UPDATEApparently, no one has told the regulars at Cafe Pacific that there's an economic downturn going on. The 28-year-old Highland Park Village favorite is perpetually crowded with well-dressed couples and multigenerational families who may think nothing of dropping three figures for dinner for two.

REX C. CURRY/Special Contributor

Sesame-seared Copper River salmon with fried wild rice pilaf, ginger, orange asparagus and coconut and lime sauce

On our most recent visits, reservations on a Thursday evening were harder to come by than a Saturday-night seating, and the space was cheerfully abuzz with well-heeled patrons waving hello to friends across the room or chatting comfortably with diners at an adjoining table. Honestly, you might as well be friendly with your neighbors, as the spacing between the tables is cramped enough that you'll probably be listening to their conversations.

Space at our two-top was so tight that we almost passed on the fruits de mer platter, which would have been a pity. This build-your-own sampler is available with shrimp, lobster tails, oysters on the half shell, littleneck clams, and crab (both jumbo lump crabmeat and Alaskan king crab legs). We sampled everything but the shrimp and crab legs and found it all to be fresh, clean-tasting and simply prepared to let the natural essence shine through. Especially enjoyable were the chilled steamed clams, sprightly and bouncy in the mouth, and the Blue Point oysters, fat and juicy with a pleasantly briny tang. A trio of dipping sauces (cocktail, soy and vinegar-based mignonette) were tasty but easily overpowered the delicacy of the seafood.

Other starters were just as satisfying. Ceviche was an upscale take on the lime-cured seafood salad, a bright and lively medley of shrimp, scallops and lobster meat. Plump Atlantic sea scallops were perfectly prepared, firm and meaty with a touch of barbecue spice, served with a lush lemon-butter sauce and a warm spinach salad dusted with blue cheese.

Sea bass has been done to death, but Cafe Pacific's onion-crusted version is good enough to remind us why this fish became so popular in the first place. The thick slab of rich, buttery-tasting fish easily fell into large, moist flakes that practically dissolved in the mouth. The accompanying ancho cream sauce was milder then expected, but the bed of risotto that the fish rested on was luscious and creamy, a textbook-perfect rendition of the notoriously finicky rice dish.

The same could not be said for the white truffle risotto that came alongside the lobster tail trio. It was unpleasantly starchy and gummy, and it was hard to imagine how both side dishes could have come from the same kitchen on the same night. At least the lobster was nicely prepared. Rather than the mammoth whole lobsters found in most upscale steak and seafood restaurants, Cafe Pacific opts for a set of petite tails, priced at a relatively modest $38. The meat, nicely complemented by a drizzle of melted butter or a simple squeeze of lemon, was sweet and succulent.

A nightly special of wild Copper River salmon was outstanding, its unctuous, deep-red flesh full-flavored and pleasurably oily. At $42, it was the most expensive entree offered, but its decadent flavor and spot-on preparation justified the price of this celebrated Alaskan catch, available only for a brief period each year.

Though seafood is the obvious draw, Cafe Pacific's meat selections aren't to be overlooked. Oven-roasted rack of lamb was tender and velvety, cooked to the requested rosy medium-rare and accented with a full-bodied cabernet demi-glace and a side of fluffy whipped potatoes.

Desserts were perhaps the one weak point. An apple crisp was delivered to the table much too hot to eat. By the time it had cooled to a manageable level, it was tough and gummy under its crown of melting ice cream. On the next trip, we followed the lead of many of our neighboring diners and ordered the pecan ball, a simple sphere of vanilla ice cream coated with toasted pecans and a sinful fudge sauce. Sophisticated? No, but it was as satisfying as it was playful.

Despite the tony neighborhood, it is possible to dine semi-frugally at Cafe Pacific. A few entrees (herb-marinated pork tenderloin, Parmesan-crusted chicken breast and a grilled vegetable plate) can be had for less than $20, and the wine list offers a host of bottles for less than $50, along with nearly two dozen offerings available by the glass.

Service was mostly up to par, though timing was sluggish one busy Saturday evening. Our waiter noticeably stumbled on a couple of dish descriptions and wine-pairing recommendations, but the support staff was consistently on the ball, from the prompt delivery of the complimentary crispy fried sweet potato strings to the unobtrusive clearing of the dessert plates.

The setting is as classic and timeless as the premium retailers that surround it, with rich, dark woods, glass dividers and floors tiled in black and white marble. A little more elbow room would be nice, but the close quarters don't seem to dissuade the Highland Park faithful from keeping Cafe Pacific firmly on Dallas' It List.

Kim Harwell is a Dallas food writer.

Cafe Pacific

{star}{star}{star} (very good)

Food {star}{star}{star}

Service {star}{star}{star}

Atmosphere {star}{star}{star}

Price: $$$-$$$$ (appetizers mostly $6.90 to $11.95, entrees mostly $19.50 to $39, desserts $7.75)

Address: 24 Highland Park Village (at Mockingbird and Preston)

Phone: 214-526-1170

Hours: Lunch daily 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; dinner 5:30 to 10 p.m.

Credit cards: All major

Wheelchair accessible: Yes

Smoking area: Patio

Alcohol: Full bar