Portobello’s embraces rotating menus, a more refined direction and a Thai pop-up.

Greg Delgadillo settles into a plate of steak frites and a cold beer on a Friday evening at Portobello’s in downtown Salinas and for a moment, he’s transported into another place and time.

“Honestly, I felt like I was back in Europe,” he says.

He may be biased. Delgadillo is the chef behind the European bistro transformation unfolding at Portobello’s. Brought in by owner Bruce Taylor to turn things around, Delgadillo is intent on creating a restaurant that the staff can feel proud to stand behind.

The breakfast and lunch menu is streamlined while adding fun items like breakfast tacos. But the dinner menu is where the change is most apparent.

The menu is built around classic French and Spanish techniques while still honoring Delgadillo’s Salinas roots. That means dishes like king salmon with beurre blanc can coexist alongside roasted chicken and mole verde, branzino and chimichurri, as well as Baja-inspired appetizers like an ahi tuna tostada with avocado mousse and fresh jalapeño salsa.

“People in this area love fresh seafood,” Delgadillo says. “I felt it’s a great way to start off the meal and move into something more refined.”

Local ingredients play a key role, including Baker’s ham in the chicken cordon bleu, and approachability matters. Appetizers are offered in two portion sizes, allowing diners to order smaller plates for themselves or larger portions to share. And steak and frites are discounted 25 percent on Fridays rather than reserving discounts for slower nights.

Diners wanting to know the menu ahead of time may be out of luck; menus change frequently and are not posted online. That flexibility is intentional.

Delgadillo compares the rotating menu to catching a movie before it leaves theaters – diners never know exactly what they might miss from one week to the next. Pot pie was an early staple, with rotating variations including vegetable, salmon and chicken. It was a hit, but as interest gradually slowed, Delgadillo knew it was time to switch things up and introduced a halibut with mole verde special.

But the changing menu also serves another purpose. Milk bread is currently on the menu, but Delgadillo may switch to another bread simply to teach a new baking technique. Mentoring upcoming talent is key to his vision.

Dessert shows the same range. Basque cheesecake sits alongside the lemon bar parfait, which incorporates deconstructed lemon bars, fresh fruit and whipped cream.

The dish is still evolving.

“When we get better glassware, the dish can grow up a bit,” Delgadillo says. “Right now, we’re working with what we have.”

Delgadillo also owns The Rice Gai, a popular pop-up concept with a growing following. The restaurant allows him to operate Rice Gai as a ghost kitchen. When it launched in early April, it sold out within hours.

Rice Gai centers around khao mun gai, a Thai dish of poached or fried chicken, salmon or tofu served with rice and prepared exactly as Delgadillo learned in Thailand. Customers can choose between two sauces, spicy Thai or sweet chili. Delgadillo says the secret is in the sauces, but it’s really the simplicity of preparation that allows the flavor of the sauces to stand out.

Rice Gai now operates six days a week inside Portobello’s. As Rice Gai expanded, Portobello’s dinner service scaled back to Fridays and Saturdays, allowing the team to focus on making weekend dinners more intentional while balancing breakfast, lunch, catering and a growing volume of Rice Gai orders. The staff has had to adapt quickly, but Delgadillo says the team has embraced the challenge.

“We’re only four months in,” he adds. “I tell the staff to try to improve 1 percent every day.”

Portobello’s rotating dinner menu contrasts with the consistency of Rice Gai, but both concepts are grounded in the same philosophy: thoughtful preparation, strong technique and food made with the customer in mind.

“Do it right and stand behind it,” Delgadillo says. “If your flavors are right, people will come again and again.”

PORTOBELLO’S ON MAIN, 150 Main St., Salinas, (831) 770-6363, portobellosonmain.squarespace.com.