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Amtrak has finally put the Dinner Lite Menus online, it appears they are offering many more menu options now, including: Braised Beef, Beef Ragout, and Beef Bourguignonne. They are also now featuring the Angus Beef Burger for dinner.
posted
Interesting. The descriptions make it look like everything is still cooked fresh on board by five star chefs.
I like the menu cover designs. Especially the quote by Harry Truman on menu 3.
Anyone know who Bob Evans is? (see breakfast)
Thanks for posting the link. I printed an old menu a few years ago to decorate our kitchen. I think I'll do another.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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Bob Evans is the name of a resturant chain. That Breakfast Scramble can also be found in the grocers frozen food section --- called a Bob Evans Brunch Bowl. (Country Sausage and Gravy with Potatoes, eggblend and cheese --- $3.48 last week at my local Price chopper --- 5 minutes in the microwave.) Tasty but hardly 5 star.
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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quote:Originally posted by DeeCT: Bob Evans is the name of a resturant chain. That Breakfast Scramble can also be found in the grocers frozen food section --- called a Bob Evans Brunch Bowl. (Country Sausage and Gravy with Potatoes, eggblend and cheese --- $3.48 last week at my local Price chopper --- 5 minutes in the microwave.) Tasty but hardly 5 star.
I agree. I tried the Breakfast Scrambler on the California Zephyr while sitting for an hour in Winnemucca, NV in April. I'm back to the French Toast for breakfast from here on out.
-------------------- 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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I rode the Crescent both ways in June. The Angus Beef Burger was on the menu, and all in all, the menu resembled what it previously had been.
Posts: 255 | Registered: Nov 2001
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I haven't been on a Simplified Dining train yet, but I do have lots of experience in food service management, so I did a little looking around. I'm pretty sure Amtrak is using a well respected company called Cuisine Solutions as their caterer. www.cuisinesolutions.com/content/sousvide.asp They use a food prep method called "sous vide" that was first used by top chefs in France. The sous vide method of cooking involves vacuum sealing food products in a plastic pouch and then slowly poaching the pouch in warm water over a long period of time. Recipes are carefully created and controls are critical. The water baths are maintained at precise temperature and poaching times may exceed 20 hours! After cooking the pouches are quickly cooled and flash frozen. The advantages of sous vide cooking is that low temperature cooking preserves the flavor and texture of the ingredients better than grilling or baking. The principle of sous vide is similar to a barbecue smoker where the meat is cooked at low temperature over a long time. Sous vide uses warm water (usually about 160-180 degrees F) instead of smoke.
Cuisine Solutions knows what they're doing: they provide catering for many corporate events and airlines. But I can see two possible problems that might cause some disappointment to someone on the train. First, the final assembly is handled on board. This is a new way of preparing meals and there will be a period of trial and error for the OBS crew, but they will get it right--sooner or later. Second, Cuisine Solutions is more or less a French company offering French cuisine. It may take a while for Amtrak and Cuisine Solutions to create a menu that appeals to American tastes.
Amtrak and Cuisine Solutions should be able to provide a meal on par with first class airline food or good quality event catering. Menu items should be tender and flavorful, but the variety may be somwhat limited at first. Many people will prefer the old menu choices to the new, but with the gun at Amtrak's head I think they've made the best choice available to them. Bon appetit!
Posts: 78 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jun 2006
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I believe Bob Evans restaurants and products are found mainly in the Midwest and Southeast Atlantic area. Somehow, I seem to remember seeing them in Canada, too, but that could be another chain. They also own Mimi's Cafe which is mostly in California but also in other states.
Frank in cloudy, drizzly SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Since I'm now a veteran of "diner lite", I can say that the catfish was excellent, the Bob Evans dish looked terrible - kind of discolored & lumpy - but the lady across the table who ordered it said it tasted good. However, even right out of Chicago on the LSL, the pizza & something else (can't remember) were not available. I think I was on menu #2
Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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There is a "sameness" to all three of these menus. Not something you want when taking back to back LD trains or even if taking several broken up by a few days visiting in different cities. (If you lay the three menus side by side you will see what I mean).
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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I recently took the Coast Starlight from Northern. Calif up to Portland, then the Cascades from Portland up to Vancouver, BC.
I don't wish to be a chronic complainer, but I have a real problem with the "Dinner Lite" or "Simplified Dining" service.
