New TPE first class menu

[route101]

Anyone sampled the new TPE menu in first class?

 

[danbarjon]

Anyone sampled the new TPE menu in first class?

Yes I have, it is very good. Not a fan of the bamboo bowls but overall a great increase, trying out their 185 menu tomorrow (spoiler nothing has change I don't think).

 

[Spartacus]

Just a shame when I can do First Class (weekends) I'm either on a 185 or outside their hours.

 

[danbarjon]

Just a shame when I can do First Class (weekends) I'm either on a 185 or outside their hours.

I wish it was an LNER-style different tiers so no matter what time and whenever it is you get a good meal.

 

[Retorus]

I had the beef stew (Friday) and the vegan wellington (Sunday) over the weekend. Both rather tasty. They were also offering highland breakfasts after 12 so if you miss the breakfast menu they may still have leftover stock to shift in the afternoon.

 

[kkong]

The macaroni cheese was nice.

Some strange calorie values on their printed menu on-board compared with the online PDF, one is wildly wrong!

 

[childwallblues]

I shall be sampling TPE Fiirst Class on 16 July on the 0812 from Liverpool Lime Street to Carlisle. Hopefully breakfast will be served.

 

[voyagerdude220]

I shall be sampling TPE First Class on 16 July on the 0812 from Liverpool Lime Street to Carlisle. Hopefully breakfast will be served.

Hopefully you had better luck than I did on Monday 12th August-

Boarding this train at Preston, I was looking forward to trying Breakfast, but to no avail.

First Class was roughly half full, with around 10-12 people. The First Class Host was busy preparing food for pax already onboard when I joined at Preston. After around 10 minutes after we departed Preston, he emerged from the Galley, serving multiple passengers. He also offered me drinks and promptly served me.

About an hour into the journey, I asked about Breakfast and he apologised that he'd run out of stock, but would get more food loaded at Carlisle- no problem I thought. Only when the food was loaded and the Host came to take my order after left Carlisle, it was the afternoon menu.

The Pork and Caramelised Onion Sausage Roll was indeed very tasty, but not exactly what I was after. Just annoying as I would have happily had a Bacon Roll etc. or maybe even the Pancakes if they'd run out of the Hot Breakfast option.

 

[185143]

I sampled the Creamy Haggis Penne a few weeks back thanks to Seatfrog.

It was very good, much better than I expected tbh. Sampled the Highland Breakfast in the past, and if it had included a fried egg, I'd have said it were better than Avanti's offering.

The new Pennine Pale ale is decent too, but a downgrade on the previous Faith ale from Northern Monk, which I've had several of onboard Grand Central.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I sampled the Creamy Haggis Penne a few weeks back thanks to Seatfrog.

Sounds a decent enough menu option. What TPE route was that offered on and how much was the upgrade?

 

[voyagerdude220]

Sounds a decent enough menu option. What TPE route was that offered on and how much was the upgrade?

I think it's only available on their "West Coast Kitchen" routes- Manchester/Liverpool towards Scotland via Preston trains.

 

[childwallblues]

I did the 0812 from Lime Street to Carlisle last time and tomorrow I am doing the same train to Glasgow Central.
Two weels ago I was on the 0854 from Liverpool Lime Street to York and hot food was being served on board the 802.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Two weels ago I was on the 0854 from Liverpool Lime Street to York and hot food was being served on board the 802.

Looking on the TPE website, it looks like their "Nova" trains between Liverpool and Newcastle offer a similar menu to the West Coast menu, but only around half the number of options-
Breakfast- Hot Baps/Porridge/Croissant.
Daytime- Ciabatta/Panini/Wrap/A meat sausage roll or vege one (probably same as West Coast ones)

 

[Andy Pacer]

It all looks surprisingly good actually. I've got a few trips planned in a couple of weeks time so looking forward to sampling.

 

[ScotTrains]

I travelled down the west coast last month on the Edinburgh to Manchester airport service. Unfortunately it was a nova1 rather than the usual nova2. Does this happen often? I far prefer the seats on the nova2 with their tables for two.

Apparently the fridge wasn't working and so they couldn't provide any hot food, just snacks etc.
I travelled back on the Man to Glc service on a Sunday and this was much better. They served the roast chicken dinner after Lancaster. Very tasty it was too. Snacks (cake, pretzels, crisps, etc) were also offered. It could have done with a few more drinks rounds but the catering is still a vast improvement to what we used to get.

