End of the semester blues got you down? A relaxing evening at Paragary’s Bar and Oven in Gold River may be just what the doctor ordered before you delve into a final project frenzy.

Paragary’s is a classy, yet casual restaurant that offers the perfect atmosphere to let yourself unwind. The decor is simple and artistic with fresh flowers adorning the walls. It is quiet, romantic and the perfect place for conversation. Ten minutes in this place will make you forget about the approaching stress that comes with finals.

Don’t let the plethora of Audis and Mercedes Benzs in the parking lot fool you, this restaurant is in no way pretentious, snooty or uncomfortable. Paragary’s staff is cordial to all wallet sizes and can’t distinguish starving students from business executives. Although you can go casual, save your Birkenstocks and t-shirts for Paragary’s sister location, Cafe Bernardo. Wearing anything from cotton chinos to dresses, skirts and ties would save you from sticking out like a sore thumb.

The menu is what I would call “Yuppie-Italian.” This is a place where grilled eggplant tops pizzas, and salads begin with mixed greens. Prices are fair for such a fine establishment and dining experience, but still may be a credit card kind of evening. In my mind the delicacies served would be worth every finance charge you accumulate.For starters, I would recommend ordering any of Paragary’s wood-fired pizzas ($9 to $13). The thin crust is out of this world and puts most pizzas to shame. Note the descriptions on the pizzas though, they aren’t traditional, so only the ones that actually mention a tomato sauce have it included.

For your main course, the menu offers many pasta dishes and meat and seafood entrees. First hand I can tell you that the sweet potato ravioli ($12.75) with brown butter, brussel sprout leaves, walnuts and parmesan is a pure delight. The combination of the sweetness of the potato filling and the accent of walnuts made this meal almost dessert-like. This was actually my first experience with a brussel sprout in my life, and I can actually confess that they weren’t so bad after all.

Other menu options include linguine and clams ($14.25), bucatini and meatballs ($13.50), lamb stew ($17.00) and grilled sea bass with Manila clams, chickpeas, carrots, leeks and housemade chorizo ($17.50).

To complete the whole dining experience, there are employees who specialize in running the pepper grinder and cheese grater over your meal at the table. In my mind, a pepper boy is pure pampering.

At such a well-known restaurant I anticipated a long wait to be seated. To my surprise I was able to walk in at 6 p.m. on a Saturday night and be seated at a table for two instantaneously. Reservations are only accepted for parties of six or more.

So you’ve almost made it through another semester of your education and deserve to be rewarded for your hard work. Use all this end-of-the-semester business as an excuse to indulge yourself. Make a special occasion out of your pain and suffering and grab a date, put on something nice and treat yourself to a glass of wine and great food.

Paragary’s Bar and Oven in Gold River receives four out of five Sinatras.

A second Paragary’s location can be found at 1401 28th Street in Sacramento.