Well, how many times can they read about it?

Correction YOU expect a grilled cut of beef... I expect a cut of beef properly prepared in respect of its individual qualities.

At the risk of you dragging this even further into must have the last word land, I would think a grilled cut is what most people expect, despite your protestations. Funnily enough, that's what restaurants serve as well. Shocking that, isn't it?

I wish people would stop digifying it by calling it pot roast. I like pot roast; but what I saw on the LSL #49 on 8/16/09 was not pot roast.

The LSL doesn't have a proper diner. It has an entirely different method of service of any LD train...

But it does serve the flat iron bordelaise. Thats one of the better things that the diner-lite car can serve.

True, but-- I dunno, I can't defend the diner-lite. i don't have it in me

Riding the CZ, LSL, SWC and CS in the last 3 weeks and ordering whatever wording the menu used for the flat iron, the LSL was the worst of the lot. Especially the veggies, but that's another issue. The CS dish was quite good.

The condition of the sides will affect the palette and the coloring of the memory of the rest of the meal... but that's a separate thread I imagine.

I get your point. However, I ate much of the steak before tasting veggies, and made up my mind then and there this was the worst cut of the trip so far. No doubt the sides are reinforcing my recall of that meal. Fortunately every meal after this was an improvement, so I guess that's a plus.

I had the flatiron steak on the "Tehachapi" Starlight last January,and it was good,but still not quite as good as the New York strip steak Amtrak served many years ago.

I wonder what Amtrak would do if I plugged in a George Foreman grill and started passing out real steaks in the sleepers?

How do you call that a "grill" ?

Because that's what it's officially known as.

And if that bothers you, you can take it up with George himself!

No such thing as a grill that doesn't use charcoal!

(jk... I know, I know, I know... I use propane, electric, and steam grills too)

At any rate, I thought of another way to think of it...

If steak is simply any amount of beef that has been fried or grilled, then if I put a four pound chuck roast on a grill-- does that make it steak? What about beef tongue fried in light oil? Is that tongue steak?

Before you think of saying "well if you cut the roast up" there, you've got it! The roast needs to be CUT! A steak is a CUT of meat....

Nah, do it right and toss a Weber Kettle and some charcoal in your carry on and set that bad boy up in the Lower Level entry-I'm sure the SCA and Conductor will be more than happy to open the doors for you to vent the smoke if you cut them in on the bounty!

Oh I don't know about that! When I was a kid my grandfather owned a grill and he didn't use charcoal! He needed plenty of ice to keep the beer cold while it was going through the tap's lines from the kegs, but no charcoal!

REAL steaks come from the land of Beef! NEBRASKA, I wished Amtrak used Cetiaks Steaks. They could order them online and have them delivered to Chicago! Best steak I've ever had. Puts Omaha Steaks to shame! I had the 1/2 chicken on my way home on Monday night. I always get the steak until this thread popped up.

Do you mean Cetaks Steaks?

mmmm

Anyone know the grilled Flat Iron STEAK will be restored to Amtrak?

Yes, I spelled it incorrectly. Its also pronounced "chet ox". I always send these steaks now to friends instead of Omaha steaks. I loved the Flat Iron Steak on Amtrak until all the negative reviews from this thread so I stuck with the chicken the other night.

Someone mentioned in an earlier post that the flat iron would "re-appear" in its intended form after the summer rush.

yes, you are correct. The steak is taken off during the summer rush, since it takes a longer time to prepare and tends to back-log the meals coming out of the kitchen.

Well if this is Amtraks excuse they may as well serve chicken nuggets,big macs and fries!Its supposed to be diner,not a fast food emporium!Save that stuff for the cafe cars/diner-lites-CCCs,when theres a full diner no excuse for crap that costs $22.50!Glad its going away,good riddance!!

*sigh*

You realize that a diner, as in a diner you find in your down like a Denny's... is based out of the old railroad diners?

This isn't supposed to be 5-star....

Guess that passes for fine cuisine in Ohio ALC!!!I was around in the old days and Im here to tell you the food @ Dennys is better than some of that so called "convience food" that Amtrak tries to hustle!They need to spend more time on food,less on marketing and ad writers dreaming up food titles that in no way describe what is served!Lots of great beef all over the country,I agree!But till they cover me up and carry me away Ill still know a steak from a so called steak!Ane the food WAS better in the old days,most that were there will second this I do believe!

Most passengers are quite satisfied with the food on Amtrak, in fact, with the addition of the regional specials the passengers have been pleased and the Customer Satisfaction Index scores confirm that.

Now, since you seem fixated on the flat iron braised beef issue, I suggest you simply not order it.

Also, can you please put a few spaces between your sentences and maybe break up your thoughts into paragraphs, to make it easier to read?

The service was great. It was the flatiron thing that was bad.

But if the flatiron whatever approaches pot roast on other trains, that's great!

Extra sigh.....
When a restaurant is busy, taking on extra staff is the usual response rather than dumbing down the menu and still charging the same price for a replacement of the premium item on the menu.....

Extra, extra sigh to paraphrase Gertrude Stein:

"Steak is a stake is a steak is a stake" from the famous poem Baked Emily.

Ruud

I don't know when you were last in a train kitchen, but having two chefs does not produce twice as much food, since there is extremely limited space & equipment. This is not a restaurant and if you have never been in a train kitchen, imagine trying to produce twice as much food on an airplane - if you can relate to that limited space, rather than a train.

