WILMINGTON, Del. — When Amtrak launched the high-speed Acela Express train in 2000, the big selling point was a faster ride for time-pressed passengers looking to zip from city to city along the East Coast. But Acela riders don’t crave just speed, it turns out; they expect an experience that’s better than the one they might find on the regular Northeast Regional line.
And that, Amtrak officials say, means charcuterie. And pesto. And sandwiches on oat baguettes.
After introducing a menu for first-class Acela travelers that was developed by famed restaurateur Stephen Starr, Amtrak is turning its attention to the rest of us in the cheap(er) seats in business class. On Wednesday, Amtrak plans to introduce a revamped menu for its Cafe Acela that caters to the more refined tastes of its clientele. Now, when riders weave their way into the cafe car for a lunch or snack, they’ll find a selection that’s meant to be a cut above the one offered on the Northeast Regional.
“When someone buys a ticket on Acela, they are buying a ticket for an experience, not just to get from Point A to Point B,” says Eliot Hamlisch, Amtrak’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer. “The food and beverage is an important part of that, and we want to offer a truly elevated experience for our most premium product.” And so the ham being served isn’t any old pedestrian pig; it’s “cherrywood smoked.
” The titular protein in a turkey and cheese sandwich is peppered. The bi.
