Menu Item Must-Haves and Must-Not-Haves

Would the more experienced Amtrak long distance diners share their menu must-haves and must-not-haves? Also, any tips on food to bring along are appreciated. Thanks.

Must-have, Railroad French Toast

The menus vary between the eastern trains and the western trains, but I think these items are on both.

Angus Steakburger

Steak w/ baked potato

Herb Roasted Chicken

Chocolate Parfait

Cheesecake w/ strawberry topping

If the "Specialty Sandwich" is the Smoked Grilled Cheese sandwich, get it.

The western trains have Short Ribs. My boyfriend loves them, and they are quite tender. I find them to be too spicy, but I think black pepper is spicy. The eastern trains might have those too; I can't remember.

If you love chocolate, get the Chocolate Bundt Cake. You might want some vanilla ice cream to go with it, though. It's really rich.

How could I forget breakfast? It's my favorite meal.

I agree that the Railroad French Toast is a must if your train has it. Some trains have pancakes instead. I haven't had the pancakes, so I can't speak to those.

I also love the cheese omelet with roasted potatoes, a croissant, and bacon. You have the option of adding veggies to your omelet, and you can get it without cheese.

The items to avoid are the Veggie Pasta, French Toast Sticks on the Cardinal and anything called "Stir Fry"!

Everything else is edible to outstanding depending on the chef and your tastes!

Must Haves:

Love the railroad french toast. The Omelette is usually pretty good.

Lunch - burger is great

Dinner, the steak or the braised Short-ribs.

Cheesecake for dessert

Have-Not

Not a big fan of the ice cream / sorbet cups

The kids hot dog is terrible (so my son says).

Stay away, stay FAR, FAR, away from the breakfast Frittata. I can't even begin to tell you how bad it is.

Also, the Angus burger for lunch is "par-cooked" that means it's already cooked when the food-service company delivers it (frozen) to Amtrak's commissary. Once thawed, and on the train, it is "cooked again" to bring up to temp. I am a big fan of Angus Burgers. I absolutely HATE Amtrak's presentation of and delivery of this product. The term "hockey puck" should give you an idea of what you will likely get.

I'm no Vegan, but if they still have the Chipotle Black Bean & Corn Veggie Burger on the menu, GO FOR IT. Seeing as though it is meatless, the cooks perhaps tend not to "Grill it 'til it's dead", (aka hockey puck) it's not a bad product. Hard to screw up the cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and chips that accompany.

I'm "meh" on the RR French Toast, it's OK, but it's not dynamite, just one of the better breakfast options. I'd go with Omelet.

Dinner? Steak and Chicken. Stay away from Pasta and Seafood. Have had good seafood, but it's like a 1:10 crap shoot, not worth going thru 9 barely tolerable fish or seafood dishes to get one you like. Be prepared for your veggies to be cooked-to-death.

Amtrak's dining care offering are, IMHO, right about where Denny's or Applebees food is, on a good day. You do have however, the advantage of rolling thru some beautiful countryside, and enjoying your table companions company.

It's almost criminal that Amtrak's dining car food is so pedestrian today. 40 years ago, when the then-new Superliners were introduced, with new flat-tops, ovens, grills, toasters (yes, they once had toasters, but have long since removed them, because they are a "fire-hazard". Wait. What? Simply mind-boggling) and modern refrigeration, the chefs kicked out some wicked good food, and did so in a very timely manner.

But years of budget cuts, (no prep cook, no dishwasher, no Steward, no china-glass-or-ceramic, no linen table clothes, no fresh flowers... need I go on?) Have sucked the life, and dare I say, pride, right out of Amtrak's brightest and best kitchen staff. Now it's all they can do with limited resources to put something resembling edible food on the tables, as fast as they can.

How's that for menu item suggestions? If one is going by sleeper, and is a Oenophilia, stop by your local store, stock up, and suddenly all of the Amtrak's shortcomings get blurred in a fog.

At least they can't mess up the scenery..... and other friendly travelers.....

(Jim Hudson, I gotta disagree on the "Everything is edible" comment. Riding the Cap to Chicago last May, everything was NOT edible. That once great Amtrak train is suffering badly. What a shame)

Steak with baked potato and veggies topped off with the strawberry cheesecake. yum!!

Chicken with rice is usually good

Angus burger for lunch and sometimes more cheesecake..

Cheese omelet, croissant , pancakes are usually o.k.

Stay away from veggie burger (yech!!)

Fish has not been a good choice for me, but others say theirs was o.k.

Short ribs can go either way as well.

General trend is: if its a special..its not

Railroad Bill said:

Steak with baked potato and veggies topped off with the strawberry cheesecake. yum!!

