Silver Star has new Café menu and no diner

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CSXfoamer1997 said:
crescent-zephyr said:
jis said:
AFFAICT progressively less and less is freshly cooked even in the Amtrak Diners, most unfortunately. But at least if they could get the ambiance right with the new Diners, that would be an improvement. of course nothing substitutes for getting back to the good old days of CIA (no not the spook CIA) trained chefs.
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Since when? A few years ago, at the start of the "Enhanced Dining" or whatever it was called there was no food cooked to order at all. No steaks, no eggs (remember the Bob Evans Breakfast Scramble). The full service dining cars are in much better shape now then they were then.

About 2-3 years ago you could get some really great meals for Lunch and Dinner. The Crab Cakes, The Lamb Shank, Mahi Mahi Filet were all very good dinner entrees and the Beechers Cheese Macaroni and Cheese Pasta, and the fancy Grilled Cheese Sandwich were great lunch choices as well. It was also during that time I saw cloth table cloths, ceramic plates, and glassware on the Starlight, Empire Builder, and Capitol Limited (now it's just the Starlight).

I agree that the quality went downhill, the items I mentioned above are no longer available except for the Starlight Parlour Car Menu. (Unless the Crab Cakes on the current menu compare to the ones previous? I haven't tried them yet.) But that really doesn't have much to do with how the food is prepared.
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Also, about the food quality, the thing I hate is the scrambled eggs don't taste like normal scrambled eggs to me, and also I've always seen biscuits and croissants as whole wheat. Is there actually an option of whether you can eat it as white or whole wheat or no?
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The Amtrak Scrambled eggs are indeed freshly made scrambled eggs. Since they are fresh made, they will vary from serving to serving. (Every cook puts a bit more or less liquid in with the eggs).

Every Croissant I've ever been served on Amtrak is white.
 
crescent-zephyr said:
CSXfoamer1997 said:
crescent-zephyr said:
jis said:
AFFAICT progressively less and less is freshly cooked even in the Amtrak Diners, most unfortunately. But at least if they could get the ambiance right with the new Diners, that would be an improvement. of course nothing substitutes for getting back to the good old days of CIA (no not the spook CIA) trained chefs.
Click to expand...
Since when? A few years ago, at the start of the "Enhanced Dining" or whatever it was called there was no food cooked to order at all. No steaks, no eggs (remember the Bob Evans Breakfast Scramble). The full service dining cars are in much better shape now then they were then.

About 2-3 years ago you could get some really great meals for Lunch and Dinner. The Crab Cakes, The Lamb Shank, Mahi Mahi Filet were all very good dinner entrees and the Beechers Cheese Macaroni and Cheese Pasta, and the fancy Grilled Cheese Sandwich were great lunch choices as well. It was also during that time I saw cloth table cloths, ceramic plates, and glassware on the Starlight, Empire Builder, and Capitol Limited (now it's just the Starlight).

I agree that the quality went downhill, the items I mentioned above are no longer available except for the Starlight Parlour Car Menu. (Unless the Crab Cakes on the current menu compare to the ones previous? I haven't tried them yet.) But that really doesn't have much to do with how the food is prepared.
Click to expand...
Also, about the food quality, the thing I hate is the scrambled eggs don't taste like normal scrambled eggs to me, and also I've always seen biscuits and croissants as whole wheat. Is there actually an option of whether you can eat it as white or whole wheat or no?
Click to expand...
The Amtrak Scrambled eggs are indeed freshly made scrambled eggs. Since they are fresh made, they will vary from serving to serving. (Every cook puts a bit more or less liquid in with the eggs).

Every Croissant I've ever been served on Amtrak is white.
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I agree. I'm sure I would have noticed if the croissants were not white. And I've always enjoyed the scrambled eggs.
 
The eggs taste like real eggs to me, but they do taste "different". They remind me of the way my mother makes them, with a tiny bit of milk added while whisking them in a bowl.

Then again, I've only had the scrambled eggs once, so the taste may indeed vary from chef to chef. I tend to order either a cheese omelet or French toast.
 
SarahZ said:
The eggs taste like real eggs to me, but they do taste "different". They remind me of the way my mother makes them, with a tiny bit of milk added while whisking them in a bowl.

