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Culinary Connection
The Station
By Bruce Wildstein
The first question you might ask yourself is how does a restaurant specializing in Italian and Spanish food end up with a name like The Station? The answer is simple: by having the restaurant situated next to a metro train station. And while the name doesn't indicate what type of food you would find inside, rest assured that The Station serves up some very fine French/Italian cuisine indeed. Here you have a family run business that draws on many years of experience in preparing authentic food based on their heritage. Fresh, high quality ingredients are the order of the day. And the menu at the station is extensive, with dozens of homemade pasta dishes, ravioli and risottos, meat, seafood, and veal entrées. Add to that a dozen or so pizzas, the daily specials, and their popular signature dishes. Without question, diners can find just about anything they might desire at The Station.
We made our arrival on a Saturday night and were pleased to find that they had a jazz saxophonist playing for the evening. Decor is simple but pleasing, with classic food and wine posters artfully framed and fresh flowers on the tables. There is also a patio outside. The wine list includes a number of California labels, plus Spanish and Argentinean offerings. Appetizers run the gamut from calamari, eggplant Parmesan, mussels, and escargot. We decided to try their Crab Tower however as our starter. Featured on this dish was a mound of crabmeat sitting atop a mixture of diced mango and avocado with a mango citrus dressing. The tower was surrounded by a circle of sliced cucumbers and chopped tomatoes. The combination proved to be a delightfully fresh contrast in tastes, and in minutes it disappeared. But then we tried something special, which isn't on the menu: two scallops prepared in the shell with a fabulous cheese sauce. Scallops are generally not prepared this way, so it was a real treat and you should ask for it if you love scallops. As the dining room continued to fill up, we perused the menu for our choice of entrée. Oh, and I should mention the delicious homemade bread that had been brought to the table with an excellent olive oil tapenad (dip). For our entrée, which we split, we decided on one of The Station's signature dishes, the Bronzino Pescatore al Cartoccio. This magnificent dish consisted of a whole Mediterranean Sea Bass cooked in parchment paper. The fish was surrounded by cooked mussels and rested on a portion of pasta with tomato sauce. In addition, several shrimp were atop the bass as well as clams and baked calamari. Is that enough to satisfy a seafood lover? Yes it was. This dish did everything right, plus it was a good-sized portion and again not something you'll find at other restaurants. Other signature dishes at The Station include the Hawaiian Ahi which is sear blackened with lemon and mustard sauce on a bed of sautéed spinach. Rack of lamb is available, as is a grilled Fillet Mignon with a mushroom brandy sauce served with mashed sweet potatoes and vegetables. Beef Wellington here features a Black Angus fillet, and patrons rave about their veal Osso Bucco.
Among the pasta dishes at the station you'll find a Linguine Vongoale with sautéed clams, scallops, and chopped tomatoes with spinach in a white wine sauce. There is also the Fusilli Contadina which has spiral pasta with grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and broccoli in a light cream sauce. Pizzas include favorites such as the Pomodoro, Margharita, Vegetarian, and The Station, which has tomato sauce, mozzarella, goat cheese, caramelized onions, roasted peppers, and grilled eggplant.
With our meal almost complete, we knew we had to try their great desserts. After much deliberation we settled on the Ladyfingers and the Pot du Chocolate. The latter is actually made by the owner's wife and features a very thick and rich chocolate cream topped with whipped cream. This certainly will delight most any chocolate lover. The Ladyfingers were dipped in coffee and rum with layers of whipped cream plus walnuts, peaches, and dulce le leche. Both desserts were fabulous without being overpowering. Coffee drinks are of course available.
The Station is serving up some great food and deserves to be on your list of places to visit soon. They currently feature a complete fixed-price dinner for two for just $59, excluding drinks. The Station is located at 22222 Devonshire St, near Canoga Avenue. For reservations call (818) 349-8500.