New "trial?" MDR menus Ruby 3-31-18 sailing

Just back, this morn from Our Pacific Coastal and assumed, someone would have posted the new menus, while on the ship....but it appears not...as that is what I was hoping to find when I signed on today.....so did anyone take photos of them that they can post? Am I not searching correctly?

According to the MDR staff the new menu started the 31st on Ruby.......one new selection was Waffles and Chicken, It's true....... I tried it...more later

Just want a copy of the menus if someone has got them......

Menus change all the time, mostly due to availability of product. If in fact something new is being tried, good.

Menus change all the time, mostly due to availability of product. If in fact something new is being tried, good.

Really..then u and I must be cruising different cruise lines....;) as Princess has made few major changes in the last few years...maybe a tweak here or a rename for an itinerary..a deletion of steak or change to the everyday items, removal of the fettuccine parmesan basket...etc etc........but this is really a revamp...different favored butter spreads every night, how about a shrimp cocktail with slaw served in a square glass?

This cruise I did not want to take the time to photo the menus was hoping someone else did.....

Thanks for the memo on the changes. We board the Ruby at the end of the month so looking forward to it. I assume the Chicken and Waffles was for breakfast?

Thanks for the memo on the changes. We board the Ruby at the end of the month so looking forward to it. I assume the Chicken and Waffles was for breakfast?

no, it was a dinner selection...with a blueberry compote...

the breakfast menu is the same...

I board her again in 5 weeks so that is the reason I want the copies to see what changes they make....as according to the servers in Anytime these new dinner selections are subject to change..the kitchen was very slow getting out meals due to so many new preps. Also, the menu's layout is totally different.....

Still am hoping someone has taken photos of the menus and will post them.

Really..then u and I must be cruising different cruise lines

We learned way early how to plan for what night to choose for alternative dining. Soon after boarding we stop at a dinning room and nicely request to see menus for that cruise. Each time a three ring binder has been produced showing,in order, the trip's menus. It was explained that the binder is used so menus can be changed quickly. As you know menus are "planned" and provisions are ordered weeks or months in advance. But just because something is ordered doesn't mean it can be delivered. A perfect example would be scallops. Availability/quality could prevent them being loaded and a replacement is agreed upon at corporate and ship changes menus. We had the pleasure of doing a chef's table while one of the five Princess Corporate chefs, Alfredo Marzi, was on board for inspection. Per his statements, they attempt to adjust the menus twice a year to keep things fresh, his words.

Princess tests new features, menus etc before making it go to all their ships. Witness the changing of Sabatini's to SHARE on a few ships which I hope gets removed. So it is not unrealistic to find them trying new menus on one ship and a few sailings to determine how well the changes will be accepted. Food after all is very subjective and can incite riots sometimes. Like SHARE, I would hope the waffles and chicken experience a sudden demise. We will see what survives and what is discarded as a bad idea.

I would be surprised if anyone took pictures of the menus. Maybe you should have?

I hope it is a positive change but doesn't sound like it from your comments.

Really..then u and I must be cruising different cruise lines....;) as Princess has made few major changes in the last few years...maybe a tweak here or a rename for an itinerary..a deletion of steak or change to the everyday items, removal of the fettuccine parmesan basket...etc etc........but this is really a revamp...different favored butter spreads every night, how about a shrimp cocktail with slaw served in a square glass?

 

This cruise I did not want to take the time to photo the menus was hoping someone else did.....

Damn... I have been dreaming about the fettuccine parm basket, I loved that !

According to the MDR staff the new menu started the 31st on Ruby.......one new selection was Waffles and Chicken, It's true....... I tried it...more later

Clearly an attempt to steal customers from Waffle House, Hometown Buffet, and Golden Corral.

Damn... I have been dreaming about the fettuccine parm basket, I loved that !

The basket has been gone for a long time.

A couple years ago, I knew a waiter who was dating the executive chef on her ship.

The two of them made a video for us, of how to make parmasian baskets.

When a professional chef does it, it looks really, really easy.

He had like six pans going at one, and his only tool was a plastic spoon.

Melt a handful of cheese in a sautee pan. Use plastic spoon to flip cheese disk out of pan

and on to inverted bowl.

Put another handful of cheese in the pan.

By the time you have flipped 6 pans, the first one is ready again.

Now, with one day notice, I am able to request a parm. basket from Mrs. Pablo.

