# new menus posted, with calorie counts



## SeeBuyFly (May 20, 2013)

I don't know if this has been discussed. There are revised PDF menus online (May 2013) for the Zephyr (maybe other trains too). Some effort has been made to make the food sound interesting, and a different brand of ice cream has been introduced. All items have calorie counts. Wow, they are high.

I assume railroad french toast is just french toast but with a more evocative name?


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## Linda T (May 20, 2013)

Now why'd they have to go and do a thing like that? I don't care about the meals, I mean I have to eat, but why the desserts? Now I have to find a new way to justify that NY Cheesecake! I've always followed the rule that if desserts don't have the calories listed they have no calories.


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## Trainmans daughter (May 20, 2013)

Linda T said:


> Now why'd they have to go and do a thing like that? I don't care about the meals, I mean I have to eat, but why the desserts? Now I have to find a new way to justify that NY Cheesecake! I've always followed the rule that if desserts don't have the calories listed they have no calories.


FACT: If you cut it down the middle, the calories leak out!


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## Linda T (May 21, 2013)

Trainmans daughter said:


> Linda T said:
> 
> 
> > Now why'd they have to go and do a thing like that? I don't care about the meals, I mean I have to eat, but why the desserts? Now I have to find a new way to justify that NY Cheesecake! I've always followed the rule that if desserts don't have the calories listed they have no calories.
> ...


Good to know, thanks for the save! Just as long as my husband doesn't think I cut it down the middle to share, that could end in divorce. :giggle: But seriously, it is nice to at least have a ball park figure calorie wise. I think it's a good call.


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## jimhudson (May 21, 2013)

Cheese Cake has Calories?  Who could have known??? :giggle:


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## OlympianHiawatha (May 21, 2013)

And they now have Bratwurst on the_* CZ*_ lunch menu! *YUM! *Now someone needs to report if it is _*GOOD*_ Bratwurst


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## D.P. Roberts (May 21, 2013)

SeeBuyFly said:


> and a different brand of ice cream has been introduced.


WHAT????

I love Haagen Dazs! Getting their ice cream for dessert was my favorite part of the meal! Grrrr....

Okay, initial panic is over, and the new menu actually looks pretty good. It now has a better selection of lighter fare at lunch (soup and salad, etc.), so that's good. The new fancy grilled cheese sounds good too. It doesn't look like Dinner has changed much, if at all.

However, I'm still mad about the ice cream.


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## NorthCoastHiawatha (May 21, 2013)

SeeBuyFly said:


> All items have calorie counts. Wow, they are high.


I think you will find that they are no higher than any other restaurant you go to, if not a slight bit lower.


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## ScottC4746 (May 21, 2013)

SeeBuyFly said:


> I don't know if this has been discussed. There are revised PDF menus online (May 2013) for the Zephyr (maybe other trains too). Some effort has been made to make the food sound interesting, and a different brand of ice cream has been introduced. All items have calorie counts. Wow, they are high.
> 
> I assume railroad french toast is just french toast but with a more evocative name?


IT's funny here in California if a restaurant has I think 10 or more outlets in the state, they are required to post the count. I walked into Starbucks after some time away and explained how high their prices were, then I realized I was looking at the calorie counts.

Trivia: Disneyland, while they have over 10 restaurants in the park is exempt from this. The fine print in the law is all the menus must be identical. Since each food outlet has a unique name, ex. lets say Old Fashioned Fried Chicken in on outlet and Country Style Fried Chicken in another, they are no longer identical.

Back on track: Sounds like Railroad French Toast is back YEAH!!!!!!!!


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## Devil's Advocate (May 21, 2013)

Thanks for the notice.

Overall it would seem to be an genuine improvement over previous menus, both in regard to caloric transparency and preparation quality, at least so long as the meals are provided in a manner consistent with their descriptions. Something worth looking forward to trying in any case.



SeeBuyFly said:


> I assume railroad french toast is just french toast but with a more evocative name?


It's the same as any other generic French toast, except that it's made weeks or months ahead of time. The saving grace of the French toast option is that it seems to survive the freezing, storing, and reheating process relatively well. Same thing for the sausage patties.



OlympianHiawatha said:


> And they now have Bratwurst on the_* CZ*_ lunch menu! *YUM! *Now someone needs to report if it is _*GOOD*_ Bratwurst


Most restaurants don't make their own bratwurst. What makes dishes like bratwurst better or worse at most restaurants is the way they're cooked on the grill and how the other fixings and sides complement them. I'd be happy if Aramark started cooking their hamburgers on board instead of reheating those precooked frozen hockey pucks. I noticed that the new menus refer to the hamburgers as being "grilled" although I thought Amtrak didn't use any grills on board. Maybe they're simply referring to how the frozen hockey pucks are cooked before being frozen?



D.P. Roberts said:


> WHAT???? I love Haagen Dazs! Getting their ice cream for dessert was my favorite part of the meal! Grrrr....


Those tiny kid-sized Häagen-Dazs cups only cost $0.99. A quick trip to the supermarket for ice cream cups and dry ice before you leave should be able to solve this problem. At first glance it would appear the new selection may be of similar or higher quality.



NorthCoastHiawatha said:


> SeeBuyFly said:
> 
> 
> > All items have calorie counts. Wow, they are high.
> ...


I think you will find that you have no idea where or what the rest of us eat.


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## TVRM610 (May 21, 2013)

Devil's Advocate said:


> SeeBuyFly said:
> 
> 
> > I assume railroad french toast is just french toast but with a more evocative name?
> ...


Yup.

Of course the French Toast found at Perkins, IHOP, Denny's, Shoney's and any other breakfast joint is made fresh right?

