Maybe we should have consulted a train schedule before driving out to Ambler, but now the we know Trax Restaurant & Café, 27 W. Butler Pike, is right next to the local train station, the trip out there won’t feel so daunting next time.
No matter your mode of transportation, Trax is worth the trek. The picture-postcard town is a nice backdrop for the quaint and cozy BYOB restaurant that chef and owner Steve Waxman opened in a restored train station in 1998. The menu specializes in American cuisine, highlighting locally grown ingredients from small farms. We happened to stop by on a Friday night and business seemed brisk, but not overwhelming, adding to the laid-back charm of the place.
The dishes we had were familiar but finely crafted. The shrimp bisque ($7) had a warm and inviting flavor to it. The goat cheese salad ($8) was solid as well, with a delicate touch on the dressing and an excellent pecan-crusted piece of warm goat cheese as the star of the dish.
The special that night was a prosciutto-wrapped asparagus that was divine and really should be a permanent addition to the menu. The crab risotto ($27) with jumbo shrimp and chimichurri sauce was a crowd-pleaser with its silk texture and colorful appearance.
We got the feeling that diners in that neck of the woods shy away from adventurous dishes by the way the waitstaff explained exactly what chimichurri is, as if to say, “This is in no way as aggressively spicy as it sounds.” Still, Trax knows how to make the most of the lane they choose to stay in.
Dessert was a pleasant surprise. We’ve come to expect that many of the places we visit will bring in dessert made somewhere else, but it was obvious that the key lime pie on the menu at Trax was made in-house. The temperature and texture were perfect. The lime flavor was about as natural as you can get. The crust was flaky. This was definitely not something made a few days prior and left to sit in an industrial refrigerator. There was no doubt that a lot of love went into this dessert, and for that matter all the dishes we tried.
Trax may not have the most adventurous menu out there, but if you are looking for a finely crafted and high-minded dinner with local ingredients, hop on a train and go.