This is another spot we frequent each time we visit Aspen.
When Pacifica opened in Spring of 1997, it was a huge hit. The mostly-seafood menu that leaned toward casual but creative was a departure from other Aspen restaurants. The combination of outdoor seating and great-looking food hasn't hurt business, but it's not all aesthetic. The cornmeal-chile-spiced fried calamari is one of the best of its genre, as is the Pacifica seafood cocktail which features rock shrimp, calamari, oysters, or crab, or a combination of any of these, served in a very spicy smoked chile hot sauce and garnished with avocado, cilantro, and fresh lime. It's a palate cleanser and pleaser at the same time. Steamed baby clams are voluminous and tasty, while the crispy parmesan croutons that adorn the lemony Caesar salad are addictive. Several types of fresh fish are offered each night and can be grilled in a lime chile butter, pan fried with a chardonnay shallot butter, or steamed with lemon and herbs. Specialties include spicy catfish, paella, chicken adobo, and peppered sirloin steak. The large counter and service till midnight makes Pacifica a great place for a glass of wine and light, late fare, though it can get pretty crowded with locals toward the midnight hour.