You'd think a place called Palomino would at least try to add a little horse sense to its design. How about a little allusion to the Wild West• A quaint hitchin' post• Pedal steel playing on the radio• Spurs? OK, maybe the Gateway Center spot is better off the way it is. Er, whatever that might be. There are several competing motifs going on here. Walk in the main doors -- look to the left, there's subway-wall tile -- and head toward the bar: dark wood paneling mixed with peach-colored plaster, matching granite tile and unmatching granite tabletops. Walk around to the dining room and it's carpeted. Yet the kitchen is completely open. Ignore that. Look at that nice fountain outside the plate-glass wall. A lunch companion declared it "fear of commitment." You'll get dizzy trying to contemplate the swirl of style choices. So don't. Just melt into the vinyl easy chairs and watch the good-looking 20-somethings that are buzzing around the office building. Or drink at the waterin' hole. The bar has a good reputation. The drink menu looks decent -- good drafts, wines, attractive cocktails. Nobody in Palomino looks overdressed or underdressed. Guys come in with casual suits. People are wearing sundresses or even shorts. It doesn't matter. Maybe it's that whole disorienting-design factor. And oh, they serve food, too. It's contemporary American, with some European inspiration. The chain, which started in Seattle, serves pastas, prawns and a decent amount of other seafood. There's a spicy Fettuccine Milano ($13.50) with a mix of pesto cream, marinara, chicken and feta; and a great Gazpacho Soup ($7.50) that's a bit tangy and incredibly smooth. The Grilled Bruschetta (traditional, Roasted Mushrooms or Tiger Prawns, $9) has a liberal amount of cheese. And the Grilled Sea Scallops with Sherry Onion Cream ($14.95) was serviceable, but the vegetables served with it were either undercooked or overcooked. Other items on the menu include Penne Gorgonzola ($10.50) with hazelnuts, black pepper and parsley; Blue Crab Cakes ($15.95) with a pesto-flavored butter sauce, pickled onions and roasted red peppers; and Palomino's Famous Paella ($14.95), which offers blue crab, tiger prawns, Virginia Coast clams and Prince Edward Island mussels, to name a few ingredients. Paying more than $50 for lunch for two people in Pittsburgh should get you a frequently cleared table, and everything should be cooked to near perfection. But even at half the price, a plate that sat a bit long under the heat lamp would be cause for complaint. Additional Information: Restaurant Information Palomino, 4 Gateway Center, Downtown. Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays; 3:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays; 3:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays. (412) 642-7711.