T
Terry
Guest
Are the diner meals on ld routes prepared from scratch or they prepared before
hand then heated and served, like airplane meals?
hand then heated and served, like airplane meals?
Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:
- Status
ParanoidAndroid
OBS Chief
Usually prepared beforehand, except steaks and omelettes (maybe a couple other things too), which are cooked to order.
Everything on the Cardinal, Lake Shore Limited, and City of New Orleans is microwaved (or convection ovened), but it's still pretty good if done right.
Everything on the Cardinal, Lake Shore Limited, and City of New Orleans is microwaved (or convection ovened), but it's still pretty good if done right.
KleShreen
Train Attendant
On this topic, if you have a sleeper and therefore your meals are included in your fare, what does that include? Are there certain things you can and can't pick as part of your meal that is paid for with your fare?
Rail Freak
Engineer
Everything on the menu is included except adult beverages!
the_traveler
Engineer
Included items are:
Breakfast - any breakfast on the menu, juice, drink (coffee, tea, etc...), a side order of meat (bacon or sausage) if desired
Lunch - any lunch on the menu, if a burger you can also get cheese and/or bacon if desired, drink (coffee, etc...), dessert
Dinner - any dinner on the menu, side salad (you may have to ask for it), drink (coffee, etc...), dessert
Sometimes the side salads are automatically put on the table by the server, but sometimes you have to ask for it specifically. What I do many times if I do not want it, but I am seated with somebody from coach, is to order it and then give it to them! (They would have to pay $3 for it.) I also sometimes do the same with dessert!
Alcoholic drinks (beer, wine, etc...) are always extra.
Breakfast - any breakfast on the menu, juice, drink (coffee, tea, etc...), a side order of meat (bacon or sausage) if desired
Lunch - any lunch on the menu, if a burger you can also get cheese and/or bacon if desired, drink (coffee, etc...), dessert
Dinner - any dinner on the menu, side salad (you may have to ask for it), drink (coffee, etc...), dessert
Sometimes the side salads are automatically put on the table by the server, but sometimes you have to ask for it specifically. What I do many times if I do not want it, but I am seated with somebody from coach, is to order it and then give it to them! (They would have to pay $3 for it.) I also sometimes do the same with dessert!
Alcoholic drinks (beer, wine, etc...) are always extra.
Also,depending on the Server/LSA, you can sometimes order from the "Kiddie Menu", which can be a Hot Dog( they used to be better with the Pretzel Bun) or Mac and Cheese!
KmH
Engineer
Juice & Coffee can be had with breakfast, probably coffee, juice &milk too but I've never done that.
A side salad can also be had with lunch and I've had 2 cans of soda with lunch too.
Dinner includes a roll. I sometimes had them substitute rice for the baked potato or the vegetables.
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
Steak is stocked frozen and then cooked to order. Eggs are stocked fresh but are not cooked to order. Potatoes are stocked fresh and then baked on board. To the best of my knowledge everything else is cooked and/or prepared somewhere else and then simply warmed again before serving.
ehbowen
Engineer
If you're having an entree salad for lunch or dinner there is usually a protein (chicken breast or salmon fillet) which can be added upon request inclusive with your sleeper passenger meal.
KleShreen
Train Attendant
Thank you! That is good to hear!
caravanman
Engineer
I can't remember the breakfast item name, but I recall that I was unable to pick and choose my omelette items, I assume it came as a pre-made mix in some way.
Ed
Ed
KmH
Engineer
It was my understanding eggs come onboard already scrambled and then are cooked as omelets or scrambled eggs.
Being already scrambled they take up lots less space and it aids portion control.
Being already scrambled they take up lots less space and it aids portion control.
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
I believe the combination egg dishes (quesadilla, chilaquiles, omelets, etc.) are back to using commercial egg mix again. The generic scrambled egg option supposedly uses real eggs, but you still cannot have them made to order, which somewhat defeats the purpose of stocking fresh eggs.
Mystic River Dragon
Engineer
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2014
- Messages
- 4,534
When I was auto-defrosting frozen potatoes in the microwave (to go with my microwave poached eggs), my kitchen had a lovely smell that reminded me of something--oh, yes, the long-distance dining car! Have I found out their secret to cooking potatoes?
KmH
Engineer
For omelets on LD trains like the CZ we get to choose cheddar, jack or no cheese, if we want guacamole, and if we want egg subsitute.
