After moving back from Chicago to the DFW area and with a newborn doing newborn things , Rachel and I were looking to have a nice date night. This was our first date night since the baby was born, so we wanted to do something special. Rachel did some research and we decided on Pacific Table.
Tucked away in the back of University Park Village, not far from Blue Mesa, is the wonderfully unique Pacific Table. It is a restaurant that as you guessed, celebrates the Pacific Northwest. With a main focus on seafood, including sushi, Pacific Table also offers a variety of sandwiches, salads, and a few chicken and beef dishes.
Upon stepping into the restaurant, the modern interior and feel celebrates the Pacific Northwest. The option for covered patio seating is available which can be used in the winter and summer months as well as a communal table that is offered in case you want to get cozy with some strangers.
After arriving and being seated, we were greeted with wonderful service throughout the night. The waiter was knowledgeable and shared his recommendations. Because the sushi does not have a description of all that is in it, we had to ask several questions but the waiter was fantastic in knowing the answers and helping us decide. There were several people walking through the restaurant to make sure glasses didn’t get empty. Overall, the prompt and courteous service was a positive and helped make this an enjoyable experience.
The menu is unlike anything I have personally seen in the Fort Worth area. For appetizers, Pacific Table has several different seafood options including oysters, shrimp and tuna tartar. They also offer east coast and west coast oysters if you are in the mood for that. The sushi is remarkable. They offer several standard options like a spicy tuna roll or classic California roll, but if you get the chance, go for the Pacific style roll or the Lincoln roll. Both are wonderful options and you won’t be disappointed. They also offer a special featured roll, so make sure to ask about that if you’re in the mood for sushi. There is a good variety of salad offerings that are worth looking into. If you are up for a hearty salad, try the Brussels sprout salad that includes chicken, manchego and Brussels sprout leaves among others. The sandwich offerings are also good options; if you are up for something different, try the Korean chicken sandwich which offers a lightly fried piece of chicken with spicy slaw, pickles and onions.
The entrees is where it is at though. With daily fresh fish and a wide selection of offerings, Pacific Table provides some great opportunities to try something new. Rachel got the trout almondine which is grilled trout with fresh herbs, almonds, brown butter, and seasonable vegetables. The fish is cooked to perfection and was moist and juicy. The fish was not overpowering but had a flakiness to it that is highlighted by the herbs and almonds. I got the San Francisco cioppino. I have rarely seen this dish in the Metroplex and I knew almost immediately that is what I wanted. Just to be able to get this dish was a major plus. Cioppino is a fish stew that originated in San Francisco (hence the name) and is traditionally made from the catch of the day, which is some combination of crab, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and fish from the Pacific Ocean. The seafood is combined with fresh tomatoes in a wine sauce and served with some type of toasted bread that can sop up the wonderful juices. Pacific Table’s cioppino was amazing. It was loaded with different seafood option and the sauce was fantastic. The broth had a nice consistency that wasn’t too thick, but also not too thin. The alcohol in the wine had been cooked off but it left flavor hints that paired so well with the tomatoes and seafood. All of the seafood inside the stew was moist and tender and the seasoning was so well done that each bite was a wonderful taste for the palette.
Pacific table does offer a small selection of desserts, if you are in the mood and have room. The wine and beer menu is pretty decent with a nice selection of red and white wines, mixed with a decent craft beer list.
Overall the food menu is small, but that is how I prefer it– it tells me they focus on doing their offerings right. If you are in the Fort Worth area and craving fish, check out Pacific Table. Plus, it has been voted Diner’s Choice Winner for 2015 from OpenTable.
One final thing to note, and probably my favorite thing about this restaurant, other than the cioppino, is its commitment to sustainability. They are committed to using a number of locally sourced ingredients from various farms in Texas area. A lot of restaurants tend to say they are sustainable but few follow through. I am pleased to see how Pacific Table is following through on their words.
Recommendations:
If you are going on a Friday or Saturday night, due to the smaller size and popularity of the restaurant, it is highly recommended to get reservations. The place fills up quickly and if you are not careful, a wait of 45 minutes to an hour is very likely. During the other nights, without a reservation, you could be waiting 20 minutes or so at a peak hour without a reservation.
They do offer a happy hour menu Monday through Thursday from 4-6 pm that has a good selection of half-price sushi rolls and cheaper drinks. They also offer nightly features throughout the week, so be sure to check those out, but the Branzino and crab cakes are both a good option.
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