Now to be fair... Lou Mitchell's does make french toast right, even baking their own bread. I think the Amtrak French Toast is pretty decent, but if you want something made fresh order the eggs, pancakes when available, or an omelette.


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## SeeBuyFly (May 21, 2013)

I'd love some clarification of this. If there are no grills on board the LD trains, the steaks are just microwaved? If there are grills, what is grilled and what isn't?



Devil's Advocate said:


> I'd be happy if Aramark started cooking their hamburgers on board instead of reheating those precooked frozen hockey pucks. I noticed that the new menus refer to the hamburgers as being "grilled" although I thought Amtrak didn't use any grills on board. Maybe they're simply referring to how the frozen hockey pucks are cooked before being frozen?


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## yarrow (May 21, 2013)

if anyone doesn't already have it here is the site with the menus and nutrition info:http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/


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## Devil's Advocate (May 21, 2013)

TVRM610 said:


> Devil's Advocate said:
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> > SeeBuyFly said:
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I don't reguarly patronize IHOP, Denny's, or Shoney's and I don't know what Perkins is so I honestly couldn't say with any accuracy. The generic chain diner I visit regularly is Jim's. Their $4.99 plate of French toast is still made the same way it was when I was a kid. They don't bake their own bread, which I certainly wouldn't expect from Amtrak either, but if you sit near the kitchen you can watch them mix the eggs and dip the bread and throw it on the griddle before serving. Does that really sound like an unreasonable expectation for a generic French toast plate costing nearly twice as much on Amtrak?

Link to Jim's menu: http://www.jimsrestaurants.com/assets/file/jims_menu.pdf



TVRM610 said:


> Now to be fair... Lou Mitchell's does make french toast right, even baking their own bread. I think the Amtrak French Toast is pretty decent, but if you want something made fresh order the eggs, pancakes when available, or an omelette.


The Amtrak French Toast isn't bad per se, it's just not freshly prepared. When was the last time you visited a restaurant that prepared fresh eggs but *only* if you ordered them scrambled? Or put *frozen* vegitables in their watery omelets?



SeeBuyFly said:


> I'd love some clarification of this. If there are no grills on board the LD trains, the steaks are just microwaved? If there are grills, what is grilled and what isn't?


I believe the steaks are cooked in a convection oven. To the best of my understanding that's how everything is cooked or heated at this point. Supposedly they have a griddle on board as well but I'm not sure they actually use it for anything. Any grill marks you see on your food presumably came from a commissary kitchen further up the chain.


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## printman2000 (May 21, 2013)

SeeBuyFly said:


> I'd love some clarification of this. If there are no grills on board the LD trains, the steaks are just microwaved? If there are grills, what is grilled and what isn't?


I am not sure if they have a "grill", but I think maybe just a griddle. And the steaks are cooked to order on it.


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## jebr (May 21, 2013)

Devil's Advocate said:


> TVRM610 said:
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> 
> > Devil's Advocate said:
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Perkins' is a little bit nicer Denny's (and a bit more expensive.) I see a lot of them here in Minnesota...I believe the headquarters are here.

Many chain restaurants use pre-prepared food and simply microwave or convection oven heat it on site. The idea is that it ensures more consistency, so that no matter which Denny's you go to the quality is the same. It does bring the level of quality down compared to good cooks, but when you have a nationwide chain it's easier to just lower the level of quality somewhat to help guarantee that the food is usually decent, if not anything to write home about.

I think that's what Amtrak is aiming for. I don't think that they really care if people rave about their food or not; they just want to make sure people aren't complaining that the food is horrible or nasty. Having pre-prepared food helps that.


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## AlanB (May 21, 2013)

Devil's Advocate said:


> SeeBuyFly said:
> 
> 
> > I'd love some clarification of this. If there are no grills on board the LD trains, the steaks are just microwaved? If there are grills, what is grilled and what isn't?
> ...


Only for a year or so right after SDS first came out were the steaks done in a convection oven. Then Amtrak went back to cooking them to order on the grill. The eggs & pancakes are also cooked fresh on the grill. The better chefs start the reheating process for the French Toast in the convection oven and then toss it on the grill to finish the process. The bad cooks don't. And you can tell the difference!

But except for the Cardinal, which only has the Diner Light car with no grill, the grills are being used on all other Amtrak LD trains.


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## D.P. Roberts (May 21, 2013)

Devil's Advocate said:


> D.P. Roberts said:
> 
> 
> > WHAT???? I love Haagen Dazs! Getting their ice cream for dessert was my favorite part of the meal! Grrrr....
> ...


I agree with you that Haagen-Dazs cups are available at the supermarket - my freezer will attest to that!

As for the quality - I would claim that you can tell the quality of a product by reading its ingredients label. The more fillers and preservatives it has, the lower the quality.

Ciao Bella Tahitian Vanilla Gelato: "milk, cream, organic cane sugar, nonfat dry milk, tapioca syrup, vanilla extract, guar gum, Locust Bean Gum, Carageenan, Vanilla Bean specs."

Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream: "cream, skim milk, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla extract."

I might have to try the Chocolate Fudge Brownie Cake instead. Has anyone tried that before?


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## TVRM610 (May 21, 2013)

Devils Advocate...

The reasons eggs are only scrambled is because there is only one cook and it simplifies the process. When was the last time you were at a restaurant with a kitchen the size of Amtraks, that only had one cook, yet had to feed 50 or so passengers a seating on a rocking car.

I do not think amtrak dining cars are perfect... I want to see real flowers, china customized to each route, all cars with real china and glassware, I want to see all dining car crew members in suits and no TSA blue in site. Ha. And yes i would love it if everything were cooked to order using fresh locally sourced ingredients. (Locally sourced for each specific route).