Today.
Fully aware of train catering equipment as well.
Anyway, I thought the SDS system was meant to control the amount of customers at anyone time?
I wouldn't think that 2 chefs would produce twice as much food, but it would surely allow a little extra capacity at busy times.

That is still no excuse for replacing your premium product with mom's roast and keeping the same price.

Sounds like everyone can agree the pricing during the summer of the non-steak beef offering should come down. Maybe that is something we can all get behind and write Amtrak on, to shave a few dollars off the roast beef? Where would we all send letters to about this? Is there a special address for food comments?

Perhaps during the summer they can reduce the Pot Roast price and to make almost everyone want to eat on board, at least folks from this Forum, cater all Chicago trains with offerings from Giordano's That would certainly be an improvement over that nasty pseudo-pizza they sling in the Lounge.

What do you think the so called Pizza is made with?(hint, its definitely not steak!!!! )Great idea about catering,Chicago can be the "pizza box express" like the OBS posted about the CONO being the "chicken bone express"!LOL

Cardboard and Plastic=Amtrak Pizza!

now i happen to like the pizza served onboard the trains. i also like the hot and ready's from Little Caesars guess i have no taste. i do not like the RR french toast though.

I have to agree with you here. Back in the dark ages (1950's) the Heritage diners, which are still rolling today, had FOUR cooks in the kitchen. The Superliners could probably accommodate 6 or more as the ENTIRE lower level of the car is kitchen area. No, the bean counters have won this battle; I fear the day when Amtrak leases the diners out to Wong's House of Ptomaine.

Six people in the diner? you're kidding, right?

Only if some use the ceiling--

Think of it this way; I know someone will correct me if I'm wrong~ if the upper deck on a Superliner can hold 72 pax eating why can't the lower level easily accommodate 6 cooks if, indeed, it is the same size ???

The lower deck is shorter than the upper deck. The space they are given isn't big enough to have six cooks in, maybe four cooks, two dishwashers.

Not to get off of this GREAT topic , whats wrong with the cafe pizzas? You should have seen the old ones, they were hard and tasteless. These ones today are soft and tasty!

Good golly we're fiesty today...if you compare the room in the Heritage kitchens that once contained four cooks for years on end to the Superliner's spacious galley square foot to square foot you will probably be able to hold an AU Gathering in the Superliner galley.(It even has a toilet which does detract from the size BUT the upper deck has the serving area, dumb waiter and stairway which detracts from its size also ! ) BTW, I think 4 plus 2 equals six.

This whole thread is fiesty, so I guess it lets off a fiesty attitude .
I guess it could fit six or more, but I don't think we'll ever see that many persons working any Amtrak dining car kitchen in the "keeping costs down" era.

I worked dozens of trips on the Chief out to LA in the Superliner diners, and the old High Levels, and the now called "Heritage Dinners" (when we still had to pick up Presto Logs in KC, and other stops)

OPINION: Superliner diner kitchens were a dream come true! Everything worked, ESPECIALLY the A.C., and there was enuff room to pitch a tent. We had AT LEAST six crew down there in the summer. Chefs, cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers. Only thing that really sucked was the damn dumb-waiters. Sooooooooooooooooooo much slower than the High Level conveyers. But, not as many accidents either! The High Levels had ample room, and were pretty well laid out, just old. Did I say that the A.C. worked?

The pre-Heritage diners were the PITS. I can't tell you how many services we ran with no power. Chemical lights in the monkey dishes for lights, no AC, loading doors and end doors propped open for air. But we COULD cook, cause we used Presto Logs. There was NO room in the kitchen either. Well, there was room, but only enuff to suck in your gut, and not move your elbows. I made more damn wedge salads at the "salad station" to last a lifetime. Ha, ha! That's where I first learned about the proverbial "Five second rule"........yuck.

It's all about manpower allotment. IF 'Trak wanted to, they could put out five star. I know, some of the chefs did, sadly, just for the crew though.

Looks pretty spacious to me: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29226259@N02/3023621596/

Oh there is PLENTY of room alright, remember, these kitchens were designed B4 SDS (simplified Dining Service) was ever thought of. I had the UNfortunate occasion to work a few trips in Superliner Diners after SDS (well, at least the second variation of it, I think there was also a "modified meal service"....... prior to that, not sure thou)

Point is, instead of a full kitchen staff, now it was Chef and one assistant. Granted, there was not much "cheffing" to be done, only mirco-zap and plate food. God it was awful. In fact that was the only time on Amtrak I liked being in the kitchen better than on the dining floor.

The dining car "staff" (if you can call an LSA and two attendants a "Staff") really took it on the chin from passengers. Most were reasonable, and knew it wasn't the employees fault, but some people, having not been on a train in years, and used to linen, china, flatware, and glass, were REALLY BITTER about paper plates, plastic cups, paper napkins, and plastic utensils.........

rrdude please-please-please tell me you were kidding with the "" I made more damn wedge salads at the "salad station" to last a lifetime. Ha, ha! That's where I first learned about the proverbial "Five second rule"........yuck."" statement. Ewwwwwwww!!!!

I had planned on ordering the Flat Iron Steak on the Empire Builder now I am wondering if I should??????

Thank you..and that's only one end of the car because the chef is standing next to the dumb waiter !