Amtrak's New "Fresh Choices" Dining on CL & LSL

[jebr]

The meals overall look decent, though I'm still wanting a hot option. The ingredients and side options are definitely fancier than I've had in box lunches, even the typical catered lunches from a local deli. If they're being delivered fresh on board and meals are served through arrival (so supper is offered before arrival into NYP, and lunch offered before arrival into WAS) the change seems to be at least even, if not a bit better than the current options. Sure, we're losing Steak Island, but overall I think this is a decent alternative.

I'm not a huge wine drinker (though I may decide to be adventurous and try one) but a gin and tonic sounds quite delightful while going through the countryside upon boarding the first evening. So I'm willing to give it a go and see how well the execution is when I take my trip this fall. I'm definitely not feeling the need to switch to the Cardinal or fly to avoid the food service, though.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

I like what I see. The dinner menu (as described, at least) is 100% better than what's offered in the diners on the Starlight and Zephyr. I'd take any item on there (including the kid's meal

) over anything on the the current menu.

Where does it show dinner?

The Lake Shore Limited only serve two meals. East: Dinner and Breakfast, West: Breakfast and Lunch.

So the meals are interchangeable between a Lunch or a Dinner.

 

[jebr]

The arrival into NYP (and BOS) is during/after the start of dinner service. I'm wondering if they'll actually stock dinner (which also offers some resiliency during delays to offer a standard meal service) or whether they'll keep the old style where they don't have anything stocked for that meal service.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Starbucks cold brew!? For free? What's to complain about!!!!!! and La Croix, and non-boxed Orange juice. Some serious positives about this menu in my book. The set menus are a negative... For example you used to be able to choose which dessert you got... Now you get whatever dessert comes with that meal I guess. And yeah... Breakfast is lacking... But based on the drink choices I think these meals will be pretty good quality wise.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I've seen worse, and the Breakfast is similar to the Continental that I usually eat in a Diner on LD Trains.

It definitely looks better than the offerings on the CONO and the Card!

The jury is out till we actually get to eat off this Menu.

 

[JRR]

I can’t imagine a kid’s meal without Mac n cheese. That’s what my grandkids - 2 to 14, want 90% of the time..

A microwave would handle that.

 

[cpotisch]

I like what I see. The dinner menu (as described, at least) is 100% better than what's offered in the diners on the Starlight and Zephyr. I'd take any item on there (including the kid's meal

) over anything on the the current menu.

Where does it show dinner?

The Lake Shore Limited only serve two meals. East: Dinner and Breakfast, West: Breakfast and Lunch.So the meals are interchangeable between a Lunch or a Dinner.

When I went on the page, it just showed breakfast. Nothing else.

 

[Rheavon]

I can’t imagine a kid’s meal without Mac n cheese. That’s what my grandkids - 2 to 14, want 90% of the time..

A microwave would handle that.

Or even hot water and a Easy Mac bowl.

 

[cpotisch]

Definitely interested in seeing what these look like now. They sound fancy, but I'm skeptical.

They dont sound even remotely fancy to me.

 

[bms]

I understand why people who pay for a sleeping car are disappointed. It especially is a bad deal for those who don't drink and are essentially paying for an alcoholic drink anyway.

However, if they sell these meals to us coach passengers at a reasonable price, it would be an upgrade from the Cafe Car. I'll definitely try those lunches if they do sell them in coach.

 

[Steve4031]

There is an email on the menu. I just sent an email explaining my concerns.

 

[cpotisch]

However, if they sell these meals to us coach passengers at a reasonable price, it would be an upgrade from the Cafe Car. I'll definitely try those lunches if they do sell them in coach.

They already offer that on some western trains (I think they call it "Just for You"). It's a boxed meal that includes a large bottle of water, large chocolate chip cookie, and a hot entree. Coach passengers purchase it through their car attendant who will in turn retrieve it from the dining car and bring it to your seat. From what I've heard they're generally very good, and usually costs about $10 for the whole thing, which in my opinion is a pretty good deal.

Amtrak claims that they will be selling spare "Fresh Choices" meals to coach passengers, but it seems that'll only happen if there are leftovers, so I wouldn't be optimistic they'll be available reliably, or at a decent price.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Children's meal makes me want to puke. Dear god.