Then again, I've only had the scrambled eggs once, so the taste may indeed vary from chef to chef. I tend to order either a cheese omelet or French toast.
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I guess they don't taste "different" to me because I always make my scrambled eggs with milk. ;)
 
It's not OK to put milk in the scrambled eggs. Just ask my dairy-allergic fiancee... this sort of random adulteration is why she can't eat in the dining car, y'know?
 
neroden said:
It's not OK to put milk in the scrambled eggs. Just ask my dairy-allergic fiancee... this sort of random adulteration is why she can't eat in the dining car, y'know?
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Umm... Who says it's not part of the recipe? It's very normal to have milk or cream in the eggs. If the menu said "dairy free scrambled eggs" than I would see your point.
 
crescent-zephyr said:
neroden said:
It's not OK to put milk in the scrambled eggs. Just ask my dairy-allergic fiancee... this sort of random adulteration is why she can't eat in the dining car, y'know?
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Umm... Who says it's not part of the recipe? It's very normal to have milk or cream in the eggs. If the menu said "dairy free scrambled eggs" than I would see your point.
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The question is does Amtrak publish that bit of information? Just because it is part of someone's recipe does not mean it is OK to do it, specially if such is not published in the published list of ingredients. Of course Amtrak may have solved the problem by simply not publishing list of ingredients accepting the fact that they may have no clue what goes into the food they serve.... but I jest.
 
I'm not positive they use milk. I said they taste like they do. I could be wrong.
 
For what it's worth the Amtrak site lists the only allergen as eggs.

Scrambled eggs are an item that are regularly made with dairy. That's just a fact. Anyone with a dairy allergy should ask when ordering them anywhere. I remember reading recently that ihop uses pancake batter in their eggs, which is a problem for gluten-free diets.
 
Oh, we do ask every time.

Scrambled eggs are ***never*** supposed to be made with dairy; I learned the history of this decades ago. Putting milk in the eggs was introduced as an economy measure during the Great Depression when eggs were more expensive than milk. :p It was later used by lazy restaurants because it can allow for sloppier, less competent cooking without it being obvious.

My grandmother actually had money during the Great Depression and as a result turned her nose up at adulterated eggs; it was a clear sign of a low-class restaurant which was cheaping out.
 
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Just did a google "how to make scrambled eggs" and milk and/or cream was listed in all of the top hits I looked at. Though 2 did say "optional".

I would expect any scrambled eggs I get out would have milk in them.
 
neroden said:
Oh, we do ask every time.

Scrambled eggs are ***never*** supposed to be made with dairy; I learned the history of this decades ago. Putting milk in the eggs was introduced as an economy measure during the Great Depression when eggs were more expensive than milk. :p It's gross that people are still doing it out of habit, but that's stupidity for you....

My grandmother actually had money during the Great Depression and as a result turned her nose up at adulterated eggs; it was a clear sign of a low-class restaurant which was cheaping out.
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Excuse me. I find your remarks insulting.
 
OK. Now I think we are totally scrambled out.... time to move onto discussing Silver Star food service again, maybe? So how many believe that the Silver Star will get a Diner back within three years?
 
jis said:
OK. Now I think we are totally scrambled out.... time to move onto discussing Silver Star food service again, maybe? So how many believe that the Silver Star will get a Diner back within three years?
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*Raises hand*
 
jis said:
OK. Now I think we are totally scrambled out.... time to move onto discussing Silver Star food service again, maybe? So how many believe that the Silver Star will get a Diner back within three years?
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With the availability of new Viewliner II diners, I'd say three years is a safe assumption (likely sooner). I think we can be certain that the current food service arrangement will change, just a matter of in what way and how soon.
 
jis said:
OK. Now I think we are totally scrambled out.... time to move onto discussing Silver Star food service again, maybe? So how many believe that the Silver Star will get a Diner back within three years?
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Does this question assume all new diners are in service by then? :p
 
I'm from Missouri on this one, I'll believe it when I actually see the Diner in the Star consist!