But this is the real world, and I'm counting my blessings cause freshly made scrambled eggs is 10 times better than the Bob Evans Scramble in my book.


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## SarahZ (May 21, 2013)

yarrow said:


> if anyone doesn't already have it here is the site with the menus and nutrition info:http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/


Ooh, it has the calories and sodium and everything... I love you so much right now. THANK YOU. I've never been sure how to enter Amtrak food into SparkPeople, so I've always had to wing it based on the ingredients, estimated weight, etc.

And, after checking the lists, I overestimated on every single thing. Yay! I'd rather overestimate than underestimate.


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## SarahZ (May 21, 2013)

They got rid of that Chocolate Triple-Layer Crunch Monstrosity we split on the SWC last year. I was really looking forward to checking the calorie count on that thing. It was a monster.


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## Devil's Advocate (May 21, 2013)

TVRM610 said:


> The reasons eggs are only scrambled is because there is only one cook and it simplifies the process. When was the last time you were at a restaurant with a kitchen the size of Amtraks, that only had one cook, yet had to feed 50 or so passengers a seating on a rocking car.


If I visit a stationary restaurant that handles 150+ people with two or three cooks on duty is it really that different? Are the cooks and/or food being violently tossed around by the movement of the train? If I ask for a single egg over easy at six in the morning am I competing with the orders of forty nine ghosts? I'm not sure this is as convincing of an explanation to me as it is to you.



TVRM610 said:


> I do not think amtrak dining cars are perfect... I want to see real flowers, china customized to each route, all cars with real china and glassware, I want to see all dining car crew members in suits and no TSA blue in site. Ha. And yes i would love it if everything were cooked to order using fresh locally sourced ingredients. (Locally sourced for each specific route).


I thought we were comparing Amtrak to a generic diner. My local Jim's doesn't have fresh flowers or "china" or glassware or suits or locally sourced anything. What it does have is freshly prepared French toast, eggs cooked however you want, and omelets made with fresh vegetables instead of frozen. It also has two or sometimes three cooks covering up to 150 guests. If I were comparing Amtrak to a Ritz-Carlton meal I could see why folks would think I was being unfair, but we're talking about a generic chain diner here. The kind that a well _trained_ chef should be able to work circles around.


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## SeeBuyFly (May 21, 2013)

yarrow said:


> if anyone doesn't already have it here is the site with the menus and nutrition info:http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/


As the OP. I should say that I was not looking at this legal-disclosure web page, but at the Amtrak page that provides PDF copies of the full dining car menus:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241305537990

Regarding grilling, it's interesting that Amtrak regulars have so many different versions of how food is cooked on board the LD trains. Are passengers ever allowed downstairs to look for themselves? Probably not.


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## Devil's Advocate (May 21, 2013)

SeeBuyFly said:


> Regarding grilling, it's interesting that Amtrak regulars have so many different versions of how food is cooked on board the LD trains. Are passengers ever allowed downstairs to look for themselves? Probably not.


In this case I have no specific reason to doubt Alan, at least with regard to the steaks.

Although he's almost certainly referring to a _griddle_ rather than a grill.

Keep in mind that Amtrak itself has used many different methods over the years.

At one point Amtrak was cooking and serving meals in a manner similar to the trains it replaced.

Over time Amtrak began to make many changes and even to reverse itself all over again in some cases.

So it's not that surprising that information gathered is both varied and contradictory over time.

I too would heartily welcome a visit to an active Superliner kitchen if I were ever offered one.

It would be great to clarify and dispel some of the nagging questions I have about what exactly is going on down there and why.


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## SarahZ (May 21, 2013)

Devil's Advocate said:


> I thought we were comparing Amtrak to a generic diner. My local Jim's doesn't have fresh flowers or "china" or glassware or suits or locally sourced anything. What it does have is freshly prepared French toast, eggs cooked however you want, and omelets made with fresh vegetables instead of frozen. It also has two or sometimes three cooks covering up to 150 guests. If I were comparing Amtrak to a Ritz-Carlton meal I could see why folks would think I was being unfair, but we're talking about a generic chain diner here. The kind that a well _trained_ chef should be able to work circles around.


Does your local Jim's rock and roll at 90 mph on rough track?


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## Devil's Advocate (May 21, 2013)

Sorcha said:


> Devil's Advocate said:
> 
> 
> > I thought we were comparing Amtrak to a generic diner. My local Jim's doesn't have fresh flowers or "china" or glassware or suits or locally sourced anything. What it does have is freshly prepared French toast, eggs cooked however you want, and omelets made with fresh vegetables instead of frozen. It also has two or sometimes three cooks covering up to 150 guests. If I were comparing Amtrak to a Ritz-Carlton meal I could see why folks would think I was being unfair, but we're talking about a generic chain diner here. The kind that a well _trained_ chef should be able to work circles around.
> ...


Nope.

Then again neither do any Amtrak trains that pass through Texas. If the Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited were flying along at nearly a hundred miles per hour then I could presumably reach my usual destinations before getting hungry enough to eat reheated frozen leftovers. I would assume that improved sourcing and preparation of today's AmChow is an easier prospect than vastly improving track speeds but I'd be happy either way.


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## D.P. Roberts (May 21, 2013)

Devil's Advocate said:


> TVRM610 said:
> 
> 
> > The reasons eggs are only scrambled is because there is only one cook and it simplifies the process. When was the last time you were at a restaurant with a kitchen the size of Amtraks, that only had one cook, yet had to feed 50 or so passengers a seating on a rocking car.
> ...


Well, yes, they are being violently tossed around. Or, more specifically, they CAN be violently tossed around. The possibility of this happening greatly limits the type of equipment they can have. Things like open flames (grills), deep fryers, etc. are not onboard.

