Menu Changes (October 2017)

[seat38a]

Not sure if I'm late to the party but it seems the menu's have changed. I'm really liking the new dessert options! Pecan tart, pumpkin cheesecake, chocolate raspberry tart, and a cheese plate.

 

[pennyk]

There were 4 of us at the table for lunch and we all had the raspberry chocolate tart. I believe that we all cleaned our plates.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Anything pumpkin is good! And the tart sounds lovely!

Does anyone have a link to the new menus? (Amtrak's list of menus still seems to have the old one as of now.)

 

[Steve4031]

Penny, do they still have those chicken enchiladas or whatever that was at lunch?

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[seat38a]

Anything pumpkin is good! And the tart sounds lovely!

Does anyone have a link to the new menus? (Amtrak's list of menus still seems to have the old one as of now.)

I got the info through http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/Some of the main dishes such as shrimp biryani sounds interesting.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Thanks! (I'm back now--I was over at the food facts page for a while staring in fascination at how pretty that chocolate raspberry tart looks! )

 

[pennyk]

Penny, do they still have those chicken enchiladas or whatever that was at lunch?

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Unfortunately, they do not have the chicken quesidillas for lunch any more. They have mussels, which I do not eat. I had a burger for lunch today.

 

[pennyk]

The pumpkin dessert is seasonal and it was not available on our train today.

 

[Steve4031]

Thx penny. I’ll skip mussels too.

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[LookingGlassTie]

I'm a member of a few Amtrak Facebook groups and on one of them, somebody posted a photo of the updated menu and said that it's for all routes. Is that true?

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I'm a member of a few Amtrak Facebook groups and on one of them, somebody posted a photo of the updated menu and said that it's for all routes. Is that true?

Unfortunately yes, as most trains now share a standardized menu. But at least on paper the newest offerings look interesting....

 

[tommylicious]

Pictures people!

 

[Bob Dylan]

The Chilaquiles for Lunch sounds interesting, as does the Salmon being back for Dinner.

The dinner specials might be worth a try for diversity on traveler type trips!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Somebody posted a photo of the updated menu and said that it's for all routes. Is that true?

Unfortunately yes, as most trains now share a standardized menu.

At this point nearly every route and direction has the same generic menu with little thought or concern for repeat travelers. When it comes to breakfast and lunch there's literally nothing I find appealing or appetizing anymore. Really disappointing to anyone who isn't big on scrambled eggs and precooked frozen burger patties. I've visited tiny food trucks with more options and higher quality food than this. Salads are fine if they're big and plentiful, but these smaller examples with cold proteins are nothing to get excited about.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Mussels in white wine is my catnip.

 

[seat38a]

With the new fruit nuts and cheese plate, I do hope they offer it for sale during PPC wine tasting event. It looks 100 times better than the boxed stuff sold in the cafe car.

 

[texline]

From Facebook

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[crescent-zephyr]

This menu looks really good actually. Perhaps they listened to customers? The dinner menu offers a great seafood choice (salmon), plus a pasta that can be served with or without meat, plus a vegan friendly pasta.

(I'm not vegan but I eat mostly a pescitarian diet and appreciate when various diets are considered).

It seems odd that Quesadillas would be offered for breakfast and not lunch though.

 

[keelhauled]

It seems odd that Quesadillas would be offered for breakfast and not lunch though.

I expect the breakfast ones are a pre-made package with the eggs and sauce. Can't really separate it apart for lunch.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

This menu looks really good actually. Perhaps they listened to customers? The dinner menu offers a great seafood choice (salmon), plus a pasta that can be served with or without meat, plus a vegan friendly pasta. (I'm not vegan but I eat mostly a pescitarian diet and appreciate when various diets are considered). It seems odd that Quesadillas would be offered for breakfast and not lunch though.

On the one hand I think they're honestly trying to do the best they can with what they have available to them, at least in the case of the dinner menu. On the other hand, I can't remember the last time I saw a $40 surf & turf entree that featured a shredded seafood cake as the surf. I also don't see where the pasta is ever offered with actual meat; looks to be a vegan only plate for some reason. Where I come from it seems odd to call tortillas and cheese a quesadilla unless it's made with pico de gallo, but I suppose that's probably beyond Amtrak's practical abilities at this point.

 

[igor]

You can now get the continental breakfast for lunch? That's odd.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

This menu looks really good actually. Perhaps they listened to customers? The dinner menu offers a great seafood choice (salmon), plus a pasta that can be served with or without meat, plus a vegan friendly pasta. (I'm not vegan but I eat mostly a pescitarian diet and appreciate when various diets are considered). It seems odd that Quesadillas would be offered for breakfast and not lunch though.

I also don't see where the pasta is ever offered with actual meat; looks to be a vegan only plate for some reason.

Sorry.. I read the menu pretty quick and thought the Butternut Squash Risotto was a pasta dish.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

You can now get the continental breakfast for lunch? That's odd.

I'll be willing to bet that most crews won't serve it at lunch time anyways.

 

[PVD]

That's the express lunch, not the regular lunch. I believe that is unique to the CL heading towards DC

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Some interesting cooking notes from the Amtrak Food Facts -

Dinner -

Steak - "Cooked to Order"

Salmon Filet - "single packed & ready to thaw and cook, served with a side sauce. Note that some diners may request their salmon to be cooked medium rare or medium. When that is the passenger request, the salmon should be cooked to their preference, otherwise the salmon should be cooked to medium/medium well – not to exceed 145 degree

Butternut Squash Risotto - "it is produced by Carla’s pasta, who has adapted the classic recipe to steam bag technology with great results"

Chicken Breast - "Skin on thyme scented fully cooked (via sous-vide) chicken breast, seasoned with salt & pepper, cooked via Sous-vide technology"

Lunch -

Mussels - " steam, vacuum packed & blast frozen in a single serve 16 oz pouch. Ultra-convenient with extraordinary texture & flavor should make this a passenger & crew favorite. Do not thaw, cook from frozen to order only!"

Romaine Salad with Goat Cheese - "A fresh, made on board entrée salad"

Breakfast -

Scrambled Eggs - " scrambled to order"

Pancakes - "griddled to order"

Omelet - "A freshly made pasteurized cage-free, three egg omelet "