Montclair Station: Another Train Station And Another Meal

I have a memory of a train station somewhere in Germany back in the early 1980s, a stop, a wait for the connecting train and a meal. That was my first time in Europe where I experienced, among other things, what food is supposed to be, and what it feels like to savor a meal cooked without speed, eaten leisurely, accompanied by a glass of local wine. Yes, at a humble train station in a tiny German village they know how to do things right.

Fast forward to last Wednesday evening - another train station and another meal. My husband and I finally got ourselves across Anderson Park to Montclair Station, the new bar and casual dining establishment in the newly restored station house in Upper Montclair. We were not catching a train; we were catching some mid-week respite from constantly ringing telephones, emails, blank pages waiting to be filled with my thesis in progress, the work that invades us 24/7 because my husband and I both work at home.

At first glance, Montclair Station has a welcoming charm, a wide airy room with tile floors, windows that open, ceiling fans whirling silently overhead, and an oak bar dominating the room. Six thirty on a Wednesday evening, the dining area was sparsely occupied, a couple on the porch drinking wine, a family at a table against the far wall, one or two folks at the bar. Trains clang noisily past and there is a sense of coming and going, but here a sense of calm prevails. Oldies play on the sound system. Since this is the 21st century, the required TVs are visible, but muted - two near the bar and two toward the back wall.

We were seated and immediately breathed with relief from the outdoor heat while cool air breezed around us, propelled by the overhead fans. We ordered wine by the glass, a Chardonnay for my husband and a Chilean red for me. Water appeared, menus, and a smiling waitress. Fresh bread, rosemary topped, with a saucer of olive oil flavored with garlic and black pepper. Yes, maybe Americans have learned something about food since the 1980s. The basics passed with flying colors. The manager came over to welcome us, shook our hands and bid us an enjoyable meal.

Wanting to sample a variety, but not spend a fortune, we studied the menu. We had heard the prices were a bit steep, and searched the salad menu for something to accompany an entrée. The menu listed a Mixed Green Salad for $9, the only salad under $10. But, to our delight, the waitress explained that she would bring us half salads. The listed ones were meal-sized portions. Sighs of relief. I ordered a half Arugula Salad, with sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, balsamic vinaigrette. The Mixed Greens were served in a deep bowl with asparagus, tiny squares (plentiful) of mozzarella, toasted almonds, tomato, and a gently flavored orange vinaigrette which brought back the memory of that German meal so long ago. The Arugula Salad, equally generous, offered a sharp taste as compared to the sweet understated greens, but that's why you go with Arugula to begin with. Excellent variety of well-done flavors. Large enough portions that I worried we wouldn't finish before the entrees arrived. The kitchen did not hurry us.

Meanwhile, the place was filling up. A group of women now occupied the round corner table to the left, two more couples took seats nearby, the bar looked busier. We noticed the lights dim as the evening progressed, and the place morphed away from the bright shiny afternoon place where you'd grab a sandwich or a pizza into a quieter mood.

The printed menu offers familiar categories of sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, small plates, and pasta courses. A closer look reveals that the steamed mussels are served with crostini, plum tomatoes, chorizo, and saffron broth ($11) and the crab cake is accompanied by smoked jalapeno aioli ($15). The turkey sandwich features bacon, smoked gouda, and not just mayo, but rosemary mayo ($12).

I make it a rule to never order something at a restaurant that I can make at home. When I make clam sauce, I don't add pancetta so I gave my husband permission to order the Linguine with fresh clams ($15). I selected the Grilled Swordfish from the evening specials menu ($26) which also offered an 8 oz Filet Mignon for $28, a pasta dish for $15, salmon and one other dish both priced just above $20. I've grilled swordfish at home, and I've had it out often, but Montclair Station serves it with polenta with sun-dried tomatoes so I just had to try it. The swordfish was hot, tender, grilled to perfection and the portion was large enough to feed two people, at least in my house. A creamy tomato reduction added subtly to the flavor of the perfectly cooked fish. The polenta was so good I went out the next day and bought corn grits so I could try it at home.

The thing about pasta is simple … you've got to take it out of the water at exactly the right time. Montclair Station did that. The thing about clams is that they've got to be fresh. Montclair Station's clams were whole and fresh, tender and delicious. The clam sauce, hot and flavorful, with a balanced blend of clams, garlic, and pancetta, was simple perfection. And, my husband observed, the former tenant at the train station, Lotsa Pasta, was a bit skimpy with their serving sizes. Neither of us could finish our Montclair Station entrees because they were so generous. But, of course, I had to try dessert.

Blueberries are in season, so the choice was easy. A scoop of vanilla gelato, oatmeal based crumble surrounded by a sea of blueberries in a sweet blueberry sauce accompanied by two well brewed cups of coffee served with half and half. The coffee begs for comment. Often, after a satisfying meal, a cup of regular or decaffeinated coffee tastes like an afterthought. Here, the coffee was hot, fresh and strong, not a watery consolation prize because we didn't go for the fancy stuff.

The service at Montclair Station was professional, friendly and unobtrusive, not too fast and not slow. The food impeccably prepared.

Manager Charles Nuzzo formerly ran Ruga, a restaurant in Bergen County and M Bistro in Los Angeles. He calls his menu a 'grazing menu' with the typical visitor enjoying a personal pizza and a drink at the bar for under $25, but the casual comings and goings of daytime eaters is transformed into a fine dining experience come evening. If you want to relax and linger, they'll know. If you are in a hurry, tell the server. They are, after all, in the train station. They know commuters. They also know those out for a relaxing meal. They accommodate both and do it very well.

Open early to offer coffee and baked goods to morning commuters, Montclair Station serves lunch beginning at noon from an open kitchen visible beyond the bar. They serve from the menu all day and add evening specials beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday is Prime Rib night; Thursday is Lobster night. They offer reduced drink prices and complimentary appetizers during Happy Hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and, except for summer, they are busiest on the weekends. Stop in, linger, eat, you will leave feeling full and much, much more than satisfied.

Montclair Station

275 Bellevue Avenue

973-337-5828