Think about just the deep fryer - half the stuff on a menu at Denny's, McDonald's, or Friday's are deep fried.

From what I've read here, some chefs go the extra mile, & bring their own spices (which they apparently pay for with their own money), or take an extra step like grilling (griddling?) the French Toast after putting it in the convection oven.

There's not much we or Amtrak can do to change the equipment onboard. However, I think one major step Amtrak could take would be to find out which of these "little" things make a big difference, and implement them across all the trains.


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## PRR 60 (May 21, 2013)

D.P. Roberts said:


> Devil's Advocate said:
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> > TVRM610 said:
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Amtrak chefs were warned recently that using non-commissary supplied food or ingredients is prohibited, and that violators of this rule are subject to discipline up to and including termination.


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## D.P. Roberts (May 21, 2013)

On another train of thought, back to the new menus...

I haven't been on Amtrak for a while, but several of the menu items seem new. Are these new, and if so, has anyone tried them, or have any pictures of them?

Specialty Sandwich............................................... $9.75

A traditional grilled pork bratwurst, served on a

pretzel roll with made to order lettuce-tomato slaw.

Served with a dill pickle and kettle chips. (490 cal.)

Vegetarian Gemelli Pasta ...................................$16.00

Amtrak Culinary Advisory Team chef, restaurateur

and author Sara Jenkins inspired this recipe for

gemelli pasta with spinach, and mushrooms in a

light garlic cream sauce. Topped with crumbled feta

cheese and served with a vegetable medley. (690 cal.)

Healthy Option, Light Entrée.............................. $16.75

A healthy, flavorful option that is both light and

balanced for those watching calories, fat and salt

intake. Today’s choice features an eye round of

beef topped with red wine sauce, served with pearl

couscous and baby carrots. (310 cal.)(This entrée

contains 310 calories of which 15% are derived from

fat, with a sodium content of 500 mg.)

Chef’s Evening Marketplace Special ................. $19.75

Amtrak Culinary Advisory Team chef, restaurateur

and author Michel Richard inspired this fork-tender

Dogfish Head Ale braised turkey shank with pearl onions

and bacon. This savory entrée is served bone-on with

garlic mashed potatoes and vegetable medley. (740 cal.)

(Enjoy this dish with one of our fine vineyard selections.)

Wild Caught Mahi-Mahi Fillet........................... $23.25

Amtrak Culinary Advisory Team chef, restaurateur and

author Roberto Santibanez provides the inspiration for

this dish. A grilled to order mahi-mahi fillet served with

a roasted poblano salsa verde. Garnished with diced tomato,

citrus wedge and parsley, served with three grain rice pilaf and

vegetable medley. (405 cal.)(This main course will harmonize

admirably with our food-friendly, chilled Pinot Grigio.)

Specialty Sandwich............................................... $9.75

Griddled gruyere and smoked cheddar cheeses

with sliced tomatoes and whole grain mustard

on multigrain bread. Served with lettuce, tomato,

dill pickle and kettle chips. (733 cal.)

Chef’s Marketplace Special................................. $11.75

Penne pasta and meatballs with tomato cream

sauce. Served with a small garden salad,

choice of dressing and a roll. (807 cal.)


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## yarrow (May 21, 2013)

PRR 60 said:


> D.P. Roberts said:
> 
> 
> > *From what I've read here, some chefs go the extra mile, & bring their own spices (which they apparently pay for with their own money)*,
> ...


another brilliant amtrak administrative move


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## roadman3313 (May 21, 2013)

The Brownie is now packed in a plastic circular container with plastic wrap over it. It was no longer a cake slice. On the EB last night it was in the plastic container but heated. On the CS today it was still in the package. Granted both times were eating in the room but it really depends on the staff on how it is presented. Warmed tastes like it a whole other (better) dessert.


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## Nathanael (May 21, 2013)

yarrow said:


> if anyone doesn't already have it here is the site with the menus and nutrition info:http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/


This is a godsend for my friend with the milk allergy and the calorie-counting diet.


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## pennyk (May 21, 2013)

PRR 60 said:


> D.P. Roberts said:
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> > Devil's Advocate said:
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Since I am allergic to garlic, I would be very upset if a chef "added" garlic to a menu item that ordinarily does not contain garlic.


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## PRR 60 (May 21, 2013)

yarrow said:


> PRR 60 said:
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> > D.P. Roberts said:
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The problem is the FDA. Amtrak has been dinged several times by the FDA for food storage and preparation issues. No matter the good intentions, having a chef use food or ingredients from non-official sources places Amtrak at risk of a regulatory beat-down.


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## Devil's Advocate (May 21, 2013)

D.P. Roberts said:


> A traditional grilled pork bratwurst, served on a pretzel roll with made to order lettuce-tomato slaw. Served with a dill pickle and kettle chips. (490 cal.)


I have no idea what this actually looks like, but it sounds great at first glance. Made to order lettuce tomato slaw sounds interesting. The pickle would be great if the limp spears were replaced with crisp slivers. The kettle chips don't really interest me. How about some sauerkraut and a nice mustard selection? I'm not sure about the result but there would seem to be some honest potential here.



D.P. Roberts said:


> Vegetarian Gemelli Pasta. Amtrak Culinary Advisory Team chef, restaurateur and author Sara Jenkins inspired this recipe for gemelli pasta with spinach, and mushrooms in a light garlic cream sauce. Topped with crumbled feta cheese and served with a vegetable medley. (690 cal.)


This would seem to be one of those dishes that could come out great with fresh veggies. In the past "vegetable medley" has generally meant frozen veggie bricks but maybe this time it's different. Otherwise why bother with a celebrity chef?



