Reviews, Honors & Awards

"...has raised the bar for all South Bay restaurants. Carolyn Allen and her husband Jalil Samavarchian, the sommelier and maitre d', are steering Paolo's on a wise course."

Sheila Himmel, San Jose Mercury News, Sept.1999

"Paolo's is ... a beacon for refined Italian dining ... and the atmosphere retains an unstuffy sophistication. Desserts are wonderful ... at lunch Paolo's offers a sumptuous variety of reasonably-priced entrees ... tables [are] spaced for privacy ... chairs [are] built for comfort."

Sheila Himmel, San Jose Mercury News, March 2003

"This 45-years-old local institution serving popular Italian standards has a 300-selection wine list that leans strongly towards reds from Tuscany and Piedmont."

Richard Nalley, Top Italian Lists, Food and Wine Magazine, April 2003

Paolo's has been a consistent Wine Spectator "Best of Award of Excellence" and DiRoNA Award Winner.

Ombretta di Paolo
1997 Golden Flute winner, Venice, Italy

Easter Dinner, April 2000
James Beard House, New York City
James Beard Foundation

Metro's Silicon Valley 2001 Best Of Awards
Best Maître d' - Jalil Samavarchian

"Walking into Paolo's Restaurant, one of downtown's premier dining spots, inevitably customers will be greeted by the charmer and disarmer, Jalil Samavarchian. His warm smile, quick wit and abundant savoir faire will set the stage for a wonderful dining experience. Jalil's thorough knowledge of Paolo's wine cellar is always helpful as is his ability to prescribe cold remedies on the spot if his customers are under the weather. Not feeling well? Try Jalil's concoction of hot water, Cognac, twisted lemon peel and some other secret ingredients blended with his strong-arm tactics of burying the customer's nose in the snifter with a firm hand placed on the back of the linen-draped head. Indeed, it worked wonders on this patron's stuffed nose."

Paolo's professional memberships include the National Restaurant Association, Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani, Italian Wine Institute, Chef's Collaborative 2000, and Women Chef's and Restaurateurs.

Paolo's was one of only fifty restaurants invited to participate in Taste of the Nation, 1985 Presidential Inauguration, Washington D.C.