Breakfast. How do you screw up breakfast?

[Woodcut60]

I am afraid I have not been on the Acela First Class, so I can't tell you. But the warm meal and the Canadian white wine, plus a warm refreshing towel was wonderful on the Corridor train from Montréal to Toronto. And the staff was very friendly and service-minded. Overall, a very nice train ride.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

I've only ridden the Canadian and have heard the Ocean is all catered food with limited options... But I haven't ridden so I can't judge for myself......

Breakfast on the Ocean....the Scrambled Skillet:

And Dinner: Stuffed Chicken Breast:

 

[NS VIA Fan]

I am afraid I have not been on the Acela First Class, so I can't tell you. But the warm meal and the Canadian white wine, plus a warm refreshing towel was wonderful on the Corridor train from Montréal to Toronto. And the staff was very friendly and service-minded. Overall, a very nice train ride.

VIA Business Class Dinner in the Corridor:

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Thanks for the pics. Ocean looks good! I really need to get that train off my list. I haven't ridden the Adirondock either so that trip is just begging to happen.

The corridor meal service looks about the same as the Acela Meal service. Of course I'll just have to taste them both to be sure... In the name of research! Ha.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I used to be a frequent VIA rider on the Corridor between Toronto and Montreal in Biz Class when it was called VIA One, and also occasionally in Acela FC. ( I had to pay for the upgrade since Uncle Sam only sprung for Coach)

In my experience, the Food in FC was about equal on both,( OK) but the big difference was the Service with VIA winning on Consistency of Excellence.

As for the Canadian, hands down the Best now, comparable to the Super Chief,Southern Crescent or the Panama Ltd. back in the Golden Days of Passenger Rail.YMMV

 

[NS VIA Fan]

Thanks for the pics. Ocean looks good! I really need to get that train off my list.

Meals on the Ocean departing from Halifax are prepared in the kitchens of the Westin Hotel (which is attached to the VIA Station) They are then reheated aboard in convection ovens (not microwaves)

I haven't ridden the Adirondock either so that trip is just begging to happen.

Try a circle trip: Downeaster - Cat Ferry - Yarmouth to Halifax Shuttle - Ocean - Adirondack (or in reverse)

 

[crescent-zephyr]

While terribly inconsistent (as all of Amtrak)... a good PPC Attendant will give the Coast Starlight Parlour Class Meal a run for the Canadian's Money. Dining at a private table, in the Pacific Parlour Car, while sipping on a local wine.... that experience is hard to beat.

But in general yes, the Canadian offers a classy experience. The servers seemed about average by Amtrak standards (I've had worse and better on Amtrak) but the dining car itself and the Stewards on the Canadian are so much classier. That's what makes the difference. Not just the china.. but the fact that the Steward and servers aren't constantly lounging in booths, and they don't have entire booths taken up with stacks of napkins, plates, papers, etc.

They also, somehow, manage to serve everybody without CONSTANTLY announcing meal times, reservation times, various real and made up dining car policies, and calling from a list after the dining car is full. Again... Classy!

 

[zephyr17]

While terribly inconsistent (as all of Amtrak)... a good PPC Attendant will give the Coast Starlight Parlour Class Meal a run for the Canadian's Money. Dining at a private table, in the Pacific Parlour Car, while sipping on a local wine.... that experience is hard to beat.

But in general yes, the Canadian offers a classy experience. The servers seemed about average by Amtrak standards (I've had worse and better on Amtrak) but the dining car itself and the Stewards on the Canadian are so much classier. That's what makes the difference. Not just the china.. but the fact that the Steward and servers aren't constantly lounging in booths, and they don't have entire booths taken up with stacks of napkins, plates, papers, etc.

They also, somehow, manage to serve everybody without CONSTANTLY announcing meal times, reservation times, various real and made up dining car policies, and calling from a list after the dining car is full. Again... Classy!

The crew on Via trains don't communicate with each other via the PA (as opposed to what sometimes seems to be Amtrak's theme song "Conductor to the IC! Conductor to the IC!"). So that is part of what makes for much less stuff on the PA. The onboard staff communicates with each other by radio, Via has its own channel, separate from the road channel.

I've ridden the Starlight for years and in recent years I have become a regular rider on the Canadian. You mentioned a "good PPC" attendant. Unfortunately, like most Amtrak positions, that is very much a YMMV proposition, I've had some good ones, many okay ones, and some bad ones and one truly terrible one (he was never in the car except for wine tasting, and meal service). The onboard service on the Canadian is both pretty good and, maybe more importantly, consistent.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Canadian is definately more consistent. No doubt about that at all.

 

[George K]

I agree that the grits,which are an acquired taste, are better than the potatoes when butter or syrup are added! ( Dan Quail spelling!)

