Stazione di Federal
"I love to meet family and friends for a great Italian meal. Stazione di Federal in Waltham has a huge parking lot and it's right next to the train station. So it is the perfect place to do just that."
“Stazione di Federal means ‘the federal at the train station because this restaurant is so close to the train. You can hear it and you can feel it when it goes by. David Alphonse and Richard Brackett are the owners here. I've known Richard forever. That guy is bringing back to things true hospitality and facial hair from the 1800s.”
“Of all the Italian restaurants and there are plenty of them. We feel that we are the most authentic. We're cooking scratch kitchen so your order hits the line. It starts as a saute pan, and to see the passion that goes on all the way down the line. And just to watch people produce the food and be proud when they put a plate up in the window is pretty special.”
“I really love the look and vibe of this restaurant. When you walk in. You see that beautiful bar really romantic for a date. If you're with family or friends head to that dining room. During the summer you can actually dine up on the roof and enjoy the view of the Charles River. It really is a great place to enjoy Italian food.”
“I always want to start an Italian meal sharing a pizza but that feels a little gluttonous. This is a pizzetta. Perfect way to start your meal.”
“So pizzetta is not pizza it's a smaller version. Ours is done very crispy served with Pomodoro Sauce fresh mozzarella and sweet Italian sausage crumble.”
“I love shrimp scampi but I don't always want it as my entree. Here you can get it as an appetizer. It’s served with these toast points so you can sop up every little piece of that delicious sauce.”
“You can smell that across the room. Absolutely. There's a lot of garlic in there and fresh tomatoes in there as well. So it's an aromatic dish.”
“This is the baked oysters Florentine. And when Richard Brackett says get this, I get this.”
“So it’s an Italian riff on Oysters Rockefeller. Spinach, parmesan cheese, little touch cream, and a little shallot in there as well. And you get a plump oyster that's fresh. So you still get some of the brininess from the oyster and mixed in with the flavors that I've already mentioned. And they're fantastic.”
“This is really a great calamari. Big plump, super fresh, never frozen calamari served with a marinara sauce, lemon, cherry peppers.”
“Ours is very simple buttermilk soak, breaded, deep fried served with cherry peppers. But one difference with our calamari is the fact that we're using fresh calamari as opposed to a frozen product and fresh calamari tastes better, it chews better and it's got more flavor to it.”
“Everybody loves Bolognese but this one is a little different. It's made with a combination of veal and wild boar and it's served over rigatoni.”
“Slow cooked for hours. No cream added to it so that the meat flavors really come through. It's a rich it's a hearty. It's a comfort food dish.”
“This menu has fish, chicken even a sliced sirloin called tagliata.”
“Tagliata is our slice sirloin. Chef recommends medium rare. Fanned out on a plate with roasted fingerling potatoes, some broccolini and a little bit of arugula and shaved cheese on top. This is nowhere near your dad's meat and potatoes.”
“I love chicken marsala and chicken piccata. I've decided that I prefer Marsala in the colder months because it's richer and heavier. This one is served with mushrooms and a side of tagliatelle pasta. Chicken piccata is always delicious, but I think especially in the warmer months because it's kind of lighter.”
“So chicken piccata is fresh chicken breasts that’s pan sauteed with a lot of lemon, some capers and served with our housemade risotto which is full of Parmesan cheese.
You get a little bit of salty. You got a little bit of sour going on. So great party in your mouth.”
“Sometimes restaurant specials make me nervous because it may not come out that great. It's the first time the chef ever did it. I like weekly specials at restaurants like the porchetta served here every Wednesday and it is perfect.”
“It's pork loin rolled and stuffed with rosemary, fresh thyme, fresh fennel, and slow roasted so it gets a really crispy crunchy skin on the outside. And it's still tender and flavorful in the middle.”
“Tiramisu is one of those dishes that just seems totally different from restaurant to restaurant. This is one of the biggest, most delicious, most interesting that I've seen.”
“Ours is ladyfingers soaked in espresso and espresso liqueur. Layers of mascarpone cheese, a little bit of whipped cream on top and some whipped cream on the side and served with Coco pearls. The flavors are just magic in your mouth.”
“So drive. Take the train. Swim the Charles River if you have to, but round up some folks and meet them at Stazione di Federal in Waltham.”
