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The delightfully informal Pavan Pacifico is an island in the sea of glittering sky rises that is downtown Los Angeles. Its exotic, yet decidedly relaxed, interior is designed to let the cuisine and a few moments' respite from the daily grind take command of your senses.
Like the decor, the food demonstrates a light touch and a talent for exotic combinations that come off as pure, unaffected and unencumbering. Created by executive chef Randy Saito, the eclectic menu is a study in the fusion of tastes, textures and presentations from many cultures and cuisines. The result:a blissful marriage of California and Asian/Pacific Rim cuisines, (most notablyThai, Japanese,Chinese, and Hawaiian "regional"), with mild European overtones (Italian and French).
Starters include crab spring rolls, (green papaya slaw and crab in a butter lettuce wrap served with papaya basil sauce), and salmon wings, which are actually special cuts from the salmon's pectoral fin. The salmon wings are marinated in a soy/sake dressing and served with cucumber and frissee salad tossed in a walnut oil and sherry vinaigrette.
Several entree salads center on combining fresh California vegetables with others from Hawaii, Japan, China, Italy and France. Of particular note is an avocado and chuka salad served at room temperature with fresh grilled swordfish. In this distance, the chuka, a Japanese seaweed salad flavored with soy and sesame oil, is tossed with fresh avocados, gobo, ( a pickle white Japanese root vegetable), radicchio, radish sprouts and wonton strips.
One of Pavan Pacifico's signature entrees, the fresh grilled swordfish is a sumptuous blending of California, Asian, Italian and Japanese cuisines. Served with the avocado and chuka salad, the fish is presented on a yellow tomato coulis and well worth ordering.
Like the rest of Pavan Pacifico's menu, the desert menu is a hybrid of California and ethnic. It includes: chocolate profiteroles, featuring chocolate malted ice cream and caramelized bananas; duet of brulees; flourless chocolate and sundried mango torte;pear ginger crisp;lemon curt tart;white chocolate parfait with raspberries, and green tea ice cream with biscotti "chopsticks".
"What we're trying to create with each appetizer and entree is an infusion of fresh, clean flavors and textures that center on seafood but include a variety of dishes with Asian/Pacific and European influences," says Chef Saito. "In essence, we're building on an 'east-meets-west' approach, but applying culinary twists that offer added dimension."
