For a haute soirée with haute cuisine, try Jimmy’s Downtown on East 57th Street.

First considered a branch of Jimmy’s in Harlem (and now with a branch in City Island), this beautifully designed, upbeat restaurant (featuring sexy lighting and contemporary décor) has distinctive food and a following all its own.

Exotic Chef Linda Japngie (Brooklyn-born, she lives in Hoboken, is female, and shy about being photographed) trusts her kitchen staff, and herself, enough to let them partner with her to create an eclectic array of dishes native to their unusual backgrounds. Thereby, flavors and elements of Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Turkey, Venezuela, and the Far East blend their strong (and very pungent!) voices together to make up Jimmy’s inimitable menu.

Starting with excellent breads (try the cheese biscuits, and dip the olive bread into the excellent rosemary, chili, or ginger oils), we were happy to try out many small treasures, to fully appreciate the range of the kitchen.

Where else can you sample so many unique flavors of plantain chips, arugula, jalapeño, lime, chorizo, cilantro, coconut, scallops, mussels, ginger, clams, sturgeon, bok choy, banana, pecorino, or feta? All these are singular, yet expertly related to the striped bass, shrimp, salmon, steak, chicken, snapper, lamb, and other delicacies offered by the restaurant.

Some of the more exotic appetizer combinations you might want to start with bear names like “Shrimp Chicharron, Pickled Jalapeño & Saffron-Chili Glaze.” Then, for a main course, you might try “Grilled New Zealand Baby Lamb, Fingerling Potato Hash & Orange-Mint Mojito”; or “Passionfruit Lacquered Salmon, Papaya Escebeche & Black Bean Broth.”

Desserts are also splendidly inventive. Some choices to consider; Frozen Margarita Soufflé, Summer Berry Pizza, Coffee & Donuts, and Cherry Crumb Pie with Vanilla Bean Gelato.

Service is excellent. Our French-Moroccan waiter, Omar, was adept in answering far-ranging (and a few really impertinent!) questions.

The décor is colorful, with specific lighting. High-backed chairs in the restaurant’s sexy corners offer unique seating for larger parties; and the restaurant’s generous banquettes allow for intimate settings or growing parties. The large bar area in the front is beautiful, appealing, not confining, and crowded with a distinctly haute group.

We’re definitely going back for this well-thought-out, delectable fare. Also, friends we don’t see often enough seem to come to Jimmy’s. We now understand why!