THIRD REVIEW - February 9, 2020
Star Rating: 3.0
What’s the difference between a “Foodie” and a Food Critic? A foodie has a vested interest in the success of the restaurants they frequent, and a critic couldn’t care less.
So… what is a foodie?
A foodie is someone that really appreciates and cares about food. The term can be stretched out to cover a slew of different people: One could associate as a foodie because they love the way you present your Eggs Benedict. Maybe you use thick sliced apple-wood bacon and farm fresh local eggs to separate your dish from the competition. This kind of foodie can thoroughly enjoy your food, and taste the depths and dimensions of your dishes.
Another kind of foodie can also be someone that is well versed in something specific, such as Tacos. They’ll travel far and wide across the valley, to find the best taco, and can even explain why one taco is better than the other.
However, a foodie in the purest form, is someone that cares deeply about their food in its entirety, and this includes the survival and long-term success of the very restaurant preparing that “FIX” – a symbiotic relationship that is mutually beneficial.
That said, lets recount our third update in this series – the Brunch Menu at Station 1 Bar & Grill; We sampled everything, and folks, we LOVED it! Started brunch with the “Falafel Fried Chicken and Waffle” – a fried chicken thigh with a waffle, and pork belly infused syrup. Simple enough, but upon inspection, you’ll find what makes this boneless chicken thigh taste so unique - the use of Falafel batter as a coating (Falafel is a mix of ground chickpeas with herbs and spices) – absolutely delicious. The waffle was fluffy, buttery, crispy-on-the-outside and soft and chewy on the inside, smothered with the most flavorful pork belly infused syrup – surprisingly a combination that was utterly delightful!
Then we had the “Breakfast BLT” – Multigrain bread, egg (cooked your way) with avocado mash, and hummus (a savory spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic) – again, an uncommon mix of ingredients that produce a wonderful, and unique taste.
Next, we enjoyed the “Breakfast Burger” – A big juicy and flavorful beef patty, layered with a slice of ham, a fried egg, bacon, pepper jack cheese, and chickpea puree – definitely a burger worth sinking your teeth in. And, both the BLT and Burger are served with the most awesome crispy fries around!
Then we moved on to the “Steak and Eggs” – Aside from the one piece of gristle that was served, the thinly sliced steak (well marinated), two eggs (cooked your way), with chickpea puree, and hollandaise sauce – was definitely good, but not the best value on the menu.
Next, we sampled the “Pork Belly and Eggs” – Two thick cuts of pork belly, two eggs (cooked your way), with blueberry glaze, and feta cheese – folks, this dish is real good, a combination of flavors you won’t find on any breakfast menu in town, we highly recommend you try this for sure!
Finally, we tried the “Breakfast Tacos” – nothing special here to talk about, but what made a difference was the delicious house made tortillas (with a flavor that’s a cross between a thin maize tortilla and a gordita, not too thick, not too thin) served with your choice of egg and bacon, or egg and sausage, the tasty red and green salsas provided a nice touch to the overall yumminess of these all time favorites.
All in all, the food was good, but we close with these recommendations: If you’re going to state that your eggs will be “cooked your way” then, make sure they’re cooked my way. We asked for “runny yolks” on both the BLT and Burger, and were served overcooked eggs. When it comes to quality assurance – never – ever – serve gristle on any plate (unless your customer deems it.) And, this last note may be subjective, but we sure would appreciate bigger portions on some of your plates.
And most of all, decide what Station 1 Bar & Grill wants to be when it grows up? For now, the brunch menu is great on weekends, and we all know you have some of the best selection of craft beers and drinks anywhere in the valley, but the final piece of the puzzle is still missing – your identity, and the kind of food that will be served to keep foodies coming back again, and again, and again…
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SECOND REVIEW – December 23, 2019
Star Rating: 2.5
It’s an industry fact that around 60 percent of new restaurants fail within the first year. And nearly 80 percent shutter before their fifth anniversary. Since our first review on August 9th a lot has changed, but a lot remains the same at Station 1 Bar & Grill.
For one, here’s what still remains the same: The variety and selection of craft beers and spirits, along with the mixologists who create them are unrivaled in the Rio Grande Valley. The service is good and the ambiance, down-to-earth and pleasant. Now add in “live” entertainment with sound acoustics and a roster of decent talent – So what’s there to complain about? Right?
Well, here’s where things have really changed…The Food. Believe you me when we say it gives us no great pleasure and certainly no satisfaction to report that their initial review of 3.5 stars has been bumped down to a 2.5 star rating. The graph below explains our criteria for reviewing a restaurant, and our base line for a ‘thumbs up’ is a minimum of 3 stars. Keep in mind that a 3 star rating from us is no easy feat for any restaurant to achieve.
Word has it that the quality and consistency of the food suffered invariably from whatever happened between management, the chef, and his kitchen staff. Not sure what the story is, or what changes were made, but these types of challenges are not new to restaurateurs – all the drama - par for the course.
So how do these changes translate to the food? Well for starters we pretty much ordered everything we had the first time around, and then added a few more dishes as well: The “hamburger sliders” – still good. The “tacos” still good. The “Cubano” sandwich – NOT good! Yes, there’s no doubt you can take creative license and experiment with the ingredients that make an authentic Cuban sandwich, but please don’t sacrifice the quality. In this case they used a “Ciabatta type” bread that was hard, dried up, and served cold; The roasted pork slices were luke warm and mostly fatty gristle (see the pic below). The ham slices tasted like something you’d find in the deli aisle of your local grocery store, and the swiss cheese and dill pickles that normally accompany this sandwich – almost non-existent.
The next dish was their “Steak Chimichurri”, an Argentinian favorite, and one heck of a meal when executed well. In this case the steak was once again served cold and drenched in a “chimichurri-like” concoction that was less than appetizing. You see, when done right, Chimichurri is a topping made from finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and white or red wine vinegar – a combination of flavors that excite the palate, and complement a steak in a unique and delightful way.
We closed the food tab by finally sampling their “Tuna-Tartare” a dish that is best served fresh and definitely chilled. In this case it was served warm and totally bland. For those not familiar: Tuna tartare is a dish made from raw tuna that has been cut into small pieces before serving. It can be chopped, cut into chunks, or sliced. Tuna tartare is one of those dishes that acts as a canvas for a chef's culinary sensibilities. Add a little soy and ginger and an Asian-infused flavor emerges. Add mango or pineapple to yield a wonderfully tropical flavor. Again, what was served was less than pleasing.
The tone of this review may seem harsh, but in all fairness, we’re rooting for this establishment and its management to succeed. We’re optimistic and give them credit where credit is due. It’s time for decisions to be made: Is Station One Bar & Grill simply a “bar” that serves unique and refreshing drinks, along with a simpler menu consisting of sliders and house fries, or a full-fledged dining experience that offers a fusion of flavors worthy of grilling?
Stay tuned for yet another update – soon.
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INITIAL REVIEW - August 9, 2019
Star Rating: 3.5
All-in-all a pleasant experience. The menu has a wide variety of flavors. The Cuban sandwich was tasty – as close to the real thing without going to Miami. The tacos were good, but our favorite was the wanton chicken cashew taco – deeeelicious. The hamburger sliders are very good, though we wish there was an additional slider for the price. They offer a great selection of wine and spirits in a comfortable setting with a unique “vibe” - the staff is attentive and friendly. We’ll be back soon so stay tuned for a future update.
Station 1 Bar & Grill - Harlingen
