Favorite Foods Aboard

I have discovered, not that it should be a surprise, that my sucess with dining aboard has more to do with the items I order than with the over all perceived quality of the food offered by the line.

My former experiences were on Celebrity Millennium and the Carnival Inspiration.

On the Millennium, which has a very good reputation among the lines, I had really awful luck and wasn't able to get a decent meal or service in the main dining room to save my life, and let's not even mention the buffet. The black salmon BBQ was a particular low note : -P Once we discovered Bistro on Five and the Olympic, things improved, but overall dining on that trip was awful for me.

The Inspiration, which has a much lower overall rating, was actually more successful for me both with food and service. I had excellent lobster, and good rare steaks and nice appetizers over the course of a short trip and was pleasantly surprised. I didn't even go to the buffet except to grab one of the excellent Rubens at the carving station.

All of which leads me to think that on the boats it's the individual choices that make or break the success of getting satisfactory outcomes.

So I would love to hear what your particular favorite is with Cunard! We will be sailing the QM2 although it appears the menus are similar across the fleet. We will not be in the grills (unless our OV guarantee goes mad ; -)

So, what do you love to eat while sailing Cunard?

Lemon sole, sea bass and Barrumundi (while near Australian waters). For my taste, they do fish very well. A lot of their unusual chilled soups are great too. Fabulous brownies with icing in the buffet occasionally.

...So, what do you love to eat while sailing Cunard?

Everything on the menu (twice) :rolleyes:

J

Everything on the menu (twice) :rolleyes:

 

J

Only twice?:eek: What happened to Jimmy Three Breakfasts??? -S.

Everything on the menu (twice) :rolleyes:

 

J

And to answer the OP, so many good meals in the Britannia Restaurant it is hard to pick a favourite, I'll look at the menus later (I've saved a few from past voyages) and see if they prompt detailed memories. Fish and Chips in the Golden Lion & Fallen Chocolate Cake in Todd English (QM2) come instantly to mind... Back later with more... :)

Only twice?:eek: What happened to Jimmy Three Breakfasts??? -S.

I do apologise for my sloppy posting - I was, of course, averaging out my consumption across all meals in an average day. :D

J

Only twice?:eek: What happened to Jimmy Three Breakfasts??? -S.

Even armed to the teeth with industrial-strength snaffling irons, it would take the redoubtable J several hours to demolish everything on the menu (twice). This would lead gently onto the three breakfasts, with no need to even leave the table.

When does he sleep?

Sir Martin

I have discovered, not that it should be a surprise, that my sucess with dining aboard has more to do with the items I order than with the over all perceived quality of the food offered by the line.

 

My former experiences were on Celebrity Millennium and the Carnival Inspiration.

 

On the Millennium, which has a very good reputation among the lines, I had really awful luck and wasn't able to get a decent meal or service in the main dining room to save my life, and let's not even mention the buffet. The black salmon BBQ was a particular low note : -P Once we discovered Bistro on Five and the Olympic, things improved, but overall dining on that trip was awful for me.

 

The Inspiration, which has a much lower overall rating, was actually more successful for me both with food and service. I had excellent lobster, and good rare steaks and nice appetizers over the course of a short trip and was pleasantly surprised. I didn't even go to the buffet except to grab one of the excellent Rubens at the carving station.

 

All of which leads me to think that on the boats it's the individual choices that make or break the success of getting satisfactory outcomes.

 

So I would love to hear what your particular favorite is with Cunard! We will be sailing the QM2 although it appears the menus are similar across the fleet. We will not be in the grills (unless our OV guarantee goes mad ; -)

 

So, what do you love to eat while sailing Cunard?

And on a more serious, and hopefully more relevant note, I totally agree with you that you get much better results in terms of enjoyment if you start by ordering items that you are likely to enjoy. I have met several people, both here in cyberspace, and in reality on board the ships, who seem to make choices that they know they will not like solely as an excuse to complain about them later.

A very short list of personal favourites would be

Eggs Benedict at breakfast

Sea bass

All the ice cream choices - particularly vanilla with butterscotch sauce.

