Salmon on the Veendam

[Gablin]

I prefer eating seafood to eating fowl or mammals, so I was delighted to find that I could have salmon every night for dinner on the Veendam, if I could not find something else on the menu that I wanted to eat.

 

However, the salmon was Atlantic farmed salmon, not what I am used to eating. It was pretty tasteless, compared to wild caught Alaska salmon.

 

I still ate the salmon on more than one night, but was quite disappointed in it. There were many other interesting seafood or vegetarian choices, however, so I certainly did not go hungry on any night.

 

Then, on the last night of the cruise, I ate in the Pinnacle Grill. Oh, Joy! Wild caught Alaska salmon was on the menu, and I was to be in heaven!

 

I was served a huge slab of salmon, enough for at least four people. It was delicious, but I could not finish it. My dear friend was also served a huge piece of salmon, and did not eat all of it. After my mental fussing about the Atlantic farmed stuff, I felt truly guilty not being able to eat all that was offered to me in the Pinnacle Grill.

 

It is hard for me to understand being served almost a pound of fish for one person. It seems wasteful. I saw a steak at least that large being delivered to another table. Who eats a pound or so of meat or fish at one meal?

 

Here is my wish: Could not HAL cut the Pinnacle Grill servings in half, then further cut in half the other piece? Those two pieces could be provided in the MDR, on just one or two nights of the cruise, affording some MDR diners a chance to have "real" Alaska salmon instead of the farmed tasteless offering available each night. This is probably a futile wish.

 

The Pinnacle Grill thing was new to us, as the last time either of us had cruised with HAL, in 1999, the alternative restaurant was free, and was Italian.

[Krazy Kruizers]

DH has ordered the salmon in many of the Pinnacle Restaurants -- but never got a piece that large. As for the steaks -- I order the Petite Filet -- just the right size for me -- and many times I can't even finish that -- 7 ounces.

 

I remember the Odyssey and Marco Polo restaurants -- they were great.

[catl331]

According to what some reviewers write about the Pinnacle Grill, I think they would be upset if they didn't get a huge piece of meat or fish. I agree with you--I hate to have such a huge piece but I also order the small steak.

[RalphWiggum]

I agree with the OP. I wish they offered a smaller cuts selection on the menu (although i will concede they might have and I didn't notice). If they don't already, I think it's a good suggestion since it's win-win-win. People who like the larger cuts can still order them. Those who want a smaller cut can order that and not feel bad about waste. And Hal should be able to cut down on food costs.

 

I ordered a rib eye and was shocked by the size. I have never been served one (or purchased one) that large. They may offer a petit filet, but I usually like to order what I consider to be a "steak" at a steak house. (just my opinion). So, for me, filet mignon is out, rib eyes and strips are in. Land based steakhouses usually offer smaller cuts of these.

 

I will add, the ribeye served on the Veendam's Pinnacle Grill was otherwise perfection.

[Boytjie]

The quality of meat and fish in the Pinnacle is higher than in the MDR; if they started serving the same quality in the MDR why bother with a specialty restaurant and who is going to carry the extra cost?

[sail7seas]

Salmon is one of my favorite things to eat and like OP, I eat very little meat. I happily ordered salmon from the 'always available' side of the menu for many cruises/many evenings and totally enjoyed it. But some cruises lately, I don't know what's different but it doesn't taste the same to me. Good fish on the ships is very important to me. I know it has to be frozen but that isn't anything new. I agree the Pinnacle portions are very large.