Asian breakfast anyone?

Does anyone know if the Celebrity cruises offer some Asian breakfast items? Not just western?

And what foodstuffs would an Asian breakfast likely consist of? :confused:

Easy question!

Travelers have noted when they are in any of the far east large cities, even if staying in an American chain hotel, they will find un recognizable things on the breakfast bar. These include rice porriage, asian pickles, salted eggs, salted peanuts. 1.5 billion people in the world start the day this way. :D

I find breakfast is the one meal everyone goes for comfort and familiarity. e.g. The healthy person may see everything on a breakfast bar but still goes for the fresh fruit and granola, The European descent person may look for meats and cheeses and dense bread on their breakfast bar, Americans look for eggs and cereal, etc.

Thanks (part asian cruiser)

They did on Solstice on an NZ cruise. Dumplings, noodles, congee I think. I tried the dumplings (barely lukewarm) and the noodles which had an unpleasantly acidic taste. I've eaten Asian foods for breakfast in many hotels in Asia and enjoyed the food but Celebrity's version of an Asian breakfast was pathetic IMHO.

Easy question!

Travelers have noted when they are in any of the far east large cities, even if staying in an American chain hotel, they will find un recognizable things on the breakfast bar. These include rice porriage, asian pickles, salted eggs, salted peanuts. 1.5 billion people in the world start the day this way. :D

<snip>

Thanks (part asian cruiser)

Would the rice porridge be eaten like western oatmeal/hot cereal--usually with fruit and/or some form of sweetening, or like American Southern Hominy Grits--generally with cheese, or bacon, ham, or a more savory flavoring (which is actually my preference with hot cereals, even with oatmeal:rolleyes:)?

Also, can you describe the asian pickles a bit more? Right now only kimchi comes to mind, but my only other experience with non-Western pickles has been achar and such from Indian/Pakistani/Bhutanese cuisines.

Rice porridge is sometime made with water or stock and is served piping hot. The cantonese tend to add all sorts of savory flavors in them (zook) the northern Chinese tend to have it plain without flavors. The condiments are across the board, generally salty. There can be fried 'donuts' served as well as fried eggs or salty duck eggs and of course... Thousand year old eggs. Pickles, like the zillion varieties of pickled cabbage, radishes, cucumbers are brined and garlic flavored. Often there is marinated tofu squares as well. Only thing served sweet sometimes is Fresh Soy Milk but usually also savory with chili oil drizzled along with green onions as a topping. Almost every major chain in the east has these on the breakfast bar for the Asian business person and traveler. I'm sure it puzzles the Westerner initially but generally its prepared better than the western breakfast because the staff and kitchen knows how to prepare it better than waffles and pancakes! :D

I'm pretty sure I saw congee on the buffet on Eclipse last year. I'm on her again in just 6 days ([emoji3][emoji3][emoji3]) so I'll check & report back.

Debbie

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Rice porridge is sometime made with water or stock and is served piping hot. The cantonese tend to add all sorts of savory flavors in them (zook) the northern Chinese tend to have it plain without flavors. The condiments are across the board, generally salty. There can be fried 'donuts' served as well as fried eggs or salty duck eggs and of course... Thousand year old eggs. Pickles, like the zillion varieties of pickled cabbage, radishes, cucumbers are brined and garlic flavored. Often there is marinated tofu squares as well. Only thing served sweet sometimes is Fresh Soy Milk but usually also savory with chili oil drizzled along with green onions as a topping. Almost every major chain in the east has these on the breakfast bar for the Asian business person and traveler. I'm sure it puzzles the Westerner initially but generally its prepared better than the western breakfast because the staff and kitchen knows how to prepare it better than waffles and pancakes! :D

I think, with a little guidance, I could make a decent breakfast out of the above selection. While some, more traditionalist, Western folk (DW and I are a bit more adventurous than the norm) might be leery of a garlic-flavored pickled meal component in the morning, I'd give most of the objects a try.

Again, the "mystery factor", I think, would be the major impediment; and suitable description cards or a handy server fluent in the diner's language would eliminate most fears about the food. To be truthful, the Thousand Year-old eggs, while I know how they're made, might give me pause. But, once face to face with one, I'd probably try it!:)

Good to know about them trying to expand on breakfast items instead of something only .. for the Americans, .. only for the Asians... only for the Europeans.. I tell you sometimes when they try and do a dish which they are not comfortable with preparing.. its just awful! I remember being in Figi and they had a locals lunch night and its was great but all Americans could do was complain about Jaffle burgers and Vegemite!

Oh, I hope so! I'll be eager to read the results from those who are cruising Celebrity soon. We're going on our first Celebrity cruise in November, and I wouldn't have even considered that there could be Asian-style breakfast available. I much prefer it to Western-style breakfasts, despite having no Asian heritage at all.

:):):):):)

Sorry. Not w very good photo as the ship is swaying! There's congee egg scallion & seaweed plus some soy. Also fried rice & lentils & puri

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<snip>

Sorry. Not w very good photo as the ship is swaying! There's congee egg scallion & seaweed plus some soy. Also fried rice & lentils & puri

Sounds good to me! Being an unlearned Westerner, I'd probably need a little card in front describing what the items were and how to combine them, but heck, once you start me off on something, I'll explore the possibilities.:D

 

Sorry. Not w very good photo as the ship is swaying! There's congee egg scallion & seaweed plus some soy. Also fried rice & lentils & puri

 

 

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Its a good start. Not very complete but with an over easy fried egg.. its yummy! Think "Fried Egg over grits" for you Southerners!. Then a spicy Chinese sausage for the savory addition and you can't beat it. :D

I've gotten some sort of breakfast "egg roll" in Vegas! Yummy!

<SNIP> an over easy fried egg...."Fried Egg over grits"....spicy Chinese sausage.... and you can't beat it. :D

Over-easy fried eggs and spicy sausage with grits: doesn't sound so foreign to _me_!:)

So .. friends and I have swapped to HAL, better itinerary.. best news is apparently they have Asian Breakfasts, fresh and hot in the AM Buffet. :-)

So .. friends and I have swapped to HAL, better itinerary.. best news is apparently they have Asian Breakfasts, fresh and hot in the AM Buffet. :-)

Well, crap, I sailed on HAL in May/June and didn't know this! Never visited the buffet at breakfast but would have!

Well, crap, I sailed on HAL in May/June and didn't know this! Never visited the buffet at breakfast but would have!

Then you simply have to book another cruise to check out the buffet at breakfast!;)

Then you simply have to book another cruise to check out the buffet at breakfast!;)

:D Excellent point!

I do have one coming up on Celebrity in about 39 days (but who's counting). I'll check out the breakfast buffet there and report back on anything of interest.