Wife and I will be on the California Zephyr later this month. What would you all recommend from the Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Menus? As per recommendation, we were looking forward to the pancakes for breakfast but did not find them on the online menu. Always get great travel information from the membership and looking forward to more. Thank you!
Menu Recommendations on the CZ
- Thread starter alang
- Start date
Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:
- Status
George K
Conductor
Breakfast: I've had the Omelet and the Scrambled Eggs. Both are good, and very filling. I found the sausage patties too salty for my taste, however. Seems that pancakes are not on the menu, but French Toast is.
Steak is very good - cooked as you like it.
Steak is very good - cooked as you like it.
Bruce-C
Service Attendant
I have generally found the burgers to be on the hockey puck side.. Steaks, omelets and seafood was great!!
BeckysBarn
Lead Service Attendant
Breakfast - French toast is good; omelet is good, but when I requested no onions, I was told that wasn't possible; bacon is probably sliced by those who supply Subway.
Lunch - both burgers are good. The veggie burger is spicier.
Dinner - steak YES!! The chicken was good, but too much for me.
Dessert - cheese cake was good and you just can't mess up ice cream.
Lunch - both burgers are good. The veggie burger is spicier.
Dinner - steak YES!! The chicken was good, but too much for me.
Dessert - cheese cake was good and you just can't mess up ice cream.
The Omelets are usually excellent as is the Chicken Maple Sausage! Also the Continental Breakfast let's you choose your type of cereal, hot or cold (you can even ask for soy milk with it), and it has yogurt,fruit, choice of bread and you can add the breakfast meats if desired. Juice ( Cranberry and apple are best!)and coffee are included.
I don't care for the pancakes, they're on a par with McDonalds but the French Toast can be tasty depending in the chef!
For Lunch the Hot Dog on a Pretzel Bun ( kids menu) is surprisingly good as is the Chipotle Veggie Burger ( with Cheese and Bacon, aka Cheaters Burger! LOL)
As was said, the Steak with Baked is usually excellent if you have a good chef.(portions are smaller than they used to be) The Salmon is much better than Tilapia as the Fish offering and for Desert, as was said, the Cheesecake is good but I think the Chocolate Bundt Cake and the Chocolate Mousse are Outstanding if on offer!
I don't care for the pancakes, they're on a par with McDonalds but the French Toast can be tasty depending in the chef!
For Lunch the Hot Dog on a Pretzel Bun ( kids menu) is surprisingly good as is the Chipotle Veggie Burger ( with Cheese and Bacon, aka Cheaters Burger! LOL)
As was said, the Steak with Baked is usually excellent if you have a good chef.(portions are smaller than they used to be) The Salmon is much better than Tilapia as the Fish offering and for Desert, as was said, the Cheesecake is good but I think the Chocolate Bundt Cake and the Chocolate Mousse are Outstanding if on offer!
Last edited by a moderator:
For me, breakfast is one of the following:
-Omelet, if it sounds good;
-French toast; or
-Scrambled eggs
I always get bacon; I usually get milk/coffee to drink, but occasionally substitute coffee and orange juice.
Lunch is, at this point, usually the meatballs. They are quite good. Milk to drink. I'll occasionally sub the salad for meatballs if I've been on the train a lot.
Dinner is, 99% of the time, steak (medium-rare), rice in lieu of the baked potato, milk to drink, chocolate mousse/truffle for dessert, and ideally a Bailey's and coffee as well. That said, I've heard good things about the lasagna they have now from Charlie.
-Omelet, if it sounds good;
-French toast; or
-Scrambled eggs
I always get bacon; I usually get milk/coffee to drink, but occasionally substitute coffee and orange juice.
Lunch is, at this point, usually the meatballs. They are quite good. Milk to drink. I'll occasionally sub the salad for meatballs if I've been on the train a lot.
Dinner is, 99% of the time, steak (medium-rare), rice in lieu of the baked potato, milk to drink, chocolate mousse/truffle for dessert, and ideally a Bailey's and coffee as well. That said, I've heard good things about the lasagna they have now from Charlie.
Yay! Another milk drinker.
I always get the scrambled eggs w/bacon, hash browns and croissant for breakfast - with milk.
I usually get the hamburger and milk for lunch, if I don't skip lunch.
And usually get the steak with mashed potatoes and milk for dinner.
George K
Conductor
Am I wrong in seeing that the menus for all of the LD trains has become standardized? Browsing through Amtrak's site, it would appear so.
A pity.
A pity.
bobnjulie
Lead Service Attendant
Please do not get the light choice for dinner.... sauce was okay but the beef round... blah.... so many other better choices. French toast was super yummy...best meal of our trip!
OlympianHiawatha
Engineer
I have eaten many a meal in the Diner and have yet to encounter anything I would say is nasty, but then again the fact I'm eating in a Diner makes the food so much better. I even had the Light Choice last Summer when we were offered an Emergency Supper because the Meteor was running several hours late; I found that to be quite good and although I already knew what Couscous were all about, it was comical watching other pax trying to figure them out. HINT - If something at Lunch or Dinner is a bit dry or bland, kick on a packet of the Salad Dressing-it works wonders.
S
SteveSTX
Guest
I have been avoiding both the pork sausage and the chicken sausage at breakfast. My dad had one and I had the other, and after one bite we both agreed they had absolutely no flavor. For the rest of the trip (4 trains) we got the bacon (very good) and enjoyed watching other diners taste their sausage and reach for the seasonings to make them edible.
