Dine on the Wild Side at New Jersey's The Lambertville Station

Lambertville, NJ – Wild game — it's what's for dinner at The Lambertville Station Restaurant if you’re the least bit adventuresome or just want to try what is fast becoming the choice cuisine for discriminating, health conscious diners. Through the end of March, Lambertville Station Restaurant guests can choose from at least two creatively prepared entrees each night featuring exotic meats such as caribou, kangaroo, ostrich and elk.

Entrees will run the gamut from Ostrich Carpaccio and Sautéed Elk to Buffalo Ribeye Steak and Mixed Wild Game Grill. Located in a renovated 19th century train station along the Delaware and Raritan Canal at 11 Bridge Street in Lambertville, New Jersey, the restaurant has been serving up an array of wild game entrees throughout the winter every year since it first opened in 1981. The Station’s alligator chili has become so popular it’s now a staple of the year-round menu.

“We started serving wild game because our customers were interested in heartier meals in the winter months,” explains Dan Whitaker, co-owner of the Lambertville Station Restaurant. “Plus, the special menu seem to follow hunting season quite nicely.

“People would walk in, see something unique on the menu like alligator or kangaroo and think, ‘wow, I should try that.’ They’d try it, and discover it was actually good. They’d tell their friends about it, and then they’d all get together and come in to try something like the ostrich or wild boar.

“As a result, we’ve developed quite a reputation. There just aren’t many restaurants that serve wild game outside of the traditional places you’d expect like Colorado and Wyoming – and certainly not with the flair and creativity you find at the Lambertville Station.

“We’ve also kept our prices reasonable. This gives people the opportunity to try something they might not otherwise choose to experience. For example, you can order elk steak at our restaurant for less than you’d pay out in Colorado.”

Whitaker acknowledges that although he uses the term “wild game,” all the entrees are in fact farm raised. The sale of wild game (animals hunted for sport and protected by the Department of Natural Resources) is illegal in the United States. For culinary purposes, wild game is defined as wild species farm-raised under USDA inspection. That includes familiar meats like venison and duck along with more exotic fare such as buffalo, bear, caribou, elk, moose, reindeer and kangaroo.

“Wild game just sounds more adventurous," Whitaker says. “It attracts people's attention.”
Eating wild game is nothing new — the journals of the earliest European settlers document the hunting of wild turkey, deer, and elk. In the United States, however, finding ostrich and alligator on the menu is a relatively rare phenomenon. Most of these exotic meats are more familiar to foreign diets — snake, alligator, and turtle are not unheard of in Asian cuisines, while African diets might include lion and giraffe.

Whitaker says as Americans are increasingly exposed to ethnic cuisines, their palates become more adventurous. This experimental spirit extends to other foods, too. “That’s why supermarkets display endive and radicchio alongside iceberg and romaine lettuce and star fruit and plantains next to plums and bananas – something you would not have seen years ago,” Whitaker says.

“I think we’re seeing increased interest in our wild game menu also because people are trying to make healthier choices about what they eat,” he says.

Many wild meats are lower in fat and cholesterol than domestic cuts and are free of artificial hormones. For the health conscious, venison is a particularly attractive choice since it’s low in fat, calories, and cholesterol, while being proportionately high in protein.
Alligator has about 35 percent less fat and cholesterol than chicken. The fat content of ostrich is significantly lower than that of turkey or chicken. Buffalo has far less fat than beef. Kangaroo is among the lowest fat red meats with only 2 percent fat.

“We enjoy being able to serve a variety of wild game entrees at the Lambertville Station Restaurant,” Whitaker says. “Wild game is healthy, it’s delicious – and really, it’s doesn’t all taste like chicken.”
The Lambertville Station is located at 11 Bridge Street in Lambertville, New Jersey, which is widely known as the “Antique Capital of New Jersey” and is home to numerous shops, art galleries, antique stores, unique crafts and specialties, bed and breakfasts, inns, and restaurants. The Lambertville Station Restaurant specializes in American cuisine with flair including uniquely prepared wild game entrees from January through March. The restaurant is open for lunch, brunch and dinner.

For reservations and information call (609) 397-8300 or visit www.lambertvillestation.com.
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How Healthy Is It?

Calories, fat, and cholesterol per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
Calories Fat (g) Cholesterol (mg)
Beef 209 9.6 77
Chicken 173 4.5 85
Turkey 159 6 72
Alligator 143 3 65
Buffalo 143 2.4 82
Emu 93 1.5 49
Kangaroo 93 0.5 62
Ostrich 124 2 76
Venison 139 5 62
Source: US Department of Agriculture. Please note that fat content varies depending on the cut of meat.


Lambertville Station Restaurant 2006 Wild Game Schedule
January February March
1-8 Elk, Wild Boar 1-5 Venison, Pheasant 1-5 Antelope, Emu
9-15 Wild Boar, Antelope 6-12 Pheasant, Ostrich 6-12 Emu, Caribou
16-22 Antelope. Bear 13-19 Ostrich, Buffalo 13-19 Caribou, Kangaroo
23-29 Bear, Venison 20-26 Buffalo, Antelope 20-26 Kangaroo, Wild Boar
30-31 Venison, Pheasant 27-28 Antelope, Emu 27-31 Wild Boar, Pot Luck
Appetizer portions are available on most items.11 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ — www.lambertvillestation.com — (609) 397-8300