PACIFIC KITCHEN

He says:
It is an anomaly in this city to find a restaurant that is charming, innovative, and relaxed, which is why it is such a treat to chance upon a place like Pacific Kitchen. Tucked away behind a blind curve between Highland Avenue and Freedom Park, this California-style eatery isn’t easy to find. But once you’re there the warmth of the staff and the attractiveness of its outdoor patio will certainly beckon you to stay for a while.

Pacific Kitchen specializes in seasonal, organic produce, and this attention to fresh ingredients came through from the outset. The bread that kicked off our dinner was served with plump cloves of roasted garlic, terrific for spreading or eating straight from the plate. The chef also sent out little tasters of red plum and ginger agua fresca, which provided a zesty start to the meal.

She says:
With such a tempting list of starters on the menu, we decided to share an entrée and splurge on appetizers. My favorite starter was the avocado egg rolls. The idea of stuffing an egg roll with guacamole is pretty damn creative, and surprisingly good. The tamarind dipping sauce brings the dish together, providing a sweet and tangy contrast to the muted flavor of the avocado. More traditional but also delicious are the Mahi Mahi tacos, stuffed with cabbage, jalapenos, and peppadews. (Peppadews, by the way, are a newly discovered South African fruit that recently hit the market, a sweet/spicy cross between a jalapeno pepper and a cherry tomato.) The great thing about the dish is that the corn tortilla shell is extremely thin, which gives the tacos a nice crunch without distracting from the other flavors.

He says:
The third appetizer we tried, the pan roasted mussels, was served in a brown ale butter sauce with jalapenos and garlic. It’s an intriguing broth, though it was a tad too sweet for my taste. The mussels were rather tiny too. The parmesan polenta that comes with the mussels, however, is rich and creamy and shouldn’t be missed.

For dinner we split the grilled Hawaiian moonfish, which was served over a vegetable quesadilla and sprinkled with a rock shrimp cream sauce. It’s an unlikely combination, but it works. The grilled fish plays well with the richness of the cream sauce and the tang of the quesadilla’s pico de gallo. Pacific Kitchen hasn’t reinvented the wheel with this dish, but the offbeat mix of highbrow and lowbrow elements certainly deserves a pat on the back.

She says:
We finished the meal off with a honey-sweetened ricotta tort. The lightness and graininess of the ricotta was a nice break from the usual slew of creamy desserts, and the lack of sweetness in the ricotta was made up for with a drizzle of orange syrup. It may not be my favorite dessert of all time, but it is another example of Pacific Kitchen’s thoughtful approach to food.

We say:
Finally, a creative fine-dining experience in Atlanta that won’t break the bank!



Pacific Kitchen
913 Bernina Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
http://www.pacific-kitchen.com/