D.P. Roberts said:


> Healthy Option, Light Entrée. A healthy, flavorful option that is both light and balanced for those watching calories, fat and salt intake. Today’s choice features an eye round of beef topped with red wine sauce, served with pearl couscous and baby carrots. (310 cal.)(This entrée contains 310 calories of which 15% are derived from fat, with a sodium content of 500 mg.)


Doesn't sound terrible but doesn't really get me excited either. Maybe it tastes better than it sounds.



D.P. Roberts said:


> Chef’s Evening Marketplace Special. Amtrak Culinary Advisory Team chef, restaurateur and author Michel Richard inspired this fork-tender Dogfish Head Ale braised turkey shank with pearl onions and bacon. This savory entrée is served bone-on with garlic mashed potatoes and vegetable medley. (740 cal.)


I like what I'm reading until I get to the mashed potatoes and vegetable medley part. Those words leave me remembering the powdered potatoes and frozen veggies from many a disappointing meal.



D.P. Roberts said:


> Wild Caught Mahi-Mahi Fillet. Amtrak Culinary Advisory Team chef, restaurateur and author Roberto Santibanez provides the inspiration for this dish. A grilled to order mahi-mahi fillet served with a roasted poblano salsa verde. Garnished with diced tomato, citrus wedge and parsley, served with three grain rice pilaf and vegetable medley. (405 cal.)(This main course will harmonize admirably with our food-friendly, chilled Pinot Grigio.)


Grilled to order sounds good to me. Poblanos are tasty peppers but I'm not familiar with seeing them made into salsa. Personally I'd prefer a disharmonizing food-antagonistic wine to pair with my meal.



D.P. Roberts said:


> Specialty Sandwich. Griddled gruyere and smoked cheddar cheeses with sliced tomatoes and whole grain mustard on multigrain bread. Served with lettuce, tomato, dill pickle and kettle chips. (733 cal.)


This is the one I think has the best potential to hit it out of the park on a regular basis. Not too complicated with an improved but entirely achievable goal. The one thing I would replace are the kettle chips. They're both boring _and_ fattening. That's the worst combination I can think of.



D.P. Roberts said:


> Chef’s Marketplace Special. Penne pasta and meatballs with tomato cream sauce. Served with a small garden salad, choice of dressing and a roll. (807 cal.)


Doesn't sound bad. The main problem I see is that Amtrak tends to call virtually anything with lettuce a salad and that the dressing doesn't belong in the description unless it's freshly prepared or otherwise unique in some way. The roll is another reminder of cold, dry, and largely flavorless bread provided as filler for many an uninspired AmChow meal.


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## D.P. Roberts (May 21, 2013)

Devil's Advocate said:


> D.P. Roberts said:
> 
> 
> > Specialty Sandwich. Griddled gruyere and smoked cheddar cheeses with sliced tomatoes and whole grain mustard on multigrain bread. Served with lettuce, tomato, dill pickle and kettle chips. (733 cal.)
> ...


This does sound intriguing - fancy grilled cheese is trendy now. The part I don't understand is why a sandwich that has tomatoes in it is served with... more tomatoes?

I agree completely that the roll is bad and boring. They do have a convection oven - couldn't they bring "take and bake" rolls onboard & heat them in batches in the convection oven? They'd be loads better, and they'd make the whole car smell good too.


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## yarrow (May 21, 2013)

PRR 60 said:


> yarrow said:
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> > PRR 60 said:
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so amtrak can't have chefs but rather "food reheating specialists". too bad


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## yarrow (May 21, 2013)

looking at the cs menu on the amtrak food facts page am i reading it correctly that there is no longer a separate ppc menu?


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## OlympianHiawatha (May 21, 2013)

yarrow said:


> looking at the cs menu on the amtrak food facts page am i reading it correctly that there is no longer a separate ppc menu?


No, they still have a separate Menu; you need to go to the actual page for the _*Coast Starlight*_ where the various Menus can be pulled up. That includes the Northbound and Southbound Wine Tasting Menus as well.


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## dlagrua (May 21, 2013)

On the Crescent back in 2010 heading out of New Orleans, the chefs special for lunch was Crawfish Etoufee, which was quite good. I was led to believe that this was specially cooked by the chef aboard. This leads me to wonder if in fact the chefs occasionally cook something special on their own and offer it as the "chefs special". Has anyone else been served Crawfish Etoufee on the Crescent?


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## ALC Rail Writer (May 21, 2013)

I'm surprised by how few calories are on the menu actually... The children's menu, however, is atrocious. Amtrak would be wise to figure out a healthier one.


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## yarrow (May 21, 2013)

dlagrua said:


> On the Crescent back in 2010 heading out of New Orleans, the chefs special for lunch was Crawfish Etoufee, which was quite good. I was led to believe that this was specially cooked by the chef aboard. This leads me to wonder if in fact the chefs occasionally cook something special on their own and offer it as the "chefs special". Has anyone else been served Crawfish Etoufee on the Crescent?


yes. a couple years ago and it was great. also, had shrimp and grits on the menu. if amtrak were to regionalize the menus and have specific dishes for each train it would be wonderful. but i fear those days are gone forever.


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## SeeBuyFly (May 21, 2013)

dlagrua said:


> On the Crescent back in 2010 heading out of New Orleans, the chefs special for lunch was Crawfish Etoufee, which was quite good. I was led to believe that this was specially cooked by the chef aboard. This leads me to wonder if in fact the chefs occasionally cook something special on their own and offer it as the "chefs special". Has anyone else been served Crawfish Etoufee on the Crescent?


I would guess that the operative word is "led". A lot of food service, much like wine sales, is based on selling a fantasy.


