Bar West is to Pacific Beach what the upcoming Universal will be to Hillcrest – a glam-for-the-masses venue that triples as a restaurant, lounge and dance club, and where libidinous prowling becomes the order of the evening after the ovens cool.

Conceived by En Dev Enterprises, which also operates Stingaree and Side Bar downtown, glitzy Bar West will likely attract this readership more for its “re-imagined comfort food” (as stated on the Web site) rather than for the leggy babes and their well-coifed male chasers who start rolling in after 9 p.m.

But to each neighborhood its own, as Bar West provides an exciting preview of what’s in store at Universal – a flashy, fun interior replete with illuminated bars, VIP seating areas and a core team of chefs devoted to their craft. (Universal is slated to open in September at University Avenue and Vermont Street with an even greater focus on dining and an expected GLBT patronage, I’m told.)

At Bar West, chef-manager Larry Abrams brings his Jewish-Dominican roots to the table, coupled with his experience of cooking in New Orleans and other areas of the country. “My food is a reflection of me. It takes in elements of the Northeast, the Caribbean, the dirty South and the Southwest,” he said enthusiastically. “Put me in a bowl with a little salt and pepper, and that describes my cuisine.”

Abrams starts with simple recipes and teases them up with snappy vinaigrettes, sauces and emulsions – not to mention scads of sweet garlic in the complimentary hummus served with sesame and coconut-curry flat breads. From the raw bar, my companion and I launched into shrimp cocktail arranged in a puddle of late-harvest red wine vinaigrette, which added a puckering finish to the perfectly cooked, well-chilled crustaceans. Included was a thick slice of grilled baquette blanketed by overly firm white cannelloni beans. Unfortunately, the Ahi Threeways and Salmon Tartare weren’t available that evening because Abrams felt they weren’t fresh enough.

We then turned to the menu’s tapas section, specifically some mondo juicy scallops dressed in a shallot vinaigrette used so judiciously that we could taste concurrently the enchanting brine of the ocean and the natural sweetness of the mollusks. We also lapped up a generous serving of Sweet and Sour Boneless Organic Chicken Wings that were actually random pieces of breast meat breaded and fried. Though a little light on the mango chutney, the plump nuggets were sweet and sticky enough to leave a lasting impression.

The Heirloom Tomato Salad turned out much differently than its menu description, which failed to mention the inclusion of creamy Gorgonzola cheese and truffle oil. The strong, intense flavors of those ingredients collided dramatically and pretty much stripped the heirlooms of their honor. The Bar West Salad was much better – a toss of fresh mixed greens and spiced pecans with an unexpected encirclement of lusciously sweet strawberry slices that stole the show. Abrams later admitted that he likes to add elements of surprise to his dishes. “If you give away the plot, you’ll never go see the play,” he noted.

And what a fine surprise it was when we dove in the Double Cut Pork Chop from the entrée list. Hidden within the tangy onion confit on top was Creole mustard that imparted a mysteriously appealing zing to the palate. The accompanying corn pudding (his mom’s recipe) was also invigorating due to jalapenos and cumin in the recipe.

We proceeded to the Grilled Bone-In New York Steak based on boasts from our friendly, proficient waiter that there are no steak knives in the restaurant “because the meat is that tender.” Sure enough, a semi-sharp butter knife did the job, although had it been one iota duller, I would have asked for a finer blade. The steak was undeniably soft and pleasing and cooked to medium specs, but it wasn’t quite the blue-ribbon texture I’ve encountered in prime chophouses. Alongside were skinny fries spruced up with truffle oil – this time used less aggressively than in the above-mentioned salad.

Hearty sandwiches and wraps are also available, and the Pork Panini garnished with salsa fresca ranked among the evening’s favorites. The sandwich is cut into small quarters and filled with Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, jalapeno dressing and pulled pork that tasted as though it was slow roasted in the oven. Turns out that it was braised in chicken stock, chipotle, cumin and coriander for about three hours.

Abrams also makes the desserts – his pride and joy being a warm chocolate cake seeping a bittersweet center and paired with blackberry-cabernet sorbet. Kudos it deserves.

Inventive cocktails splash in to higher focus as soon as tables start disappearing and the floor opens to curvy banquettes and more stiletto traffic. Here is when the ever-growing concept of “bottle service” also swings into gear. Reserve a cushy nook or special seating area for your posse, order at least two bottles of brand-name liquor at about $250 apiece, and you’ve coronated yourself a VIP. Yes, the opportunity to live large or dally with those who do is about to beam down on Hillcrest.