Paolo\'s Restaurant: Paolo\'s at 50

Tag : Crisp Mushroom

For decades the artfully remodeled drive-in restaurant at 12th andSanta Clara streets served as the culinary epicenter of the valley.Politicians, celebrities, business leaders and the city's elitenibbled prawns alla Livornese, lighter-than-air gnocchi and Allen'strademark cheesecake at tables draped with white linens. JoeDiMaggio was a regular. Eleanor Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, BarbraStreisand, Joe Montana, Steve Allen and Lucille Ball dropped by ontheir way through town.
Today, Paolo's is no longer the place to see and be seen. San Josehas grown up, tastes have become sophisticated, and SiliconValley's movers and shakers enjoy a wide array of dining options.Yet the restaurant that Jack Allen built remains in its 50thanniversary year one of the best choices for an eminentlysatisfying meal in downtown San Jose. The setting is comfortable,the service amiable and the food memorable.
Chef and owner Carolyn Allen-Samavarchian -- the founder's daughter-- performs a deft high-wire act, sticking close to traditionwithout slipping into predictability. It helps that tradition inthis case is based on regional Italian food known for its emphasison excellent ingredients and simple preparations.
The fare is fresh and fascinating even when it's comforting andfamiliar. The pasta
dishes, starting with either handmade or top-quality Italianimported noodles, are astonishingly good.
Much has changed over the years, of course. The restaurant moved in1991 from its cramped old building on an increasingly seedy stretchof Santa Clara Street to a high-rise office building on the banksof the Guadalupe River, across a pedestrian bridge from the Centerfor Performing Arts. Although the space is handsome, the restaurantis hidden from the street. Diners have to know it's there to findit.
The 85-seat main dining room is elegant and contemporary with warm,burnished walls the color of old stone. Tables are well-spaced toallow for private conversations. Chairs are wide and comfortable.At lunch and early evening, the views across a terrace to theriverside park are lovely. When night falls, the room seems to drawin on itself in softly lit intimacy.
Allen, who gave his middle name to the restaurant, retired from itsday-to-day operations in the 1980s and is gone now. The son of aSicilian baker who emigrated to New York City in the late 19thcentury, he died in 1999 at age 88.
In honor of the restaurant's golden anniversary, Allen-Samavarchianhas brought several of her father's signature dishes back to themenu. Among them is the Empress Salad ($10.75, small), a baroqueconcoction of wilted spinach, mushrooms, roasted red peppers,bacon, prawns and hard-boiled egg with Belgian endive and a brightvinaigrette. Although the flavors are pleasant, the concept feelsoverwrought and dated -- too many strong ingredients competing forattention rather than melding into a singular statement.
More to my taste is Allen-Samavarchian's modern insalatina dibarbabietola con burrata ($10.50), a dreamy salad composed ofslices of sweet red and yellow roasted beets with luxurious,creamy-centered burrata cheese and a beautiful blood orangedressing. It was a highlight of lunch with a couple of companionson a sunny day at Paolo's.
Insalata alla Paolo ($8.75), essentially a Caesar salad without theusual raw egg in the dressing, also was delightful. Impeccablyfresh, crisp romaine leaves and crunchy house-made croutons, tossedwith just enough anchovy-spiked dressing: It hit all the rightnotes.
That day we concentrated on pasta, always a good choice at Paolo's.Penne di faro alla Bolognese ($19.75) was stunning, even though thequills of Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta had spent a few moments toolong in the pot. We couldn't get enough of the classic sauce, amany-layered production of braised beef, veal and pork, touchedwith tomato and softened with cream. House-made gnocchi with peas,spring mushrooms and black truffle butter ($17.75) were so lightand airy they drew outright moans of appreciation.
Neither of the preceding dishes prepared us, though, for theelusive charm of hand-cut saffron pappardelle ($17) with paper-thinslices of butter-braised artichokes and a finely minced gremolataof lemon, garlic and parsley. Simplicity became the ultimatesophistication in this delicate dish. On another evening, the deep,meaty flavors of braised lamb shank infused hand-made angnolotti diagnello ($19.50), little half moons of stuffed egg pasta brightenedwith tiny Sweet 100 tomatoes, baby fava beans and chervil.