And I always like to finish off dinner with a selection from the cheese board.

J

Even armed to the teeth with industrial-strength snaffling irons, it would take the redoubtable J several hours to demolish everything on the menu (twice). This would lead gently onto the three breakfasts, with no need to even leave the table.

 

When does he sleep?

 

Sir Martin

Sleep? Sleep? Who has time for sleep when there's serious troughing to be done?

J

Soups, breads, martinis. Oops, Soups and breads.:D

I like the chilled fruit soups and the Black Bottom Tart in Todd English is heaven!

my husband became addicted to bread pudding as a result of our trips on the QM2!!

... I'll look at the menus later (I've saved a few from past voyages) and see if they prompt detailed memories ... Back later with more... :)

These are a few of my favourites over the years (there are many others) ...

Sliced double sirloin, red onion marmalade & marchand de vin sauce

Pan fried lemon sole, grenobloise, cappuccino of crème fraiche

Truffled potato love letters (Todd English)

Grilled beef tenderlion, toasted garlic spinach, red onions, Roquefort cream (Todd English)

Eggs Benedict (almost a must-have for breakfast in the Britannia Restuarant)

Chateaubriand béarnaise, perigourdine sauce

Seared plaice Veronique, grape beurre blanc, wilted spinach

Pan seared salmon, mashed root vegetables, horseradish lemon cream

Broiled lobster tail, sesame crusted jumbo shrimps, parmesan tomato pilaf, newburg sauce

Chateaubriand, larded peas, gratin dauphinoise, mushroom turnover.

But maybe not all these dishes at once (unless you're Cruachan :eek: ).

Hope this helps :) (less than three weeks till I find some new favourites on board QM2 ... )

Beef.

Have none of you tried the Scones?

Classiccruiser777,Well yes, provided it is bloody rare, a hunk of beef always makes me happy. A side of spring peas well buttered and a Cæsar is always appreciated. A nice ribeye, or spencer would be my preferred cut, but I don't think I should expect that aboard. A nice well cut sirloin or tri tip with a good bernaise will work ; -)

Cruachan, Ah a classic trencherman I see!

I actually am right there with you on the three breakfasts issue. I suspect mine pale in comparison volume wise, but, hobbit like, I love my cocoa and a nibble in the early morning, something more solid around 9 and then elevenses ; -) I travel with my own cocoa but will need to secure a reliable supply of HOT milk in the morning. It takes me a few mugs to wake up, and I find that, as with tea, it is often difficult to get it REALLY hot outside my own kitchen!

I try always to order what will please me. Food is FAR too important a topic to mess around with!! But that said I have been known to order things that are unusual preparations 'just because'. I have come to the conclusion in my small personal experience, that a cruise ship, or liner, is not the best place to do that. I would FAR rather make good choices and then brag about THAT after!

The volume of food they produce, and the tightness of budget seems to result in an understandably compromised product across the board. Things that seem foolproof, as in even if they are not a brilliant execution they will go down well, and items that, thru recommendation, are vetted by those more experienced seem to be a wiser choice.

I am seeing many references to Todd's, which is great. Our fallback, if the Britannia doesn't suit us, is to just make Todd's our own personal MDR.

Oahucruiser et al, The Fish courses seem to be getting thumbs up as well, which is great, as I love fish of all kinds. My hold back in general on fish would be that it is often overcooked. I like mine quite lightly done and would be wary that it would be for my palate overcooked. Any comments on that? This would be where I might wonder if the assembly line nature of the kitchens might not be up to it... shellfish is usually tasty even a bit overcooked, but filets are another matter!

Chilled soups, check, but I am guessing these might be more successful on a warm water itinerary. We will be crossing the North Atlantic. Somehow that brings to mind chowders and hot creamy bowls! But I think I shall skip the martinis if you don't mind Jim, Himself is a scotch man and I am not much of a drinker ; -)

Cheese, check. I mean, you can't really go wrong, can you? Himself in particular loves his cheeses.