Yeah and it's a real shame how they tie you down and force you to eat it.

Does someone in your family work for Amtrak? I'm just trying to understand what causes you to lash out with these bizarre retorts. You're reacting like someone just bullied your little brother.

 

[keelhauled]

Yeah and it's a real shame how they tie you down and force you to eat it.

Does someone in your family work for Amtrak? I'm just trying to understand what causes you to lash out with these bizarre retorts. You're reacting like someone just bullied your little brother.

And I am trying to understand why someone would be so quick to condemn a meal for whom they are not the target market and which they will probably never eat, sight and taste unseen. I suppose we shall both live in confusion.
I'm not on any particular side here, but I am strongly in favor of facts, and I *know* no one here has been served food from this menu in revenue service, so writing it off as a "sack lunch" or that it makes one "want to puke" is in my opinion just absurd.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I like what I see. The dinner menu (as described, at least) is 100% better than what's offered in the diners on the Starlight and Zephyr. I'd take any item on there (including the kid's meal

) over anything on the the current menu.

Where does it show dinner?

The Lake Shore Limited only serve two meals. East: Dinner and Breakfast, West: Breakfast and Lunch.So the meals are interchangeable between a Lunch or a Dinner.

When I went on the page, it just showed breakfast. Nothing else.

What does it show under Breakfast? Didn't you see, in big letters, Entree?

 

[ainamkartma]

Menus are posted. About what one expected.

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/menus/routes/Lake-Shore-Limited-Sleeping-Car-Menu-0518.pdf

Entrée

Charcuterie Plate

A combination of prosciutto, soppressata and smoked turkey accompanied by assorted cheeses, marinated vegetables, olives, tangy pickles and crisp Italian bread sticks. Served with a cannellini bean salad and salted caramel cheese cake.

Chicken Caesar Salad

Marinated grilled chicken breast, baby kale, romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes with parmesan cracklings and classic Caesar dressing. Served with orzo pasta salad and salted caramel cheese cake.

Chilled Grilled Beef Tenderloin Salad

Sliced beef tenderloin over Arcadian lettuce mix, julienne carrots, artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, and mustard dressing. Served with potato salad and salted caramel cheese cake.

Vegan Wrap

Roasted and marinated eggplant, red onion, celery root, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, red pepper, kale with hummus. Served with fresh fruit and a quinoa edamame salad, kettle chips and vegan dessert bar.

Children’s Meal

Turkey and cheese sandwich, mandarin orange segments, Go-Gurt stick, goldfish crackers, string cheese stick, fruit snacks, juice box and coloring book.

Breakfast:

Vanilla Greek yogurt Parfait, fresh seasonal sliced fruit, banana pecan breakfast bread, blueberry muffin, Kashi bar and Kind bar.

Well. Based on the descriptions alone, I'll wager these are just standard off the shelf airline domestic first class midday meals. You'll find basically identical descriptions of those on the various airline websites.

And in my experience, that's a very very low standard. Processed meat, pre-sliced and dumped on a mixed salad. Cold. A tub of processed dressing on the side. Plastic side compartments with processed starchy salad and sweet cake in them.

We shall see, I guess. I am even less optimistic now than before the posting of this menu. I used to ride the LSL with some regularity, but this will change the balance of that equation for sure.

Gotta love marketing speak though!

"prepared fresh daily"-----------> Sure, but what day?

"fresh local produce"------------> Local to where? Fresh when?

"no boundaries"------------------> Except a maximum food temperature at time of serving of 55 degrees F...

Ainamkartma

 

[cpotisch]

I like what I see. The dinner menu (as described, at least) is 100% better than what's offered in the diners on the Starlight and Zephyr. I'd take any item on there (including the kid's meal

) over anything on the the current menu.

Where does it show dinner?

The Lake Shore Limited only serve two meals. East: Dinner and Breakfast, West: Breakfast and Lunch.So the meals are interchangeable between a Lunch or a Dinner.

When I went on the page, it just showed breakfast. Nothing else.

What does it show under Breakfast? Didn't you see, in big letters, Entree?

Oh. Was confused as I thought it meant the entrees available for breakfast. But since those entrees seem much more fitting for lunch or dinner, and I just now noticed the small text listing the one breakfast option, it make much more sense. I guess I'm a bit out of it today.