I will mention it in the survey...

here is a photo of the waffle/chicken selection offered on our sailing

the waffle is the same round one served in the buffets and at the suite breakfast. If u look closely u can see it is hiding under the fries at the top.

Did you think the menus were an improvement or not?

Did you hear if the Ruby is testing this or are the menus going fleet wide right away?

another selection was a skewer of filet mignon and sweet potatoes....

Coral, u are right I should have taken photos....I would have if my sister had not surprised me on this cruise....it really threw me off....Can you imagine I was receiving all sorts of gifts in my room from the Easter Bunny and I didn't find out who the bunny was until Wednesday when I ran into her...

another selection was a skewer of filet mignon and sweet potatoes....

 

Coral, u are right I should have taken photos....I would have if my sister had not surprised me on this cruise....it really threw me off....Can you imagine I was receiving all sorts of gifts in my room from the Easter Bunny and I didn't find out who the bunny was until Wednesday when I ran into her...

Sounds like a wonderful surprise :) Though she waited until Wednesday to tell you??!!!?

Between the chicken and waffles, meatloaf, and the hamburger, I guess we will never see the beef medallions appearing again. Although the filet and sweet potatoes sounds nice.

Did you think the menus were an improvement or not?

 

Did you hear if the Ruby is testing this or are the menus going fleet wide right away?

Yes, I thought they were an improvement but DH & I have been only having "starters" in the MDR for the last few years.

So what I am saying is................... I enjoyed trying something new, which I did every night.

Unfortunately, no info about the future for the new entrees, we were in Anytime and service was exceptionally slow each night due to the kitchen preparing the new menu items, also they were training a lot of assistant waiters so time to talk to experienced staff was limited.

However, when I commented about the layout of the menu being difficult to follow, one sever said, it was a "trial" menu...but I believe his reference was to the layout.

We were on the Ruby cruise and the new menus were definitely interesting. I had mixed reactions. Overall the food was good and it was nice after all our Princess cruises to have a little change of pace. But I found the menu itself very hard to read - very busy! Some items were existing menu items that had been redesigned like the Leek and Ricotta tart which was definitely not an improvement. The goat cheese soufflé was now goat cheese flan and came sprinkled with croutons and nuts. I prefer it plain. The shrimp cocktail was unrecognizable - served in a glass and DH was not a fan. One really odd one was the watermelon and feta appetizer which used to feature watermelon chunks, feta and pine nuts. It was now a round of watermelon jello topped with feta and nuts. Tasty but different! It seemed like many of these traditional menu items were just being reworked with slightly different spin an presentation. Fettuccine was still delicious and spaghetti and meatballs on Italian night were surprisingly good for a simple dish. My absolute favorite was the Beef Wellington - best I've ever had on Princess. The lobster was pretty good too - now served over a tasty basil risotto. We also had the filet kabob with the sweet potatoes which was good as well. Last night was traditional filet and prawns for a surf/turf combo which was a welcome change from the usual prime rib. And the best of the best - a caramel salted pot de creme that was dessert on one formal evening. Fantastic! So I would give it a B plus - some hits and some misses but nice to see Princess mixing it up on the food front a bit!

Oh and I forgot to mention that each bread basket came with a special spread each night - cheese spread, butter mix, olive oil mixture. Each night was different. I loved them all but the curry one. You could still ask for butter if you preferred.

Also, each night there were two feature side dishes - usually a vegetable or potato dish of some kind. We never ordered one as the sides with our entrees were plenty for us. But they looked interesting.

Sounds like a wonderful surprise :) Though she waited until Wednesday to tell you??!!!?

Yep, that would be my family...I thought she was spending her monthly week off in her usual hangout, Maui ...I was in shock for about 3 hours after the reveal....evidently she thought I would figure it out, once I got the gifts with hints. But, I didn't. DH actually ran into her on Sunday night...and he was sworn to secrecy, she & BIL intentionally booked a balcony just a few doors down from us, the room attendants were even in the know.

I agree with you why not say something right away...by she probably had more fun spotting us and then spying on us at shows and in the bars....

Princess tests new features, menus etc before making it go to all their ships. Witness the changing of Sabatini's to SHARE on a few ships which I hope gets removed. So it is not unrealistic to find them trying new menus on one ship and a few sailings to determine how well the changes will be accepted. Food after all is very subjective and can incite riots sometimes. Like SHARE, I would hope the waffles and chicken experience a sudden demise. We will see what survives and what is discarded as a bad idea.

