Amtrak dining and cafe service

[erinch13]

This will be our choices on the CL on July 12. What would you pick?

 

[Cal]

This will be our choices on the CL on July 12. What would you pick?
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Pasta and the beef, as I don't eat seafood.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

This will be our choices on the CL on July 12. What would you pick?
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I’ve had the beef and the shrimp - I would order the shrimp again, I would not order the beef again. The beef was extremely salty - to the point all you tasted was red wine and salt.

 

[me_little_me]

I would get the burger from the Cafe. Second choice would be the dessert and salad. Third would be the Shrimp and andouille sausage and give the shrimp to my wife as I don't eat shrimp.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I'd order a pizza delivered to the next station stop. I've done it.

 

[Cal]

I'd order a pizza delivered to the next station stop. I've done it.

Me too.

 

[neroden]

This will be our choices on the CL on July 12. What would you pick?
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I would "Open Description" and try to get the ingredients lists. If I couldn't, it's pack my own meal!

 

[flitcraft]

This will be our choices on the CL on July 12. What would you pick?
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Had the creole shrimp and andouille on the CL last week--it was the best of the 'flex' meals we had in our three day trip. It is a bit spicy, though, so if you don't do spicy, I would pick something else. (The only time I got the pasta and meatballs, the meatballs were still a bit icy inside...)

 

[IndyLions]

Another vote for the sausage and shrimp. I agree it was a little spicy, but if you like that – it’s the best of the group.

 

[cocojacoby]

Ditto

 

[jis]

Another vote for the sausage and shrimp. I agree it was a little spicy, but if you like that – it’s the best of the group.

I agree. That is the one I liked the most.

 

[peteypablo]

I just finished a trip where I ate the beef, the chicken and the enchiladas multiple times. I don’t like sausage and when I had this in January I did not like it. I didn’t order the pasta with meatballs. I also was offered a meatless lasagna on the Zephyr in mid June.

The chicken, the enchiladas and the beef were all more edible than I expected based on my experience in January, but I was sooo glad to have traditional dining back for my return trip on the Zephyr. I had the crab cakes, the salmon and the cheesecake for dinner and French toast for breakfast. Better than I remembered it.

 

[Rasputin]

I had the crab cakes, the salmon and the cheesecake for dinner and French toast for breakfast. Better than I remembered it.

Thanks very much for your report. And now, the standard breakfast question: Do you know if grits are being offered with all breakfast entries or only with the continental breakfast option? (I can't imagine that many in the continental breakfast crowd would be fans of grits but I have been wrong before.)
Thanks.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I used to eat grits just about once a year, always on Amtrak. I told the kids they were a strange form of mashed potatoes served for breakfast in the South (this is not true, please don't flame me). No objection to grits, but that was about the right frequency.

 

[Way2Kewl]

Now I thought "polenta" was a strange form of mashed potatoes. I did not care for them.

Listed on the new menu: >> and your choice of oatmeal or grits
I am looking forward to seeing them back. It's a southern staple.

 

[Rasputin]

Listed on the new menu: >> and your choice of oatmeal or grits
I am looking forward to seeing them back. It's a southern staple.

But they are only listed with the continental breakfast option. Previously grits were available as I recall as a choice with all breakfast options.

 

[Way2Kewl]

But they are only listed with the continental breakfast option. Previously grits were available as I recall as a choice with all breakfast options.

I find they can be very flexible. I almost always order the 3 Egg Omelet with grits instead of potatoes. I’ve never been rebuffed. 50% of the time it still comes with potatoes and a bowl of grits on the side. Sometimes I skip the menu and ask for 2 bowls of grits and a croissant.

 

[Rasputin]

I find they can be very flexible. I almost always order the 3 Egg Omelet with grits instead of potatoes. I’ve never been rebuffed. 50% of the time it still comes with potatoes and a bowl of grits on the side. Sometimes I skip the menu and ask for 2 bowls of grits and a croissant.

The difference is that for the western long distance trains the pre-pandemic traditional dining menus specifically stated that the scrambled egg entree and the omelet entree came with a choice of potatoes or grits. The new post-pandemic traditional dining menus indicate that for those entrees, they come with potatoes but no mention of grits. For those of us who like having the choice, it would be encouraging to see it stated in the menu and not be dependent on the whim of the employees.

 

[joelkfla]

On pre-pandemic traditional dining, it seemed like there was a great deal of flexibility mixing and matching any entrees and sides, for all 3 meal periods. I'm wondering whether that is still true.

 

[ms garrison]

The difference is that for the western long distance trains the pre-pandemic traditional dining menus specifically stated that the scrambled egg entree and the omelet entree came with a choice of potatoes or grits. The new post-pandemic traditional dining menus indicate that for those entrees, they come with potatoes but no mention of grits. For those of us who like having the choice, it would be encouraging to see it stated in the menu and not be dependent on the whim of the employees.

Just please don't let it be instant grits, an abomination
.

 

[Rasputin]

Just please don't let it be instant grits, an abomination
.

Whatever they are, I have found them to be quite edible in the past.
In fact, I will make the observation that on my May 2019 trip on the Lake Shore under contemporary dining of flexible dining, whichever it was, if I have been given a choice between any of the then existing breakfast entrees or a large bowl of grits, I would have gladly taken the grits.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Does anyone actually hunger for grits? Half the reasons I've heard for eating them boil down to something intangible like "they're regional" or "I used to eat them as a kid" and "it's an acquired taste." The other half boil down to "grits taste good when mixed with other flavors you already enjoy." When non-fans say they did not enjoy them invariably the response is that they must not have been prepared correctly rather than admit grits might be unappealing. You could say those things about almost any meal at all, including a baloney sandwich. Having tried grits the best thing I can say about them is "at least they're not oatmeal."

 

[jiml]

Aren't grits and polenta essentially the same thing, ground and cooked differently?

 

[jis]

Aren't grits and polenta essentially the same thing, ground and cooked differently?

Both are ground Corn. Grits use White Corn, and Polenta Yellow Corn. Usually.

 

[Way2Kewl]

I've heard for eating them boil down to something intangible like
"they're regional" or "I used to eat them as a kid" and "everyone should try them."

Well Mr. Devil... "they're regional"✔ and "I used to eat them as a kid✔(and still do)" and "everyone should try them.✔(at least one)" Guess it's a Southern thing... Grit's and Dr. Pepper ... I hold my mom responsible.