Chicken with rice is usually good

Angus burger for lunch and sometimes more cheesecake..

Cheese omelet, croissant , pancakes are usually o.k.

Stay away from veggie burger (yech!!)

Fish has not been a good choice for me, but others say theirs was o.k.

Short ribs can go either way as well.

General trend is: if its a special..its not

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Ya know, this just goes to show, it's all a matter of taste. RR Bill hates the Chipotle Black Bean Burger, I prefer it...... go figure.

Yup, and I've never had a "hockey puck" Angus Steakburger. They've always tasted like a medium burger to me. They aren't as juicy, and they don't taste grilled like a regular burger, but I love them. They've never felt "tough" to me. It might depend on the crew.

The peanut butter and jelly is great... oh, wait! I bring that on myself. LOL

I'm with rrdude. I have never had a bad lunch since sticking to the black bean burger, It is as good or better than I have had anywhere.

The steak was always my favorite dinner, but since the cuts I have been extremely disappointed. first trip on auto train NB after cuts we had the usual Steak with signature sauce and baked potato, but coming back on the star it was steak with A1 sauce(served on the steak in place of the signature suce,without my asking for it) and mashed potates. last month's auto train it was called " braised blade steaks" or something like that, but what it looked and tasted like was bland, unseasoned, pot roast with mashed,. This was the steak offering round trip and no baked potato option.

Breakfast, I usually rotate between eggs and French toast, but how good they are is only as good as the Chef!

These two are a must:

P1000085 by seat38a, on Flickr

IMG_0117 by seat38a, on Flickr

OK, I get the French toast, but what's the other dish?

MikefromCrete said:

OK, I get the French toast, but what's the other dish?

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The Signature Steak.

Lamb shanks om the Cap. Lim. are the finest I have ever had, bar none. I had them going and coming.

Ya cant miss with the Mac & Cheese!!! :hi:

I don't think the bratwurst on a pretzel roll is still on the regular menu, but perhaps it occasionally makes an appearance as a special? A delicious lunch choice, I thought.

Plain and simple they need to bring back the Lamb. If Lamb is all they have, I would still be happy

As for the Fish I usually have stayed away from it simply because the portions always look small, but the other night on the Texas Eagle after eating in Amtrak Diners for 3 days I was foundered and elected to give the Tilapia a try. Even though I was round as a hound, the Server let me kick off the Rice and add in a Baked Potato (that is another essential). So here comes a plate loaded to the gunwales with Fish, Potatos and Beans and that Tilapia was outstanding, very well seasoned and cooked.

Give me a good Omlette with spuds or grits in the morning, or Old Fashion Railroad French Toast when I'm not so hungry and I'm all set for a good train day!

trainman74 said:

I don't think the bratwurst on a pretzel roll is still on the regular menu, but perhaps it occasionally makes an appearance as a special? A delicious lunch choice, I thought.

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They offered it as a special lunch sandwich on... the CL, I think? It might have been the Crescent. I can't remember.

SarahZ said:

trainman74 said:

I don't think the bratwurst on a pretzel roll is still on the regular menu, but perhaps it occasionally makes an appearance as a special? A delicious lunch choice, I thought.

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They offered it as a special lunch sandwich on... the CL, I think? It might have been the Crescent. I can't remember.

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I had the Brat for Lunch on one of the East Coast trains a few weeks ago (cannot remember which one) and was a bit worried when I ordered it since I am very fussy about Bratwurst. I was more than happy with what was served!

I like breakfast the best. I like the grits so eggs, grits and bacon work for me. Had pancakes recently on the CZ and crispy bacon (requested and that's what I got!) that was very tasty and filling.

Most things for lunch are ok but I struggle a bit with dinners especially on a longer trip. Usually pick at chicken or try for a med rare steak. I usually get a dessert to take back to the bedroom. Like the chocolate cake and some ice cream.

Once in a while I go to café car and get a hot dog to take back to room for lunch. I always regret it as its somewhat like rubber.

For breakfast: French Toast and sausage. Sometimes the french toast needs to be grilled a little longer.

For lunch: If available the Brat on the pretzel roll was surprisingly really good. I agree with the burger. Every time I had it, it reminded me of a school cafeteria burger. Thin, over cooked, dry, and tasteless.

For Dinner: Steak if I am in sleeper and it is included. Chicken if I am paying.

Desert: Triple chocolate mouse.

Things to take: Combos (they always travel well as a crunch snack)

I always take a couple of protein bars along but rarely ever eat one. A couple of months back I had mahimahi that was surprisingly good.