Pinnacle Grill - worth it if on restricted diet?

[ineed2getaway]

I am cruising on the Westerdam on 10/21 with DH and another couple. My DH and I observe certain dietary restrictions (kosher). We will eat pasta and fish, but not shellfish, meat or poultry. I would love to try the Pinnacle Grill, but is it worth it with my limited menu choices?

Thanks

[mamaofami]

I would guess it depends on whether you want to try the restaurant, while limited to fish and pasta. I believe they do have salmon and halibut and a mushroom ravioli which I haven't tried, but heard was very good.

I think the experience of eating there one time is really nice. On the other hand, the fish in the main dining room is pretty good and there is always salmon available.

If it were me, I would go for it one time. JMO.

[Oriole]

Here's the menu that was posted on the Board a few days ago....
Pinnacle Grill Menu
You will first be given an amuse.

Starters:
Fragrant Chicken Thai Soup
Ultimate Northwest Clam Chowder
Vine Ripe Beef Stake Tomato Salad
Seasonal Greens
Dungeness Crab Cakes
Seared Duck Breast
Smoked Pleasures of the Sea

Entrees:
Filet Mignon
Bone-in Ribeye Steak
Porterhouse Steak
Lamb Rack Chops
King Salmon
Chciken Marsala
Cedar Planked Halibut with Alaskan King Crab
Cedar Planked Scampi
Grande Wild Mushroom Ravioli

Side Dishes:
Scalloped Potatoes
Creamed Spinach
Oversized Baked Potato
Lemon-Wheat Berry Basmati Rice
Sauteed Button Mushrooms
Grilled Asparagus with Bearnaise Sauce

Sweet Endings:
Not-so-classic Baked Alaska
Chocolate Volcano Cake
Lemon-Berry Angel Shortcake
Pinnacle Creme Brulee
Ice Creams
Sorbets
Fresh Fruit Plate
Assortment of Cheeses

[ineed2getaway]

mama- thanks, I do want to give it a try, just wondering what people's opinions are out there.

Oriole -
Thanks for posting the menu. DO you have any idea if they will make changes to the menu dishes - e.g., if I order the Halibut, can I get it without the crab? I know in the main dining room they are super-accomodating, but I'm not sure how it would work in PG.

[sail7seas]

I have had salmon in Pinnacle Grill a number of times and it has always been delicious. The sides are very good and the chocolate volcano (if you are a dessert eater) make dinner in Pinnacle very worth it.

The dining experience is lovely and the table settings beautiful. Service for us has always (well, maybe one or two exceptions) been outstanding.

[mamaofami]

mama- thanks, I do want to give it a try, just wondering what people's opinions are out there.

Oriole -
Thanks for posting the menu. DO you have any idea if they will make changes to the menu dishes - e.g., if I order the Halibut, can I get it without the crab? I know in the main dining room they are super-accomodating, but I'm not sure how it would work in PG.


I can't imagine that they can't make you fish minus something that usually comes with it. Any restaurant should be able to do that. I often order my food minus the sauce or sauce on the side and will ask not to have blue cheese or bacon or soy sauce on something. Should be an easy thing for them to do to eliminate the crab.

By the way, I agree with Sail that the salmon is great!

[Krazy Kruizers]

They will certainly make your Halibut without the crab.

I have made a couple of requests at the Pinnacle and have never been denied any.

[shonuf]

I am cruising on the Westerdam on 10/21 with DH and another couple. My DH and I observe certain dietary restrictions (kosher). We will eat pasta and fish, but not shellfish, meat or poultry. I would love to try the Pinnacle Grill, but is it worth it with my limited menu choices?

Thanks

If you indeed keep kosher, then I wouldn't think you could partake of the food coming from a non-kosher kitchen. (I'm a Methodist so what do I know?) Are you having kosher meals the rest of the time on the ship or is that just a guideline you go by?

[hammybee]

A kosher diet restricts pork, shellfish and certain other animal meat and does not allow for the comingling of meat and dairy.

Such a diet can be observed without a kosher kitchen or slaughter.

[ineed2getaway]

shonuf - you are right, if we kept strictly kosher, we would not be able to eat anything cooked in the ship's kitchen (but then what would be the point of going cruising?!) We keep to a "modified" kosher diet when we are travelling, although I do also order the pre-packaged kosher meals in case DH or I can't find anything suitable from the regular menu,

[Lynne Myrna]

ineed2getaway.....go for it.....the experience is lovely, & the food is delicious.

[InTheWASide]

As others mentioned I would imagine taking crab off is no issue, but you may want to inquire deeper if something like say (just an example) crab STOCK or a shellfish, beef, etc stock, broth, etc were in a sauce or otherwise not removable.

If your main goal is just to not EAT PIECES OF the various items that's no problem.

If the stock/sauce thing could be a problem I would say go to the main desk at the Pinnacle and just say "I'm allergic to... can I get this?"

The "A word" usually seems to get people VERY precise in their responses :)

[ineed2getaway]

InTheWASide - thanks, I usually do inquire, especially when it comes to soup and sauces - the stocks that they use tend to be meat based. I have mixed feelings lying about being allergic, but unfortunately, you are correct - they are much more careful giving precise answers when it comes to an allergy as opposed to my religious observance.:( And anyways, since I've never had shellfish, I might very well be allergic - so maybe it's not a lie!:)

[gooselace]

....And anyways, since I've never had shellfish, I might very well be allergic - so maybe it's not a lie!:)

Funny story, in that regard. When I was young, and working at my first job in Chicago, I developed a bad case of hives.

A coworker recommended a doctor Goldstein, who said it was probably a food allergy and ask if I ate any shellfish. When I said "occasionally" he told me to stop and come back in 2 weeks.

When I returned, hives worse than ever, he asked if I ate much pork or bacon? I said "sure" and asked why he thought this was a food allergy as I'd been eating pork and shellfish all my life.

Suddenly he looked at the form I'd filled out as a new patient, and started to laugh, saying, "Oh, you're not Jewish, are you?" My maiden name is often taken for Jewish, but my family's Anglo-Presbyterian.

He explained that when young women raised in Jewish homes moved away they often started experimenting with "forbidden" foods and frequently developed hives, either as an allergy or sometimes a psychological "guilt" reaction.

My hives did turn out to be an allergy - to a brand of soap I bought because it was cheaper that what we always used at home. So he was right about one thing! ;)

[ineed2getaway]

Gooselace - that is very funny. I have a kosher friend who ordered tuna fish at a local diner and developed hives during the meal - turned out they had used the same scooper as for the crabmeat salad, and she had an undiagnosed shellfish allergy.

[NHCruisr]

I've eaten in the PG several times on HAL ships. Our earlier experiences were quite good. Overall,however, I feel that the quality of the food and the service has declined, and the price has gone up. I have a serious food allergy to nuts and nut oils. I informed the staff at the Pinnacle Grill of my allergy when making a reservation on the Westerdam. They told me at that time they would be able to meet my needs. When dining, we found that not to be the case. The service was poor and the attitude of the server was arrogant. When I was brought a dish and I asked if the ingredient I am allergic to was left out of the dish, the server said "I don't think it's in there." He then turned and walked away! "Thinking" it's okay is simply not good enough!