Restaurants keep trying, but it’s
difficult to be different in Manhattan.
Every type of cuisine seems to be available in every neighborhood, sometimes on every block of the city.

Pacific Echo is far from the only Asian fusion spot in Manhattan, but it does have an exclusive on West 56th Street and its environs. Thai eating places line nearby Eighth Avenue and there are Chinese, Japanese and Indian restaurants everywhere, but Pacific Echo’s menu offers all of them and more. Its Malaysian chef, who saw service in Singapore before arriving in New York, cooks the dishes of his native country and Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Hawaiian concoctions with some Vietnamese and Indonesian touches.

He’s also come up with some originals, like tuna pizza, that can’t be found in any of those countries. Don’t dismiss this unusual appetizer as a silly stretch that’s on the menu for its shock value. It’s a terrific, thin-crusted creation
covered with tomato salsa and pepper aioli that will appeal to both tuna lovers and haters. Indeed, most of the creative dishes at Pacific Echo will resonate
with those who adore Asian food and those who don’t.

Although Japanese is the menu’s most dominant nationality (there’s a sushi bar upstairs) there are diverse, interesting, one country selections and multinational blends galore. Dishes like summer rolls and satay are available in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesian, China, Japan and all over the Orient. Corn and edamame (soybean) soup, flecked with snow crab, prepared cappuccino style, isn’t but it’s a must-order. This fluffy, foamy brew is ambrosial and will especially appeal to lovers of corn chowder.

Sushi combinations and special rolls are also available as appetizers. The long, circular crab meat and cucumber rainbow roll with seven pieces of multi-colored fish is especially recommended.

Pacific Echo’s sprawling, four-page menu is quite formidable but there are a few choices worth remembering: a fine, flaky Chilean sea bass marinated in a saikyo miso mix with wilted baby spinach and white asparagus and meaty caramelized jumbo prawns with sautéed soba noodles and Kenya beans given a kick by garlic chili sauce. There’s also some welcome snap in the lemongrass shrimp from its tom yum infusion.

Desserts, nearly all of which are made on the premises, are works of art. An airy mango mousse comes in a brandy snifter with mango sorbet and fruit fanned out on a picture perfect plate. There’s not one crème brulee but a duo, lychee-vanilla and peanut butter and strawberry chocolate mousse is escorted by raspberry chocolate ice cream.

242 W. 56th St. btw. Broadway & Eighth Ave., 212-265-8988.