Favorite/Least favorite foods

[catbus]

I'll be traveling on the Coast Starlight from Seattle to LA and back this winter in a sleeper. Last time I was in a sleeper was on the Empire Builder about 6 1/2 years ago. I remember the food being pretty good. I'm interested in the current food choices (I've heard pretty much all the trains have the same menu now) and the quality. What are your favorite items for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Least favorite?

Also, on the Coast Starlight, are they now using the simplified dining (what does that exactly mean, is anything made fresh?) What about the new Parlour Car dining with items that "include regional cuisine such as Pacific Bay scallops and Santa Maria beef short-ribs"? Is it worth dining in there? Thanks!

 

[-Jamie-]

I might change my mind after we take our trip on the CS next week, but right now my fav is the Roasted Chicken/Hen/(or whatever they're calling it these days). Fav dessert is the lemon tart (but I think that's only NB/EB routes). Least favorite was some beef dish (that I can't pronounce) in some kind of wine sauce. I don't much care for the burgers either, but that's because I don't like cheddar and don't like it plain. Least fav dessert, the key lime pie. I also recall some chocolate thing that was way too rich.

 

[jackal]

I might change my mind after we take our trip on the CS next week, but right now my fav is the Roasted Chicken/Hen/(or whatever they're calling it these days).

I think they call that the "Roasted Game Hen." If you stop and think about it, that just means "chicken."

Anyway, back to the OP's question: Check out the link in my signature to my trip report, which features a description of the Pacific Parlour Car's dining menu. It's much more limited than the full dining car's (two choices per meal, I believe), but the food has a bit more of a "gourmet" flair and is, I would say, much like something you might find if you were to attend a professionally catered banquet for a nice function. The pasta I had (see my trip report) was quite excellent, and I would not hesitate having it again.

Note, however, that the PPC menu is only served if the train you are riding has a PPC--if your train has been Loungestituted™ with a second regular Sightseer Lounge, you will not have the PPC dining option.

The Coast Starlight currently does use SDS, which means that the staff has been cut (I believe there is only one chef instead of a chef and one or two assistant chefs, and one or two of the waitstaff positions are gone) and some, but not all, of the menu items are precooked and then reheated to order. The SDS still offers some cooked-to-order items (unlike some of Amtrak's other dining services, like Diner-Lite or the CCC or whatever--I forget which is which), and one which is consistently highly-rated around this forum's regulars is the Flat Iron Steak, which is indeed grilled to order. (As a sleeping car passenger, too, it offers the most bang-for-the-buck, as it's the most expensive dinner menu item but remains complimentary with your sleeping car ticket!)

I haven't had anything else in the CS's dining car since the menu was simplified, so I can't personally attest to the quality of the other menu choices. See my trip report, though, for a more thorough look at the amenities offered on the CS and what you can see and do.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I just had a chance to try the new Regional menu being offered on the Texas Eagle, and found the Beef Brisket to be quite good, although I got a kick out of the LSA advising everyone ordering it during my seating there is barbeque sauce on it. I was advised by one of my table partners the fish he had was "nasty." Coming back for lunch I tried the Vegetarian Enchiladas, and found them to be some of the best I have ever had. I only wish the portions were larger and they would bring back the Dinner Salad.

But for Dinner, the Flat Iron continues to be my favorite.

 

[TVRM610]

Even with the pre-cooked or "instant" items served on board a good chef can make all the difference. Last summer when I was on the Lake Shore I had some mashed potaoes that were honestly some of the best in flavor and cosistency that I have ever been served (which is alot!). The next night on the Cresscent the mashed potatoes were horribly runny and lacked almost any flavor at all. It's hard to believe they both came from the same package!

I will say that the Game Hen on the menu is one of the best tasting dishes amtrak serves.

 

[Tony]

I remember Amtrak use to offer something called "Bob Evans Breakfast Scramble", which was nothing like the Breakfast Scramble served at Bob Evans restaurants. Not what Amtrak served was bad, it just wasn't what one would have expected.