Elegance
Supper Club to open soon
About Town – TUESDAY, 6/9/26
The new Jimmy’s Supper Club, which is slated to open mid-July in the former Pietro’s Trattoria space on Kettleman Lane, promises to be exactly what its name suggests — an intimate, unhurried experience worth savoring. The transformation has been nearly a year in the making. Owner Pete Murdaca and his wife Tyler traveled to Chicago and New York in search of inspiration, and the influence shows in every considered detail. Guests now enter through what was once the outdoor patio, stepping first into a reception lounge anchored by a sleek martini bar — an invitation to arrive early and settle in. Custom-built booths curve through the dining room, while the original entrance has been re-imagined as a quiet, intimate dining nook. A non-working curiosity from another era — a 1930s pay phone mounted near the restrooms — plays the Goodfellas theme through the earpiece. It doesn’t take calls, but it sets a mood.
Original artwork by Pete’s grandmother, discovered in a long-forgotten family collection, is displayed throughout the dining room. The menu pays homage to the great American supper club, with the ambition of a metropolitan dining room. Starters include Hog Island oysters, caviar, Alaskan king crab, and ham and chips. From there, guests might choose seared scallops, Alaskan halibut, veal shoulder, lamb frites, or Nettie’s lasagna. The beef program is serious — Wagyu ribeye, New York strip, Porterhouse, filet, and T-bone all have a place on the menu, alongside a Wagyu burger for those who prefer their indulgence casual. At opening, Jimmy’s will be reservations only, with bookings available two weeks in advance. The restaurant is named for Pete’s father, Jim Murdaca — a tribute to his lasting contributions to Lodi’s culinary community. Jimmy’s is destined to become the go-to place for the ultimate dining experience in this region. In the best of traditions, the restaurant will only be open for supper.
REALITY BITES: : We recently wrote about how the latest certified audit painted a rosy picture of city finances as of the end of last fiscal year. That was then. This is now, and the picture has darkened considerably. The city’s general fund, which pays for most salaries, benefits and general government expenses, has a gaping $3.9 million hole in it. The proposed budget fills the crater with cuts and one-time fixes. Some of them include skipping a payment into the workers’ compensation fund, which will save an estimated $1.2 million; elimination of credit card convenience fees that will save about $280,000 annually; lowered vehicle replacement funding ($1.5 million); eliminated fire department equipment replacements ($132,600); eliminated facility maintenance funding requests ($2.7 million); and put a freeze on new general fund full-time hires. The funding shortage is largely a result of employee raises and inflation, according to Public Information Officer Nancy Sarieh, who says the city council will gather today for a special meeting to discuss the matter.
CANDID CAMERA: Patience, it seems, is not always included with the sprinkles. Last Wednesday evening at 7:45, a woman in a pink top arrived at the Baskin-Robbins in the Lakewood Mall with a craving — and, as it turned out, a plan. After sizing up the line and apparently deciding that waiting was for other people, she calmly lifted a cake from the cooler and strolled out the door, deciding to skip the line and the cash register. A Baskin-Robbins employee gave chase seconds later. The store’s video footage captured the entire episode in unflattering detail, including a clear shot of the woman’s face — which is now, one assumes, on file with the Lodi Police Department. UPDATE: Tammy Souza reports, “We had a kind gentleman come in last night and pay for the stolen cake. We truly appreciate your generosity and kindness, and love that the citizens of Lodi were just as outraged as we were!”
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE: Besides the return of the annual fireworks show, this year’s July 4th celebration at Lodi Lake will feature the popular Kiwanis’ pancake breakfast starting at 7 a.m. along with many other family activities the city hasn’t finalized yet (stay tuned). Lodi Lake will be fenced off as usual to control entry into the park, and Turner Road will again be blocked off to vehicle traffic between Ham and Mills. You’ll recall last year the city-sponsored fireworks show was cancelled at the last minute because the contractor’s pyrotechnics exploded in Esparto, a census-designated town west of Woodland, in a blast that killed seven people. July 4th festivities in the 1930s at Lodi Lake were initially sponsored by the Lodi Business Men’s Association in conjunction with other civic and fraternal organizations. It’s unclear when the first commercial fireworks show began, but it was likely started in 1940. The day’s events included patriotic speeches, swimming races, row-boat races, and other aqua-planing events. There was a formal flag-raising ceremony at 5 a.m. and a retreat flag-lowering at 5 p.m.
ARREST REPORT: Warrantless arrests by the Lodi Police Department last year skewed slightly toward White individuals, who accounted for 44.7% of detentions, followed closely by Hispanic and Latino detainees at 43.3%. Black and African American arrestees represented 7.3% of warrantless arrests, with all other groups accounting for the remainder. The breakdown shifts modestly when warrant-based arrests are considered. White residents comprised 51.9% of that total, Hispanic and Latino residents 37.7%, and Black and African American residents 7.5%, with all other groups each representing 1% or less. The distribution mirrors findings reported last week on ethnic breakdowns in vehicle stops. Cpt. Kevin Kent noted that the department’s figures fall within 6% of the city’s overall racial composition. The Lodi Police Department maintains a formal prohibition on bias-based policing. Its policy states: “It is the policy of this department to provide law enforcement services and to enforce the law equally, fairly, objectively and without discrimination toward any individual or group.”
FLASHBACK: In November 1940, some 7,000 spectators poured into the newly completed Lodi Grape Bowl Stadium for the dedication ceremony — a milestone moment for the city and the community. William Lawson, district manager of the Northern California WPA, was there and formally transferred the title of the stadium to the city of Lodi. The occasion was marked with a one-gun salute by National Guard Battery F, while the combined bands of Lodi and McClatchy High Schools performed the Star-Spangled Banner. That same evening, the stadium hosted its first football game — Lodi defeating McClatchy, 19-0. Master of ceremonies Leroy Nichols, superintendent of Lodi public schools, used the moment to commend the city’s vision. The stadium, he said, stood as a testament to the foresight and sound planning of Lodi’s civic leaders — proof that an ambitious idea, carefully pursued, could become something the whole community might be proud of.
LAST LAUGH: Someone posted, “Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end the faster it goes.” Can we have an amen?
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Steve is a former newspaper publisher and lifelong Lodian whose column appears most Tuesdays and Fridays in the News-Sentinel and at stevemann.substack.com. Write to Steve at aboutlodi@gmail.com.