The 2 rotational menus seem to have now changed to just the one menu. Not sure how often this changes but the choices still look good.

I'm looking to travel down the west coast at the weekend soon and think I'll try TPEx again due to the lack of cooked breakfast on Avanti at the weekend. Has anyone tried the current TPEx cooked breakfast offering?

I heard this was meant to be a trial but hopefully they'll keep this improved offering. I used to actively avoid TPEx due to the poor 1st class catering, but now I'd say it's actually equal to if not better than Avanti.

 

[childwallblues]

There is a 802 diagram on the Edinburgh to Manchester Airport service.

 

[hexagon789]

There is a 802 diagram on the Edinburgh to Manchester Airport service.

There seem to often be two 802s out on the WCML certain days now - last week a second one did a Glasgow/Manchester diagram and the following day there were two Edinburgh diagrams covered by 802s.

I understand this is to be the norm from December anyway, with the 397s going in for a fleet refresh.

 

[Scotrail314209]

There seem to often be two 802s out on the WCML certain days now - last week a second one did a Glasgow/Manchester diagram and the following day there were two Edinburgh diagrams covered by 802s.

I understand this is to be the norm from December anyway, with the 397s going in for a fleet refresh.

I believe sometimes an extra 802 appears on the WCML if there is an availability issue with a 397. Glasgow does not have any booked 802 work at the moment.

There is currently one booked diagram from Edinburgh.

I believe there is also a spare 802 on Craigentinny, which may have been where this extra one had come from.

Going back on topic, the sausage rolls are very nice. They aren’t the biggest, but they taste fabulous.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Sampled the haggis penne, really nice and a decent sized portion. The risotto was also fairly tasty and again a generous portion.
Their ale is also quite nice.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Regional breakfast is also very good.

 

[ainsworth74]

Regional breakfast is also very good. View attachment 164961

Blimey! That looks very good! Better than you get on most non-Dine LNER morning services (most of them) and pretty much the same as what you get for Dine (just with less options regarding your egg ).

 

[Andy Pacer]

Blimey! That looks very good! Better than you get on most non-Dine LNER morning services (most of them) and pretty much the same as what you get for Dine (just with less options regarding your egg ).

Agreed. I've been very impressed over the past couple of days with their new offering, and the hosts are very attentive too.

 

[theblackwatch]

Blimey! That looks very good! Better than you get on most non-Dine LNER morning services (most of them) and pretty much the same as what you get for Dine (just with less options regarding your egg ).

I agree it looks good... shame they forgot to put it a plate though!

 

[Andy Pacer]

I agree it looks good... shame they forgot to put it a plate though!

I'm sure there's room for criticism with anything that's offered!

 

[ainsworth74]

I agree it looks good... shame they forgot to put it a plate though!

At least it wasn't a piece of slate like you sometimes get in gastro-pubs and similar pretentious places!

 

[Tetchytyke]

Agreed. I've been very impressed over the past couple of days with their new offering, and the hosts are very attentive too.

Is that on the north east services, or the north west?

I've previously been pleased with the stuff on the Nova1 from Liverpool to Newcastle but found the staffing has let the service down. With no dedicated 1st class host you'd not see anyone at all for at least half the journey as they were off doing the standard trolley.

I could drink the Northern Monk IPA all day long though!

 

[telstarbox]

Menus are here

Cis Pennine Express aka West Coast - https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travelling-with-us/onboard-facilities/food-and-drink/express-plus-menu

Actual Trans Pennine - different menus for Nova and Class 185 (less choice) https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travelling-with-us/onboard-facilities/food-and-drink/express-plus-menu

 

[theblackwatch]

At least it wasn't a piece of slate like you sometimes get in gastro-pubs and similar pretentious places!

Indeed! Or the baked beans served in a tiny pot.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Is that on the north east services, or the north west?

I've previously been pleased with the stuff on the Nova1 from Liverpool to Newcastle but found the staffing has let the service down. With no dedicated 1st class host you'd not see anyone at all for at least half the journey as they were off doing the standard trolley.

I could drink the Northern Monk IPA all day long though!

North West Kitchen which has a dedicated host.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Regional breakfast is also very good. View attachment 164961

Looks great!
I think it's strange there's no mention of Bacon in the description of the Regional Breakfast on the menu.

Do you know if it's offered at weekends as well? I see there's a separate weekend menu for after 11:00 a.m, but not Breakfast.