Amtrak's New "Fresh Choices" Dining on CL & LSL

[jis]

On LSL non- Diner or on the Cap? Why bother? Diners are still around on most other trains.

 

[cpotisch]

On LSL non- Diner or on the Cap? Why bother? Diners are still around on most other trains.

For someone who wants to enjoy hot food on that route...? If they were removing the sleepers on an LD train, would you say "Why Bother? Sleepers are still around on most other trains"? That's obviously an extreme example, but some people just might want to experience a dying a service on a specific route.

 

[jis]

Sure. [emoji57]

Actually I would say that. But each to his or her own.

Never bothered to take one last Sleeper ride on the Montrealer either, or the Pioneer or Desert Wind or ....

 

[Chey]

On LSL non- Diner or on the Cap? Why bother? Diners are still around on most other trains.

For someone who wants to enjoy hot food on that route...? If they were removing the sleepers on an LD train, would you say "Why Bother? Sleepers are still around on most other trains"? That's obviously an extreme example, but some people just might want to experience a dying a service on a specific route.

Or maybe it's one of the few routes that's going where they want to go. Not everyone enjoys flying.

 

[cpotisch]

Or maybe it's one of the few routes that's going where they want to go. Not everyone enjoys flying.

Well, in this case we're talking about taking the LSL and CL to enjoy the diner before it goes. So it would be more of an trip for the experience, rather than by necessity.

 

[Lonestar648]

Well you can document the meals, the presentation, the staff, etc.so there is a record of how it used to be just prior to June 1st.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

The LSL has a diner lite (aka cafe) with no cooked to order food correct? Seems you've already missed out on that route.

 

[Maverickstation]

The fares on trains that provide actual transportation service to locals is much lower.

That one train is the Hurricane Turn which goes back & forth between Talkeetna and Hurricane with costs of $0.93 per mile or $21.20 per hour. Cheaper than the other AAR tourist trains but still way more than comparable commuter train costs in the lower 48.

True that.
Considering that to run that train in the winter they essentially have to send out crews in trucks to many point to clear the tracks, I doubt that that train makes any money at all even just above the rails. It is run as a public service with recovery of only some of the cost from tickets. It is not like it runs overflowing full either.

In the winter even the Aurora, the weekly round trip, will stop for anyone that waves it down between Talkeetna and Hurricane. I have been on it and seen it done. That train too runs relatively mildly loaded even with the winter tourist traffic, except on few weekends with associated festivals and stuff.

Worth noting is that even in the dead of Winter, the Aurora Winter Train still offers full diner service.

 

[benale]

The Lake Shore doesn't leave until 9:30 out of Chicago. so dinner isnt really an issue. The Cap Ltd will be the biggest loser. It leaves st 6:40 and a hot sit down dinner is one of the highlights. Of course going Westbound both trains serve dinner. This has to be one of the dumbest,unpopular decisions Antrak ever made.

 

[chrsjrcj]

LSL has dinner westbound.

I dont plan on riding the CL again after June 1, unless the new contemporary menu proves itself (even then, none of their examples appealed to me).

 

[cpotisch]

The LSL has a diner lite (aka cafe) with no cooked to order food correct? Seems you've already missed out on that route.

At least the meals are hot.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I mean sure if you want to ride the lake shore and dine in a cafe car "one last time" fine. I won't stop you, but I'm not going to join you either. Ha.

I did make a joy-ride on the crescent (Atlanta to birmingham and back the same day) when they brought back cooked to order steaks after the first round of "simplified dining cuts."

 

[jis]

Worth noting is that even in the dead of Winter, the Aurora Winter Train still offers full diner service.

It should also be noted that it is a relatively modest menu, and it is catered from pre-cooked items loaded at Anchorage or Fairbanks. As far as I could tell there was not much of on board cooking. Mostly warming things up. But the food was very good and I enjoyed the lunch I had both on the way to Fairbanks and back.

 

[railiner]

Here are some links to ARR menu's....

https://www.alaskatrain.com/menus/alaska-railroad-menu-gng.pdf

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/sites/default/files/Marketing/Dinner.pdf

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/sites/default/files/Marketing/Lunch.pdf

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/sites/default/files/Marketing/Breakfast.pdf

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/sites/default/files/akrr_pdfs/17-ARRC-0115_winter_menu-1B-PDD.pdf

and here is the combined menu for the privately operated "Wilderness Express" cars conveyed on summer time ARR trains

https://www.alaskatrain.com/menus/wilderness-express-menus.pdf

here is the lunch menu for the privately operated "McKinley Explorer" operated as a Holland America/Princess chartered train on the ARR

https://www.alaskatrain.com/menus/mckinley-explorer-menu-lunch.pdf

and here is their upper deck snack bar menu

https://www.alaskatrain.com/menus/mckinley-explorer-menu-dome-treats.pdf

They have a pretty elaborate breakfast and dinner menu, which I can't readily find links to...

I would be very happy if Amtrak offered something similar.....

 

[crescent-zephyr]

How are those menus better than Amtraks standard diner menu? Nothing sounds like it is cooked to order.

 

[jis]

How are those menus better than Amtraks standard diner menu? Nothing sounds like it is cooked to order.

They are not cooked to order. But they are pretty tasty. I don;t think they are all that much better than the standard Amtrak Diner fare. They are most likely somewhat better than the visions that one gets of what is coming in LSL and CL. but it is hard to compare something that one has experienced on the one hand with vaporware so far on the other.