I am surprised by the consistent referral to eggs Benedict. Getting the eggs warm, and the muffin not soggy is a challenge in itself, but a decent hollandaise on top? That sounds like something close to a miracle!

cruisenh and lannp, Black Bottom Tart (sounds rather naughty ; -), bread pudding, check. Bread pudding in particular is a fairly forgiving item, and a good one is just such a happy thing. I could get addicted too. My mother is already, bit of a family tradition! Life is short, eat dessert first!

Peppern, You had me at sliced double sirloin with red onion marmalade! I shall look forward to an updating of the list when you return from you next sailing!

Stanley, And scones! Yes, I plan on trying tea the first day and will be a daily visitor at the tea if I like it. Otherwise I will be searching for my afternoon snack elsewhere!

What wonderful information you all have offered! Thanks!

Classiccruiser777,Well yes, provided it is bloody rare, a hunk of beef always makes me happy. A side of spring peas well buttered and a Cæsar is always appreciated. A nice ribeye, or spencer would be my preferred cut, but I don't think I should expect that aboard. A nice well cut sirloin or tri tip with a good bernaise will work ; -)

 

Cruachan, Ah a classic trencherman I see!

 

I actually am right there with you on the three breakfasts issue. I suspect mine pale in comparison volume wise, but, hobbit like, I love my cocoa and a nibble in the early morning, something more solid around 9 and then elevenses ; -) I travel with my own cocoa but will need to secure a reliable supply of HOT milk in the morning. It takes me a few mugs to wake up, and I find that, as with tea, it is often difficult to get it REALLY hot outside my own kitchen!

 

I try always to order what will please me. Food is FAR too important a topic to mess around with!! But that said I have been known to order things that are unusual preparations 'just because'. I have come to the conclusion in my small personal experience, that a cruise ship, or liner, is not the best place to do that. I would FAR rather make good choices and then brag about THAT after!

 

The volume of food they produce, and the tightness of budget seems to result in an understandably compromised product across the board. Things that seem foolproof, as in even if they are not a brilliant execution they will go down well, and items that, thru recommendation, are vetted by those more experienced seem to be a wiser choice.

 

I am seeing many references to Todd's, which is great. Our fallback, if the Britannia doesn't suit us, is to just make Todd's our own personal MDR.

 

Oahucruiser et al, The Fish courses seem to be getting thumbs up as well, which is great, as I love fish of all kinds. My hold back in general on fish would be that it is often overcooked. I like mine quite lightly done and would be wary that it would be for my palate overcooked. Any comments on that? This would be where I might wonder if the assembly line nature of the kitchens might not be up to it... shellfish is usually tasty even a bit overcooked, but filets are another matter!

 

Chilled soups, check, but I am guessing these might be more successful on a warm water itinerary. We will be crossing the North Atlantic. Somehow that brings to mind chowders and hot creamy bowls! But I think I shall skip the martinis if you don't mind Jim, Himself is a scotch man and I am not much of a drinker ; -)

 

Cheese, check. I mean, you can't really go wrong, can you? Himself in particular loves his cheeses.

 

I am surprised by the consistent referral to eggs Benedict. Getting the eggs warm, and the muffin not soggy is a challenge in itself, but a decent hollandaise on top? That sounds like something close to a miracle!

 

cruisenh and lannp, Black Bottom Tart (sounds rather naughty ; -), bread pudding, check. Bread pudding in particular is a fairly forgiving item, and a good one is just such a happy thing. I could get addicted too. My mother is already, bit of a family tradition! Life is short, eat dessert first!

 

Peppern, You had me at sliced double sirloin with red onion marmalade! I shall look forward to an updating of the list when you return from you next sailing!

 

Stanley, And scones! Yes, I plan on trying tea the first day and will be a daily visitor at the tea if I like it. Otherwise I will be searching for my afternoon snack elsewhere!

 

What wonderful information you all have offered! Thanks!

Go for it!

And while I remember, they do a really good black pudding at breakfast but you won't find it on the menu - you have to ask the waiter and he will supply it.

J

J, I would love to try it, but ONLY if it doesn't come with the rest of the "English Breakfast" fare.

I just don't 'get' baked beans with fried eggs!

