Pal Joey's: Dinner and Dancing by Bill Ernst

A New York-style supper club that opened recently in Altamonte Springs is the creation of two friends, both native New Yorkers. Tony Gonzalez and Joe Mucciolo bring different strengths to the partnership. Gonzalez comes from a musical background and handles the entertainment side of the business. Mucciolo has been in the restaurant business 45 years.

Gonzalez plays bass in Vintage Soul, Pal Joey's house band. He has been playing in bands since age 14. At 17, his band, The Gilgos 5, opened for The Doors on Disc-O-Teen, the live-TV music-and-dance program in June 1967, just before "Light My Fire" hit big. Hosted by Zacherley, "the cool ghoul," Disc-O-Teen gave Gonzalez and his band mates some exposure—and a chance to hang with The Doors for the day.

In the course of Mucciolo's long career, one of the restaurants he owned was Sign of the Dove, on E. 63rd and 3rd Ave., a New York, landmark until it closed in the 1970s. Since then he has served as a consultant for a number of restaurants. And he owned Marco Anthony's near Windermere until 2006.

Gonzalez and his wife, Gaye, who oversees the management/service side of Pal Joey's, frequented the old Peter Scott's in Longwood. They loved the old-time supper club, and it's one reason that they wanted to open Pal Joey's in the area.

But it was at Marco Anthony's in 2000 that they met Mucciolo. Tony and Gaye frequented the restaurant because they enjoyed the food. The three eventually became good friends. And the chef at Marco Anthony's Giorgio Reyes is now the chef at Pal Joey's.

Gonzalez isn't just a music man: he's also a businessman who owned and operated Legendary Motorcars and Coachworks in Winter Garden for 20 years. He sold it around the same time that Mucciolo sold Marco Anthony's. The two friends found themselves with time on their hands. They eventually decided to open a restaurant. Gonzalez said Seminole County was the place to be, and why. They bought the place and began work in February. Pal Joey's opened on September 30th.

They took the name Pal Joey's from the 1957 film, Pal Joey, which starred Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak. Sinatra won the Golden Globe Award for his role as the wise-cracking Joey Evans. And there used to be a Pal Joey's restaurant in Manhattan and one in Paris. Large murals inside the Altamonte Springs Pal Joey's depict both cities.

The Menu and the Set List
The atmosphere and food at Pal Joey's are decidedly upscale yet affordable. "People want to have a nice evening, but even if they have a lot of money, they don't want to spend an enormous amount," says Mucciolo. "We offer a quality product at a reasonable price. The service is good, and the food speaks for itself, it's that good."

The restaurant and bar serve appetizers such as fried ravioli, shrimp cocktail, escargot, prosciutto and melon, and several flatbreads. The signature appetizer is an Italian stuffed red pepper. The menu lists five pasta options, and a selection of steaks, chops and fish. Entrées include veal chops stuffed with asiago, prosciutto and roasted peppers in a brandy-mushroom sauce; Filet Mignon Barollo in a Burgundy sauce, and chicken, veal or flounder francese in white wine-lemon butter sauce. Other seafood options include Snapper alla Giorgio, sautéed with garlic and fresh tomatoes; and a crabmeat-and shallot-stuffed salmon in lemon-butter sauce. Served à la carte, prices range from $16 to $26. Dinner service starts at 4:00pm, and diners can stay at the table all night to enjoy music and dancing.

Food isn't the only thing priced right. Drinks are generous, and the third drink is always on the house. Wines start at $20 a bottle. Thursday night from 7:00-9:00pm is Ladie's Night with free well drinks for female guests. A Jazz Night is in the works. Pal Joey's is also available for parties of up to 100 on site, or can cater parties on- or off-site, including providing wait staff.

On weeknights, a pianist is the sole entertainer. On Friday and Saturday nights, the pianist performs during dinner, followed by Vintage Soul from 9:00pm-1:30am. The band only plays "danceable" songs, specializing in classic R&B, funk and Motown. In between sets, disco music plays through the sound system to keep the dancing and good times going.

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Pal Joey's Fine Dining & Dancing, 1185 Spring Centre Blvd., Ste. 1080, Altamonte Springs; 407.571.9994.
Hours: Tues.-Sat. 4:00pm-2:00am. (Closed Sun. and Mon.)