amtrak desserts

[yarrow]

i thought there was a thread about this elsewhere but couldn't find it. just got back from a cross country rt and it was our first since the new menus of a few months ago. the new desserts are silly, imho. a mini thing of ice cream, a wrapped brownie or cheesecake in a plastic dish. the mousse was good but only offered once. i usually leave dessert to the kids but enjoy at least looking at the offerings but not so much anymore. it seems like convenience store fare

 

[Bob Dylan]

i thought there was a thread about this elsewhere but couldn't find it. just got back from a cross country rt and it was our first since the new menus of a few months ago. the new desserts are silly, imho. a mini thing of ice cream, a wrapped brownie or cheesecake in a plastic dish. the mousse was good but only offered once. i usually leave dessert to the kids but enjoy at least looking at the offerings but not so much anymore. it seems like convenience store fare

Like all things, Tastes vary, but the Important thing to me is How they Taste, Not How they Look! Ill be on my first LD Trip in 7 Months in a Couple of Weeks (to the Gathering via Florida, the "Short Way!" :giggle: )so I am Anxious to answer this Question for myself! There have been a Few Comments in Trip Reports and on a Menu Thread , but not in awhile! :unsure:

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I am more than satisfied with the new desserts and find both the Cheesecake and Brownie to be very good. On one occasion the Server removed the plastic "barge" before serving and if you do not want it in the way, simply flip the thing over and slide it out. And while spooky in name, the "Blood Sherbert" is good too if you want something light and easy.

 

[FriskyFL]

"Blood Orange Sherbet", actually. It's quite tasty.

 

[Michael061282]

I didn't like the blood orange sherbert. I found it a but too much like "grapefriut sherbert", It's also very small for the price coach passenger have to pay. , buy that goes with everything in the dining cars now.

 

[SarahZ]

Is the "mini thing of ice cream" that little Haagen-Dazs container, or did they switch that up?

 

[Dovecote]

i thought there was a thread about this elsewhere but couldn't find it. just got back from a cross country rt and it was our first since the new menus of a few months ago. the new desserts are silly, imho. a mini thing of ice cream, a wrapped brownie or cheesecake in a plastic dish. the mousse was good but only offered once. i usually leave dessert to the kids but enjoy at least looking at the offerings but not so much anymore. it seems like convenience store fare

Well I agree with you yarrow. They are pathetic looking to say the least. Not even worth ordering in my mind. I certainly miss the creme puff covered with dark chocolate that is obviously no longer available.

 

[TVRM610]

The chocolate mousee parfait is very very good.

The brownie is OK but really should be warmed and taken out of the container (this makes all the difference)

The Cheesecake is silly.. it doesn't look like cheesecake even when served outside of the container. It's too rich for my taste. The taste isn't terrible... but it just doesn't even look like cheesecake. I was quite fond of the previous Amtrak Cheesecake.

I tried both ice cream desserts... the Vanilla Bean Gelatto is very tasty, the Sherbert is not my thing.

Overall.. I would be more sad about the cheesecake if the chocolate mousse wasn't so good!

 

[oregon pioneer]

Darn, sounds like the tiramisu cake and the peanut butter torte are now in the past. I'm a cake fan (and I don't mean cheesecake, I mean the ones made with flour and frosting!). Do they ever have those any more? Guess I'll find out in December... oh, well, at least it will be better for my waistline if they are smaller and less inviting.

 

[Nathanael]

Oh dear -- did Amtrak eliminate the "nut or fruit option"? They always used to have some form of fruit or nut cake. I don't eat over-sugared, over-fatted junk.

I used to eat dessert with every meal on Amtrak, but if all they have is chocolate mousse, cheesecake, brownie, and ice cream, then they have nothing I would ever eat ever. That would be sad.

 

[Nathanael]

Ugh. I just checked the menu. Yep, no more decent desserts. That sucks.

 

[tonys96]

Is the "mini thing of ice cream" that little Haagen-Dazs container, or did they switch that up?

No more Hagen-Dazs on either the EB or CS. We traveled these in August. I enjoyed both the Vanilla Bean Gelato and the Blood Orange Sherbet. Margie liked the cheesecake with raspberries on it.

 

[TinCan782]

On the SL/TE in August, we were disappointed that they no longer had the Haagen-Dazs rasberry sorbet.

 

[blueman271]

i thought there was a thread about this elsewhere but couldn't find it. just got back from a cross country rt and it was our first since the new menus of a few months ago. the new desserts are silly, imho. a mini thing of ice cream, a wrapped brownie or cheesecake in a plastic dish. the mousse was good but only offered once. i usually leave dessert to the kids but enjoy at least looking at the offerings but not so much anymore. it seems like convenience store fare

Well I agree with you yarrow. They are pathetic looking to say the least. Not even worth ordering in my mind. I certainly miss the creme puff covered with dark chocolate that is obviously no longer available.

I just rode the Silver Star from Miami to Newark on Sept. 24th-25th and the creme puff was available and delicious. I had it twice, once after dinner on day one and once after lunch on day two. As a matter of fact the food was delicious the entire trip.

 

[Trainmans daughter]

On the SL/TE in August, we were disappointed that they no longer had the Haagen-Dazs rasberry sorbet.

That was my favorite, too. Light and refreshing.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Do they still have the lemon cake? That was good. When I was small there was this little shop near where I lived and it turned out amazing cheesecakes. I think it's still there.