J, I would love to try it, but ONLY if it doesn't come with the rest of the "English Breakfast" fare.

 

I just don't 'get' baked beans with fried eggs!

No worries there - the composition of your breakfast is entirely under your control. You can pick as many or as few of the items on the menu as you wish and mix and match them in any combination that takes your fancy. And, as I have discovered, you can order as many as you like as often as you like!

J

\

I have discovered, you can order as many as you like as often as you like!

 

J

I actually discovered this on my last cruise. We had a challenging evening when the gentleman at the table next to us was seated and as he slipped between the side by side two tops he managed to dump a FULL icy cold cocktail all over me. Right into my lap. That black velvet will never be the same!

His wife was so embarrassed she began haranguing him, and the waiter, who was seeing his tips for the evening evaporate, was rushing to get me napkins to blot off and trying to settle things down. Finally, even though "I" was the one sitting there in a drenched gown, I started to speak to the wife, brushing it off and assuring then yet again there was no harm done (there wasn't really, it was just a dress after all ; -) until she was sufficiently mollified and shut up and sat down.

The waiter was so relieved. When we began to order and I was asked what I wanted I answered "lobster, please". And when he said 'and for an appetizer?' I said 'oh just the lobster'. An he nods and says 'yes madam, lobster appetizer and lobster main course, of course'. And when I said 'oh no, just the one will be enough' he just smiled and shook his head.

What was even funnier was when it came time for dessert and he asked for my order I was cracking up and said "oh the lobster dessert of course." And he already had a third lobster at his station ready to serve. We all were giggling by the end of the meal, even the poor couple next to us. And I have to say... it was cold water lobster and beautifully steamed, with lovely drawn butter and lemon... I could barely waddle back to the casino after dinner ; -)

we free range a safari and go on a chocolate mousse hunt :D

I actually discovered this on my last cruise. We had a challenging evening when the gentleman at the table next to us was seated and as he slipped between the side by side two tops he managed to dump a FULL icy cold cocktail all over me. Right into my lap. That black velvet will never be the same!

 

His wife was so embarrassed she began haranguing him, and the waiter, who was seeing his tips for the evening evaporate, was rushing to get me napkins to blot off and trying to settle things down. Finally, even though "I" was the one sitting there in a drenched gown, I started to speak to the wife, brushing it off and assuring then yet again there was no harm done (there wasn't really, it was just a dress after all ; -) until she was sufficiently mollified and shut up and sat down.

 

The waiter was so relieved. When we began to order and I was asked what I wanted I answered "lobster, please". And when he said 'and for an appetizer?' I said 'oh just the lobster'. An he nods and says 'yes madam, lobster appetizer and lobster main course, of course'. And when I said 'oh no, just the one will be enough' he just smiled and shook his head.

 

What was even funnier was when it came time for dessert and he asked for my order I was cracking up and said "oh the lobster dessert of course." And he already had a third lobster at his station ready to serve. We all were giggling by the end of the meal, even the poor couple next to us. And I have to say... it was cold water lobster and beautifully steamed, with lovely drawn butter and lemon... I could barely waddle back to the casino after dinner ; -)

Oh, how well you handled the events of the evening! Your graciousness should be applauded.

My favourite Cunard treat is the flambéed Strawberries Bombay. The sweetness of the macerated and flamed berries is tempered when one of the cracked peppercorns explodes in your mouth. I received high praise from my table mates after their first taste when I asked the Britannia Club maître 'd to prepare it for the entire table. I'm not sure that I can special order it in the Britannia Restaurant next month if it's not on the menu, nevertheless I'm going to ask.

... When we began to order and I was asked what I wanted I answered "lobster, please". And when he said 'and for an appetizer?' I said 'oh just the lobster'. An he nods and says 'yes madam, lobster appetizer and lobster main course, of course'. And when I said 'oh no, just the one will be enough' he just smiled and shook his head.

 

What was even funnier was when it came time for dessert and he asked for my order I was cracking up and said "oh the lobster dessert of course." And he already had a third lobster at his station ready to serve. ...

