When I found out that I would be going for a ride on the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train, I immediately pictured myself dining on fine cuisine while looking out the window at a picturesque view of Lake Washington and wandering around a winery halfway through the ride. Although reality turned out to be slightly different (okay, very different), I still had a wonderful ride through suburban Seattle.
The evening started out with what would have been a disappointment, if I enjoyed wine: the train would not be going all the way to the winery in Woodinville, as planned, and would instead be turning around a bit early. But it was no biggie to me, and likely not to others as well, since the company called as many customers as possible to forewarn them of the change in route. I can't fault them since I wasn't around to answer my phone; this company has top-notch customer service.
As soon as we boarded the train, my companion and I were greeted by our very friendly server, who failed not once during the ride to provide us with whatever we needed. He made sure we were happy, enjoying our meal, and having an overall good time. The meal was good, not exceptional, but the excellent service made up for the lukewarm vegetables.
A highlight of the ride was dessert. I've got a sweet tooth, and whoever made the delicious chocolate cake and apple crisp did not disappoint me in the least. I don't usually like chocolate cake, and the person I was with doesn't usually like sweets at all, but we both delighted in the wonderfully tasty desserts set before us. We were too stuffed from dinner to eat it all, but I don't remember the last time I've had such good cake and crisp.
But we didn't decide to take a ride on the train because of the meal; we wanted to experience the ride and the view, and we weren't disappointed. To our slight dismay, we found ourselves seated at a table opposite Lake Washington, but although the view on our side wasn't always spectacularly beautiful, it was always interesting. If you take a ride on the Spirit of Washington and find yourself in a similar position, don't despair. You'll find plenty to look at, whether it's houses or plants or downtown Bellevue. And don't forget - you can still look to the other side of the train and catch a fine glimpse of the lake.
The entire experience - the food, the ride, the view - was quite satisfying. I had fun, I had good food, and I saw Seattle from a whole new view. If you think you can eat and enjoy a meal while on a moving train, I'd highly recommend the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train. Take a friend, take your family, or make a date of it, and go for a beautiful ride on the edge of Lake Washington.
