Dining car menu question

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I see on the Amtrak Menu it lists (along with other items) "Lunch Main Courses" and "Dinner (Only) Main Courses".

Since the "Dinner" menu says dinner only, and the lunch menu doesn't say lunch only,

does that mean I can order a 'lunch' item for my dinner meal?

thanks
 
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And, if the item(s) appeal to you, an adult may also order items from the Children's Menu. The Mac and Cheese as well as the Hot Dog were good.
 
Since we're asking dining car questions, I have one. I will have sleeper arrangements for our upcoming adventure (May), so I know our meals would be included. For lunch and dinner, are the side salads considered part of the dinner, or are they charged separately? I thought that you'd get (nonalcoholic) drinks, salad, entree and dessert, but I was reading somewhere else where the writer had complained about being charged extra for the salad. I thought he said he was a sleeping car passenger, but I am not so sure now.
 
When I was on the Lake Shore Limited last week, all lunch items except the "marketplace special" (meatballs and mashed potatoes) were available at dinner.
 
I've seen to many reviews of the Vegetarian Pasta and Healthy Option, Light Entrée (eye of round) that called them mediocre for them to be high on my list.

Many have mentioned the eye of round is a surprisingly small portion, and often say it was tough.

I lieu of the dinner pasta I'd probably get the Lunch menu Caesar's salad with the chicken on it - and it's still 10 calories less than the dinner pasta.

The Amtrak Signature Steak gets good reviews, and lots of them. The Roasted Half Chicken looks to be a great deal (lower calories and healthier if you don't eat the skin) and gets good reviews.

The few comments I have seen about the Tilapia Seafood Catch of the Day are good.
 
I've seen to many reviews of the Vegetarian Pasta and Healthy Option, Light Entrée (eye of round) that called them mediocre for them to be high on my list.

Many have mentioned the eye of round is a surprisingly small portion, and often say it was tough.
"Small portions" are to be expected with a "light entree".

My wife got this on a trip last week and while the portion size was as expected (for a light entree), I will agree that it was tough and well overcooked. It actually tasted decent, though, and it has a much different flavor than the signature steak. The light entree beef is more like a pot roast, but without the juiciness.

I was surprised, though, that my wife liked it *better* than the signature steak. I think her problem with the signature steak was that it's a flatiron, which she knows costs about $3 per pound. It's a really cheap cut of meat. (Though not a bad cut; just cheap.) I think she was actually offended to see Amtrak charging non-sleeper passengers $25 for a little 1/3 pound steak that would cost about a buck if you bought it yourself.

The few comments I have seen about the Tilapia Seafood Catch of the Day are good.
I've had this too and it is very good and a *lot* of fish (two fillets). I'm not sure if this will mean anything to anyone here, but it's exactly the kind of fish entree you'd get if you just ordered a "fish dinner" (or equivalent) at a Greek diner here in the northeast.
 
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I see on the Amtrak Menu it lists (along with other items) "Lunch Main Courses" and "Dinner (Only) Main Courses".

Since the "Dinner" menu says dinner only, and the lunch menu doesn't say lunch only,

does that mean I can order a 'lunch' item for my dinner meal?
Nope. More accurately, sometimes.
You're supposed to be able to, but half the crews will refuse to let you. Including the last three crews I had to deal with.

:p
 
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I've had multiple dinners where no bread was provided in any form. I would also presume that if you were to order a lunch item for dinner it may not come with bread. Dinner salads may require a specific request depending on the crew. When describing Amtrak services I try to avoid speaking in absolute terms lest I end up writing checks Amtrak can't cash.
 
On our last four trains it was necessary to ask for the side salad. It was not automatically provided as in the past. But the salad is now larger than the former provided salad. Only once has a basket of rolls not been provided at supper, but it was an oversight by the server, who promptly brought them to the table when I asked about it.

Steak, chicken without the skin, and the pasta dish are our favorites and have been consistently good.
 
On our last four trains it was necessary to ask for the side salad. It was not automatically provided as in the past. But the salad is now larger than the former provided salad.
Did they bother to add anything else to the bowl? The problem with the previous salad was never the size. Rather it was the lack of any taste or nutrition that made calling it a salad so comical. Might as well just call it a side of lettuce with dressing.

Lunch-Salad-and-Bread-Roll.jpg
 
In Amtrak's continuing effort to bring the dining car towards profitability (and by that I mean bury the losses amongst the sleeping car expenses), the side salad is no longer included nor is your choice of coffee, tea or milk.

But as a sleeping car passenger, there is no additional cost to order a side salad (heck Amtrak should encourage it as it adds another $3 per meal to the dining car "profits") or any non-alcoholic beverage.

That being said... I tried ordering one on the Coast Starlight... thinking it would come out before my meal (like the side salads used to be served) but it actually arrived after I had already eaten half of my steak. Mind you, the Coast Starlight is the "flagship" long-distance train and the service is supposed to be second-to-none in the Amtrak system.
 
Did they bother to add anything else to the bowl? The problem with the previous salad was never the size. Rather it was the lack of any taste or nutrition that made calling it a salad so comical. Might as well just call it a side of lettuce with dressing.

Lunch-Salad-and-Bread-Roll.jpg
When I was traveling earlier this month on the LSL and CZ, the salad had several tomatoes, carrots, onions and croutons.
 
That salad dressing packet is large enough for two salads!
The extra goes great on the Baked Potato or Veggies. I usually dump 1 packet on the Salad and use another to doctor the Meal sides. Then hold on to that Dinner Roll for mop up duty and turn back a clean dry plate :)
 
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