Pictured above is the staff at the Movie Train Cafe (l-r): Randy Balades, Max Gabriel, Alex Melendez, Chris Escotto, Sassy Wright, Cody Balades, Jessica Givans, Brian Cook, Ariel Bernett, Diane and Liz Wareham.

Patrons enjoying the Movie Train Cafe’s grand opening.

Some things are downright annoying. For example... gnats buzzing around the ears. Another example... hunger pangs... also known as 'growlies in the tummy'. Hark... for herewith is great news! There's a new, fabulous eatery in town... the Movie Train Cafe. Sorry I can't do anything about the gnats but growlies in the tummy are now a thing of the past! The restaurant is located on the corner of Santa Clara Street and Central Avenue.
If you happened to drive by the restaurant on the evening of July 26, you might still be wondering about all the oooooohs and aaaaaaahs you heard. Those wondrous bellowings of pleasure were emanating from throngs of people who attended the Movie Train Cafe grand opening celebration. Yes... the food was soooo scrumptious I was also one of the many bellowing aaaaaaaaah.

OK... another restaurant you say. Whoa... not so fast. Of course it's a brick and mortar building but the food produced inside... well... isn't that something determined by the chef? OK... let's find out. Sassy Wright is chief chef and general manager of the Movie Train Cafe. Most chefs have a particular 'style' of cooking and chef Sassy is not an exception. On the other hand there is an exception which is exceptional as you'll soon discover.
How do you describe your particular style of cooking, I asked? “Southern... with love,” Sassy promptly said. That's the 'exception' I mentioned! Naturally this deserves an explanation. “We lost the love in our food,” Sassy said, adding “think back to when grandmother used to make homemade buttermilk biscuits. (I remember!) You'd be in the kitchen as she made that pan gravy. And you really didn't like it as a kid but because she put so much love in it... it filled you up... it got you through the day. So I cook southern-style food... with love... that keeps you going through the day... food like your grandma and great grandma used to cook.” And you thought this was just another 'restaurant' in town?

And what chef doesn't have a favorite dish? “My favorite dish is chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes smothered with mushroom gravy,” Sassy said with a big grin. Ahem... do I hear a big 'YUMMY'? Trouble of it is... withdrawal pains can be worse than hunger pangs so best to order doubles... one order for carry out! You see... the Movie Train Cafe isn't open seven days a week... yet!

Sassy briefly described the regular menu which consists of goodies such as tri-tip, pulled pork (barbecued on the premises), biscuits and gravy. For breakfast... eggs cooked to order the way you like them, home-made hash browns with sausage or bacon. For lunch Sassy said: “We do fresh tuna, home-made potato salad, home-made pasta salad and home-made macaroni salad as well as hamburgers and cheeseburger.” “'Fifties-style cheeseburgers,” Sassy quickly added. Notice all the 'home-made' goodies?

Besides the regular menu, the Movie Train Cafe features weekly specials on Friday and Saturday evenings. For example, Sassy explained, “two weekends ago we featured deep-fried catfish, deep-fried macaroni cheese balls with hush puppies.” Aaaaaaaah! “Last weekend it was baby-back ribs.” How upset are you that you missed that?
The Movie Train Cafe is aptly named because of all the memorabilia adorning the walls and ceilings. And lots of movie posters everywhere. Do you recall the movie 'Unstoppable'... the action thriller film starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine? The film, loosely based on the real-life CSX 8888 incident tells the story of a runaway freight train, and the two men (Washington and Pine) who attempt to stop it. The mockup locomotive cab used in the movie is on display at the restaurant. Inside there's a hand-crafted model of a steam engine that is so extraordinary that it defies description. You just have to see it to believe it.

Cafe hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday dinners may be added soon so stay tuned.

The brief interview concluded with Sassy mentioning her motto: “When guests come in... they come in as friends... and come back as family.” Just one visit and you'll completely understand why. Be sure to tell Sassy that Bob sent ya!