But getting there early meant I was seated right away, and I settled in for a few hours of a “Fine Wine and Dine” experience.
How was it?
The impressive wine list has something for everyone, from $8 glasses of Robert Mondavi to wines that cost several hundred dollars and more. I had my eye on the 2020 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon ($175) but changed my mind because I wanted to sample several of the offerings.
I started with shrimp cocktail ($15) and French Onion soup ($8), paired with a 2024 Duckhorn North Coast Sauvignon Blanc ($14 glass/$45 bottle). It must have been Duckhorn month in the region since Carrabba’s Italian Grill and the County Club of the North each had Duckhorn dinners.
The wine at the Paragon came in Riedel stemware, and it’s the kind of impressive touch restaurants often miss. The elegance of the glass gives the impression that this is an operation that knows wine and takes it seriously.
The five medium shrimp were nicely chilled, served with a cocktail sauce that’ll sneak up on you. I like horseradish more than most, and at first bite, I didn’t get much heat. But by the third shrimp, my nose started dancing, so, yeah, good heat there.
The crisp Blanc, with a nose of pear and citrus and a delicate pineapple on the palate, cut the cocktail sauce nicely.
The French Onion soup had a rich beefy broth and soft caramelized onions, a delightful treat on a cold winter night. The soup was topped with a generous helping of bubbly Swiss cheese. I could have eaten the melty gooiness alone and been happy.
The main course
For dinner, I ordered the 16-ounce bone-in fillet, a salad, and a potato ($70). The Paragon also had a few specials that night, so I also ordered the macaroni and cheese.
Salads are, generally, not much to be impressed by, but I was impressed with this one. The green salad wasn’t drowning in the balsamic dressing I ordered and came with shaved parmesan cheese that added a nice salty bite. It was a pleasant departure from the shredded stuff often plopped on a plate.
I ordered the steak medium, which I knew would be a challenge. I’ve stopped trying to cook bone-in fillets because they’re notoriously difficult to properly prepare. These thick pieces of meat lend themselves to overcooking on the ends and undercooking near the bone, which will attract heat and pull it away from the nearby meat.
That’s what happened here. The center was perfect, soft, flavorful and delicately seasoned, so I could taste a little salt and pepper that didn’t detract from the dish. But the end was (more than) well done, and the meat near the bone, rare. The attentive server asked if I wanted the steak put back on the grill, but I declined. I figured I could take it home, toss it in hot butter for 30 seconds, and add it to a salad.
I’m glad I ordered the Paragon Mac & Cheese ($16), a featured item big enough for four people to share given all the food you get with the main. It reminded me of how the South Carolina side of the family would make mac and cheese. The cheesy layer on top hid the creaminess that coated the noodles below, and I could hear my aunts arguing over who made the best batch.
There were lots of wine choices, and in addition to the Silver Oak, the 2021 Darioush Signature Cabernet ($225) and the Mount Veeder, Napa Valley ($117, no vintage listed) caught my eye. Instead, I tried the 2021 Groth Cabernet ($25 glass/$95 bottle) and the Meiomi Cabernet ($12 glass/$44 bottle).
When the Meiomi came to the table, I could smell the grape jelly without putting it up to my nose. This is a wine for those who love huge fruit all the way through. It had some tannins, but the jelly and blackberry jam dominated.
The Groth was far better, a big tannic wine with balanced flavors of black cherry and blackberry. It had a little sweetness and a long, lush finish. It was very good.
Dessert and an after-dinner drink
For dessert, I was torn between the cheesecake ($10) and the Key Lime Pie ($10). I went with the cheesecake, with strawberry sauce on the side, because I figured it would go better with an after-dinner drink.
That drink was Blanton’s Single Barrel bourbon, a hard-to-find pour that shouldn’t be. During the recent bourbon craze, Blanton’s became a more allocated product with limited supply and increased demand. Now that the industry’s on a downturn, we’re beginning to see Blanton’s at restaurants and (egad!) on liquor store shelves.
Blanton’s was available at $15/ounce, a reasonable price, and I had one. The light honey and vanilla on the nose carried to the finish, where caramel and light pepper popped. The hefty portion of cheesecake wasn’t sweet (good!) and light, with the crumb easily breaking away from the bottom of the dessert. That combination of flavors — sour cream, cream cheese, vanilla, caramel — was a winner. I could eat that all day.
Ray Marcano writes Fine Wine and Dine for the Dayton Daily News and DaytonDailyNews.com. He can be reached at winedineddn@gmail.com.
THE REVIEW
What: Paragon Supper Club, 797 Miamisburg Centerville Road, Washington Twp.
Appetizer: 5 out of 5: Just enough shrimp.
Soup: 5 out of 5. If you like cheese, this is for you.
Main course: 4.5 out of 5. Would have been a 5 without the minor cook issues.
Dessert: 5 out of 5. Blanton’s and cheesecake? All day, every day please.
Service: 5 out of 5. The two-hour meal was perfectly paced. I didn’t feel rushed or ignored.
Ambiance: 5 out of 5. Wood paneling, Low lights. Marvelous bar for cocktails.
Your feedback: Do you have a favorite Paragon Supper Club meal? Let us know at winedineddn@gmail.com.
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