’s a burger, formerly an off-menu item at Rich Table, featuring Parmesan cheese, bistro sauce, and dill-pickled onions, served with beef tallow fries. An endive Caesar salad includes shinko pear, and a Japanese spin on oysters Rockefeller adds garlic miso and kombu. Winter entrees include a Bay Area-style duck a l’orange, a dish of persimmon-braised oxtails, and a dish loosely inspired by the Riches’ time working for chef Daniel Bouley, a New York strip featuring cubes of potato pavé and an Armagnac and pluot glaze. Vegetarian options include sweet potatoes dressed like walnut prawns, and a “one-layer” lasagna that will change with the seasons and currently features honey nut squash and black truffle. For dessert, there is a seasonal icebox pie featuring either roasted fruit or a chocolate custard, topped with graham cracker crumble; and a semi-savory “cheese course” disguised as a creme brulee, with a custard made from Humboldt Fog cheese.
The Drink: Cocktails from bar director Marisa Miller include batched creations from a service bar just inside the new kitchen, like her well-crafted (and potent) clarified milk punches and seasonal twists on classics. Wine selections come from Rich Table sommelier Kevin Born, and span the new and old worlds.
The Verdict: As much of an enduring hit as Rich Table is, RT Bistro seems poised to debut in even higher demand. –Jay Barmann
→ RT Bistro (Hayes Valley) • 205 Oak St • Daily 5-10p • Reserve.