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## yarrow (May 21, 2013)

SeeBuyFly said:


> dlagrua said:
> 
> 
> > On the Crescent back in 2010 heading out of New Orleans, the chefs special for lunch was Crawfish Etoufee, which was quite good. I was led to believe that this was specially cooked by the chef aboard. This leads me to wonder if in fact the chefs occasionally cook something special on their own and offer it as the "chefs special". Has anyone else been served Crawfish Etoufee on the Crescent?
> ...


maybe a fantasy but both the crawfish and shrimp were delicious and i've never seen them on another train or, alas, again on the crescent


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## TVRM610 (May 22, 2013)

yarrow said:


> maybe a fantasy but both the crawfish and shrimp were delicious and i've never seen them on another train or, alas, again on the crescent


I remember traveling around that time and having "Jambalaya" on the crescent and hearing mention of the crawfish on either the Crescent or City of New Orleans (can't remember which for sure) so I think it was an Amtrak dish.


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## TVRM610 (May 22, 2013)

SeeBuyFly said:


> Regarding grilling, it's interesting that Amtrak regulars have so many different versions of how food is cooked on board the LD trains. Are passengers ever allowed downstairs to look for themselves? Probably not.


You can look into the kitchen of the single level dining cars. The cars with the Tirimosa (sp?) rebuild even have an open window into the kitchen where a counter with stools is (this counter is never used... but would have been an awesome place to sit and watch the diner crew in action.).

That's how i know for sure that the eggs are fresh and scrambled to order... cause I've seen the eggs being beaten up, you can hear it too. ha.

Depending on where you sit.. you can have a decent vantage point of part of the kitchen. Nothing too exciting but it gives you an idea.


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## yarrow (May 22, 2013)

OlympianHiawatha said:


> yarrow said:
> 
> 
> > looking at the cs menu on the amtrak food facts page am i reading it correctly that there is no longer a separate ppc menu?
> ...


this link appears to be to the ppc menu which is the same as the dining car:http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/lp.do?sk=119AAF67B64F7EFD53C6EA1A763F916FB73F81DBE02F5C7E&EV=2


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## yarrow (May 22, 2013)

OlympianHiawatha said:


> yarrow said:
> 
> 
> > looking at the cs menu on the amtrak food facts page am i reading it correctly that there is no longer a separate ppc menu?
> ...


this link appears to be to the ppc menu which is the same as the dining car:http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/lp.do?sk=119AAF67B64F7EFD53C6EA1A763F916FB73F81DBE02F5C7E&EV=2


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## OlympianHiawatha (May 22, 2013)

I love the term "Chef Inspired" - now just what that mean?


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## SeeBuyFly (May 22, 2013)

OlympianHiawatha said:


> I love the term "Chef Inspired" - now just what that mean?


The chef is paid some money to lend his/her name to a recipe that is then modified by the food service company for production at the lowest possible labor cost and with the cheapest ingredients.

I occasionally get to travel business class on airlines, and some airlines have chefs do their menus. The food is still produced by Gate Gourmet or equivalent and is not the equivalent of the chef's own restaurant..


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## TVRM610 (May 22, 2013)

Say what you will but the "chef inspired" crab cakes and lamb shank are the most consistently good dinner items.


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## Bob Dylan (May 22, 2013)

TVRM610 said:


> Say what you will but the "chef inspired" crab cakes and lamb shank are the most consistently good dinner items.


I agree with the Lamb but i've had Passable to Terrible Crab Cakes on LD Trains! YMMV


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## AmtrakBlue (May 22, 2013)

jimhudson said:


> TVRM610 said:
> 
> 
> > Say what you will but the "chef inspired" crab cakes and lamb shank are the most consistently good dinner items.
> ...


My daughter had the crab cakes 3 nights in a row (CL & CZ). The first two dinners they were good, but 2nd dinner on the CZ they were a little ?over cooked? (can't remember exactly what was wrong) but were still edible.

Now, being on the Delmarva Peninsula, I will say they're were not great. But they were still better than some I've had at restaurants (I had them the 2nd night of our trip).


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## Bob Dylan (May 22, 2013)

The AGR Part of Flyer Talk where several AU Members Post has Pictures of the Deserts on the New Menus that have changed due to New Vendors! There are changes to the Cheesecake  , Brownies and Ice Cream that don't Look or Sound all that Great, not sure about the Taste but I've always thought Amtrak had Good Deserts!! :unsure: Comments???


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## pennyk (May 22, 2013)

jimhudson said:


> The AGR Part of Flyer Talk where several AU Members Post has Pictures of the Deserts on the New Menus that have changed due to New Vendors! There are changes to the Cheesecake  , Brownies and Ice Cream that don't Look or Sound all that Great, not sure about the Taste but I've always thought Amtrak had Good Deserts!! :unsure: Comments???


Jim, when I was on 98 on my way to NTD, the new brownies were on the menu and I had it for lunch and dinner. It was GREAT, in my opinion. However, the dessert menu on 97 (which was different) did not work for me since I do not eat cheesecake, ice cream or cream puffs. Several of the passengers raved about the cream puffs. Unfortunately for some people I know, the orange cheesecake was not on either menu. I think 98 and 91 have the same menus; and 92 and 97 have the same menus.


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## Bob Dylan (May 22, 2013)

pennyk said:


> jimhudson said:
> 
> 
> > The AGR Part of Flyer Talk where several AU Members Post has Pictures of the Deserts on the New Menus that have changed due to New Vendors! There are changes to the Cheesecake  , Brownies and Ice Cream that don't Look or Sound all that Great, not sure about the Taste but I've always thought Amtrak had Good Deserts!! :unsure: Comments???
> ...


