With exceptional food, meticulous service and a soothing ambiance, Pacific Rim stands out as a quintessential restaurant for a nice night out.

After investing about $250,000 last year, Pacific Rim added 45 seats and a full bar during its expansion that wrapped up in May of 2009. With an increase in space, I did not feel obligated to make a dinner reservation for two people at 8:30 p.m. on a Tuesday evening. Thankfully, I made a reservation anyway because to my surprise, the restaurant was quite full.

Pacific Rim boasts an obvious attention to detail through its ambiance and décor. So many small touches set it apart, including the stone entrance way, light wood accents, stainless steal chop sticks and tall booths that create a sense of privacy and elegance. The tranquil lighting, noteworthy space between the non-tablecloth tables and contemporary artwork feel all set the tone for a wonderful dining experience.

I have had the chance to dine at Pacific Rim many times, yet this would be a first for me dining in the new space. Once my birthday-celebrating dining companion, Elizabeth, and I were seated, our friendly waiter, Michael, arrived.

Menu knowledge at a restaurant with distinctive ingredients, such as Pacific Rim, is of utmost importance to guaranteeing guests an enjoyable experience. Luckily, Michael eagerly articulated each drink and dinner menu option with harmonious perfection. Not only were individual ingredients described in detail, but drink selections were altered to better suit our palates. Micheal's descriptions of his personal favorite dishes along with reasons were quite compelling. I especially appreciated Micheal's honesty, in that after he described the special of the night, he gleefully admitted that a few of the staple menu items still reigned superior.

My "Siam Sunrays" specialty cocktail, made with house-infused lemongrass vodka, coconut rum, lime juice,and dash of chili pepper, was refreshing and uplifting. The Siam Sunray is recognized as the signature drink in Thailand, and I, too, enjoyed the aromatic zest of lemongrass, soothing flavor of coconut, subtle hotness of chili pepper and sweetness of the extra lime juice Michael added for me. Elizabeth equally enjoyed her Japanese Mojito, made with rum, muddled mint, sugar and fresh lime juice. Michael informed us that although the menu did not allude to any Japanese flavors, he added Yuzu, a tart grapefruit-mandarin orange flavored fruit, and Shiso, an herb that is part of the mint and basil family.

Pacific Rim's Pan-Asian menu combines cuisine from a range of countries including Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam and Thailand to offer guests the finest fresh and seasonal ingredients. Menu options range from Thai Pesto Fettuccini and Pan-Roasted Pork Loin Chops to more prominent seafood options such as Seared Big Eye Tuna and Quinoa Crusted Scallops. Following Michael's recommendation, we started with the Thai-Style Calamari and Unagi Terrine.

The abundant portion of calamari was perfect to split between two people and well worth the $9. The lightly battered squid gave the calamari rings and tentacles (unfortunately minimal tentacles) a pleasantly crispy crust yet tender texture and chewy bite. I was fairly disappointed by the lack of "Thai-style" of the calamari, so I relied on the sweet chili dipping sauce to fill the void. Michael filled another void by bringing us extra sauce when he noticed Elizabeth scooping out every last bit.

The Unagi Terrine was definitely one of the more unusual appetizers on the menu, composed of barbecue-marinated and broiled eel layered with avocado and sushi rice, then served with a sweet soy glaze, wasabi oil and wakami seaweed. Although the appetizer was much smaller than I remember from previous visits, the dish was artfully prepared, and each bite brought out a symphony of flavors. The warm sweet-glazed eel layered above the rich, creamy avocado and short-grained rice contrasted wonderfully with the messy tangle of cold seaweed salad, surrounded by sinus-clearing wasabi and teriyaki-flavored sauce. This unique dish was well worth the $9 and unlike anything else I can get in Ann Arbor.

When Michael removed our devoured appetizer plates, he also took away our empty cocktail glasses. Unfortunately, he never asked if we would like another drink and as a result, he lost a at least $20 added onto our bill and a larger tip for himself at the end of the night. Water it was.

Before our entrees arrived, Michael delivered our salads, complimentary with each entree ordered. The tossed salad reminded me of a typical Japanese restaurant salad, simple yet palate cleansing. The pine nuts were also a nice touch; unfortunately, they were impossible to pick up with my stainless-steel chopsticks. The chef may want to reconsider that added ingredient. Nonetheless, the lightly sweet vinaigrette was a pleasant divergence from typical ginger dressing found on many other Asian green salads.

