Amtrak Half Roasted Chicken Replaced

[seat38a]

Not sure when you guys are talking about but I rode Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, and California Zephyr in April and all featured and served Haagan Daz vanilla ice cream. I got it at every lunch and dinner while on this trains.

As for Blue Bunny Ice Cream, I have bought and enjoyed Blue Bunny no sugar added vanilla ice cream at Walmart. Maybe I'm just weird, I like Denny's too.

The menu has been updated finally to show that Blue Bunny is being served. They might be just finishing up their current inventory before changing over. Its been showing on Amtrak Food Fact in fine print that its Blue Bunny.

 

[shelzp]

Not sure when you guys are talking about but I rode Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, and California Zephyr in April and all featured and served Haagan Daz vanilla ice cream. I got it at every lunch and dinner while on this trains.

As for Blue Bunny Ice Cream, I have bought and enjoyed Blue Bunny no sugar added vanilla ice cream at Walmart. Maybe I'm just weird, I like Denny's too.

I was on an Amtrak trip in April and in the middle of my ten days on trains the menu changed. The thing I noticed immediately was that they were serving French toast instead of pancakes. Plus the cheesecake was different and to me the current one is better than the previous strawberry variety. Then I got the chicken and I also liked it better than the half chicken they'd been serving for so long.

 

[shelzp]

There's a typo in there somewhere - either the menu is wrong (it says Haagen-Dazs), or the food link is wrong (it says Blue Bunny). I think - and hope - it's very possible that the menu is correct, and they just put a link to the wrong item.

*EDIT: well, shoot. It looks like the new menus are already online (dated 4/16), and they specifically state Blue Bunny ice cream.

In looking at the new menus online, it bothers me that several of the "core entrees" are simply listed as "specials" on the menu, even though they're well-defined as staples on Amtrak Food Facts. In my experience, many of the dining car attendants don't know what the specials are, call things by the wrong name, or simply make something up if I ask them. It makes me wonder if the cooks are even making the specials at all.

I find it frustrating because two of the "special" items on the new menu - the chicken sliders and the salisbury steak - are things I'd like to try. I strongly suspect that they won't be available, but I'm curious to know whether anyone has seen either of them yet.

They've been serving Salisbury steak in the coach cars on the western routes for awhile now. They announce a 'Just for You' meal and I've noticed that at dinner time it's been Salisbury Steak, mashed potatoes, bottle of water and a chocolate chip cookie for $12. They also have a lunch special of sandwich, chips, water, cookie for $9 that they bring to people at their seat in coach. On the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder the employees say it's been popular and well received. I recall hearing the announcement for it last summer. So far these meals are just for coach and the coach attendants serve the people. I wonder if this will be in the sleepers at some point too. It's ok for me as I don't care to go to the diner but I do hate to see the diners removed. Employees seem to think it's going that way. One mentioned to me that there have been FDA employees on board recently to advise about food service onboard.

 

[JayPea]

The salisbury steak was available as a special for the dining car passengers when I was on the CS in March and found it very good.

 

[Anderson]

Well, crud. The dessert options have, IMHO, slipped noticeably in the last few years (the chocolate/peanut butter ice cream was my favorite and I've got a friend who still laments the loss of the sorbet).

 

[fillyjonk]

Hey! French toast is back, at least on the TE! (I like that much better than the pancakes that replaced it).

I can do without dessert but I'm happy to have the French Toast back for breakfast.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Hey! French toast is back, at least on the TE! (I like that much better than the pancakes that replaced it).

The French Toast seems to be back on many if not most long distance routes, presumably as part of a single massive restocking purchase.



So far as I am aware both the French Toast and potatoes are precooked, frozen and recooked, but they seem to take such punishment surprisingly well. The eggs are fresh but for some reason can only be ordered in scrambled form with no exceptions. The sausage patties are where Amtrak really dropped the ball. For some inexplicable reason they appeared to be boiled in water until flavorless and then served at room temperature. Cutting into one released a surprising amount of gray liquid onto everything else. I used to enjoy the McDonald's style sausage patties from before the Mica Meals but since then both the pork and chicken patties have become virtually inedible to my palate.

 

[printman2000]

What meal is that pictured? I did not know you could get French toast with all that other stuff.

 

[peconicstation]

What meal is that pictured? I did not know you could get French toast with all that other stuff.

It's the regular Breakfast Special, The Engineer.

http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/restimg2/force/template/1/Amtrak__Food_Facts/w432/h340/AMTRAK-4-20-16-B6.pdf

 

[printman2000]

Wow. In all my rides I have never seen that being offered or served.

 

[keelhauled]

Wow. In all my rides I have never seen that being offered or served.

