Another freeeezing night in New York City and I joined a group of friends at Paul & Jimmy’s Restaurant which is located at 123 East 18th Street. True confessions, the restaurant is only a block from where I live so that made the decision to join them a whole lot easier!!

Again, you can see how cold it is from the picture of the outside of the restaurant. Also a good shot of the front was impeded by barricades on the right which were attached to the adjoining corner building. Feel the cold. Brrr.

Now what I learned about Paul & Jimmy’s was very interesting. I learned that the restaurant recently celebrated over 70 years of serving traditional Italian cuisine in the Gramercy Area of Manhattan and that it is the story of the Azzollini family.

That is was in 1955, that the Azzollini parents left their hometown of Molfetta, Italy and voyaged to New York City for a new life in America. When they arrived in America, the elder Azzollini became a waiter at Paul & Jimmy. Eventually, he bought the restaurment and that is when the Paul & Jimmy’s Azzollini family legacy took root.

Over the years, Paul & Jimmy’s has been a destination for New York’s Governors, Mayors and celebrities from musicians to actors to athletes. They have also served some of the most infamous New York families which on their web site they say, “Make sure to ask about.” In addition you can buy Paul & Jimmy’s Ristorante Sauces which are available nationwide. So now, you don’t have to really leave the restaurant’s wonderful sauces, you can bring them into your own kitchen and create your own wonderful meals as well.

Here are some photos of the inside of the restaurant of which I snuck myself in one of the photosLol.

Now it was a pretty dark room so it was tough to get a shot of the menu but I will tell you that they have an amazing prix-fixed dinner for $49.95 and I thought given the quality of the food that I ordered and the price of the branzino dish that it was a steal and well worth the asking.

So yes, I didn’t order from the prix-fixed dinner (too much food that night for me) but… I did order branzino with garlic, olive oil, white wine, lemon and herbs.

But first the crispy, warm Italian bread.

Here is my main dish, a really fabulously prepared Whole, Roasted, Mediterranean Sea Bass which as I previously mentioned was prepared with garlic, olive oil, white wine, lemon and herbs. In addition, there was a potato croquette and some mixed vegetables which were a perfect culinary accessory.

Yes, the meal was fabulous, as was the service!

So if you’re in The Gramercy Park Area definitely check out Paul & Jimmy’s.

It won’t disappoint!