Everyone should head to Station Square. No, not the Pittsburgh Station Square, although that’s not too bad of an idea, but to the one in Liberty on Belmont Avenue. Station Square has been a mainstay of the Liberty restaurant scene since 1986. The truth of the matter is that I am basically turned off by restaurants that are attached to budget motels, and Station Square is one of those.But Mark has learned some tough lessons. Hyde Park Grille in Beachwood is attached to an “interesting” motel, and it is one of the top steakhouses in northeast Ohio. Fortune Garden is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants, and located outside of the shell of the Tally Ho Motel. When will I ever learn?
A friend of mine introduced me to Station Square after an event a month or so ago when we stopped by there for an after formal dance drink. Since then, I have been back there twice, and I really like this place. The menu is great. The food is very good. The atmosphere is inviting and comfortable…almost old school. I am glad I finally wised up to a great place.
One of the first things I like about the place is that it takes reservations. Word to wise, make them on the weekends. We didn’t both times my wife and I went there to eat, so we ate at the bar…which is where we normally end up eating in most places we go to. So I can’t tell you about dining in the dining room. But this is a great bar. It is convivial. The bartenders are friendly and know what they are doing. And you get pretty good mix of people drinking and eating. We have met some nice people hanging out while eating dinner. And what is really neat, at least for me, the crowd is not the twenty somethings. The folks frequenting here are adults...in an adult environment. Very comfortable for those over 40.
The food here is good. Let’s start with my only criticism. I got this thing about boring salads. It comes with the meal, but lettuce on a plate with a tomato just doesn’t cut it for me. Dressing up the house salad can give a place class, and it doesn’t take much to do.
But the rest of the meals were terrific. The menu is just extensive enough, with a healthy dose of the usual Youngstown Italian fare. But it also offers a wide choice of steaks and chops, veal, fish and chicken. Appetizers range from stuffed shrimp to stuffed mushrooms (shades of the 70’s) to prosciutto and parmesan cheese. At the other end of the meal are some interesting desserts including something called Apples Foster, a twist on the traditional Bananas Foster, which was different and worth a taste!!! It was addicting.
In between appetizers and dessert, for the main course I have sampled the Veal Francaise and the Veal Parm. Both were terrific. The Francaise was the more interesting of the two, similar to what we are used to in the area, but prepared a tad different from what we are used to in this area moving it from ho hum to wow!! My wife is partial to their stir fries, which make for extremely tasty lighter choices. These are also addicting…so don’t sample!!!!
I am a sucker for local restaurants. These folks try hard under very difficult circumstances. I wouldn’t want to do what they do, and I salute those who are successful. Obviously Station Square is one of those places that has stood the “taste” of time, and I am glad I found it…better late than never!!! And never mind that motel that is behind these great places!!
This is an easy 4 meatballs.
Station Square
4250 Belmont Ave.
1 comments:
This is one of the best places to eat in the area. The broiled haddock with crab meat and garlic mashed potatoes is one of the best dishes I've had in the Mahoning Valley.
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