Station Restaurant Review – A Small Plate Dining Experience

Published by Angie. Last Updated on February 16, 2024.

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Station closed in February 2024.

As Station is a relatively new restaurant in Bloomfield with small and large plates, a separate tavern menu, Sunday brunch, craft cocktails, and local beer, it is has been on our list to try for some time.

However, we recently sampled Station's corn custard at a local festival, and it was so good that we immediately catapulted Station to the top of our restaurant list to visit.

Visit Station for the Small Plates

Corn Custard at Station

Naturally, during our recent dinner there, we had to start with the corn custard small plate- and it was just as interesting and delicious as we remembered. The slightly sweet, creamy corn custard was topped with fresh corn, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy little sourdough croutons.

Corned Beef Tongue at Station

We couldn't resist a few more small plates so we opted for the zucchini as well as the corned beef tongue. The zucchini reminded me of a summer picnic salad: nutty freekeh, tangy ramp kimchi vinaigrette, thin onion slices, and delicate slices of zucchini combined to make a light, refreshing salad.

Station in PIttsburgh

To accompany our small plates we tried a glass of wine (“The Whip”- a white blend from California) and the El Chapo cocktail. The cocktail was a blend of mezcal, Grand Marnier, Creme de Violette, lavender, lemon, and chipotle. Although the cocktail was smokey as expected, the smokiness was balanced with a lavender-forward flavor and some sweetness.

The most amazing dish of the night was the corned beef tongue small plate. Delicate slices of tender, rich, and perfectly salty corned beef tongue rested on top of crispy toast spread with a creamy broccoli cheddar puree.

The richness was kept in check with bitter broccoli spears and slices of spicy pickled chili peppers. This was definitely a dish we could have eaten several more of- and still been surprised at the intriguing flavor combinations!

Going for the Striped Bass Main Dish

Sea Bass at Station

While the entrees are heavily focused on meat, there was a vegetable pasta dish and fish on the menu when we visited. Although the tagliatelle with smoked pork shank piqued our interested, we ultimately decided on the striped bass.

Like the corned beef tongue, this dish was full of contrasting flavors that amazed our palate with every bite. The fish was pan seared, meaty and well-seasoned, and a zucchini relish served as a tartar sauce of sorts.

Roasted zucchini chunks and smokey braised baby romaine were served on the side. A corn puree was dolloped on top which was sweet, creamy, and foamy. A surprising fennel flavor emerged in the occasional bite to provide a palate-cleansing contrast.

There is Always Room for Dessert

Station in Pittsburgh

The dessert menu is small, consisting of just two peculiar dishes: popcorn panna cotta and lavender pound cake. We love lavender and so we opted for the pound cake which was moist and rich, topped with small bits of pineapple, coconut cream, and a dusting of powdered sugar. The dish was sweet but not overly so, a fairly light way to end the meal.

The service was nice in that our waitress was always there when we needed her without being intrusive, and the dishes came out in a well-paced progression considering we ordered a mix of small plates and an entree.

The presentation of each dish was artful without being overly fussy, and the flavor combinations were creative yet cohesive. Station is an all-around solid spot for a Saturday night out, and we hope to get back soon for Sunday brunch.

The folks at Station understand us.

Station was located at 4744 Liberty Avenue and closed in February 2024.

For more restaurants nearby, be sure to check out Apteka, Chantal's Cheese Shop, or Tram's Kitchen! Or, for more reviews of Pittsburgh restaurants, click the previous link to be taken to our directory of every review on Discover the Burgh!

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