Evaluating Food Quality

[TLCOhio]

I must live in the wrong part of the country. The buffet reminds me of banquet food, but.....nowhere in my town of 60,000 can I get escargot. If onion soup should appear on the menu, the cook does not understand caramelizing. Lamb virtually never appears, and if it does, it's not very good. Creme brulee and baba au rhum are a foreign language, and no one knows what Bearnaise is. If I drive to Indianapolis a four or five course meal in a very good restaurant is well north of $100. Many of you must live in culinary paradise. By the way, I have dined all over the US and in about 50 foreign countries, including a meal prepared by the Kennedy's chef, and I prepare dishes from around the world myself and one of the best meals I have ever eaten was in the specialty restaurant on the Millenium.

 

Excellent points by our Indiana "neighbor" in the Midwest. Different people have varying expectations and desires. One size and style doesn't fit all. I would call the MDR better than just hotel banquet food. It's not, however, as great and custom/personal as we have experienced with Silversea/Seabourn or in a Michelin-rated French place. Part of what you get is also in the "luck" and skill for exactly what you order, etc. As I noted earlier, we didn't go hungry!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 65,824 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[dinosaurdem]

Excellent points by our Indiana "neighbor" in the Midwest. Different people have varying expectations and desires. One size and style doesn't fit all. I would call the MDR better than just hotel banquet food. It's not, however, as great and custom/personal as we have experienced with Silversea/Seabourn or in a Michelin-rated French place. Part of what you get is also in the "luck" and skill for exactly what you order, etc. As I noted earlier, we didn't go hungry!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Having read your comments on a previous cruise on food, travel, France, etc. I hope that I run into you on a future cruise. You appear to understand the joy of life.

 

Ron

[nikel]

I'm just happy I don't have to cook it...

 

 

 

Or do the dishes :p

[4774Papa]

I have only been on one X cruise (Infinity) and it was great. Compared to NCL, the MDR food was equal to the specialty restaurants, which are pretty darn good.

Some of the dishes that I had were as good as it gets. There was one lamb dish with shredded lamb in a cake that was fantastic. Also, the desserts are super, especially the crepe suzettes.

[TLCOhio]

Having read your comments on a previous cruise on food, travel, France, etc. I hope that I run into you on a future cruise. You appear to understand the joy of life. Ron

 

Appreciate, Ron, the nice comments. Yes, would like to travel with another Midwestern with good wisdom and judgement. Fortunately, we done twenty two different countries in Europe. Many by land and since 2006, through four different cruises. Two of those are detailed fully below by the live/blogs. The first cruise was the Greek Isles and Turkish Coast, Athens to Istanbul, then in 2008 for the Baltics & Russia sailing from Dover/UK.

 

Have done 3000+ questions about France and nearby on another web board. There, I have challenged some people trying to do too much, too fast with this question: what and how do you want to “ENJOY" and "EXPERIENCE" things in the Europe, etc?

 

Rush-rush and gulp it down like soda pop or beer . . . OR . . . sip and savor the moment like fine wine, doing people watching, sensing an enjoyment of life and the humanity, the natural beauty, the architecture, history and charm? It's your choice. I like to be honest and make sure people understand their many options and timing trade-offs.

 

We want to see it ALL and/or LOTS!!! Right? BUT, it's not what you see, but what you remember and enjoy. Try to do a lot, but not too much that it all just blurs together in a confusing manner.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 65,824 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 60,033 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923