Frankly, unlike many around here, who seem to travel by train for the superb cuisine they hope to experience, I just need reasonable food to fill my basic needs. So I am probably not a very good judge of these things. As long as I get something close to what I eat at home, which is not superior cuisine by any means, I am good to go.

 

[jebr]

Frankly, unlike many around here, who seem to travel by train for the superb cuisine they hope to experience, I just need reasonable food to fill my basic needs. So I am probably not a very good judge of these things. As long as I get something close to what I eat at home, which is not superior cuisine by any means, I am good to go.

I'd generally agree. To add to that, cook-to-order for anything complex will likely yield wildly inconsistent results, considering that there's numerous chefs across Amtrak. Sure, a steak, pancake, or egg can be cooked to order consistently across chefs, but those can also be done by cooks who haven't went through advanced education to make fine dining dishes. (Plus, in order for that advanced education to truly shine, the individual chefs would likely need much greater control over the menu than Amtrak can offer, or should offer.)

It's better for Amtrak to focus on making a baseline level of dining service acceptable-to-decent, to the level of a decent chain restaurant, and leave the truly exceptional dining experiences to land-based restaurants or specialty excursions.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

It's better for Amtrak to focus on making a baseline level of dining service acceptable-to-decent, to the level of a decent chain restaurant, and leave the truly exceptional dining experiences to land-based restaurants or specialty excursions.

I agree. Unfortunately I cannot think of a single decent chain restaurant with which Amtrak could compete favorably. I've heard names like Applebee's and Denny's thrown around but despite their relatively low culinary stature they can both make fresher/fancier/tastier made-to-order meals than Amtrak. You can also modify some ingredients and cooking times rather than just being stuck with the original unchangeable recipe like on Amtrak.

 

[railiner]

How are those menus better than Amtraks standard diner menu? Nothing sounds like it is cooked to order.

I don't know about that...

Did you note this, in the Wilderness Express dinner menu? " DINNER PRIME RIB………… $29 A generous cut of slow-roasted prime rib cooked to order served with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans"

IIRC, it was similar on the McKinley Explorer....

 

[Skyline]

Here are some links to ARR menu's....

https://www.alaskatrain.com/menus/alaska-railroad-menu-gng.pdf

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/sites/default/files/Marketing/Dinner.pdf

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/sites/default/files/Marketing/Lunch.pdf

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/sites/default/files/Marketing/Breakfast.pdf

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/sites/default/files/akrr_pdfs/17-ARRC-0115_winter_menu-1B-PDD.pdf

and here is the combined menu for the privately operated "Wilderness Express" cars conveyed on summer time ARR trains

https://www.alaskatrain.com/menus/wilderness-express-menus.pdf

here is the lunch menu for the privately operated "McKinley Explorer" operated as a Holland America/Princess chartered train on the ARR

https://www.alaskatrain.com/menus/mckinley-explorer-menu-lunch.pdf

and here is their upper deck snack bar menu

https://www.alaskatrain.com/menus/mckinley-explorer-menu-dome-treats.pdf

They have a pretty elaborate breakfast and dinner menu, which I can't readily find links to...

I would be very happy if Amtrak offered something similar.....

I should think that in 2018 most of us would be giddy if Amtrak emulated the Alaskan menus.

 

[Lonestar648]

Though not everything can be prepared on the train, Alaska strives to give their passengers the presentation and taste that it is. The way Amtrak used to run their Dining Cars.

 

[cpotisch]

I honestly think that the food currently served in the Superliner and Viewliner diners is pretty good for what it is. The veggie burger, pancakes, RR french toast, butternut squash risotto, and sweet potato gnocchi are very good - not just by train standards. It's definitely uneven, and what I had in the diner-lite on the LSL back in February was very mediocre. But overall I think it's decent. Not a three star restaurant, but decent.

 

[Ryan]

Menus are posted. About what one expected.

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/menus/routes/Lake-Shore-Limited-Sleeping-Car-Menu-0518.pdf

Entrée

Charcuterie Plate

A combination of prosciutto, soppressata and smoked turkey accompanied by assorted cheeses, marinated vegetables, olives, tangy pickles and crisp Italian bread sticks. Served with a cannellini bean salad and salted caramel cheese cake.

Chicken Caesar Salad

Marinated grilled chicken breast, baby kale, romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes with parmesan cracklings and classic Caesar dressing. Served with orzo pasta salad and salted caramel cheese cake.

Chilled Grilled Beef Tenderloin Salad

Sliced beef tenderloin over Arcadian lettuce mix, julienne carrots, artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, and mustard dressing. Served with potato salad and salted caramel cheese cake.

Vegan Wrap

Roasted and marinated eggplant, red onion, celery root, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, red pepper, kale with hummus. Served with fresh fruit and a quinoa edamame salad, kettle chips and vegan dessert bar.

Children’s Meal

Turkey and cheese sandwich, mandarin orange segments, Go-Gurt stick, goldfish crackers, string cheese stick, fruit snacks, juice box and coloring book.

Breakfast:

Vanilla Greek yogurt Parfait, fresh seasonal sliced fruit, banana pecan breakfast bread, blueberry muffin, Kashi bar and Kind bar.

 

[cpotisch]

Children's meal makes me want to puke. Dear god.

 

[cpotisch]

Looking at the page, I'm not sure I like the new menu layout. It's kind of hard to read, and looks odd compared to all the other real menus.