Jimmy's: a pot of gold in Beverly Hills

Nation's Restaurant News, May 8, 1989 by Richard Martin

JIMMY'S A pot of gold in Beverly Hills

Jimmy's is elegant, swank, beautiful, romantic, expensive; in short, it's the embodiment of posh "Beverly Hills" dining.

The restaurant's food is also remarkably good.

What's more, Jimmy's is owned and operated by a charming and dapper professional who is an acknowledged master of hospitality.

With all those attributes in the restaurant's favor, it's not surprising that Jimmy's is also eminently successful.

Launched by Jimmy Murphy and his backers on Jan. 15, 1978, Jimmy's gained immediate attention as a result of several distinct advantages.

The restaurant's ideal location, on the border between Beverly Hills and Century City, was one. Built for $1.25 million, Jimmy's was an adjunct to a large parking structure that provided ample room for the luxury cars of its patrons.

Murphy's concept of a traditional French-Continental menu appealed to the area's affluent and conservative population of business people and society ladies.

So did his luxurious, eclectic, flower-bedecked decor, executed with Fortuny silk wall upholstery, English Regency chairs, Oriental accents, and bright, naturally illuminated spaces.

"I always had the concept of bringing the outdoors indoors," Murphy says, pointing out his skylit Palm Court room, an 80-seat addition opened three years ago. "When I came to Los Angeles 25 years ago, all restaurants were dark."

Along with its regular dining rooms, the restaurant's spacious and tastefully appointed banquet rooms became popular venues for private parties.

However, Irish-born Jimmy Murphy himself may be the single most important element in the success of his namesake restaurant.

During his 14-year-long tenure as captain, maitre d', then manager of Kurt Niklas' renowned Bistro restaurant in Beverly Hills, Murphy became the friend and confidant of many a local gourmet and power broker. Eager to keep their ties intact, those well-to-do acquaintances naturally kept an eye on Murphy's short-distance move to his own restaurant. So did Niklas.

"Kurt was very supportive," says Murphy in his soft Irish brogue. "As a matter of fact, I worked for him right up to two weeks before I opened. We remain good, loyal friends.

"Competition is healthy," Murphy continues. "If you're doing what you're supposed to do, you'll stand on your own."

For his part, Murphy is standing tall. "With a 75-percent repeat clientele, we're doing something right," he says.

"You have to be consistently good with what you put on the plate," Murphy avers. "And you have to stay abreast of trends, not follow all of them. But people have to be aware that you're aware."

The addition of pasta dishes to Jimmy's traditional menu was one concession to trendiness. Recently, there have been others. "We certainly didn't go nouvelle, but we did go lighter," Murphy explains.

Chef Roland Speisser is the man whom Murphy entrusts with the task of keeping Jimmy's cuisine attractive and worthy of the restaurant's substantial prices.

Speisser works exclusively with premium raw ingredients. "We charge top prices, and I believe in getting the best fish, meat, and produce," Murphy says. "When you're prepared to pay, you don't have problems, but when you try to cut corners, you take a very big risk."

While other high-end restaurateurs make downscale modifications to broaden their markets or to hide their shortcomings, Murphy sees no need for revisions to his exclusive format. "There will always be room for fine dining and elegance," he says, "but a lot of people try to get into this field who just don't have the background."

Murphy doesn't suffer from any lack of a proper food-service background. A native of Kilkenny, Ireland, he went to London at the age of 16 to work at the Savoy Hotel. After eight years in England, Murphy immigrated to California and went to work at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, before joining the Bistro.

Despite the stature of Jimmy's as a local institution, its success has not gone to Murphy's head. "The day one says, `I've got it all, and I've got it made'; then things start to go downhill," Murphy remarks. "Success doesn't happen to you; you happen to it."

PHOTO : Jimmy Murphy, right, with son Sean, assistant manager, left, and chef Roland Speisser.

PHOTO : Murphy at the entrance of Jimmy's.

PHOTO : Murphy in the restaurant's 80-seat Palm Court room.

PHOTO : A sampling of offerings at Jimmy's.