Stokes Adobe finds its rhythm in simple elegance and a willingness to change things up.

Bryce Hansen changed his mind. That’s how he got the job as executive chef at the recently opened Stokes Adobe.

As owner Sarah Orr tells the story, Hansen had presented a menu for his audition. That morning, however, he browsed a farmers market and came across some freshly cut, colorful squash blossoms. What he prepared for Orr later that day was not what she had been led to expect.

“That’s what I want in a chef,” she says, explaining that the goal is a menu that varies with the seasons, a menu that is clever yet still approachable. “That’s what Bryce is good at,” Orr adds.

This simple elegance is evident in dishes like the crispy potatoes, fried fingerlings draped in a rich brown butter resting on a pillow of lemon truffle crema. The result is a sinfonietta—a hoarse rumble, a steady baritone, the trill of citrus—so melodic that what was intended as a side is now a mainstay on the list of starters.

Duck confit, another familiar dish, is brightened by a sweet and tangy membrillo that makes one forget its rustic lineage. The restaurant’s presentation of bread from Seaside’s Ad Astra Bread Co. elevates sourdough to the white tablecloth world, paired with good butter and Big Sur sea salt or a fromage blanc from Schoch Farms.

Hanson sources locally as much as possible. The formula here is basic: good ingredients, solid technique.

“He focuses on cooking things well,” Orr says. “The sauces, they’re beautiful. They bring out something different.”

Yet there’s a casual—almost playful—side. The menu lists an “ugly noodle” soup that uses the end scraps of pasta. And the kitchen prepares spaghetti squash, a restaurant rarity that has been well received.

Spaghetti squash reached the menu as a vegan option. “It’s a substantial dish”—dressed with chanterelles, toasted pepitas, whipped tahini—“not an afterthought,” Orr points out. It’s also part of an acknowledgment that with prices rocketing for many proteins, an emphasis on seafood, pasta, vegetables and small plates helps keep prices within range of most diners. There are several vegetarian and gluten-free choices, too.

The bar follows the same modestly graceful script. Wines are curated by beverage manager Matty Eggleston and hover in the $50 range for a bottle, around $14 per glass. Cocktails are plays on classics. “He’s done a great job with simple classic cocktails,” Orr says of Eggleston. “We didn’t want the cocktails to be overdone.”

Again there’s some lightheartedness. “Fun Vodka Drink” is an option, as is “Hattie’s Old Fashioned,” named for one of the three ghosts said to haunt the old homestead.

There are ghosts at Stokes Adobe. They are present every time a regular of the restaurant’s former lives as Gallatin and Restaurant 1833 step through the door. “Everybody has a different memory when they walk in,” Orr says. “To be able to take over a space like this is an honor.”

It can be daunting to take on a project weighted with lore and history, one that sat empty save for the spirits for several years following the abrupt closure of the popular Restaurant 1833. The venue comes with expectations. It also comes with built-in recognition.

Since opening in October there has been a steady flow of diners eager to check out the old favorite and ring in the new. And as kitchen and crew smooth out the usual wrinkles, Orr is already planning some changes—when the time feels right, she plans to expand to a seven-day schedule from their current Tuesday-Saturday cycle. She also expects to open for lunch.

The historic building is striking in its current form. There are cozy rooms, open spaces, large tables, weathered fireplaces and the popular patio. But Orr keeps tinkering, moving furniture around, looking for what works best for staff and customers. Orr seems comfortable with change.

And the ghosts?

“I’ve spent a fair amount of time here late at night,” Orr says. So far not a whisper, not a moan, no clattering plates. “I guess they are happy with the changes,” she observes.

Stokes Adobe is at 500 Hartnell St., Monterey. Open Tuesday-Saturday 5-9pm. 264-8775, stokesadobe.com.