Summer Specials & A New Salad @ Filling Station Co.

Here's the latest on Filling Station Co's July burger and shake and an introduction to the new Filling Station Co Salad.

The July 2011 Filling Station Special Burger and Shake combines a full flavored hamburger with a sweet flavorful tribute to one of my favorite fruits with the BBQ Cheeseburger and a delicious Peaches and Cream Shake.

The BBQ Cheeseburger includes the Filling Station’s farm-raised cheeseburger topped with house made BBQ sauce, griddled onions, thick cut bacon, and pickled jalapeño peppers. There are several bold flavors in this month’s offering. The Filling Station’s thick cut bacon continues as a favorite of mine and the griddled onions added a nice crispy, flavorful addition. I am usually not a big fan of spicy additions and the jalapeño peepers were a concern, but pickled jalapeños are making an appearance on many menus this summer and I have grown to enjoy the pickled variety. I thought the addition of the jalapeños created a nice complement to the bacon and onions. Overall, I enjoyed the bold flavors of this month’s Special hamburger. 

The Peaches and Cream Shake begins with organic peach syrup that is mixed into the Filling Station Vanilla shake. The peach flavor is more of a background to the shake versus an overly sweet rendition. This time of year brings wonderful ripe peaches to market and the mild peaches and cream flavor was a nice way to complement the bold flavors of the BBQ cheeseburger.

Filling Station’s July Special Burger and Shake continues with a traditional BBQ cheeseburger with a slight twist with the addition of the pickled jalapeños and the Peaches and Cream Shake is also a twist on a traditional flavor combination. Stay tuned for next month’s quick-view of the Filling Station Burger and Shake of the Month which will be another twist on an old-time favorite. -- Jeff Schlesinger

And a little something for the ladies...

The truth is that I go to the Filling Station in New Canaan because my boys love it. They have dubbed the burgers the best in town and are always clamoring to find out what the milkshake flavor will be each month. So I was happily surprised when I learned there is now a Station Salad--with 12 ingredients, no less. Now it was my turn to go, without the boys.

The salad arrived in a neat box that could easily be taken to go. Then there was the small container of Station sauce (famously used on the Station Burger). The dressing's dash of chipotle mixed with honey, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil is a winner and should be bottled. I poured every drop of it over the veggies, a crunchy mix of flavors and textures including tomato, romaine, red cabbage, broccoli, radish, cucumber, corn, red onion, edamame, carrot and sunflower seeds. 

The salad is ambitious. It sounds like overkill. But it works. The mingling of opposites--mild and peppery, sweet and savory, nutty and fresh--is a carefully balanced work of colorful art. The dressing makes it, imbuing even the mildest vegetable with depth of flavor. A falafel burger on top rounded out the salad with a rich finish--and enough protein to call it lunch.

-- Amy Sarbinowski