The Caesar Salad with chicken is good for lunch or dinner (except if you were on the CL with me when they wouldn't let me get it for dinner "because we only serve dinner from the dinner menu"). You don't have to use the Caesar dressing if, like me, you don't like Caesar dressing.
The Caesar Salad with chicken is good for lunch or dinner (except if you were on the CL with me when they wouldn't let me get it for dinner "because we only serve dinner from the dinner menu"). You don't have to use the Caesar dressing if, like me, you don't like Caesar dressing.
S
SteveSTX
Guest
And against the recommendation of someone at my table, I did try the vegetarian lasagna at dinner one night and it wasn't bad.
andersone
Conductor
I found
for breakfast, French Toast (if they have it) awesome Omelets as well
lunch, the special was a bison sausage and wonderful, sometimes the burger can be dry
dinner, the steak has always been awesome, she who must be obeyed enjoyed the tilapia
for desert the cheesecake and the chocolate cake concoction (forgive my mental methane) much enjoyed
for breakfast, French Toast (if they have it) awesome Omelets as well
lunch, the special was a bison sausage and wonderful, sometimes the burger can be dry
dinner, the steak has always been awesome, she who must be obeyed enjoyed the tilapia
for desert the cheesecake and the chocolate cake concoction (forgive my mental methane) much enjoyed
OlympianHiawatha
Engineer
BRING BACK LAMB!
Ditto!!!!!!!
PRae_Train
Service Attendant
I always tried to have a substantial breakfast, the entree salad for lunch, and a substantial dinner. For a few months this year they canceled the entree salad, but apparently have reinstated it.
The chicken at dinner is often really good, and so much, but last time may have been a lot smaller. Because I like dark meat anyway, decided to eat that first, as sometimes the white meat could be dry.
The chicken at dinner is often really good, and so much, but last time may have been a lot smaller. Because I like dark meat anyway, decided to eat that first, as sometimes the white meat could be dry.
D.P. Roberts
Conductor
Or better yet,
BRING BACK THE BEEF SHORT RIBS!!
And while you're at it, bring back the chocolate cake a la mode!
That's a meal I would actually order in a regular restaurant.
BRING BACK THE BEEF SHORT RIBS!!
And while you're at it, bring back the chocolate cake a la mode!
That's a meal I would actually order in a regular restaurant.
C
Craig Smith
Guest
Breakfast is the best meal. Typically omelette, potatoes & Sausage for me.
If doing breakfast and dinner, lunch would be too much unless you are a VERY big eater. I usually bring some snacks such as mixed nuts and then have a "happy hour" with a martini or two in the observation car before dinner instead of having lunch.
90% of the time I end up with the chicken for dinner. It is fairly consistently good. Entire half chicken and usually moist and nicely seasoned.
With the latest changes reducing what is included with dinner I may re-think things and try to bring something my own. But if it is your first time on the train you should plan on doing dinner.
If doing breakfast and dinner, lunch would be too much unless you are a VERY big eater. I usually bring some snacks such as mixed nuts and then have a "happy hour" with a martini or two in the observation car before dinner instead of having lunch.
90% of the time I end up with the chicken for dinner. It is fairly consistently good. Entire half chicken and usually moist and nicely seasoned.
With the latest changes reducing what is included with dinner I may re-think things and try to bring something my own. But if it is your first time on the train you should plan on doing dinner.
blueman271
Lead Service Attendant
I think the Cardinal is still different, due to not having a full diner of course.
JayMadison
Service Attendant
Oddly on the CZ the salads were pretty awful, only iceberg letuce and a few almost rotten tomatos, the CS & SC had way better salads. I'm always a fan of the steak, and the seafood was surprisingly good. I tend to enjoy the french toast or omelette (I've heard the oatmeal is really good)
On the Meteor last night, I got to have salmon. The reason was down to a bad-ordered diner putting us in a cafe car doing double duty...my complements to the crew for handling it well. I had to get the salmon heated up some more, but...well, this was a crew used to a diner, not a microwave and they did their best. The food was excellent, as always.
Anybody know how long the mousse should keep for? I got it to go and I'll probably graze on it tomorrow.
Anybody know how long the mousse should keep for? I got it to go and I'll probably graze on it tomorrow.
T
trainaddict
Guest
I don't recommend taking the California Zepher. I have been on it previously, and the food and service were both terrible. The entire experience was always so stressful, rude workers, and overcooked food items, leaving things trough, rough, and gruff. Once when I asked for an item I was told it was not available, even though it was listed on the menu. No explanation was given when I pointed out that another customer was eating the same item at that very moment. The workers tended to be very pushy and hurried. The train I took also departed two hours late and arrived even later. In summary, I vowed never to travel with Amtrack again.
Please look up some of my previous posts to these blogs to see how I believe Amtrak can be reformed instead of deformed, as its current path foretells.
I strongly encourage you to take another train if at all possible. Book early, some routes sell out fast!
What kind of food are you looking for?
Please look up some of my previous posts to these blogs to see how I believe Amtrak can be reformed instead of deformed, as its current path foretells.
I strongly encourage you to take another train if at all possible. Book early, some routes sell out fast!
What kind of food are you looking for?
This is Amtrak Unlimited trainaddict, not train orders! And you seem to be in a minority of one when it comes to the Zephyr, yours is the first negative review I've seen of this splendid route anywhere!
blueman271
Lead Service Attendant
I rode the CZ from Emeryville to Chicago on December 11th and had a great time. The dining car staff was excellent, the food was wonderful and the scenery was beautiful. Furthermore, they did a wine tasting on the second day and it was a lot of fun. I ended up buying a bottle.
- Status
