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After reading the article on simplified dining(although I never experienced it) some thoughts came to me that I thought it was worth bringing up.
The first thought that came to my mind is that the SDS is on par with First Class on the airplane. I do not mind spending $6-12 dollars for a good meal. If you figure you would pay the same at a restaurant then you need restaurant quality on the train.
What if famous chefs like Alice Waters,Wolfgang Puck and Alan Wong were to design the menus for Amtrak just like some airlines are doing.
You could have different rotations and have Pizza Uno or Due as well as other good brands. If they keep the price the same and the quality top notch then SDS won't be so bad.
Also in America I feel there are some people who get into a hissy fit if their meal is not to their liking. I see it that eating meals is part of the experience when going by train. If my meal is not up to my standards I tell the head waiter and try tough it out as it's part of the experience.
Why go by train if you want it to be exactly like home then stay home if that's the case.
Part of this SDS is to show people that Amtrak is still going and is surviving. Lets see I would take SDS over no sleeper cars anyday. SDS is here to stay but it sure beats taking off an amenity.
I'll take SDS over no lounge or sleeper car anydday.
PaulB Member # 4258
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While we're talking about Simplified Dining, has anyone ever seen (or eaten) an "Evening Special" BESIDES Country Fried Steak or Salisbury Steak?
The only "Evening Special" I've seen besides those was actually before simplified dining, which was Chicken Cacciatore.
Beacon Hill Member # 4431
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I posted earlier about the menu selections available with SDS. I hope that Amtrak creates some new menu choices that are more in tune with American train passengers' tastes. DeeCT had a very good comment regarding "sameness" of the menues. Braised Beef, Beef Bourguignnone and Beef Ragout may be 3 different entrees but they all sound like "Beef in a Bag" to me. There are some limitations to what can be created with the SDS program, but there are numerous possibilities for new menu selections. With the SDS system any recipe that is called "Braised...." is possible. Many Mexican, Italian, and Thai dishes could work too.
The menu for the Cascades service between Seattle and Vancouver, BC is created by a Seattle chef and its reviews are very positive, although I don't know if the menu is true SDS. Other chefs could be enlisted to provide signature menu items but because the ultimate goal of SDS is to cut labor cost in the dining cars I don't think we'll see anything fancy from TV chefs. I do predict however that someday, someone is going to take a train to a reunion or convention and on the train the menu selections are going to be Beef Ragout, Roasted Chicken or Lamb Shank. Then when he or she gets to the convention or reunion and the big dinner is served the choices will be Beef Ragout, Roasted Chicken or Lamb Shank. All from the same supplier!
Geoff M Member # 153
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Though I'd love to see Thai food on the menu, I do have reservations: - Thai food has to be freshly prepared - it simply isn't designed to be kept and reheated, boil in the bag or otherwise. Even red/green/masaman curries taste different upon reheating. - Thai food isn't to everybody's taste.
The latter reason is why I suspect the entrees are fairly simple, boring, plain food rather than delicacies. It has to appeal to a wide audience and fancy food won't appeal to everybody.
Often the only thing that seperates (for example) a beef curry, a beef ragout, and a beef casserole is the sauce - and even then, that is added after the food has been cooked.
Regarding eating the same food onboard and at a convention, a friend of mine used to work in food distribution. He can walk into a pub/cafe/canteen and say "that's a Brake's Bros #42 boil-in-the-bag chicken casserole"! Sadly home cooking is becoming scarce these days.
Geoff M.
yukon11 Member # 2997
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On the Whistler Mountaineer, this summer, they had very good food. No selection..eggs and ham, bacon, or sausage in the morning, with rolls or pastry and several beverages. The breakfast meal was quite good. I'm not sure of their method, but I got the impression the breakfast trays were freshly prepared right before the WM train left the station in Vancouver. Probably put under refrigeration on board.. with each food tray heated in a microwave before serving the hot meal. Because all meals were pretty much the same, they probably were able to serve these meals quite efficiently. Even the orange juice was freshly squeezed. Going back, they had small sandwiches..2 or 3 kinds, and very good. Maybe Amtrak could take a page out of their notebook.
Richard
Napoleonville Member # 4606
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Last February I was rudely introduced to SDS or dinner lie or Amtrak lite or whatever you want to call it. I would have sworn right then that it was a doomed failure. For example, they only put 10 beef dinners on the City of new Orleans for the round trip to New orleans and back. No ice cream was the final straw. In April, we took the Crescent from New Orleans to Atlanta and had three great meals even though it was just one waitress and the LSA running the car. My point is this: IF Amtrak sets their mind to something they can accomplish some positive and progressive ideas. Only problem is there seems to be too many chiefs and not enough creative personalities in the organization. Look at Virgin Atlantic~ they always have a promotion going on and the CEO is always in the spotlight. Amtrak's CEO always seems to wind up in a dimly lit subway tunnel before he gets canned.
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