Are Inspired Meals Improving Amtrak Cuisine?

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Glad my dollars are going to insightful "investigations" into gourmet chefs on board Amtrak trains. Next he's going to complain that the servers uniforms are too expensive.
 
saxman said:
Glad my dollars are going to insightful "investigations" into gourmet chefs on board Amtrak trains. Next he's going to complain that the servers uniforms are too expensive.
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Or that Servers on Amtrak should be Paid what Waiters in Texas are, $2.15 an Hour since they make such Huge "Untaxed Tips!"

Bashing the IRS is becoming the Flavor of the Day along with Immigrants and Amtrak in Wing Nut Circles! :help:
 
The most critical member on AU finally enjoys a meal without reservation and here comes John Mica to badmouth any attempt at improved services. Upon even limited inspection Mica looks to be both a coward and hypocrite. His choice to exclusively tackle minor line items that will do virtually nothing to balance the budget makes that clear enough.
 
Alexandria Nick said:
I just wish I could get a club sandwich on the train.
I have simple demands.
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I can't agree more. I don't travel Amtrak FOR the meals, I cook better myself at home. Would it be THAT hard to have a simple menue that was just done well ? Sure, you could have regional dishes as highlighted items, but I'd like to see some cooks left to their own specialities.

simple choices

Club Sandwich

BLT's

Grilled cheese

REAL hamburgers

Trains leaving NOL specialites

Mufalattas

Roast Beef Po-Boys

Red Beans & Rice with Tasso

Trout Almondine

Creole tomatoes with shrimp salad

New Orleans Bread Pudding

Bring Regional Flavor back to the trains

What would you suggest for trains leaving YOUR terminals ?
 
Devil's Advocate said:
The most critical member on AU finally enjoys a meal without reservation and here comes John Mica to badmouth any attempt at improved services. Upon even limited inspection Mica looks to be both a coward and hypocrite. His choice to exclusively tackle minor line items that will do virtually nothing to balance the budget makes that clear enough.
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True this! ;)
 
pennyk said:
jimhudson said:
Bourbon Pecan Pie,Sea Food PoorBoys, Good Ribs and Decent Wine to go with the Improved Food!
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.....and craft beer. :)
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I completely agree with this.

The café cars on Amtrak California trains sell craft beer (Lagunitas on the SJ/CC and Stone on the PS)... but I've always wondered why I can't get a good craft beer to go with my meal in the dining car on the long-distance trains.

Oh well... I guess I just have to keep enjoying my own in my sleeping car.
 
Shortline said:
Last several trips, the Diner and cafe both had Sierra Nevada IPA, which is definetely a step up from the St. Louis varieties.
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Sometimes, the Silvers have Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I have had Blue Moon on the CZ (although not exactly craft, but not St. Louis) and Brooklyn Lager on the LSL (quite a few years ago). The selection was great on the Cascades. My experience on the LD trains has been a very limited selection at a pretty steep price. :(
 
True, it's limited, and expensive if you want more than a few....-I was just happy they had ANYTHING that was drinkable. I don't remember what it was, but on the Woverine, or Blue Water, they had a local ale, was pretty good, wish I could remember the name. The prices for an IPA at $7+ a beer was high on the TE, and they didn't have a lot of it-I think one trip, I drank their entire stock of 6 Sierra Nevada's.....but, I usually bring my own, I have a cool little shoulder bag type cooler, looks like a beach bag or something, definetely NOT cooler like, that I can pack in my bag, with some beers, break it out when I get on board, add some ice, throw in the beers, or wine, as needed, and I'm good to go. When empty, simply drain the water, fold it flat, and back into the suitcase. Holds a 12 pack or more very nicely, but takes up almost no space in the suitcase. It's a train travellers best friend!
 
From Politico:

Following up on former T&I Chairman John Mica's comments slamming Amtrak for consulting with chefs in what he called "gourmet chef conclaves," [current T&I Chairman Jeff] Denham said the issue "is certainly something we're going to be following up on in future hearings."
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Ryan said:
Oh, well thank god for that.
I can sleep easy now knowing that all of our problems will soon be solved!
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To be fair, saving a dollar is still technically saving a dollar.

