New Menu's

[Exiled in Express]

On my just completed "Short" trip to PHL for NTD via PHL/Florida and Maine , all of the Trains I rode had "New" Menus even though what was Listed was Exactly the Same as the "Old Menus"! In the case of the Texas Eagles, a New Healthy Choice item (Pork Tenderloin with Spinach and Choice of Starch/Excellent! :wub: ) was added. Everything else was exactly the same! The LSA told me that the CHI Commisary shorted them on the Cuban Sandwiches on the Lunch Menu, and on Steaks!

I missed the pork tenderloin option my TE ride, I did have the misfortune of ordering the Cuban- one of the worst meals I had anywhere this year.

 

[Ispolkom]

The braised stuff they did a couple of years ago was not so good. Tasted like pot roast to me.

Well, I thought that it was pretty good, but I like pot roast. Could have used some horseradish, though.

I notice that liquor prices have gone up, $6 to $7, and the half bottle of wine has gone from $13 to $15.

 

[lthanlon]

Is the steak any good ?

I've never had good luck with the flatiron steak, but the other cuts have ranged from really good to excellent. Pork tenderloin has been good, too. Skip the ribs.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Just had the best Steaks I've ever had on Amtrak on the Meteor, Lake Shore (8400!! :wub: )and even the lowly Texas Eagle!The food seems to be getting better on all the Trains!

 

[JoeBas]

Sos I goes to check the Southbound/Westbound Crescent menu for my next trip in a couple weeks, and is gives mes the menu for the Coast Starlights.

Well done.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

I noticed a potentially major typo on the southbound CONO Menu where they describe MAYLAND Crab Cakes; I'm strongly guessing that should be MARYLAND! I wonder if this made it through to the actual printed Menu?

They really should be called Mare-a-lind Style... at least phonetically anyway.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Sos I goes to check the Southbound/Westbound Crescent menu for my next trip in a couple weeks, and is gives mes the menu for the Coast Starlights.

Well done.

Did you send them an email to let them know their link is wrong? I do that sometimes when I find errors on webpages. There should be a "contact us" and possible an option to contact them about the website.

 

[JoeBas]

Sos I goes to check the Southbound/Westbound Crescent menu for my next trip in a couple weeks, and is gives mes the menu for the Coast Starlights.

Well done.

Did you send them an email to let them know their link is wrong? I do that sometimes when I find errors on webpages. There should be a "contact us" and possible an option to contact them about the website.

Done. We'll see if it's fixed before I leave southbound/westbound on my return leg next month.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Sos I goes to check the Southbound/Westbound Crescent menu for my next trip in a couple weeks, and is gives mes the menu for the Coast Starlights.

Well done.

Did you send them an email to let them know their link is wrong? I do that sometimes when I find errors on webpages. There should be a "contact us" and possible an option to contact them about the website.

Done. We'll see if it's fixed before I leave southbound/westbound on my return leg next month.

Maybe check the Coast Starlight's menu to see if it's really the Crescent's.

 

[JoeBas]

That just returns an error, apparently you can't eat going southbound... unless you feel like walking to the Crescent.

 

[ScottC4746]

So can anyone recommend a good diner choice on the southwest chief ?

Steak.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I missed the pork tenderloin option my TE ride, I did have the misfortune of ordering the Cuban- one of the worst meals I had anywhere this year.

Cuban what? Cuban steak? Pork? Pot roast?

 

[JayPea]

There has to be one in every crowd, and it may as well be me. :lol: I can't stand either duck or pork, and really don't care for steak. The one and only time I've ever had steak in the diner, though, it was good. I almost always opt for the seafood, if there is one. If not, I go for the chicken. I do see that at least on some of the routes that there is a no sugar added vanilla pudding. I have diabetes (well-controlled, fortunately) so now I can have a guilt-free dessert.

 

[pennyk]

I missed the pork tenderloin option my TE ride, I did have the misfortune of ordering the Cuban- one of the worst meals I had anywhere this year.

Cuban what? Cuban steak? Pork? Pot roast?

Cuban sandwich. The Florida trains are serving them and people seem to like them. I have not had one and probably will not.

 

[pennyk]

There has to be one in every crowd, and it may as well be me. :lol: I can't stand either duck or pork, and really don't care for steak. The one and only time I've ever had steak in the diner, though, it was good. I almost always opt for the seafood, if there is one. If not, I go for the chicken. I do see that at least on some of the routes that there is a no sugar added vanilla pudding. I have diabetes (well-controlled, fortunately) so now I can have a guilt-free dessert.

