Paola’s Restaurant is located in the Carnegie Hill section of Manhattan, at the corner of 92nd Street and Madison Avenue.  On my first visit, I managed to find parking right on Madison Avenue, which I took as a good omen.

The feeling grew stronger as soon as I walked through the door. Despite it being a Tuesday evening, the tables were filled. The atmosphere was comfortable and settling, blending a fine combination of subtle lighting, wood paneling and an old-style black and white mosaic tile floor. Music was playing in the background, loud enough to enjoy but soft enough to allow for conversation. At each place setting was a dazzling hand-painted plate from Italy, a touch of beauty not found in many restaurants.

I was introduced to Paola, the proprietress, and her son Stefano. As I watched them engage with their guests, I was struck by their obvious commitment to providing an overall pleasurable dining experience and not just a good meal.

We were treated to a sampling of several dishes that evening. The appetizers included homemade warm mozzarella with roasted peppers, fresh basil and a taggiasca olive vinaigrette. It was made fresh to order and was delicious. We were also treated to calamari in padella, a dish of calamari in aromatic bread crumbs, extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon, served in a cast iron pan. It was very flavorful, with a nice texture (not rubbery or chewy). We sampled the lobster ravioli, which was very tasty, and fried artichokes, which had a taste to match the exquisite presentation. Since a first course would not be complete without salad, we had the insalata i’indivia, an interesting combination of endive and watercress with toasted walnuts, Granny Smith apples and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese.

I was sorely tempted to continue with these teasers, but I paced myself to leave room for the main course. My restraint was well rewarded, as the enticing entrees that appeared offered something tantalizing for every taste. If your preference is pasta, you might have trouble choosing between the agnolotti (veal- and spinach-filled pasta tossed in butter with veal reduction and shaved black truffles) and the trofie (Ligurian hand-rolled pasta served with fresh basil pesto, toasted pine nuts, potatoes and string beans), but would not go wrong with either. Prefer fish? Try the pan-seared cod with lobster mushrooms in a reduction sauce; we found it quite flavorful. If you are more inclined to fowl, we sampled a delicious seared duck with wild rice pilaf and an interesting homemade apricot mustard that we highly recommend.

We finished our meal with a variety of desserts that would surely please the most discriminating palate. The lemon mousse with bits of zest was light and sweet, the chocolate mousse was luscious and creamy, and the tiramisu was rich and moist, yet not overly sweet. We wound down our evening by lingering over cappuccino and for an after-dinner drink, Sicilian sweet wine.

With the combination of delicious fare, warm ambiance and fine service in an unhurried, comfortable setting, the next time I’m asked, “Where should we go for dinner?” I’ll gladly answer “Paola’s!”