Oftentimes it’s the wealthiest people who are the most bargain-conscious consumers. At the Blackhorse Grille, located near the equestrian playground between Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe, some of San Diego’s deepest pockets have spoken.

Formerly Prime 10 Steakhouse, the nearby residents, known for their charity balls and horse breeding, began asking proprietor Sami Ladeki (also the founder of Sammy’s Woodfire Pizza) for a more moderately priced replacement that would offer contemporary, seasonal cuisine. Though some expensive steaks and tawny ports remain, Ladeki recruited young chef Ryan Johnston to give the polo set a repertoire of nouveau entrées that mimic the culinary liveliness of Ladeki’s other eateries.

Few restaurants seeking revision these days can do without a “small plates” menu, which Blackhorse rolled out when opening in May. Dishes such as Marinated Hamachi, Thai Eggplant and the wonderfully punchy Catalan Sizzling Shrimp drenched in chili, garlic and olive oil add a touch of big-city whimsy to an otherwise suburban enclave. Compared to when I visited during the Prime 10 days, the revamped dining room now feels more energetic, with a younger wait staff and faster service in place.

The grilled Prime Steak Skewers, also from the small plates list, arrived at our table with lightening speed and got swallowed just as quickly. The bite-size pieces of tender steak took on an irresistible flavor from onion marmalade and hoisin sauce, which gave me good enough reason to ignore the accompanying wasabi dip. We also plowed through the Scottish Smoked Salmon, a fresh and pulpous filet offset beautifully by honey mustard and orange-fennel salad.

In a perfect tribute to summer, the Avocado-Grapefruit-Corn-Celery Salad from the regular menu was a delicious novelty, despite the accidental omission of avocado. Plenty of sweet corn, lopped straight from the cob, mingled tastefully with the citrus sections, celery and a few shavings of strong Parmesan cheese. An invisible white balsamic vinaigrette stayed obediently in the background.

The Lobster Bisque was less memorable, mainly because of its thin consistency. Yet the Baked Onion Soup crowned with savory Gruyere cheese ranks among the most flavorful I’ve slurped, with the rich, dark broth falling somewhere between jus and gravy.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Johnston’s menu is anchored to the continent, but has enough Euro-Asian accents to keep it colorful. Nonetheless, my dinner companion gravitated toward Americana, requesting the 18-ounce Cowboy Steak, which sold out earlier that evening. (Apparently not everyone in this moneyed precinct is ready to delve into such dishes as Pepper-Crusted Ahi and Heirloom Tomato Lasagna just yet.) He instead chose the 12-ounce New York Steak, which proved satisfying and perhaps too basic for Ladeki’s transformed venture. Sautéed spinach along with garlicky green beans on the side added relevant flavors to the meal.

My entrée, the Pappardelle Bolognese, was made exactly to my liking, with minced beef and pork. Some places use ground beef to thicken the tomato ragu, which is pure sacrilege. But not here. The wide pasta ribbons in this version offered a nice change from standard spaghetti. And the meat mixture was thick, creamy and simply too caloric to dwell upon.

Other dishes pepping up the new menu include Yukon Gold Potato Dumplings, Garlic Shrimp Lo Mein, Buttermilk Pan Fried Chicken and Kurobuta Pork Chop with apples and pecan butter.

A decent wine list slanted toward regional and Californian varietals augments the experience. And if you make it to dessert, the Tropical Fruit Vacherin with mango and raspberries over homemade coconut ice cream refreshes the palate in blue-ribbon style.

The restaurant’s slightly modified motif features Japanese-style lighting and softer earth tones. The parking lot, however, remains difficult to maneuver because of its cramped rectangular shape positioned on a narrow stretch of road. Complimentary valet parking compensates somewhat for the occasional gridlock, which proves the success of vocal consumers who requested a little less steak with their cognac.