:hi: Thanks Penny, I like all of them :wub: but the Cheesecake and the Long Gone Bourbon Pecan Pie were my Favorites, I hope to try the New Items on the way to the Gathering in CHI!!!!


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## haolerider (May 22, 2013)

SeeBuyFly said:


> OlympianHiawatha said:
> 
> 
> > I love the term "Chef Inspired" - now just what that mean?
> ...


Actually, the chefs serve on an advisory committee and evaluate comments about the food and work toward introducing new items. They certainly do not cook the food and Aramark does the sourcing and preparation, but they have come up with some interesting and tasty items. Change is difficult for some people, but others complain about the same old menu items......so you can't please everyone!


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## Devil's Advocate (May 22, 2013)

pennyk said:


> jimhudson said:
> 
> 
> > The AGR Part of Flyer Talk where several AU Members Post has Pictures of the Deserts on the New Menus that have changed due to New Vendors! There are changes to the Cheesecake  , Brownies and Ice Cream that don't Look or Sound all that Great, not sure about the Taste but I've always thought Amtrak had Good Deserts!! :unsure: Comments???
> ...


The only thing I didn't like was that they wouldn't warn you they were going to dump a bunch of orange goop on your otherwise palatable cheesecake. That's not the vendor's fault though. Most of my desserts were those kid sized ice cream cups, either because nothing else sounded good or because that's all they were offering. I'm not exactly above eating Amtrak desserts, but they rarely impressed me. The new "in wrapper" serving style seems rather lazy, but I suppose there must be a reason.


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## D.P. Roberts (May 22, 2013)

jimhudson said:


> The AGR Part of Flyer Talk where several AU Members Post has Pictures of the Deserts on the New Menus that have changed due to New Vendors! There are changes to the Cheesecake  , Brownies and Ice Cream that don't Look or Sound all that Great, not sure about the Taste but I've always thought Amtrak had Good Deserts!! :unsure: Comments???


Thanks for pointing that out! If anyone needs a link, here's the thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amtrak-guest-rewards/1364242-nothing-could-finer-than-dinner-diner-thread-2.html

Here's a blog that also has meal photos:

http://amtrakmeals.blogspot.com/


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## TVRM610 (May 22, 2013)

Oh no!

Desserts appear to have declined quite a bit. I hope the new desserts don't last long.


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## Aaron (May 23, 2013)

On the CS this week, we tried a couple of the new items, particularly the new toasted cheese sandwich and the turkey shank. I liked them a lot. The desserts served in their plastic containers really do seem lazy, especially contrasted to the real china on the CS. Te brownie chocolate cake would taste a lot better if they warmed it up and put a squirt of chocolate syrup on it.

Now, in addition to new menus being printed up for the dining cars, the CS has these welcome booklets in the sleepers that have the menus in them also. The new version of this booklet has a few typos, and one particularly egregious one:


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## D.P. Roberts (May 23, 2013)

Aaron said:


> On the CS this week, we tried a couple of the new items, particularly the new toasted cheese sandwich and the turkey shank. I liked them a lot. The desserts served in their plastic containers really do seem lazy, especially contrasted to the real china on the CS. Te brownie chocolate cake would taste a lot better if they warmed it up and put a squirt of chocolate syrup on it.
> Now, in addition to new menus being printed up for the dining cars, the CS has these welcome booklets in the sleepers that have the menus in them also. The new version of this booklet has a few typos, and one particularly egregious one:


They can add ice cream too, right? It sounds like that brownie thing is just asking to be warmed up, & have some ice cream on top. Despite its appearance, that sounds a lot better.

Great to hear that the toasted cheese & turkey dinner are good. I'm looking forward to trying those.

And by the way, that's not a typo - that's just how kids talk nowadays. It's a really slammin' fish, yo...


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## SarahZ (May 24, 2013)

"Slamon Fillet". Love it.  I thought the same thing DP did.


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## Trainmans daughter (May 24, 2013)

Sorcha said:


> "Slamon Fillet". Love it.  I thought the same thing DP did.


Me too. Although I don't like seafood very much, but I can't wait to order the "slamin' fish", yo!


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## CHamilton (May 24, 2013)

Now that's filet of soul!


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## SarahZ (May 24, 2013)

Wait.

"Food-friendly, chilled Pinot Grigio."

Is there a wine that isn't food-friendly?

Like, is the bottle of wine going to grab a shiv and start cutting my steak like it owes it money or something?


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## D.P. Roberts (May 24, 2013)

Sorcha said:


> Wait.
> "Food-friendly, chilled Pinot Grigio."
> 
> Is there a wine that isn't food-friendly?
> ...


It reminds me of the old Monty Python sketch about Australian wines. " This is a bottle with a message in, and the message is 'beware'. This is not a wine for drinking. This is a wine for lying down and avoiding."


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## The Davy Crockett (May 24, 2013)

The "Slamon Fillet' - inspired by Chef Tom Douglas..hmmm... maybe he ain't inspired to spell? :huh: Didn't he also 'inspire' the misnamed Mayland :blink: Style Crab Cakes.?


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## D T Nelson (May 24, 2013)

I have also found many misspellings in the route guides. Lack of attention to detail is a hallmark of Amtrak.


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## the Other Mike (May 24, 2013)

_Wow, what a bunch of spelling snobs  _

I don't know if any of you are "friends" with Amtrak on FaceBook, but it drives me nuts. I keep slamming the person at Amtrak that posts the pics and comments. They will show a picture of something out west and make a comment about traveling in the northeast.

One other person replies to every post with a comment about how he can't go "there" because the Sunset doesn't travel east of New Orleans.


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## dart330 (May 24, 2013)

Taking the in-laws on their first train trip this weekend. Sent them the link to the updated menus and they were delighted to see the calories listed. I think this is a good change and I am surprised that things I usually order are on the lower calorie side. Surprising that the soup & salad for lunch and half chicken for dinner are so high.