Presentation is the name of the game at Pacific Rim. Each dish looks like a work of art and reinforces the restaurant's attention to detail. As a side note, if you ever want to impress a guest, order the Big-Eye Tuna. Served rare, this dish is delicious, not to mention absolutely gorgeous, as it is prepared with a julienned jicama salad, triangular crispy sushi rice and a mosaic of ginger-miso sauce and wasabi oil on the sides. Thankfully, the restaurant was sold out of the Tuna this night, largely simplifying my ordering decision. I have included a picture of the dish (from a previous dinner at Pacific Rim) just because it is that good.

Instead of the tuna, I ordered the Flash-Seared Hamachi Fillet. This barely cooked sashimi-grade yellowtail was thinly sliced and seared with hot sesame oil, and came with soba noodles, a watercress-daikon salad and a soy-ginger vinaigrette. Yellowtail is a true sign of the changing seasons, especially since this dish just made its way back onto the menu a few weeks ago. The buttery, seared yellowtail practically melted in my mouth. Nonetheless, the fish was only seared quickly on each side, making the marinade and accompanying sauce very important. Combining the yellowtail with the other components, especially the wheat-flour soba noodles and soy-ginger vinaigrette, made it a truly well-rounded dish with vibrant flavors. This dish was a true home run.

Next, Michael brought us out the special of the night. At first, Elizabeth and I thought it was possible that he felt bad about dismissing the special entrée earlier and was now serving it to us on the house for us to try. Long story short, we were wrong. Michael brought us the wrong dish and immediately took it away and returned with our Wasabi-Peppercorn Tenderloin. I almost wish that the special had stayed. It looked great.

The tenderloin was served with a wasabi-peppercorn sauce, bok choy, asparagus and a puree of Yukon gold potato and parsnip. The medium-rare tenderloin was a nice cut of meat and extremely flavorful. It was also so tender I cut right through it with a regular dinner knife; that was until I saw my steak knife on the table. The potato-parsnip puree was also a wonderful, slightly-sweet addition to the dish, especially with the small chunks of potato and parsnip throughout. Again, another well-prepared and thoughtfully composed dish.

No dinner is complete at Pacific Rim without a Banana Roll for dessert; unfortunately, it was not on the menu. When I asked Michael about the banana roll, he spoke with the chef and was able to secure one just for us. It was just as good as I remembered, with the a warm and creamy banana mixture wrapped in a crunch pastry shell, then served with a dark chocolate sauce and Pacific Rim's homemade banana-pecan ice cream. Each bite of the warm banana, cold ice cream and crispy crust was heavenly.

To my dismay, the birthday dessert I requested for Elizabeth never showed up. I was slightly frustrated. However, since we were the only two people still in the entire restaurant, and both Elizabeth and I were quite full, we decided it was probably better that the warm chocolate cake never made its way out of the kitchen.

Despite the drink-ordering oversight and being served an incorrect entrée, my Pacific Rim experience was fantastic. Warm hospitality and attentive service along with consistently high-quality ingredients presented with flair and finesse make the dining experience at Pacific Rim worth every penny.

NOTE: Keep your calendars open. On Tuesday April 27, Pacific Rim will be hosting a wine dinner featuring Michael Logan, the owner and winemaker of Dovetail Vineyard. The price of this four-course dinner is $80, including tax and tip.

Pacific Rim by Kana
Web site: www.pacificrimbykana.com
Address: 114 W. Liberty St., Ann Arbor
Phone: 734-662-9303
Cuisine: Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai
Ambiance: Upscale comfortable
Hours: Monday through Friday, lunch is served 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Sunday throughThursday, dinner is served 5:30-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, dinner is served 5:30-10:30 p.m.
Payment: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Cash
Bar: Full bar
Prices: Entrees $18- $29
Parking: Street or parking lot
Wheelchair access: Yes (no restroom)
Smoking: No
Reservations: Recommended (opentable or by phone) but not required

Sarah Mintz is a contributor to AnnArbor.com's Food and Drink section. She is a senior at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. You can follow Sarah's other dining blog and contact Sarah at smintz@umich.edu.