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What can you get in an Amcafe these days? The last time I rode, 1985 or so, I remember microwaved "Amburgers" were about the most most substantial item on the Amcafe menu. Also offered were tuna and turkey salad sandwiches, soda, beer, and potato chips. In the mornings, a microwaved cherry danish was popular. The glaze frosting stuck to everything though. I'll bet roasted veal, bordelaise sauce, braised onion, green asparagus and sea spinach purée is not on the menu. But seriously, IIRC some trains feature regional entres.
As a coach rider, will I be able to eat in the LSL's dining car? Does the LSL still have a formal dining car? What does "casual service with an all-day menu" mean? What are the typical hours w/b? I'll only be on the train from 7:31 PM to 9:41 PM.
-------------------- Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll take the train! Posts: 230 | From: Ithaca, New York | Registered: May 2009
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While I can't answer your question, I like the fact that you mentioned the famous "AmTuna" sandwich. Unfortunately, Amtrak stopped selling those over a year ago. Those were my favorite! I wondered why they always tasted so good, so I read the ingredients label, and I think they added honey mustard to the mix. Good stuff.
I also remember the microwaved cherry danish. They still carry danish, but not the type that you're thinking of. The danish they carry these days is mostly a slab of dough covered with white frosting, and a teeny-tiny amount of cherry in the middle. ("A doughnut.....without a hole.....is a danish." -- Ty Webb, Caddyshack)
As far as the dining menu on Amtrak, I seem to get blasted every time I say how horrible their food is, but that is my opinion. I can't stand AmFood any more---it's gross. When I read reviews (like I saw on another website yesterday) about how "fine" the steak was......whew.....that just drives me nuts. I think some railfans have never had anything beyond a McDonald's burger, and they think anything more than that is five star cuisine.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Whoops.....I just realized I guess I sorta did answer your question. I thought you were asking which train still ran with an AmCafe (single level, east coast car)---my bad.
The Cafe Car (which used to be called the "Sightseer Lounge" on Superliners) carries basically the same stuff that you are used to in the past. Believe it or not, I actually like their cheeseburgers. They are, of course, nuked in the microwave and they come out of the package a sticky, gooey mess. But it's actually pretty good. Their huge sub sandwich isn't too bad either. They sell Top Ramen noodles, chips, soda, beer, wine, cocktails, cards, blankets, batteries, Tylenol, etc, etc, etc....All of the same stuff you've seen before, just a few brand changes and slight menu modifications.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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I haven't had the burger but I'm betting it will be a "Chef Pierre/Cuisine Solutions" product. They are also available at COSTCO or by flying on select Continental Airlines flights. They are much better heated in the aircraft convection ovens than in a microwave!
Frank in overcast SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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If you order the Empire Builder magazine in the back it has a dining car and amcafe menu. I hope that helps.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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Smitty I certainly respect your right to an opinion on anything you choose BUT I really do take umbrage with your insults about others opinions. I happen to think Much of Amtrak food is good. I do not eat fast foods and I have eaten in some of the best restaurants here and abroad. If you want to attack Amtrak that is your right but please knock off the insults to the rest of us as we have our right to an opinion different from yours.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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train lady---I think you are taking things too personally. Why do you assume that my distaste for AmFood is an insult upon you? I don't get it.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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quote:Originally posted by sbalax: I haven't had the burger but I'm betting it will be a "Chef Pierre/Cuisine Solutions" product. They are also available at COSTCO or by flying on select Continental Airlines flights. They are much better heated in the aircraft convection ovens than in a microwave!
Hmmmm.....I used to know the brand of burger that they used on Amtrak, but I can't recall the name at the moment. Chef Pierre doesn't sound familiar, but Cuisine Solutions does. I'll ask a friend what brand it is---I'm pretty sure he has a list of that stuff. I'm told that the cheeseburger served in the cafe (which is nuked) is the same as the "Angus Burger" in the Dining Car for lunch (which is heated in the convection oven). Same with the Chef's Salad (or whatever they named it) at lunch-----exact same thing in the cafe car, which I buy at Safeway (made by Ready Pac).
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Okay, the burgers say "Firenza" on the label. I can't seem to locate that name in Google, however.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Smitty.look at what you wrote. You are in fact insulting everyone who does not agree with you . Not just me personally. You say those who think Amtrak food is not so bad do not know about good food because they think anything beyond McDonald's is 5 star cuisine. It makes it seem as if you are looking down at the rest of us beause YOU know what is good and we don't. Maybe that is not what you are thinking but it surely comes acroos that way. Does this explain things?
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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On my recent trip home from the midwest I had the flat iron braised steak thing in the diners aboard both the Capitol Limited and the Crescent. It was more like a slab of pot roast than a piece of steak BUT it was easily the best beef dish I've had on Amtrak since the last round of cost cutting.
One step up and waiting for the matching step back.....
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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train lady--I think I understand your view, but I disagree. I feel that Amtrak's food is an extremely poor value---not much bang for the buck. The chefs are trained at the Culinary Institute of America, and all of the employees in the diner are paid well and receive nice benefits. The cost of the items on the menu (especially the dinner menu) are horribly overpriced for the quality you receive. It's not like you can walk out and try a different restaurant---they've got a captive audience (so to speak), and you get what you get. I used to enjoy the food in the Amtrak diner (and the Empire Builder's food is pretty decent), but I simply do not accept the mediocrity that goes on today. That is my opinion, of course, and we shall disagree on this topic.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Smitty, I don't think you get what I am saying. I have no objection what ever to your opinion of the food. Close friends and I often disagree about a restaurant but we don't assume the other guy has no taste (no pun intended) because he doesn't agree with me. I only object to your characterization of those who disagree with you.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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If I'm really hungry and there's no other option, I'll order a couple of "Jalapeno cheeseburgers" from the Surfliner lounge attendant and ask for a little less microwaving, to cut down on the gooey-ness Smitty mentioned. Two of these will assuage my hunger for several hours. But they sure aren't "5 star!" You might need some Tums afterward, to help with any stomach-fire...but they're good though.
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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FWIW- the chefs are no longer trained at the culinary institute. That program went out the window a few years ago. Also, on the East coast, they no longer have the angus burgers in the cafe car. It is a far inferior product made by hillshire farms ("go meat").
Posts: 332 | From: Long Island, NY USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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MDRR---thanks for the info on the CIA training. I didn't know that they stopped doing that.
Re: no more Angus Burger on the East Coast........does this mean that they do not offer a hamburger or cheeseburger at all? Or just not the "Firenza" labeled burger, but now a different brand? I happen to like those burgers.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Railroad Bob----Jalapeno cheeseburgers?? Never heard of 'em, but it sounds good to me! The spicier, the better.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Sorry Smitty, maybe I wasn't clear they replaced it with a smaller burger made by Hillshire Farms. Mediocre quality compared to angus burgers. I think they still use the angus in dining car service.
Posts: 332 | From: Long Island, NY USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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There was indeed an Angus burger on the LSL's dining car menu last night!
-------------------- Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll take the train! Posts: 230 | From: Ithaca, New York | Registered: May 2009
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