 

[cpotisch]

Something I love about "contemporary dining", is that apparently there's a grand total of *one* vegan/vegetarian/pescatarian entree. So whether I like it or not, I'll be enjoying 1-2 vegan wraps the next time I take the CL or LSL. Fun.

 

[Chey]

Something I love about "contemporary dining", is that apparently there's a grand total of *one* vegan/vegetarian/pescatarian entree. So whether I like it or not, I'll be enjoying 1-2 vegan wraps the next time I take the CL or LSL. Fun.

Are there more of those types of entrees on the regular menu the other LD trains have? I never paid much attention.

 

[cpotisch]

Something I love about "contemporary dining", is that apparently there's a grand total of *one* vegan/vegetarian/pescatarian entree. So whether I like it or not, I'll be enjoying 1-2 vegan wraps the next time I take the CL or LSL. Fun.

Are there more of those types of entrees on the regular menu the other LD trains have? I never paid much attention.

Here's the Silver Meteor dining car menuEight out of the 13 entrees on the menu seem to be vegetarian (plus the cod if you're a pescatarian). That's a hell of a lot better than what you now can get on the LSL and CL.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Something I love about "contemporary dining", is that apparently there's a grand total of *one* vegan/vegetarian/pescatarian entree. So whether I like it or not, I'll be enjoying 1-2 vegan wraps the next time I take the CL or LSL. Fun.

Are there more of those types of entrees on the regular menu the other LD trains have? I never paid much attention.

It varied but in short... Yes. You could order a veggie burger for lunch or dinner. An entree salad for lunch and sometimes dinner as well. There was always one seafood entree, and usually a vegetarian pasta as well. That's 3 or 4 options for a pescitarian. Also... A good crew would serve you a baked potato and salad only for dinner, or other easy variations.

 

[Chey]

It varied but in short... Yes. You could order a veggie burger for lunch or dinner. An entree salad for lunch and sometimes dinner as well. There was always one seafood entree, and usually a vegetarian pasta as well. That's 3 or 4 options for a pescitarian. Also... A good crew would serve you a baked potato and salad only for dinner, or other easy variations.

Lucky you, getting what you asked for! I think *once* I was brought my steak without the baked potato.

It wasn't their fault that I have ZERO self-control and that I always paid for it later. I needed protein and fiber and it really wasn't their fault that they couldn't serve everyone's dietary needs.

I know this new menu isn't going to please a lot of people; it just seems almost custom-made for people like me. Of course, we haven't seen reality yet...

 

[Thirdrail7]

i think that everyone is missing the point. They are cutting the menu...but children are getting a coloring book! Talk about wasting taxpayers dollars. Do you think PhillyAmtrakFan complained for years about subsidizing steaks while Pennsylvania lost the Broadway Limited only to see them traded for a coloring book?

This will not do.

I think the real outrage is the prices for the sleepers didn't drop (as they did on the Star) and the adults can't get a coloring book! Geez! The adults already lost the onboard guides on a lot of routes.

Next they'll take the broken electrical outlets off the train. I'm writing my representative....in crayon...to demand a coloring book for adults!

 

[PRR 60]

I'd personally rather have the half bottle of wine than a coloring book.

 

[benale]

i think that everyone is missing the point. They are cutting the menu...but children are getting a coloring book! Talk about wasting taxpayers dollars. Do you think PhillyAmtrakFan complained for years about subsidizing steaks while Pennsylvania lost the Broadway Limited only to see them traded for a coloring book?

This will not do.

I think the real outrage is the prices for the sleepers didn't drop (as they did on the Star) and the adults can't get a coloring book! Geez! The adults already lost the onboard guides on a lot of routes.

Next they'll take the broken electrical outlets off the train. I'm writing my representative....in crayon...to demand a coloring book for adults!

I would imagine Amtraks justification for not dropping sleeper prices is the fact they are offering unlimited drinks and one alcoholic drink. I wonder why the Silver Star cantt do this. Sure beats having to buy microwaved stuff from the cafe car. Actually it would make sense. The Meteor had a full diner, and this beats the alleged food served on The City of New Orleans by far the worst food served on Amtrak. I was on the CONO last week. Awful.