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| Pacific Rim Bistro by Christine Woodhouse For excellent sushi in downtown Atlanta look no further than Pacific Rim. Not only is the fish fresh, but the variety of rolls can be prepared with white or whole grain rice. And for those dining dilemmas involving one party who craves sushi while the other disdains the raw delicacy, Pacific Rim offers a full menu of pan Asian cuisine. The wide spectrum of choices ranges from shrimp satay to rack of lamb, and there are vegetarian options as well. My most recent visit coincided with some temperate summer weather so we sat outside on the corner patio and enjoyed the calm quiet of downtown Atlanta on an off-night. Without the convention crowd or flocks of Phillips arena fans clogging every avenue, the streets are pleasantly peaceful, offering a welcome respite after eight hours of office incarceration. After selecting a glass of wine, we were ready to concentrate on the long and varied menu of choices. A very entertaining waiter indulged our barrage of questions and offered helpful suggestions, some of which I stubbornly ignored. Case and point: at the menu’s urging “house specialty must try” I took a chance on the Japanese shirasu fish, served Szechwan style. The tiny, crispy sun-dried baby silver fish are wok-tossed with peanuts, shallots, chilies, and garlic. I was fascinated by their crunchy texture but disappointed by the bland flavor. Must be an acquired taste. Undeterred, I dove into our next choice of ahi tuna poke and fell madly in love with myself for being so brilliant as to order the delicious Hawaiian dish. The sweet pineapple with rich avocado, tangy seaweed salad and fresh tuna was phenomenal! The spicy ponzu sauce added a subtle after-bite and sealed the dish into my vault of memorable dishes. As the next few plates arrived, the quality never wavered. We absolutely loved both the ostrich and shrimp satay. The ostrich tenderloin, marinated in miso sauce and grilled to juicy, tender perfection, is an unusual treat of lean red meat. The “Prince’s” jumbo shrimp satay is marinated in garlic and an Indonesian herb called galangal, and the result is a citrusy, garlicky mouthful of gigantic butterflied shrimp. Because I suffer from an undiagnosed addiction to sushi, the sight of miniature pencils and a paper menu ripe for marking compelled me to order several rolls. When the butcher block tray arrived with our Japanese bounty of sashimi and assorted rolls, my greedy eyes didn’t know where to focus first. From the rainbow to the dragon, it was all quite good but the yellow tail sashimi cut in three wonderfully thick, fresh pieces was a true standout. While most people would be happy to end their meal here, I had paced myself, knowing I would need to test Pacific Rim’s pan Asian prowess across all mediums. So it was out of pure duty that we ordered the rack of lamb and grilled Atlantic salmon entrees. After the appetizers and fresh fish, the lamb presented a heavier challenge but I loved every succulent bite. The meat’s natural flavor matched the crushed macadamia nut and mustard crust in intensity and, with crispy snow peas and Thai eggplant on the side, made for a uniquely divine meal. Not to be outdone by the lamb’s circular lollipop presentation, the salmon arrived wrapped in a banana leaf with a chopstick woven through to keep it sealed. Inside, the cloying Hunan sauce glistened over the large piece of salmon that just about melted in my mouth. First lightly grilled, then baked in the banana leaf, the salmon fully absorbed the fragrant combination of ginger, garlic and trace of chilies that gave the otherwise sweet sauce just the right bite. I hesitate to share the fact that I went on to order dessert but it would be cruel and unusual to keep the secret of Pacific Rim’s goat cheese cake to myself. Served with plum wine, poached pears and caramel sauce to balance the pungent goat cheese, this variation of cheese cake offers an exquisite alternative to the standard bovine variety. The gingersnap crust complements the mild pear topping and sweet plum sauce while adding dimension to the rich, soft cheese texture. The brilliant combination of sweet and savory flavors ranks among my all-time favorite desserts in Atlanta! Pacific Rim Bistro is located at 303 Peachtree Center Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30308. For reservations call (404) 893-0018 or visit www.pacificrimbistro.com. |
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