THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Pacific Time

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Pacific Time Restaurant Review:

Jonathan Eismann is the Energizer bunny of Lincoln Road: While countless dining establishments on this trendy pedestrian thoroughfare have lost their power and long been replaced, the chef-owner of Pacific Time just keeps on ticking. Eismann was ahead of the curve not only in his precipitous choice of location, but was this town's first practitioner of Pacific Rim cuisine. The idea of fusing fresh, local ingredients with potent Asian flavors is no longer new, but Eismann's knack for balancing tastes and textures is nearly without peer. Start with saké-steamed blue mussels boosted in a surprising manner by tarragon and lime leaves; move onto a main course of dry-aged Colorado steak in rich shiitake sauce; and cap the feast with baked Alaska with a Key lime custard within. Or begin with Chinese duck rolled in ginger scallion pancake, jump to tempura fried whole local yellowtail stuffed with ginger, and finish with the signature bittersweet chocolate bombe (a dessert copied by many, but prepared best here). Actually, order whatever you'd like---this is a very consistent menu. The atmosphere in the loft-like room is loud and easygoing, the service quietly efficient, the overall vibe what is nowadays referred to as casual chic. An emphasis on small vineyards and innovative pairings of wine and food further help set Pacific Time oceans apart from other flash-in-the-Pan-Asians.