Actually, I thought the presentation of the waffle and 2 chicken legs(I was expecting a breast) was not to appetizing...but the flavor of dish was more than acceptable....I did not eat the waffle or fries.

When Share was introduced I was excited, however, my first experience with Share's old menu was disappointing, but my recent experience on Emerald with the new menu was much, much better.

Sabatini's has lost it's luster to me, just as Crown Grill, I still go with an open mind and generally a Comp. meal...but more often than not am disappointed, service always plays a great roll in my opinion. We did not do a specialty restaurant this cruise but ..I was happy to hear from some RC posters(who had mentioned their disappointment in Crown Grill on past cruises) enjoyed their Crown Grill meal and service so much the first night they had booked another evening later in the cruise.

These new menus on our Ruby sailing.....had a whole section( almost 1/4) devoted to up-sales.....that is why I was hoping someone would post the menus.

Damn... I have been dreaming about the fettuccine parm basket, I loved that !

and unfortunately the fet...just does not have the creamy constancy and flavor it once had, but it has been that way for sometime...IMHO.......... it was always a go to when nothing on the menu looked good....I still order it on every cruise........but I've been on several different ships recently and still not the wonderful dish I remember. I am with your loved that parm basket.....

Clearly an attempt to steal customers from Waffle House, Hometown Buffet, and Golden Corral.

There you are with your sense of humor again.......:D

Between the chicken and waffles, meatloaf, and the hamburger, I guess we will never see the beef medallions appearing again. Although the filet and sweet potatoes sounds nice.

Speaking of hamburgers on 3 nights, an "Ernesto"

specialty burger was available....tasted like the same ground sirloin used at Salty Dog..we split one each night it was offered. The choices were, provolone with slaw, bbq sauce with an onion ring..and a blue cheese concoction.

DH always orders fish still, had most of the same selections from past menus.

The portions were smaller,................. one plate I order was a scallop and shrimp skewer on a bed of whipped potatoes....It had 2 scallops and 4 shrimp on the skewer....and maybe 3 tablespoons of potatoes,............so you could see why one could have room to try a burger....

We were on the Ruby cruise and the new menus were definitely interesting. I had mixed reactions. Overall the food was good and it was nice after all our Princess cruises to have a little change of pace. But I found the menu itself very hard to read - very busy! Some items were existing menu items that had been redesigned like the Leek and Ricotta tart which was definitely not an improvement. The goat cheese soufflé was now goat cheese flan and came sprinkled with croutons and nuts. I prefer it plain. The shrimp cocktail was unrecognizable - served in a glass and DH was not a fan. One really odd one was the watermelon and feta appetizer which used to feature watermelon chunks, feta and pine nuts. It was now a round of watermelon jello topped with feta and nuts. Tasty but different! It seemed like many of these traditional menu items were just being reworked with slightly different spin an presentation. Fettuccine was still delicious and spaghetti and meatballs on Italian night were surprisingly good for a simple dish. My absolute favorite was the Beef Wellington - best I've ever had on Princess. The lobster was pretty good too - now served over a tasty basil risotto. We also had the filet kabob with the sweet potatoes which was good as well. Last night was traditional filet and prawns for a surf/turf combo which was a welcome change from the usual prime rib. And the best of the best - a caramel salted pot de creme that was dessert on one formal evening. Fantastic! So I would give it a B plus - some hits and some misses but nice to see Princess mixing it up on the food front a bit!

Thanks for posting, as I was beginning to feel like no one noticed what I would call a major changes.....:Deven if we were a trial group.

You are correct the caramel pot de creme was excellent......interesting with the dessert selections, if I am remembering correctly the dessert menu only had one special for the evening, with different sorbet/ice cream choices and the other 5 or 6 selections remained the same every night, but maybe that is how it has always been, I m not big on dessert.

However, I thought prime rib was on the first night...but I noticed on the first nights menu they called it "choice beef cut" or something like that. No reference to Prime rib on any menus I saw....but them I certainly could have missed it as I do not care for prime rib.

My sister had the beef wellington and she said it was excellent as well...I had the lobster and did not care for it or the sauce that was on it.....did you receive 3 halves.....?

I only ordered the shrimp cocktail because of the new presentation and found the slaw sauce below it to be flavorful.....and better than the shrimp......:D

What great weather we had on the cruise.....glad you enjoyed some of the new menu items like I did.