Giving the new VIA Rail menus a spin

As a lover of train travel, I was delighted to accept VIA Rail’s invitation to discover and sample additions to the Economy- and Business-class menus during a trip from Montréal to Ottawa.

For a long time, I’ve had the habit of stocking up on sweets before a journey. In the past, I never went away without some sour candy, not to mention the many snacks I always tucked into my bag (a happy mix of junk food and healthy nibbles to balance things out). Whether I travelled alone or with my daughter, I had the same routine: I’d settle in comfortably and, soon after departure, I’d savour the candies one by one—slowly, as I watched the landscape go by.

Recently, I’ve tried to get over my addiction. But then I discovered that one of my favourite Québec snack brands, KandJu, had made its debut on the Economy-class menu. Integrating as many local products as possible has become a priority for VIA Rail. How could I resist? Plus, these candies aren’t like the ones that’ve sat a bit too long on the convenience store shelf—these ones are fresh and soft just like we like them. And don’t get me started on the flavours!

Of course, there aren’t just KandJu candies among the new offerings. In terms of salty snacks, Vitali-T’s roasted cashews and five-almond mix feature alongside Lays chips and other classics. And on the sweet side, Smarties cookies are sure to be a hit with kids of all ages, as will the oatmeal and chocolate chip varieties.

For something more substantial, salads from Montréal chain Mandy’s are likely to delight travellers looking for a healthy choice. There are also new sandwiches. My favourites are the turkey—with fresh slices of meat on a soft roll—and the Caesar wrap—which earns bonus points for having kale, thus allowing me to convince myself it’s okay to enjoy a few extra candies (I’m only human). The perennially popular ham croissant can still be found on the menu, too.

There are two new options in the morning: the breakfast box, including a hard-boiled egg and a bagel with cream cheese, and the yogurt parfait with berries (my pick). And at any time of day, you can get the Canadian cheese box (which includes the iconic Oka)—featuring fresh fruit, hummus and crackers—which is always a great choice.

 

Business class for the ultimate experience

And to be clear—while travelling in Economy is entirely pleasant, nothing replaces Business-class. As well as the personalized service and comfortable amenities, a hot meal is included with each ticket.

After doing the Montréal–Québec City trip dozens of times for work, I can tell you that the onboard meals are excellent. How were the new ones chosen? One element that came out of the surveys conducted by VIA Rail is that people are looking for comforting food.

The process of refreshing the menu while taking that into account lasted several months. Aramark was the company tasked with developing and testing different options that were then evaluated by the VIA Rail team. They initially proposed 78 recipes, which were whittled down to 8 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 6 dinners, 8 starters and 8 desserts that are available on a rotating basis. The menu changes every month, in fact.

During my Montréal–Ottawa journey, I had the chance to sample three dishes: the cheese omelette for breakfast (with a delicious cinnamon bun), the maple-glazed salmon and the veal meatloaf. When the trip occurs outside of regular meals times, you can choose one of two antipasti plates: Canadian cheeses or charcuterie. I must admit I have a weakness for the former. As well as the Oka, it includes an aged cheddar from Île aux Grues, a medium cheddar, an Alexis de Portneuf brie, goat cheese, grapes, apple slices and crackers.

Among the other dishes on the Business-class menu, there’s also the Indigenous-inspired chicken and leeks with rice pilaf and green beans, and the MSC-certified flame-roasted beet-cured salmon with maple-roasted butternut squash, green beans and roasted turnip. Both were created by Ontario chef Joseph Shawana and highlight flavours found in First Nations cooking.

He also developed two starters: the Indigenous-inspired maple-roasted apple slaw with cranberries and the Three Sisters salad with butternut squash, green beans, corn and pumpkin seeds. Dreaming up dishes reflective of ancestral culinary traditions to serve on a train was a major challenge. I had the chance to speak to Chef Shawana to learn more about the ingredients chosen and their importance within Indigenous cultures. Click here to read the full interview!

And I should note that there are vegetarian, lactose-free and gluten-free options available at all times.

What about wine?

One thing I’ve always enjoyed onboard VIA Rail trains is the opportunity to try Canadian wines. The choices—and quality—are much better today than they were during my first trips. One red and one white wine are selected each six months for Business class and once a year for Economy class. You can also find beers from Québec and Ontario on the menu.

If you’re like me and you never go anywhere without your reusable water bottle, you’ll be happy to hear that the new Venture trains are equipped with refill stations. (Because I can’t drink only wine onboard!)