You misspelled Quayle.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I agree that the grits,which are an acquired taste, are better than the potatoes when butter or syrup are added! ( Dan Quail spelling!)

You misspelled Quayle.

 

[Dakota 400]

Breakfast on the Empire Builder, SEA to CHI, 7/17/17 to 7/19/17, was the best of the dining car meals. French Toast with 4 slices so thick and good; could only eat 3 of them. Bacon that was well prepared as well as Scrambled Eggs and a Croissant that were delicious. Only the Roasted Potatoes were a disappointment.

 

[Maverickstation]

To go along with the pictures, here is Breakfast onboard ACELA First Class, on a recent trip from South Station to NYP.

For a pre-made, heated onboard omelet, is was very good.

Just prior to our arrival at NYP, lunch menus were passed out for those passengers continuing on, with service to commence after the Newark stop.

 

[amamba]

Breakfast is the most frequently screwed up thing anywhere, besides maybe hamburgers. My two favorites nowadays is the Full American (3 eggs, potatoes, bacon, toast) but 70% don't seem to get what I mean by "scrambled soft", the toast is often margarines (I specify buttered or dry) and the bacon is always crunchy- I don't know when that became a thing. Also peppers in potatoes as standard?

And the other is steak and eggs, but only Boscov's and a little cafe in Bristol PA (the Radcliffe) get what I mean when I say "Very, very rare, black and blue but skip the black!" By which I mean sear it lightly on one side, flip it, sear that side lightly, and put it on a plate.

Amtrak, oddly, was one of the few other places I could make that sort of request and have an odds on chance of getting it.

I order steaks and burgers "rare plus" and I got a steak on the California Zephyr that was blue and spectacular. Excellent crew that time!!

 

[Bjartmarr]

That heat-and-eat Acela omelet looks miles better than the made to order one on the CS.

Perhaps it is time for Amtrak to move from their current table service model towards a buffet model, concentrating on food that is tasty when cooked en masse rather than on variety. This would reduce staffing costs and maybe allow for better food than the current heat and eat model.

 

[tommylicious]

WOW! Awesome.

I've only ridden the Canadian and have heard the Ocean is all catered food with limited options... But I haven't ridden so I can't judge for myself......

Breakfast on the Ocean....the Scrambled Skillet:

And Dinner: Stuffed Chicken Breast:

 

[PVD]

Buffet ends up not saving much labor, and presents challenges meeting the sanitary standards the FDA imposes on Amtrak.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

That heat-and-eat Acela omelet looks miles better than the made to order one on the CS. Perhaps it is time for Amtrak to move from their current table service model towards a buffet model, concentrating on food that is tasty when cooked en masse rather than on variety. This would reduce staffing costs and maybe allow for better food than the current heat and eat model.

Amtrak tried the buffet model. By most accounts it was terrible. Which makes sense since even stationary restaurants struggle to offer an appetizing buffet that isn't a mix of dry and soupy leftovers. If the choice is between an Amtrak buffet and no food at all I'd prefer the no-food option. At least in that case there's no cafeteria smell or buffet whiff seeping into the SSL.

 

[tommylicious]

hahaaha! "yeah....after lunch"

 

[PaTrainFan]

Indeed, on Amtrak YMMV as far as meal quality goes, but generally speaking I've compared them on the level of an Applebee's (if that) for those who are familiar with that chain. Not bad, not great. What's disappointing is the use of plasticware. Years ago, much ado was made about the Empire Builder using real "china" (really, ceramic). Is that still the case? About 8 years ago, my last trip on the Builder, the dishwasher was broken so we had the usual plastic. I imagine we should be thankful, though, that the knives, forks and spoons are still "silverware." :unsure:

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Only place I have heard "China" is used now is in the Parlour Car (hit or miss, attendants can choose to use it or not) and the auto train still uses it correct?

 

[zephyr17]

Haven't had the actual dishes on the Builder for a few years now.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

So what constitutes "authentic" China?

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Buffet ends up not saving much labor, and presents challenges meeting the sanitary standards the FDA imposes on Amtrak.

Using a cruise example again, they have a difficult problem with breakfast buffets, like with people taking 16 ozs of bacon, and then throwing away 15.5 ozs of it. They now have a employee stand at the buffet to ration/allocate the bacon.

Plus I just have to add, I was a hotel's hot buffet once, and this one guy who emptied the scrambled egg pan (what about 3 dozen eggs?) and emptied the bacon pan (about 4 lbs of bacon!). I don't know if the Amtrak bean-counters would see that as a food cost savings.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The only Buffets I've ever enjoyed were the ones @ the High-end Hotels in Vegas!

This is a non-starter on Amtrak for Cost and Logistic reasons.

Contracting out the food service like in the Harvey House Days, and going back to the Diners being a la carte for Food and Beverages seems to be the best solution.