I thought the two best meals were the "Beef Ragu" which I had, for dinner, upon boarding the Coast Starlight and the "Angus Beef Burger" I had for lunch, the following day.
The worst meal was breakfast. I tried the "Bob Evans Scramble". I guess it is supposed to be some sort of omelet. It did not look good, and the taste was even worse. I could not eat it. It came with a half-serving of "Railroad French Toast", which I thought was bad. I have had much better french toast at Denny's.
On the Cascade, going up from Seattle to Vancouver, I had a scrambled egg and sausage breakfast. It was better than the "Bob Evans Scramble", but still left me with indigestion. On the Cascade going back from Vancouver to Seattle, I had the "smoked salmon" appetizer followed by the prime rib. The smoked salmon was as tough as shoe leather, and the prime rib was fatty, expensive, and just palatable.
I cannot understand how Amtrak get away with serving this quality of food. I know that the dining service has been a big money loser, but serving food this poor still cannot be justified, in my mind. On the LD trains, such as the Starlight, you have many passenger who have been on board for over 24 hrs. I cannot see how you can serve food of such poor quality, regardless of economic considerations.
I don't know what the answer is. Maybe inflated food prices, or a surcharge for food for sleeper passengers (even though I am aware dining cost are already included in the "free meal" service). Maybe a McDonald's on board?
I started riding passenger trains in the late 1960's. Even though the morale was low, amongst the staff, and the passenger train was on the decline the trains still had very good, freshly prepared food. I have always thought that the dining car was one of the real highlights of train travel. With all of the other Amtrak problems, especial on-time performance, I can't help think the new meal service might be the final nail in Amtrak's coffin. I hope that I am wrong.
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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Yukon, maybe you should send a letter like the above to Amtrak Customer relations. The more feed back they get the better.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
I believe Amtrak is using Gate Gourmet as their food provider. They have used them for a number of years.
Posts: 286 | From: Knee deep in the retention tank | Registered: Jan 2006
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Clarification: I believe PaulB is correct about Gate Gourmet, but GG is getting their product from Cuisine Solutions. If you follow the above link to Cuisine Solutions, click on the "Onboard Services" tab at the top of the page and scroll down to the North America Product List, you'll get a 4 page pdf document. Look through that list and you'll find every entree item from Amtrak's simplified dining menu!
Posts: 78 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
From my recent trip, the wb California Zepher was using Menu 3 and the eb Sunset Limited and nb City of New Orleans were using Menu 2.
Posts: 13 | From: So Cal | Registered: May 2006
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Oh, please! McDonalds? If your expectation is McDonalds, then please avail yourself of dining in the snack bar area of the lounge car.
I'm not looking for a dining experience like Ruth's Chris Steak house, or Emril's or Antoine's of New Orleans, or any other high class fine dining. Or even Black Angus or Red Lobster. Something akin to Denny's, Bob's, CoCo's, Baker's Square, or something like that would be fine.
Recently, in San Diego they closed Anthony's Star of the Sea restaurant, a fine, if dated, dining experience. It is to be renovated to a "casual" seafood and steak restaurant.
Which prompted letter's to the editor of the Union-Tribune, the local newspaper; one of which stated the disappointment so eloquently - "looks like we lost another one to the jeans and ball cap crowd."
C'est la Vie!
Posts: 30 | From: San Diego, CA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
I have gone back and forth from Florida to California on many different trains over the last 10 years. Silver Service, Auto Train, Capitol, Cardinal, CZ, Empire Builder.
I think breakfast has been the best meal. This year the CZ provided my only chances at breakfast so far. I did not try the Scamble but it didn't seem to be a hit with anyone. One morning I had the french toast and it was ok and next morning I had the omlet breakfast which was very good.
To me lunch and dinner are about the same as they were before on Silver, Capitol and CZ.
Service is about the same. Not that great but I am never in a hurry. Drinks, rolls, salad, dressings and desert are about the same to me.
I don't eat a lot of beef so maybe that is different. When I have had steaks some were good some were tough.
This trip I had chicken and it tasted the same as in prior years. Same with veggies, etc. I also had country fried steak which wasn't that good. Everyones opinions are different.
Service to me makes for a better meal and that has not improved at all. Sometimes good (not often enough) and sometimes bad.
