Paragary's set to reopen, is beautiful

After 15 months and $1 million in renovations, Paragary’s will reopen for dinner Friday, June 12.

The space looks amazing—and amazingly different. What once felt like a dark pub is now open and bright, with higher ceilings, larger windows and a Parisian flair. Randy Paragary’s wife Stacy was highly involved in the design, inspired by travels to create a “riff on a French bistro meets English pub meet California modern,” she said. Floor tiles came from Vietnam; modern light fixtures from Los Angeles and Montreal; the walnut hostess stand is actually made from the restaurant’s old walls. The fireplace is gone; instead, indoor diners can appreciate a view of the still-gorgeous patio.

Randy Paragary said he started planning the reboot five years ago.

“Restaurants usually don’t last 32 years,” he said. “I always felt our food was high-quality… but we certainly fell behind with decor and atmosphere, and that’s definitely part of why people go out to eat.”

That said, the menu got a major overhaul as well. Some staples remain: wood-fired pizzas, hand-cut rosemary pasta with chicken and pancetta, the sliced mushroom salad. But with chef Scott Ostrander (previously at Esquire Grill) heading the kitchen, Paragary’s menu—still Californian with Mediterranean influences—skews more French.

“I think French is the proper way to show technique and appreciation for food and ingredients,” Ostrander said.

Think chicken ballotine, cherry tart tatin and crab beignets. And speaking of crab, expect much more seafood at the new Paragary’s—something of a rarity at Sacramento restaurants.

“I’m getting to use more and more obscure ingredients, which I love and farmers love,” Ostrander said, such as slightly sour, leafy purslane; borage, a blue flower; and a variety of imported cheeses.

As for price point? Let’s just say there’s a $16 burger.

Don’t worry, the patio didn’t go anywhere. // Janelle Bitker