 

[me_little_me]

I liked the Bananas Foster. It was made from bananas and vanilla ice cream, with the sauce made from butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dark rum, and banana liqueur. The butter, sugar and bananas were cooked, and then the alcohol was added and ignited. The bananas and sauce were then served over the ice cream. Preparation of the dish was made into a tableside performance as a flambé. Excellent.

Then I woke up and the SCA told me my stop was next.

 

[benjibear]

I thought the cheesecake was OK. it wasn't the best I ever had but wasn't the worse either.

Who cares what it looks like as long as it tastes good. Everyone tells me I am a good cook but my presentation isn't very good looking.

 

[SarahZ]

On the SL/TE in August, we were disappointed that they no longer had the Haagen-Dazs rasberry sorbet.

That was my favorite, too. Light and refreshing.

Agreed. I don't like heavy desserts, so that was the perfect end to the meal.

 

[TVRM610]

I thought the cheesecake was OK. it wasn't the best I ever had but wasn't the worse either.

Who cares what it looks like as long as it tastes good. Everyone tells me I am a good cook but my presentation isn't very good looking.

Presentation is key.. especially in a dining car. When the cheesecake is delivered on the plate with the fruit topping it looks like a real dessert. When it's delivered in the tray it looks like airline food (yes I know that's what it is). I've seen it presented both ways. Same with the brownie.

I agree taste wise the cheesecake is ok... I personally liked the previous cheesecake a little bit better. But like I said I love the new chocolate mouse.

 

[pennyk]

I really like the new brownie.

 

[zepherdude]

I was pretty surprised (along with everyone at the table) over the presentation of the desserts. The cheesecake was brought out in a plastic container right from the box. My blood orange sherbet was a Dixie Cup. I don't remember the price if they were 5 bucks, but they sure were scant. Quite a step down from the slice of NY Cheesecake in the past.

A side story on this was the passenger across the aisle from me was a senior gentleman with his wife. Myself and the three other persons at my table were very engaged in whatever and it was interesting. We went silent when the senior gentleman told the lead service attendant to "go screw himself and the his ***** waiter (4 letter explicative both cases). Seems like his Tilapia was tough and was the last time and time before that. Then the passenger told him "they could all kiss his rear" (more explicatives). WOW!

The service attendant told him to get up and get off his train NOW! He was not putting up with this type of abuse. This time the guys wife told him to go and screw himself, they were not going anywhere (yet more explicatives.) There was a senior lady sitting at my table and she was mortified and wanting to run away. Personally, I wanted to hide under the table myself. There was a cool younger conductor named Justin and he showed up.

The older man stood up in the aisle and told Justin he ran a crappy train and Amtrak was a crap railroad and all of his past trips were awful and he wanted his money back now. The car was silent by this time. (lots more abusive words from the passenger)

Justin was super cool, he looked the guy in the eye, face to face and stated he was sorry for providing such a crappy train and he had already had the car attendant pack his bags in his room and they will be getting off in Klamath Falls Oregon and them with the bags. He would not make them endure any further issues from Amtrak and there would be no refunds. Justin then invited them to sit down and try to enjoy the rest of the trip. Klamath Falls in two hours. Be ready. Was there ever silence after that.

Justin and the older passenger walked into the sleeper car and chatted for a bit, only the passenger came back to the table and he and the wife both left for their sleeping car. I suspect they remained on the train to their final destination. The lady at my table needed oxygen and, even though I am not goody two shoes, I had not heard such language since I saw Saturday Night Fever!

We all commented how good the desserts were and went our separate ways. BTW, my steak dinner was very good.

 

[DaddyJim]

The wife and I were on the EB this week and we both had the brownie and vanilla gelato the first night and I had it again the second night and Di had the cheese cake with blue berries. We thought they were very good as were all the meals that we had. The desserts were served on plates not in containers on the EB.

Looking forward to more good food on our return to CHI on the CZ 10/03

 

[the Other Mike]

You guys need to eat a Snickers bar .......you're just not yourselves lately :giggle:

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

A side story on this was the passenger across the aisle from me was a senior gentleman with his wife. Myself and the three other persons at my table were very engaged in whatever and it was interesting. We went silent when the senior gentleman told the lead service attendant to "go screw himself and the his ***** waiter (4 letter explicative both cases). Seems like his Tilapia was tough and was the last time and time before that. Then the passenger told him "they could all kiss his rear" (more explicatives). WOW!

The service attendant told him to get up and get off his train NOW! He was not putting up with this type of abuse. This time the guys wife told him to go and screw himself, they were not going anywhere (yet more explicatives.) There was a senior lady sitting at my table and she was mortified and wanting to run away. Personally, I wanted to hide under the table myself. There was a cool younger conductor named Justin and he showed up.

The older man stood up in the aisle and told Justin he ran a crappy train and Amtrak was a crap railroad and all of his past trips were awful and he wanted his money back now. The car was silent by this time. (lots more abusive words from the passenger)

Justin was super cool, he looked the guy in the eye, face to face and stated he was sorry for providing such a crappy train and he had already had the car attendant pack his bags in his room and they will be getting off in Klamath Falls Oregon and them with the bags. He would not make them endure any further issues from Amtrak and there would be no refunds. Justin then invited them to sit down and try to enjoy the rest of the trip. Klamath Falls in two hours. Be ready. Was there ever silence after that.

Hats off to Justin for handling those Crotchers like he did; hopefully he alerted K-Falls authorities they had some potentially hostile passengers being detrained. If you haven't done so, please contact Customer Service with good words about Justin.