On our last night from a half World Cruise, the table of six ( we got on famously) ordered Prawn cocktail, Sirloin Steak with chips and to finish a flambeed Strawberries Bombay plus the waiter bought a bowl of extra strawberries all produced to the usual Cunard standard.:)

It was a good way to finish the cruise, plus we had also that night, finally won the pub trivia quiz.

Classiccruiser777,Well yes, provided it is bloody rare, a hunk of beef always makes me happy. A side of spring peas well buttered and a Cæsar is always appreciated. A nice ribeye, or spencer would be my preferred cut, but I don't think I should expect that aboard. A nice well cut sirloin or tri tip with a good bernaise will work ; -)

 

Cruachan, Ah a classic trencherman I see!

 

I actually am right there with you on the three breakfasts issue. I suspect mine pale in comparison volume wise, but, hobbit like, I love my cocoa and a nibble in the early morning, something more solid around 9 and then elevenses ; -) I travel with my own cocoa but will need to secure a reliable supply of HOT milk in the morning. It takes me a few mugs to wake up, and I find that, as with tea, it is often difficult to get it REALLY hot outside my own kitchen!

 

I try always to order what will please me. Food is FAR too important a topic to mess around with!! But that said I have been known to order things that are unusual preparations 'just because'. I have come to the conclusion in my small personal experience, that a cruise ship, or liner, is not the best place to do that. I would FAR rather make good choices and then brag about THAT after!

 

The volume of food they produce, and the tightness of budget seems to result in an understandably compromised product across the board. Things that seem foolproof, as in even if they are not a brilliant execution they will go down well, and items that, thru recommendation, are vetted by those more experienced seem to be a wiser choice.

 

I am seeing many references to Todd's, which is great. Our fallback, if the Britannia doesn't suit us, is to just make Todd's our own personal MDR.

 

Oahucruiser et al, The Fish courses seem to be getting thumbs up as well, which is great, as I love fish of all kinds. My hold back in general on fish would be that it is often overcooked. I like mine quite lightly done and would be wary that it would be for my palate overcooked. Any comments on that? This would be where I might wonder if the assembly line nature of the kitchens might not be up to it... shellfish is usually tasty even a bit overcooked, but filets are another matter!

 

Chilled soups, check, but I am guessing these might be more successful on a warm water itinerary. We will be crossing the North Atlantic. Somehow that brings to mind chowders and hot creamy bowls! But I think I shall skip the martinis if you don't mind Jim, Himself is a scotch man and I am not much of a drinker ; -)

 

Cheese, check. I mean, you can't really go wrong, can you? Himself in particular loves his cheeses.

 

I am surprised by the consistent referral to eggs Benedict. Getting the eggs warm, and the muffin not soggy is a challenge in itself, but a decent hollandaise on top? That sounds like something close to a miracle!

 

cruisenh and lannp, Black Bottom Tart (sounds rather naughty ; -), bread pudding, check. Bread pudding in particular is a fairly forgiving item, and a good one is just such a happy thing. I could get addicted too. My mother is already, bit of a family tradition! Life is short, eat dessert first!

 

Peppern, You had me at sliced double sirloin with red onion marmalade! I shall look forward to an updating of the list when you return from you next sailing!

 

Stanley, And scones! Yes, I plan on trying tea the first day and will be a daily visitor at the tea if I like it. Otherwise I will be searching for my afternoon snack elsewhere!

 

What wonderful information you all have offered! Thanks!

You make some really good points Sarah. In UK it is difficult to find really good steak: I was permanently spoiled by the steaks served in your country and have avoided those on Cunard for some time. Good meat costs and what we pay doesn't cover $25 steak dinners. Agree about the fish. It is often listed as pan fried, but never gives any impression of having been anywhere near a frying pan. Wet and overcooked.

As for the cheese served on Cunard. Nowadays there are wonderful cheeses available but we never see them afloat, though the so called Cheddar probably would. The blue cheese that may be Stilton is usually on offer on the buffet at least once in a voyage though.

I would be quite happy to eat half the servings at twice the quality in the dining room and fill up at the trough in the buffet.

But we are talking steerage. In the grills I would expect superb food at all meals.

David.