I am also one of those in the crowd. I am allergic to garlic and quite often all entrees contain garlic. In fact, the veggies even contained garlic the last time I was on 98. Salmon is my entrée of choice, provided it is served plain.

 

[TraneMan]

I see the Empire Builder now has Crab Cakes! I've seen a few of you posted here on how good it is!

 

[TimePeace]

I can't remember which train I was on, but either the EB or the SWC. I had the ribs and was pleasantly surprised at how good they were. Mmmmmmmmm.

I have typically been disappointed with seafood however. Maybe being from Maine spoils me. My son and I had shrimp scampi on the LSL and it was inedible.

And yes, steaks have rarely (no pun intended) been unsatsfactory. I look forward to having one of the strip steaks, which I have not tried.

 

[Ispolkom]

I missed the pork tenderloin option my TE ride, I did have the misfortune of ordering the Cuban- one of the worst meals I had anywhere this year.

Cuban what? Cuban steak? Pork? Pot roast?

Cuban sandwich. The Florida trains are serving them and people seem to like them. I have not had one and probably will not.

A Cuban sandwich is pork roast, ham, swiss cheese, mustard, pickles, heated in a sandwich press like a panino. The best one I know of near an Amtrak station is that served at Cafecito in Chicago, next to the Hostel. I think the pork roast should be marinated in mojo and smell and taste strongly of garlic, but according to Wikipedia that isn't standard. I have doubts about the Amtrak version (do they have a sandwich press?), but would be willing to try it.

In general, though, I agree with everyone else. It's hard to screw up a steak and a baked potato, and that's my default dinner west of the 110th degree of longitude, whether in a cafe on some dusty highway, or in an Amtrak dining car. East of that, I've always had luck with Amtrak crab cakes, though my tastes in seafood are probably dulled by being so far from, well, the sea.

 

[JayPea]

I can't remember which train I was on, but either the EB or the SWC. I had the ribs and was pleasantly surprised at how good they were. Mmmmmmmmm.

I have typically been disappointed with seafood however. Maybe being from Maine spoils me. My son and I had shrimp scampi on the LSL and it was inedible.

And yes, steaks have rarely (no pun intended) been unsatsfactory. I look forward to having one of the strip steaks, which I have not tried.

That reminds me: I can't stand ribs either. :lol:

 

[TraneMan]

I can't remember which train I was on, but either the EB or the SWC. I had the ribs and was pleasantly surprised at how good they were. Mmmmmmmmm.

I had ribs last summer on the EB and it was good!

 

[AlanB]

Salmon is my entrée of choice, provided it is served plain.

But you're on Amtrak, it should be served train; not plane! :lol:

 

[AlanB]

I can't remember which train I was on, but either the EB or the SWC. I had the ribs and was pleasantly surprised at how good they were. Mmmmmmmmm.

I have typically been disappointed with seafood however. Maybe being from Maine spoils me. My son and I had shrimp scampi on the LSL and it was inedible.

And yes, steaks have rarely (no pun intended) been unsatsfactory. I look forward to having one of the strip steaks, which I have not tried.

That reminds me: I can't stand ribs either. :lol:

It's OK though, you're allowed to sit in the dining car. In fact, they prefer that. No need to stand. :lol:

 

[JayPea]

I can't remember which train I was on, but either the EB or the SWC. I had the ribs and was pleasantly surprised at how good they were. Mmmmmmmmm.

I have typically been disappointed with seafood however. Maybe being from Maine spoils me. My son and I had shrimp scampi on the LSL and it was inedible.

And yes, steaks have rarely (no pun intended) been unsatsfactory. I look forward to having one of the strip steaks, which I have not tried.

That reminds me: I can't stand ribs either. :lol:

It's OK though, you're allowed to sit in the dining car. In fact, they prefer that. No need to stand. :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[San Walkeen]

I see the trains on the "meals at a glance" page now only go one direction.

I had the ribs on the Chief a while ago and they were good but really messy to eat. The Cuban sandwich on the San Joaquin is a good sandwich, not anywhere near as good as the one I had in Florida at Cuban delicatessen but still not bad at all.

 

[MiRider]

If you go to the individual online route guides, the following LD trains have directional menus posted:

California Zephyr

City of New Orleans

Coast Starlight

Crescent

Empire Builder

Sunset Limited - Westbound menu not posted yet

Southwest Chief - Eastbound menu not posted yet

I like this idea a lot!

It really looks like there's a lot more attention being paid to the passenger experience.

I've only been riding for less than a year but have traveled quite a few miles and I have to say that I've seen a (good) change in the way the crews work and treat passengers in that short time.

I had wonderful coach attendants on all of my LD trips last month, the dining car crew and cafe attendants were great too.