Pampano   

209 E 49th St
New York, NY 10017
212-751-4545
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The SceneThe white-washed interior of the bi-level space feels like an exclusive beachside hacienda, especially in the second-floor dining room, which always seems filled with light. Palm trees sculpted onto the walls, lazy fronds spinning from the tall, angled ceiling and arched doors leading to an outdoor terrace add to the "on-vacation" vibe for a mix of midtown suits and funkier food lovers. The FoodChef-owner Richard Sandoval applies his chile collection so skillfully that he never masks the essential flavors of each fish. An improbably delicate chipotle and manchego cheese sauce gracefully embraces shrimp and bay scallops, and refreshing cubes of salmon tread above the citrus-habanero sting in the ceviche marinade. Whole red snapper arrives like a seafood sculpture, artfully de-boned, rounded out, stuffed with tangy cactus salad and surrounded with a chile de arbol lake. But most impressive is crispy, guajillo-enhanced pan-seared pampano, which is worthy of the restaurant's good name.