I bet if one asked, the green peppers and red onions could be left out.
Also served with the omelet is a side of tomato salsa.
We get to choose between roasted potatoes or grits too.
I've been disappointed with the potatoes enough times that now I get the grits instead.
I bet if one asked, the green peppers and red onions could be left out.
Also served with the omelet is a side of tomato salsa.
We get to choose between roasted potatoes or grits too.
I've been disappointed with the potatoes enough times that now I get the grits instead.
Last edited by a moderator:
- Joined
- May 17, 2015
- Messages
- 2,807
It would be easy to send a pouch of scrambled eggs to be opened, then the cook can ladle out one ladle per egg. At the restaurant, we used to make up batches of 140 or so dozen eggs in big containers for the day's scrambled eggs, which was used not just for scrambled eggs, but for omelets and French Toast. Amtrak could send prepared mix, all fresh, to be used accordingly. This summer, the omlets were definitely cooked elsewhere with a few toppings thrown on when heated up. I was told the peppers were in the omlets prior to coming on board.
Maverickstation
Lead Service Attendant
The Food Fact site I also a good way to know what is created off train, and re-heated on board.
When you click the link for the actual offerings, you will get a pop up with nutritional data (if your like me and have to watch sodium ready carefully),
some have ingredient lists, and you'll see notes such as it is a meal kit, or it will state what company made it (like Amy's), and/or how the dining car
staff has to prepare it.
From what posters have commented, the Chef Inspired entrees are often in short supply.
http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com
Ken
When you click the link for the actual offerings, you will get a pop up with nutritional data (if your like me and have to watch sodium ready carefully),
some have ingredient lists, and you'll see notes such as it is a meal kit, or it will state what company made it (like Amy's), and/or how the dining car
staff has to prepare it.
From what posters have commented, the Chef Inspired entrees are often in short supply.
http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com
Ken
KmH
Engineer
About the scrambled eggs served on the CZ and I guess all LD trains using the national dining car menu:
And the omelet:
Pasteurized eggs are gently heated in their shells, just enough to kill the bacteria but not enough to actually cook the egg.
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
How do you explain the perfectly even color, unchanging texture, and inability to change virtually anything about the egg entrees if theyre stocked and cooked from whole eggs? It just doesnt add up at all. Maybe things are different on the single level eastern trains, but on the western Superliners the egg entries seem to be nothing but processed commercial egg mix.
Shortline
Conductor
I am no expert, but I am pretty sure they crack the eggs on board, both on Western and Eastern trains-I've noticed some are more scrambled than others, with some white still around, which is how I like them. My eggs this morning were great, light and fluffy, and clearly hand scrambled, not from a box. Served over the quesadilla, with tomatillo salsa and sausage, was actually very good, much better than I expected it to be!
I still have 3 nights to go to LA, so I'm sure I'll get sick of it, but there seems to have been an increase in quality recently. I actually enjoyed the dinner (tried the shrimp biryani-It was....not too bad, which is better than expected again.)
I still have 3 nights to go to LA, so I'm sure I'll get sick of it, but there seems to have been an increase in quality recently. I actually enjoyed the dinner (tried the shrimp biryani-It was....not too bad, which is better than expected again.)
One time, my wife tried ordering BOTH mac and cheese and the hot dog from the children's menu. NOPE, one or the other but not both!
KmH
Engineer
Sometimes, people's perceptions are biased by their expectations?
That's something scientists have to be wary of when they do experiments to test a hypothesis.
Last edited by a moderator:
Is "..not too bad,which is better than expected.."" really a positive when it comes to Amchow?
KleShreen
Train Attendant
Thank you so much for this! Very helpful for getting the carbs for my diabetes =)
Shortline
Conductor
Actually I think it is. It's much better now than it was just a year or two ago, I used to actively avoid the dining car most of the time. Even free/included, was overpriced if it's not good. This trip however unnoticed a marked improvement, both on the Creacent, and the Capitol Limited. Other than not having any choices except the burger for lunch yesterday (really wanted to try the mussels) , it's been good. I passed on the burger and ate in DC....
So from my past experience, over decades of travel, better than expected is a positive.
Last edited by a moderator:
- Status
Latest posts
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Superliner trains' removal and restoration of cars 2024- Latest: F900ElCapitan