Ray
Posts: 70 | From: West Palm Beach, Fl. USA | Registered: Apr 2004
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Bob Evans Farms was established in 1962 in Rio Grande, Ohio, near Gallipolis. It is today headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has 587 Bob Evans Restaurants in the Eastern U.S. In addition, it owns Mimi's Cafe with 104 outlets, and owns Owens Country Sausage in Texas.
I find it odd that Amtrak features their Breakfast Scramble as they have a large number of better offerings (in my opinion) available in grocery stories.
In my area, Bob Evans Restaurants are a favorite eatery, especially at breakfast.
Posts: 76 | From: Steubenville, OH | Registered: Oct 2004
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Here's a slightly different angle on ways to reduce dining car costs. Don't shout at me, as many of you will be horrified at the suggestion... but how about offering dinner buffet style? Or canteen style? There is less food wastage, it is easier to prepare food in bulk, there would be fewer servers, and thus less overall cost. That's the theory anyway.
I know buffet qualities vary enormously. I tend to avoid Chinese/oriental ones because more often than not they tend to be lousy. But I was convinced to go to a local one which was fantastic. Probably the best I've had was in the Philippines at a fairly posh resort - but, to be fair, it did come with a large price tag.
Never had a buffet-style dinner on any train I've ever been on, anywhere in the world!
Geoff M.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Geoff, I think your idea is great. I imagine there would be a saving of money on food as well. I know I cannot eat a half chicken or a whole cornish hen(they used to have this on the menu). Of course the people who tend to overeat would probably make up for it. Whatever it would give us a choice of a litle or a lot. It seems to me they had something like this on the Auto train some years ago. I could be wrong but I am sure someone will have the answer.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by yukon11: It came with a half-serving of "Railroad French Toast", which I thought was bad. I have had much better french toast at Denny's.
I'm sure we'll both get flamed, but I had the French Toast pre-Simplified Menu and didn't think it was that good either.
Posts: 76 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Never had a buffet-style dinner on any train I've ever been on, anywhere in the world!
Geoff M.
The Auto Train used to have a buffet dinner about 10-15 years ago. That was with single-level Heritage equipment too.
Posts: 286 | From: Knee deep in the retention tank | Registered: Jan 2006
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Please, no buffets! When I go out to a restaurant I want to be waited on and not go through some food line with overcooked food sitting too long in steamer trays that has been picked over by dozens of diners. I'll take diner lite over a buffet any day.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Speaking as a food service professional, buffet line is not the way for Amtrak to head. Prep time would increase, as would wastage. From the customer's point-of-view, buffet tables are great if you're at the head of the line, but not so great if you're at the end of the line. To allow for the cost of food wastage it would be necessary for Amtrak to offer lower quality food items.
The latest Inspector General report Inspector General report shows the Simplified Dining is cutting dining car losses. The interesting note is that Amtrak is spending more money on food purchased and that the savings are coming from decreased labor cost.
I haven't had any Diner Lite experiences yet--I live in Seattle and I'd rather walk than get trapped on the Coast Starlight--but, I'm interested in hearing how lunch and dinner are being received.
Posts: 78 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jun 2006
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with all the revamping of dining menus I haven't seen anything about the club car. I think it's separate from the diner but I wondered if they are keeping the same menu or changing also. I have always felt their food was pretty bad so a change for the better would be welcome.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by PaulB: The Auto Train used to have a buffet dinner about 10-15 years ago. That was with single-level Heritage equipment too.
Not only was the Buffet arrangement, which was comprised of a two car set - a Kitchen-Table car and a Table Car, assigned to the Auto Train, it was also assigned to the Silver Meteor and Star.
Since likely the Auto Train is the most regular and recurring Amtrak service I have occasion to use, believe you me, I don't miss the on-board "Old Country" experience (I THINK that chain is also on the West Coast). Likely, the penultimate of Dining service offered for Sleeper passengers on AT was circa 1992, when in an ex-MILW Super Dome, cooked on board cuisine, including "prime rib' (likely USDA "Choice" - i.e the premium beef at your local supermarket) was offered - anong with the only "Dome Diner" ever offered by Amtrak.
What was ironic is that, even considering the dining experience was downgraded below what "Diner Lite" offers today, it apparently failed to save any labor costs, as a Service Attendant carried passenger's food to a table and brought coffee.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
A buffet is an interesting idea. Maybe this would be a good way to serve food in these combined diner/lounges they're working on for certain trains. It might take too much space to be practical, I don't know.
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