A classy, upscale dining establishment right in downtown Troy, Ohio, The Caroline seems to be well-known around the little town as a good place to get a quality meal. The Caroline offers a diverse menu of steaks, seafood, burgers and pasta. There’s an extensive outdoor patio and plenty of interior space for couples and large groups alike. It’s a real class establishment, and it brings some classy good cuisine to north Dayton.
I’ve tried a few of The Caroline’s different dishes, though it has a pretty diverse list of things to try.
- Shrimp basket was delicious. The shrimp are served up fried and with a nice marinara sauce that is sweet and fruity. It is also served with a house kind of kettle chips. In all a very crispy and filling meal.
- Pork chop: A 12oz bone-in delicacy, splashed with just a bit of barbecue sauce and some apples. I liked the simple use of the flavors, and all-in-all it’s one of those quality dishes that lets the cut of meat speak for itself instead of drowning it in other things.
- Soup of the day: These are very creative. They seem to change pretty regularly and they tend to be something or another you wouldn’t expect in soup form. The day I went to visit, I had a wonderful “Philly Cheese Steak” soup, very creamy with some bits of cheese steak in it. Brilliant, I think.
- Steaks: The sirloin is cooked perfectly, the version I sampled was rubbed with espresso and served in a bourbon glaze. The house steak is an Angus cut, and among the other options is filet mignon and ribeye.
The Caroline has got a very classy vibe, the concept is sort of dark but it’s got a feel of a mid-range restaurant, could be a destination for special occasions but in general doesn’t have to be considered “fine dining.” Which is a good thing, because its location in the middle of Troy means you probably will be coming here for a quick lunch just as frequently as you’d be coming here in your Sunday best. Prices are toward the high-end of normal for this kind of a restaurant.
In all, a great place to get lunch or dinner. The restaurant is polished and the cuisine is refined. Definitely worth the trip. The Caroline does the fast, painless lunch relatively well, and it does the fancy, high-class dinner well, too.
Recommendations
- The seafood options are excellent. Fried or grilled are each good options.
- Parking is street only, which is to say you might want to walk if you can because the parking in downtown Troy can sometimes be hard to come by.
- Highly recommend the place for small groups. Bring one or two friends out. The dining room can feel a little crowded at the lunch rush but the outside porch is spectacular.
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