Culinary Connection
Finding the Good Life at the Station
By Kathy Highcove
It's a fact of life. Busy people need to kick back occasionally and enjoy a leisurely meal. The Station Restaurant in Chatsworth provides patrons quality dining in the Continental style. In the bistro's softly lit dining room, lined with posters of French art, diners converse and laugh sip and savor, under the attentive eye of owners Steven and Graciela Bilotta and their staff.
The Bilotta's have established a haven in the North Valley for gourmet cuisine. They acquired, refurbished, and re-opened their bistro in a mini-mall on Devonshire Blvd. The diner's location near the Amtrak train station inspired the name: The Station. Several times a day, the Amtrak commuter train streaks past diners like a silver arrow shot through the rugged chaparral of the North Valley.
In the past, North Valley residents have had to journey far distances to enjoy a quality meal in the French/Italian style. In these days of high gas prices and traffic congestion, dining out can be a pain. Steven Bilotta, a recently retired Chatsworth engineer, noted the lack of quality diners and had a solution:
"I needed a good restaurant near my home in Porter Ranch. Every time Graciela and I wanted to dine Continental style, we had to travel all over Los Angeles County. So we decided to start a restaurant and use our cooking know-how. We have given our Chatsworth community a quality restaurant. "
Graciela and Steven Bilotta have traveled world wide, collecting recipes and sampling food. Once home they cook together and perfect the new dishes they enjoyed abroad. When the dishes are ready for sharing, The Station has a new entree or appetizer. Bilotta buys only fresh seasonal foods from his suppliers. Consequently, cooks and chefs at The Station prepare different specials every week - sometimes every night. Or... A diner may call the Bilotta's to request a particular dish, or a custom menu. The Station's kitchen will work on that specific dinner for that particular diner and his guests.
"Tell me what you want and I will find it," Stephen says. "I choose only the best quality meat and seafood, and the freshest produce. You will have a memorable meal at The Station - I give my word."
My companion and I took Bilotta at his word and ordered the special: Mariscada. While waiting for the dish we tried servings of endive salad. Endive spears, hearts of palm and bean sprouts tousled in a Champagne dressing. The greens were crisp and fresh, and the dressing was a perfect counterpoint to the natural flavor.
"I do not overwhelm the natural flavors of my dishes; I enhance them," Bilotta told us. And to prove his point, he sent us tender frog legs in a fresh tomato based Provencal sauce, and sautéed baby octopus in a light lemon sauce. We ate the appetizers with relish, and sopped up the sauces with soft chunks of freshly baked soft rolls. We left not a drop of Provencal.
The cook/owner next produced and uncorked a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Bianchi Famiglia Vineyards of Arg-entina. We sipped a glass, savored the subtle flavors, and cleared our palates in anticipation of the main entree. Server Eugene Yi next brought us two small bowls of Two-Pepper Soup, piquant and freshly pureed. As we finished the soup, the piece d'resistance arrived - the Mariscada: a large platter displaying several types of perfectly steamed seafood arranged artistically around a base of black spaghetti strands. The food resembled Neptune's crown - almost too attractive to take apart and devour. We slowly ate the fresh mussels, large blue shrimp, pink shrimp and fried baby clams with forkfuls of moist pasta.
We concluded our meal with two of Graciela Bilotta's newest desserts. We managed to find room for ladyfingers dipped in sweet coffee sauce, and soaked in cognac. The second dessert was a delectably sweet peaches 'n cream on a moist slice of pound cake with a golden peach flavored sauce. A demitasse of New Guinea coffee marked the finale of our Continental dinner. We left satiated by The Station's memorable menu, and refreshed by the laid back Continental style meal.
Prices: Appetizers from $10 to $15, salads from $8.50 to $10.95, pastas and entrees from $15 to $25, specials $20 - $50, desserts: $5 - $10, Pizzas: $10.95 to $13.50. Side Orders: $5.95, Corkage: $10. Prices may vary.
Lunch: Tuesday to Friday from
11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dinner: Thursday: 5:00 pm to
10:00 pm, Fri - Sat: 5:00 pm to
11:00 pm, Sundays: 5:00 pm to
9:00 pm
The Station
21515 Devonshire St.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
(818) 349-8500