HOTSPOT OF THE WEEK: VINCENT HILL STATION
ACTON 661-272-4799 553 West Sierra Hwy.
Hill Station is a local treasure. Charming and authentic, old-style wainscoting and sturdy Windsor chairs and tables return the diner to an era of cross-country train journeys and en- route dinner stops. Refurbished and enlarged, the building has been Vincent Hill Station restaurant and saloon for 30 years. It is perfect not only for holidays and special celebrations, but also for lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, live entertainment, having a cocktail in the bar in front of the beautiful fireplace, quaint gettogethers, catering or using the garden patio for that perfect wedding.
On this particular Sunday, my family decided to check out Vincent Hill Station for brunch. What makes this particular brunch so special is the nice menu. It starts off with appetizers— Shrimp Cocktail, Crab Stuffed Mushrooms and Hand Breaded Calamari. On to the Sandwiches, Salads and Pastas like Smoked Turkey Croissant, BBQ Chicken sandwich, BLT, Steak Sandwich, French Dip, Grilled Chicken Caesar, Angel Hair Pasta & Smoked Salmon. Followed up with egg dishes, build-your-own omelets or scrambles with the likes of a 10-ounce choice New York Steak and Eggs, Classic Eggs Benedict as well as Eggs Vincent Hill (poached eggs over English muffin topped with a savory spinach, bacon and mushroom sauce). Or maybe you are interested in one of Vincent Hill’s Specialty Burgers (classic cheese, classic with Swiss cheese and a savory spinach mushroom sauce or buildyour own with sautéed mushrooms or shallots, bleu cheese or avocado). The Vincent Hill Signature Chicken Piccata or Pork Ribs with sweet Louisiana red sauce is another choice and any one of these would be perfect as all the food at Vincent Hill is superb.
Brunch is served with a basket of warm croissants, a nice serving of fresh fruit and then you choose your entree. We started off with the classiest of fried foods; the Calamari Appetizer— lots of tasty hand breaded calamari piled high served with lemon and cocktail sauce. We thoroughly enjoyed it as it was extremely delectable.
For my entrée I picked the Vincent Hill Signature Chicken Piccata with extra lemon butter and capers served with spinach and potatoes. A large chicken breast dredged in flour, browned and served with a sauce of butter, lemon juice, capers and wine. I can definitely see why it has the word “signature” as it was absolutely fabulous. It is one of my all-time favorite dishes and I wasn’t disappointed— simple but elegant with a flavor you will crave for days to come. The creamed spinach with bacon had a wonderful taste, but then again bacon makes everything delicious.
My companion had the Angel Hair Pasta cooked with garlic; fresh tomato & basil then tossed in olive oil. The presentation was really beautiful and the flavor was superb—freshly grated Parmesan cheese was the perfect complement to this dish.
My granddaughter went for the sweet choice— Belgian Waffle with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. She decided to add the endless champagne for a small additional charge.
The texture of the waffle was perfectly moist, with lots of freshly made whipped cream and topped with some very fresh strawberries. So, she had the perfect combination – waffles, strawberries and champagne – and was very happy with her choice and was kind enough to share, which made the perfect ending to a perfect brunch.
While we were there, I asked to see the lunch and dinner menu which were full of some interesting items, for lunch—Crab Stuffed Mushrooms, New York Steak Sandwich (oh yeah, that will be my next endeavor) Gourmet Grilled Cheese w/bacon and grilled onions plus Cajun Chicken Salad, Seared Tuna Salad, Omelet w/ bacon, cheddar cheese and spinach and the list goes on…so much so, that I planned on lunch the following Tuesday!
The dinner menu touted some amazing appetizers— Portuguese Sausage Soup, Escargot Provencal and Shrimp Cocktail to name a few and the entrees sounded even more fabulous, if that is even possible—Smoked Free-Range Chicken Penne Pasta, King in Vermouth Sauce, Roasted Muscovy Drake Half Duck, Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops—are your taste buds drooling yet? Well, mine certainly were and then I read on—Tiger Shrimp & New York Steak, Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Black Angus Tri Tip and so many more—I guess I will be having dinner there soon as well!
On Tuesday, my friend Sandy and I met for lunch as I was on a mission—steak sandwiches are one of my favorite sandwiches in the whole world and couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into one! I customized mine by adding grilled onions and mushrooms and then added mayo and tomato to finish my creation. Wow—boldly seasoned and juicy meat with perfectly grilled veggies created an incredible flavor so incredible that I practically inhaled the entire sandwich and then followed up with some fabulous French fries and a perfectly ripe slice of cantaloupe.
Sandy ordered the French Dip with natural au jus served with French fries. The roll was fresh and soft with a generous serving of savory, tender beef and delicious au jus to dip. She gave me a small bite that I would give a three-thumbs up if I only had a third hand!
An underground temperature and humiditycontrolled wine cellar is filled with Champagne, Sparkling Wines, Imported and Domestic Whites, Reds Port and Cognac. Special wines can even be preordered and served with your dinner reservation— now that is excellent customer service!
Vincent Hill Station Restaurant and Saloon is open Tuesday – Sunday and closed Monday. Lunch served 11AM-3PM and dinner 3:30PM – 10PM. Sunday Brunch 11AM-3PM and located at the top of the grade at 553 West Sierra Highway in Acton. Call for reservations (661) 272-4799 or view the entire menu at www.vincenthillrestaurant. com. Bon Appetit!