But the article makes it sound like they're not paying them all that much - just giving them free travel. If somehow that's true, that'd be a very good deal for Amtrak. Even if they're paying a bit of money, improved food is not a bad thing, and many places will do that.

At least until Mica saves us all from the travesty of Amtrak food service and starts making us all lunch himself. ;)
 
Devil's Advocate said:
I was on a rather late SL last night and decided to try one of those celebrity chef options.

More specifically, this one...

Chefs Evening Marketplace Special ................. $19.75Amtrak Culinary Advisory Team chef, restaurateur

and author Roberto Santibanez inspired this recipe

for a red chile braised beef short-rib. The short-rib is

slow cooked in a pasilla-chipotle sauce then garnished

with lime marinated red onions, served with garlic

mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley.(585 cal.)
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It was actually pretty darn good. Tender, tasty, and full of flavor.

My fellow diners recommended the new cheesecake with blueberry topping.

I've found the previous cake to be on par with fast food offerings and the toppings were almost universally gross.

This time the new round cheesecake was actually pretty good and the blueberry topping was much better than the old orange goop.

All-in-all it was much better than anything I've had on Amtrak previously.

I know we've been hearing about celebrity chefs supposedly working with Amtrak behind the scenes for years, but I've never seen anything that backed that up out here on the long distance network. When the new "inspired" selections started showing up I was curious but skeptical. Turns out it we may be seeing a major improvement, at least in this specific case. Hopefully this and other inspired selections will become the new standard over time.
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We had the short ribs on the Zephyr last month..... absolutely outstanding!
 
Like most of you, I was not around during the Golden age of railroad passenger travel but I had the desire to find out what it was like back then when each dining car ran with 3 or 4 chefs. If you want to taste what real railroad food was like, you'll need to cook it at home. The solution was to buy a book called Dining by Rail. It is a compilation of recipes taken from the archives of all of the passenger railroads of the past. The recipes were elaborate back then and most of them were full of prime meats, fresh vegetables, spices, special handmade sauces and complete with a garnish. That cookbook is now my favorite recipe book and we cook those railroad dishes of the past on a regular basis.

While todays Amtrak food is acceptable and in many cases tasty, it pales in comparison to what was served in the dining cars of old. It is doubtful if we will ever see that quality of food served on the rails ever again.

Be happy with what you have today,as it could be far worse.
 
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Is there a place open for Paula Dean? Would love pan fried chicken with gobs of cream gravy, biscuits, butter, honey and lumpy mashed potatoes. Maybe a mile high cream pie!
 
dlagrua said:
Like most of you, I was not around during the Golden age of railroad passenger travel but I had the desire to find out what it was like back then when each dining car ran with 3 or 4 chefs. If you want to taste what real railroad food was like, you'll need to cook it at home. The solution was to buy a book called Dining by Rail. It is a compilation of recipes taken from the archives of all of the passenger railroads of the past. The recipes were elaborate back then and most of them were full of prime meats, fresh vegetables, spices, special handmade sauces and complete with a garnish. That cookbook is now my favorite recipe book and we cook those railroad dishes of the past on a regular basis.While todays Amtrak food is acceptable and in many cases tasty, it pales in comparison to what was served in the dining cars of old. It is doubtful if we will ever see that quality of food served on the rails ever again.

Be happy with what you have today,as it could be far worse.
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Or ride the Canadian! ;)
 
The Davy Crockett said:
zepherdude said:
Is there a place open for Paula Dean? Would love pan fried chicken with gobs of cream gravy, biscuits, butter, honey and lumpy mashed potatoes. Maybe a mile high cream pie!
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Maybe Rep. Mica would object to her less? :huh:
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Ouch!

I have no way of knowing what's what's actually in Paula Dean's head, but all signs appear to point to a rather deceitful person. Just when you think she's about to turn a new leaf you find out some other despicable thing this woman half denies and half defends. It's unfortunate that motivated but morally challenged people like her are often rewarded with wealth and fame while those who work below them must struggle to earn even minimal respect.
 
I always thought that her smiles on the cover of magazines and such looked so fake and pasted on. Who knows what is in her mind, but that type of talk and language is so hateful and vicious, especially for a restauranteur.
 
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