Probably will take a new CEO to implement this since Boardman is on his farewell trip @ Amtrak and wants to keep his ill advised promise to the Congressional mica-managers to cut the losses in food and drink service aboard Amtrak trains.
 
jis said:
OK. Now I think we are totally scrambled out.... time to move onto discussing Silver Star food service again, maybe? So how many believe that the Silver Star will get a Diner back within three years?
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Not me. Cost savings are too significant to ignore.
 
On April 23, pre-plated meals will be added to the cafe menu in the Silver Star. These are vacuum packed entrees microwaved to order. It's basically the same as the Cardinal Diner-lite meals, just without the sit-down table service or dinner rolls.

The option will be:

  • $12 Spinach Lasagna with Mixed Vegetables: Layered pasta sheet with spinach, parmesan and ricotta and mozzarella cheese, green beans, carrots, yellow carrots, pearl onions and red pepper with Roma tomato marinara sauce
  • $12 Beef Stroganoff: Slow braised boneless beef with Fusili pasta roasted mushrooms all smothered in natural beef demi glace
  • $12 Turkey Meatloaf: Turkey meatloaf with red skin mashed potatoes, honey glazed carrots. green beans with turkey gravy
  • $12 Rigatoni with Sausage & Peppers: Rigatoni pasta, red peppers, sweet Italian sausage, crushed red pepper flakes tossed in a creamy tomato sauce
  • $7.50 French Toast Bites: Griddled French toast cut into bit size pieces tossed with maple syrup
 
AmtrakLKL said:
On April 23, pre-plated meals will be added to the cafe menu in the Silver Star. These are vacuum packed entrees microwaved to order. It's basically the same as the Cardinal Diner-lite meals, just without the sit-down table service or dinner rolls.

The option will be:

  • $12 Spinach Lasagna with Mixed Vegetables: Layered pasta sheet with spinach, parmesan and ricotta and mozzarella cheese, green beans, carrots, yellow carrots, pearl onions and red pepper with Roma tomato marinara sauce
  • $12 Beef Stroganoff: Slow braised boneless beef with Fusili pasta roasted mushrooms all smothered in natural beef demi glace
  • $12 Turkey Meatloaf: Turkey meatloaf with red skin mashed potatoes, honey glazed carrots. green beans with turkey gravy
  • $12 Rigatoni with Sausage & Peppers: Rigatoni pasta, red peppers, sweet Italian sausage, crushed red pepper flakes tossed in a creamy tomato sauce
  • $7.50 French Toast Bites: Griddled French toast cut into bit size pieces tossed with maple syrup
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While we all would rather have the full dining car, this is indeed progress, and probably evidence that Amtrak is well aware the Silver Star needs improved food service. I'll applaud this change, but if I have to nit-pick on something, why can't they warm us up a dinner roll?
 
Thirdrail7 said:
niemi24s said:
Almost hate to say this with all the gourmets on this forum, but I really like those Hebrew National hot dogs. With a bag of chips and a Pepsi or beer, I'm good for the day.
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I love the Hebrew National's although I prefer them grilled.
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Oh yes Hebrew National is probably one of the best mass market frankfurter available. However, I wish they could take the bun out of the wrap and toast it seperately. Microwaved bread is digusting.
 
CSXfoamer1997 said:
keelhauled said:
CSXfoamer1997 said:
jis said:
CSXfoamer1997 said:
Now I'm a little confused here with different answers. Is it official: the Silver Star permanently has no diner? Or has Amtrak still not decided yet?
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It is permanent until they decide something else as usual.
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Wow! I can barely imagine travelling on an overnight train with no diner. Personally, I'd prefer fresh meals for a good breakfast, lunch, or dinner. There are some things in the cafe car I like, but I prefer fresh meals.
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What exactly is your definition of fresh?
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Freshly cooked, rather than microwaved.
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You realize that even in the good old days of 3 years ago, when the food was still pretty good, most things on the menu were pre-cooked. Pre-cooked isn't necessarily bad, it depends on what's being pre-cooked. In fact, they called it "sous vide," which is fancy chef talk for pre cooking stuff in vacuum bags, and is considered high class gastronomy. Remember those veal shanks? And the short ribs? Mmm-mmm. All pre-cooked.
 
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