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## SarahZ (May 24, 2013)

the Other Mike said:


> _Wow, what a bunch of spelling snobs  _
> I don't know if any of you are "friends" with Amtrak on FaceBook, but it drives me nuts. I keep slamming the person at Amtrak that posts the pics and comments. They will show a picture of something out west and make a comment about traveling in the northeast.
> 
> One other person replies to every post with a comment about how he can't go "there" because the Sunset doesn't travel east of New Orleans.


Yeah, someone on Pinterest kept showing pictures of a "Surfliner" train in Kansas City. I tagged every single one of them with #superliner.


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## Andy (May 25, 2013)

Several good gluten-free options!


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## Ashland Train Enthusiast (May 25, 2013)

D.P. Roberts said:


> Here's a blog that also has meal photos:http://amtrakmeals.blogspot.com/


Hello All,

I am the owner/creator of this blog, and appreciate being able to provide something to help give folks' an idea of what to expect. With these menu changes, there are a lot more options out there and unfortunately I don't have any LD travel planned for the next several months, so I just wanted to put a shout-out that if anyone has any meal pictures from any recent travels that they would be willing to share, I'd greatly appreciate it. I wholeheartedly believe in the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words, so this is my attempt to collect and showcase these pictures.

~ DCTE


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## berkyo (May 25, 2013)

Linda T said:


> Now why'd they have to go and do a thing like that? I don't care about the meals, I mean I have to eat, but why the desserts? Now I have to find a new way to justify that NY Cheesecake! I've always followed the rule that if desserts don't have the calories listed they have no calories.


Right! I do not want to know this on my vacation.


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## June the Coach Rider (May 25, 2013)

Does the new menus mean they are cutting out the lamb shank or did I miss it on the many menus? The lamb shank is one of my favorite meals on the LD trains.


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## OlympianHiawatha (May 25, 2013)

June the Coach Rider said:


> Does the new menus mean they are cutting out the lamb shank or did I miss it on the many menus? The lamb shank is one of my favorite meals on the LD trains.


They better not cut out the Lamb Shank! Normally it rotates in and out as a Chef's Special or something along that lines.


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## Aaron (May 26, 2013)

Update: I tried the specialty sandwich (the fancy grilled cheese) again today and it was gross. This time, the cheese was not thoroughly melted. The last time, the cheese was gooey and dripping, and that apparently makes all the difference in the world for taste. Moral of the story: if you order this, and it's not ready to drip out, send it back for more "griddling".

The chef on this train appears to undercook everything we've ordered so far. Annoying in the case of the sandwich and the kids' pizzas, but it worked to my advantage when I ordered the "slamon fillet", since I like my salmon a little on the rare side anyway. Now, if only he could make a rare burger...


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## Alexandria Nick (May 26, 2013)

D T Nelson said:


> I have also found many misspellings in the route guides. Lack of attention to detail is a hallmark of Amtrak.


One of the many things I do at work is proofread huge government reports. Sometimes we even get to do a bit of writing. I was all excited to get to pen a caption for a picture, so I wrote up my caption, looked it over, and was pleased. It went through three review cycles. At least 22 people read that caption at some point during the review and approval process. There was a typo in it. Probably from the very beginning. And to make things worse, somewhere around the first review cycle, it was rewritten in the first place (but a different sentence, not the one that had the typo).

I'm guessing they did that in InDesign, which doesn't have spellcheck turned on by default (seriously!?). It gets harder to notice certain mistakes after you missed them the first time too. Especially that kind of mistake. Your brain doesn't really care what order the letters are in, just as long as there's no more or no less.

Anyhow, I'm a bit disappointed that my Capitol Limited doesn't seem to have changed. Oh well. I generally stick to a sandwich from the cafe. I don't care about the calories there. I know the label should just have a skull and cross bones on it and some sort of warning about what the lethal dose of salt is.


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## yarrow (May 26, 2013)

Aaron said:


> Update: I tried the specialty sandwich (the fancy grilled cheese) again today and it was gross. This time, the cheese was not thoroughly melted. The last time, the cheese was gooey and dripping, and that apparently makes all the difference in the world for taste. Moral of the story: if you order this, and it's not ready to drip out, send it back for more "griddling".
> The chef on this train appears to undercook everything we've ordered so far. Annoying in the case of the sandwich and the kids' pizzas, but it worked to my advantage when I ordered the "slamon fillet", since I like my salmon a little on the rare side anyway. Now, if only he could make a rare burger...


afaik, the specialty sandwiches, with the exception of the burger, are pre-made. the cold sandwiches can be ok but generally not the reheated offerings


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## kt1i (May 26, 2013)

I will be seven days in sleepers, that's a lot of Amtrak food. Still looking forward to the cheesecake at least once!


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## TVRM610 (May 26, 2013)

When I had the specialty grilled cheese on the Coast Starlight it was one of the best Sandwiches I've ever had in my life. Same sandwich on the Empire Builder left a lot to be desired. So yes... Cook time is very important on this one.


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## Liz (Sep 9, 2013)

Recently enjoyed the most fantastic "Specialty Sandwich" on Amtrak's Silver Meteor out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. It's worth every calorie and every bit of cholesterol - at least once. You'll dream of it later on and enjoy the dream. My best to the chef.


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## LawDude (Sep 9, 2013)

SeeBuyFly said:


> I assume railroad french toast is just french toast but with a more evocative name?


Railroad French Toast is a name meant to evoke old railroads (especially the Santa Fe) which had special french toast recipes on long distance trains which were highly praised.

That said, I think Amtrak french toast tends to be pretty good, actually.


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