At that fairly early hour, on a weekday, there was a 40-minute wait. Good for them. All restaurants should have that type of following.
J. Alexander’s immediately gets high marks in two areas. First, customers can eat at the bar, and with the restaurant so busy, that’s what I did.
Secondly, the bar staff was honest. I asked the very nice and attentive bartenders what they would recommend from the fairly pedestrian wine list.
Their silence told me everything I needed to know.
I told them it was better to say, “I don’t know” than pretend they did, and finally, the answer came back, “I don’t know.”
Good for them. Don’t bluff. Don’t make guesses. That alone means I’ll be back.
The wines by the glass were nothing special, so I ordered something I’ve never had, the Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. The grapefruit and pear on the nose held promise, but the acidity on the palate almost knocked me out of my chair.
One of the bar staff noted she liked the Catena Malbec, and I hadn’t had that in years, so I figured what the heck.
I ordered two appetizers. The large bowl of chicken pasta soup was like a pot pie without the crust. The creamy, rich texture was far heavier than it looked. The penne pasta was broken in places and the chicken a tad chewy, as if the soup had been sitting for a while. Most diners likely just care they got the equivalent of a meal for $9 a bowl, broken pasta be damned. That helped me calibrate expectations for the rest of the meal.
The steak rolls with chimichurri and spicy ranch confused me. I liked the crunchy wonton wrapper, but I didn’t know what to make of the chopped steak filling with pepper jack, mozzarella, and Gruyere cheeses. The taste and texture reminded me of chopped cheese, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Besides, it was another massive appetizer that those around me seemed to enjoy.
I tried two main courses, and the kitchen was on its game. One of the featured dishes, the Thai barbecue-glazed salmon with orzo and wild rice, was magnifique. The flavorful orzo contained almond slivers, red winter wheat. cranberries, corn, currants, and way too many ingredients to list. I would eat that with anything on the menu.
The salmon was tender throughout and translucent in the middle, exactly how salmon should be prepared. The Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc, which I wouldn’t have been able to finish on its own, worked decently with the fish. The glaze’s sweetness helped cut the acidity and made the wine tolerable. I would not suggest that pairing, however.
The Steak ‘N’ Fries had me at “fries,” and they were shoestrings. If there are fries on the menu, it’s hard for me to say no. I couldn’t resist the crispy, crunchy potatoes piled higher on the plate. I ate them all. Don’t judge.
You know you have a well-cooked steak when it doesn’t need anything. I ordered the New York Strip medium, which will make purists (medium rare, at most) wince. It was smoky, juicy, flavorful, and tender, and, most importantly, not chewy at all.
At first sip, the Catena Malbec showed as a fruit bomb with predominantly blackberry jam. Despite that description, I can see why people like it. It’s big, and, to my surprise, worked decently with the steak, which softened the wine a bit. But again, I wouldn’t recommend that pairing.
Of all the appealing desserts, I chose the Very Best Chocolate Cake since chocolate and cake in the same sentence will make me shiver. Oh, and it came with vanilla ice cream. How could I say no?
I asked for a bourbon list, and the bartender warned me that some selections may not be available. In addition to the standard fare, the restaurant listed Blanton’s Gold, Weller Full Proof, Weller C.Y.P.B., and George T. Stagg. I salivated at Stagg, with a listed price of $20 for a 1.25-ounce pour. That’s the best value I’ve seen, anywhere I’ve tasted bourbon, and I would have gotten a double. Of course, they were out, which is no surprise.
So I went for the Maker’s Private Label J. Alexander’s ($16), which the company picked at the distillery and distributed to its restaurants. My bourbon group does the same, and from experience, the private picks always taste different than what’s on the liquor store shelf. Normally, I would have a lighter bourbon with chocolate, but in this case, I wanted to see how this Maker’s compares to others I’ve tasted. I also wouldn’t normally buy a pour of less than 1.5 ounces, but this was special, so I relented.
At 110 proof, the pour had more orange on the nose with vanilla, caramel and oak on the palate, and just a little heat. It had a different flavor profile than, for example, the Maker’s Mark Cask Strength (109.4 proof), which is more cherry upfront and with oak and heat on the back.
The chocolate bundt cake was massive, enough for three people, easy. The dense, rich cake is a dream for those who like big desserts. At first, I thought the ice cream was overkill, but it’s a must because you need the softness of the cream to cancel out some of the chocolate. The bourbon’s orange-vanilla complemented the cake and brought out more caramel in the bourbon. I could have sat at the bar and had two shots and that cake and been very, very happy.
Overall, J. Alexander’s is about calibrating expectations. Not all restaurants do everything well, especially at this price point. Next time I go back, I’ll likely skip the wine.
Ray Marcano’s Fine Wine and Dine column explores the best wine and dining options in the Dayton region. He can be reached at winedineddn@gmail.com.
THE REVIEW
What: J. Alexander’s, 7970 Washington Village Dr, Dayton, OH 45459
Appetizers: 3 out of 5. You could make a meal out of one or two.
Dinner: 5 out of 5. The Orzo and Wild Rice was killer
Dessert: 5 out of 5. How much is too much? There is never too much
Service: 5+ out of 5: Attentive and didn’t try to pretend they knew what they didn’t
Ambiance: 3.5 out of 5. It’s nice with low lighting.
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