New restaurant pulls into Morrisville

Owner Jimmy Goldsmith is a familiar face in the area restaurant scene. He and his wife Kim Kaufman own the Blue Donkey in Stowe, which they opened four years ago.

Goldsmith and Kaufman bought the railroad station building from Union Bank in April. It formerly housed Melben’s Restaurant, which fell into foreclosure several years ago.

Goldsmith said he was attracted to Morrisville because town officials were easy to work with and eager to help him take advantage of state programs aimed at helping small businesses get off the ground.

He used state tax credits for downtown historic preservation projects to help fund renovations to the building.

The newly renovated space offers several nods to its 100-year history as a train station. The former platform is now part of the dining room. Wainscoting and beadboard cover the walls and ceiling. Some of the original woodwork details and windows have been restored.

Even the bar calls attention to the building’s glory days as a busy railroad hub. Its foot rests are made from old railroad ties, it has a brass countertop, and its sides are made from sheets of brass and iron.

“We tried to recreate an old railroad industrial look,” Goldsmith said.

Chef Kermit Melendez, who has worked at restaurants in New York City, Los Angeles and Nantucket, describes the menu as “traditional American with creative Vermont fare.” It will offer a “hunter’s board” featuring dishes such as rabbit cassoulet, pan-seared pheasant and grilled elk chops. It will also include house specialties such as macaroni and cheese served in a cast-iron skillet with optional add-ons such as spicy local sausage and local vegetables with a tarragon cream sauce.

The menu will change seasonally.

“There’s a wealth of local foods,” Melendez said. “We’re going to time things with what’s in season.”

He’s working with local farms and with artisan bread makers including Elmore Mountain Bread and Red Hen Bakery. Desserts will be made on the premises.

“It’s a pretty sophisticated menu,” Goldsmith said. “We’re going to roll it out slowly. We’re not going to do everything all at once. We’re going to do everything well.”

The 22-seat bar will have 12 beers on tap, including Vermont, national and international brews. A special beer refrigerator will keep the beer chilled to the perfect temperature.

The restaurant fills an untapped niche in Morrisville, Goldsmith said. It has enough seating to accommodate large groups, it’s family-friendly, and it offers a unique menu, he said.

“We’re not here to compete,” Goldsmith said. “We’re doing something completely different.”

Its location along the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, a four-season recreation trail that’s under construction, will likely draw a mix of locals and visitors.

“We’re hoping this will be a destination,” Goldsmith said. “We’re planning on our food being that good and our service being as good as it gets.”

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Ten Railroad Street will officially open for lunch and dinner on Oct. 11. Hours: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Phone: 888-2277.