Serving Up History and Hospitality

- By Lauren Arbogast

As a child, I remember planting the garden with my grandfather—the feel of the cool, black dirt between my toes, the satisfaction with each seed pushed down into the ground. He always used Wetsel seed. As the years passed and I put down roots in the Valley, every year in early spring I would receive a call from him, instructing me to "go downtown and buy some seed at Wetsel's." When the Wetsel retail building at 128 West Market Street in Harrisonburg closed down in 2006, my grandfather, as well as many other locals, mourned the passing of a landmark, but found other ways to acquire the famed seed. The loyalty that gripped the familiar downtown building lay dormant, waiting for a new dawn to awaken.

With new construction springing up faster than thistles in a field, the art of restoration had taken a backseat in the late end of the century. However, the whiplash of blank-eyed buildings in once prominent areas of cities and towns began to fuel the undercurrent of revitalization. Harrisonburg jumped on the bandwagon, anxious to occupy and update multiple vacant storefront options in the heart of the city. Slowly, especially throughout the last decade, downtown has once again taken on a persona of vitality, eager to offer local residents dining and shopping options that beckon their loyalty.

It took two years on the market for the Wetsel building to find a willing owner—someone adventurous and assertive enough to unlock the potential. In 2008, local residents Marvin and Robin Baker took the leap of faith, purchasing the entire Wetsel building complex, including the storefronts on West Market and the former multi-storied train station lining the train tracks that run parallel to Main Street. The new owners had a plan that included their daughters Cassandra and Sirena operating a historic restaurant in part of the building.

Union Station, the name delved from the original 1911 train station depot that occupied the space, has managed to live up to the vision of its managers. The entrance to the building is unadorned, but for a large sign that beckons with a primitive feel. Yes, you do have to climb steps or ride the elevator to the main floor of the building that houses the bar and restaurant, but it's a worthwhile ascent. The entrance into the main foyer and hostess desk allows visual access of the restaurant space—the bar resides in an adjoining cozy niche a short jaunt to the left. The open space, clean white lines, exposed pipes, and honey wood give the place a homey feel. The walls are alive with bits of history, from pictures to exposes about people and places from years gone by. The history of the Wetsel complex and the train station dominate the décor, although not in an overpowering way. The Baker sisters want you to know the history behind your meal, as well as the journey the building has taken, from past to present.

Cassie, as Cassandra likes to be called, is a petite whirlwind of energy—a smile ever on her lips and an anxiousness to please. Thorough in every way, she made sure that lunch was to our exact specifications—not to mention she was under a fire of questions from me, and answered them while waiting on multiple tables. As she sat down to catch her breath, she laughed, "I really love this business, but it's hard!" Luckily, she's quite familiar with the details within the food service industry, having graduated from culinary school in Oregon and completed an internship at a lodge in Alaska. It was this base that allowed her the courage to bound into a business plan for a restaurant in a historic building in downtown Harrisonburg.

As chance would have it, growing up, the Baker sisters always dreamed about having their own food business. For Cassie, the vision was more like a traditional restaurant, but for her sister Sirena, the dream took on a pub feel. When their parents purchased the Wetsel complex in 2008, plans began to shape up for a combination restaurant and bar that relied heavily on the local history and community while creating a simple and accessible environment and menu.

The road from purchase in 2008 to opening in April of 2010 is one that Cassie recounts with a tired smile. "The floors are original. We took them up piece by piece, put in a sub-floor for support, and then laid them back down one at a time—sanded, stained, and put on a clear coat." The effort involved was intense, with the Baker sisters and their counterparts spending countless hours in a labor of love. Some of the light fixtures derived from a local post office; the freight elevator lent gates that were not up to current building code; and the list goes on for building items that were refurbished and redesigned into part of the straightforward décor.

The menu is just as simple (if that's even possible with the variety of food available). Along with the standard categories of starters, soups and salads, and entrées, the offerings boast categories of hearty burgers, seafood, Panini, gluten-free, and vegetarian. The fare is moderately priced, and prepared fresh in-house by Kitchen Manager and Chef David Gordon. Dave was a major part of the background of the restaurant, from construction to menu and kitchen design. Sirena basks in her "pub vision" with full reign over the bar, including drink and food specials that don't disappoint. The bar menu is as hefty as its restaurant counterpart, from beers and wines to specialty cocktails created by wait staff.

I was privy to two of the weekly specialty cocktails—available with and without alcohol—actually dining on a day where one was retiring and another taking its place. Our humble waiter, Jeremy, was in charge of creating the new concoction before the evening rush—to be available as the following week's drink special. He fine-tuned his masterpiece—a strawberry sweet and sour mix—just as we were finishing our food. And it was definitely worth the anticipation.

The food was a fanfare of tastes and textures, each unique in its own right. Cassie highly recommended the fried oysters as a starter, explaining that the wet-dry process prior to frying contained both familiar and secret ingredients. My party agreed that they were the best (can I underline best?) fried oysters they had ever tasted—light, with a load of crisp, just the right temperature, and a sauce that sports a hint of tequila and lime. Amazing. Following that grand beginning were the black bean cakes, a staple on the vegetarian menu, but as Cassie explains, the vegetarian menu was meant to be part of the menu, not just sides. The two cakes were plump and moist and crisp on the flats, with black beans peeking out and lightly topped with house smoked salsa and sour cream. Stuffed prior to seeing our entrées, a light groan escaped when we saw our ample platters coming towards the table. The Steak & Ale Burger and battered fries overwhelmed the large plate and commanded attention, and the Veggie Focaccia Melt didn't disappoint, in the variety and amount of vegetables, also sporting a side of delicious in-season creamy cucumber and onion slaw.

Cassie takes great pride in running the restaurant to her expectations, and explains her drive this way: "Your goal everyday is to be one hundred percent. If someone is not happy, you have to take a bad thing and turn it into a good thing." She responds immediately if a guest is unsatisfied, not wanting the customer to settle for a sub-par view of Union Station. Her commanding focus is on hospitality, and she strives to have her guests depart thinking about the food, service, and atmosphere in a positive light, eager to return.

Union Station Restaurant and Bar has created a home in the Wetsel complex, not forsaking the history of the building, and catering to the community that surrounds. The food will leave you content and the hospitality will draw you back again and again to a restaurant that is certain to become a landmark in its own right. If my grandpa could, I'm sure he would pay his loyalties to the Wetsel building, forgive them for moving their seed sales, and partake in a meal that combines history with hospitality.

Join the staff and guests daily at Union Station, starting at 11 a.m. in the restaurant and the bar. Check out their website at www.unionstationdowntown.com for a complete listing of hours and updates, and make sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter for weekly and monthly specials.