Alright, let me tell you about this spot I checked out, Station Master Sushi Bar & Chinese Cuisine. The name itself kinda made me chuckle, like, pick a lane, you know? Sushi AND Chinese? Sounded like it could be a mess, or maybe, just maybe, they pulled it off. So, I figured, why not, let’s give it a whirl.
I walked in, not really knowing what to expect. Was it gonna be all train-themed? Nah, not really. It was pretty straightforward inside, your typical casual restaurant vibe. Clean, which is always a good start, but nothing fancy. No little train conductor hats on the staff or anything, which, honestly, might have been a bit much anyway.
Got the menu, and boy, it was one of those big ones. One side for sushi, all your usual suspects – rolls, sashimi, nigiri. Then you flip it over, and bam, a whole different world of Chinese dishes. Sweet and sour this, kung pao that. For a second, I was a bit overwhelmed. It’s like, do I go Japanese tonight, or Chinese? Or do I get super wild and mix ’em up? That felt a bit risky, like ordering a pizza with a side of curry.
So, I decided to test both waters, cautiously. I thought, let’s see how they handle the basics from each side. I got myself:
- Some salmon sashimi – gotta see if the fish is fresh, right?
- A spicy tuna roll – a classic test.
- And then, from the Chinese side, I went for some General Tso’s chicken. Yeah, I know, it’s not super authentic Chinese, but it’s a good benchmark for these kinds of places.
The food came out reasonably quick. The sashimi, I gotta say, was actually pretty decent. Fresh, good temperature. The spicy tuna roll was, well, it was a spicy tuna roll. Did the job, nothing to complain about, nothing to rave about either. It wasn’t gonna win any awards, but it satisfied the craving.
Then came the General Tso’s. This is where things usually go one way or the other. This one? It was okay. The chicken was crispy enough, sauce was that familiar sweet and tangy stuff. A bit heavy on the sauce, maybe, but not bad. It wasn’t the best I’ve had, not by a long shot, but it wasn’t the worst either. It was just… there. Filled a hole.
Service was alright. They took my order, brought my food, refilled my water. No fuss, no muss. Didn’t feel particularly rushed, didn’t feel particularly coddled either. Just efficient, I guess.
So, leaving Station Master, I was thinking, it’s one of those places. It’s not gonna be your go-to for a mind-blowing culinary experience in either sushi or Chinese food. But if you’re with someone, and one person wants sushi and the other wants Chinese, well, this place solves that problem. It’s a jack of two trades, master of neither, you know? Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Probably not. But if I was in the area and hungry for something quick and unpretentious from either menu, maybe. It is what it is, a place that tries to do two things at once, and mostly just lands in the middle.