I had it last month on the Lake Shore Limited. It wasn't described on the printed menu (just "special") but the server explained it unprompted.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

They've been serving Salisbury steak in the coach cars on the western routes for awhile now. They announce a 'Just for You' meal and I've noticed that at dinner time it's been Salisbury Steak, mashed potatoes, bottle of water and a chocolate chip cookie for $12. They also have a lunch special of sandwich, chips, water, cookie for $9 that they bring to people at their seat in coach. On the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder the employees say it's been popular and well received. I recall hearing the announcement for it last summer. So far these meals are just for coach and the coach attendants serve the people. I wonder if this will be in the sleepers at some point too. It's ok for me as I don't care to go to the diner but I do hate to see the diners removed. Employees seem to think it's going that way. One mentioned to me that there have been FDA employees on board recently to advise about food service onboard.

Well assuming ...

1) There is diner service

2) It comes included in sleeper packages

3) You get these meals delivered to your sleeper and it's included in sleeper packages...

Then you are asking whether sleeper passengers would rather the "just for you" meals be brought to your room or go to the diner where you have more assumedly fancier meal choices. I'm guessing they wouldn't be that popular in this case. If they make it onto the Silver Star they might work though.

 

[Lonestar648]

I would prefer the Diner over eating in my room. The opportunity to meet and talk with other passengers from around the USA and other countries while having a meal is one of the best things of traveling by train. I want to take time enjoying the meal, the passing scenery, and the people sitting at the table.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Wow. In all my rides I have never seen that being offered or served.

Ditto! This looks like something from Denny's.Very Interesting! I'd like to try this on my upcoming trip on the Eagle IF it's available??( I did note that there's an extra charge for Breakfast Meats/ does this mean Sleeper pax pay extra too?? )

 

[JayPea]

Wow. In all my rides I have never seen that being offered or served.

Ditto! This looks like something from Denny's.Very Interesting! I'd like to try this on my upcoming trip on the Eagle IF it's available??( I did note that there's an extra charge for Breakfast Meats/ does this mean Sleeper pax pay extra too?? )

I had this special on the EB in March. It was very good too. No charge either for breakfast meat.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

Wow. In all my rides I have never seen that being offered or served.

I had it last month on the Lake Shore Limited. It wasn't described on the printed menu (just "special") but the server explained it unprompted.

I'm fairly certain that the "Engineer" special started a year or two ago - I know it was available during my trip last summer, but I never ordered it because it only has a half portion of French Toast. IIRC, the two breakfast specials were given the creative names "The Conductor" and "The Engineer" on Amtrak Food Facts, but I don't think either name made it to the official menus.

Now "The Conductor" has been replaced with the new Jalapeno Gravy, which also sounds interesting. I'll probably never try it even though I'll be onboard for 5 breakfasts in 6 days, because Railroad French Toast...

 

[Bob Dylan]

Jalapeno Gravy???? "That's a some a Spicy Meatball!"

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

I would prefer the Diner over eating in my room. The opportunity to meet and talk with other passengers from around the USA and other countries while having a meal is one of the best things of traveling by train. I want to take time enjoying the meal, the passing scenery, and the people sitting at the table.

I have to second that. I, too, enjoy meeting new people, and the resulting dinner conversations.

 

[jebr]

The chicken and jalapeño biscuits and gravy actually was fairly tasty. For $8 I'd get it again.

 

[printman2000]

The chicken and jalapeño biscuits and gravy actually was fairly tasty. For $8 I'd get it again.

What train did you have that on? Is it a menu item or a special?

 

[jebr]

Special on the Empire Builder today.

 

[blondninja]

Meats are included free if you're in a sleeper.

 

[Chey]

Not sure when you guys are talking about but I rode Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, and California Zephyr in April and all featured and served Haagan Daz vanilla ice cream. I got it at every lunch and dinner while on this trains.

As for Blue Bunny Ice Cream, I have bought and enjoyed Blue Bunny no sugar added vanilla ice cream at Walmart. Maybe I'm just weird, I like Denny's too.

It's been quite a few years since I bought ice cream; diabetes changes things! But I used to like and buy Blue Bunny ice cream also. Not so crazy about Denny's though.

 

[peconicstation]

The Cardinal's menus have been updated on both the main Amtrak site, and the Food Facts site, and not for the better.

The breakfast offerings are down to 3 choices, and dinner is at 4, this is one train where lunch looks like the best option.

https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/572/135/Cardinal-Dining-Car-Menu-0406.pdf

Ken

 

[DryCreek]

PPC items have FINALLY changed as well.

Stale bread, dried out turkey loaf, wilted veggies, and disgusting unavoidable mayonnaise based spread on a plastic plate.

So, I take it the chips were OK?