To match the food, maitre d' and sommelier Jalil Samavarchian --the chef's husband -- has compiled a 34-page wine list thathighlights Italian varietals as well as many of California's topproducers. Twenty wines are available by the glass, most of themfor $10 or less.
For an aperitif, consider Samavarchian's gorgeous Ombretto di Paolo($10) in place of the usual cocktail. A subtle interplay of sweetand bitter made of Prosecco, tangerine-flavored vodka and anunusual artichoke liqueur, the drink won the 1997 InternationalGolden Flute competition in Venice.
Among the appetizers, it's hard to miss with the gamberi allaLivornese ($12.75), which have been on the menu virtually since DayOne. Three fat gulf prawns were sweet and succulent in their panjuices, lemon, garlic and butter at dinner. Meaty shiitakemushrooms, grilled Italian-style with lemon, herbs and garlic($11.25) played a nice counterpoint.
From the menu's nine entrees, we chose dishes reflecting Paolo'shistory -- vitella di saltimbocca ($29.75) from the early days androasted duck breast with olives and dates ($26.50), an originalrecipe influenced by Samavarchian's Persian background. Thesaltimbocca was the only disappointment of the evening -- dense,overcooked rolls of veal and Parma ham made edible only by theaccompanying mushroom sauce. Far better was the tender duck breast,its richness underscored by a bed of salty Picholine olives andsweet Medjool dates in a reduction of fragrant Malvasia wine.
True Paolo's aficionados wouldn't cap their meals with anything butthe legendary cannoli ($8). A more sensible choice would be thelight and creamy panna cotta ($8) flecked with vanilla bean.
However, my companions and I couldn't resist the idea of theBomboloni ($8), a large doughnut inspired by Italian street food.Served straight out of the fryer, it's filled with limoncellomascarpone and drizzled with raspberry sauce for an addictivecontrast of hot and cold temperatures and sweet and tart flavors ona single plate.
If you have a sympathetic, avuncular waiter like we did at lunch,you might just luck out and get Paolo's fantastic tiramisu ($8) asa dessert choice. It's not on the menu, but our waiter offered tocheck if there was any in the kitchen.
We ordered it at his urging and were blown away by the cloud-likeconcoction so different from the leaden puddings we've becomeaccustomed to in American restaurants. Allen-Samavarchian says therecipe is inspired by a traditional tiramisu she ate at an inn inTuscany. Made without liqueur, it's all about the chocolate,coffee, sugar and fluffy mascarpone.
At Paolo's, tradition is fresh and appealing.
Paolo's Restaurant
333 W. San Carlos St.,
at Woz Way, San Jose (408) 294-2558.
www.paolos.com
*** 1/2
Paolo's Restaurant
333 W. San Carlos St., at Woz Way, San Jose (408) 294-2558.www.paolos.com
*** 1/2
The Dish: Fifty years after Jack Allen introduced San Jose to finedining with the opening of Paolo's, the restaurant continues to beone of the best downtown choices for a terrific dinner. CarolynAllen-Samavarchian upholds family tradition with a menu focused onfresh and appealing regional Italian fare.
Price range: Lunch $12.95-$23. Dinner appetizers $9.95-$18, entrees$18-$35.75. Corkage fee: $15.
Details: Full bar.
Pluses: Exquisite saffron pappardelle, luxurious burrata salad
Minuses: Dense, overcooked vitella di saltimbocca.
Hours: Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner 5:30-10p.m. Mondays-Saturdays.
Restaurants are rated on a four-star scale: four stars (excellent),three stars (good), two stars (fair) and one star (poor). Reviewsare conducted anonymously. The Mercury News pays for all meals.
To read more restaurant reviews, go towww.mercurynews.com/aletawatson. Contact Aleta Watson atawatson@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5032.
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