My Island Breeze Picture Review. (4/7/13-4/13/13) Carnival Breeze

[Missjamis3]

Can't wait to read more. Will be on the Breeze next March.

[blondietink]

Love, Love, Love, In'n Out Burgers! We go there every time we are out west. Wish them would expand east.

[Krazyk1121]

Great pics! Can't wait to read more...

[TonsOFun]

Here's the deal on the patty. It reminds me of 'Five Guys'. I live in southern California so we also have 'In-n-Out' here. IMO, In-n-Out blows Fives Guys away every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

 

The burger is free so, I hate that I'm really ripping it apart. I just feel, that even for 5,000 people, there can be some tweaks to it that can make it off the charts.

 

I knew the chips were pressed bacon but, how is that any different then just putting actual bacon the the burger. Why not have an actual pig patty. 50% ground chuck and 50% ground bacon. That would make a lot more sense.

 

The onion ring is soggy because they try to keep them hot in a steamer. Why not just keep them in an oven at 400F. That would keep it crispy and prevent it from getting soggy.

 

I understand that they probably have to cook the patties on a flat top because you can't have an open flame I would assume. If that is the case, I can let how greasy they are slide because there just isn't much you can do about it.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

I've never heard of Five Guys, but I absutely love In & Out..!! I live in a small town in New Mexico now, but I'm a Northern CA transplant. No In & Out burger joints here, but we do have a Sonic, and a couple of local mom and pop burger joints that aren't bad. Do they have Nation's Giant Hamburgers down the So Cal? They have a lot of them in the SF bay area. I actually worked at a few of them in my younger years.

 

As far as Guy's Burgers on the ship, I was just happy to be able to sink my teeth into a juicy burger on the ship. I'm sure there's always areas for improvement, but I thought the Guy's Burgers were a very unique food venue to have on a cruise ship. The DW and I are going to try out Celebrity next cruise, I think, so it will be fun to compare the food choices from one line to the other....

 

Great review, though. I loved all your pics.!!

[ch27088]

Here's the deal on the patty. It reminds me of 'Five Guys'. I live in southern California so we also have 'In-n-Out' here. IMO, In-n-Out blows Fives Guys away every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

 

The burger is free so, I hate that I'm really ripping it apart. I just feel, that even for 5,000 people, there can be some tweaks to it that can make it off the charts.

 

I knew the chips were pressed bacon but, how is that any different then just putting actual bacon the the burger. Why not have an actual pig patty. 50% ground chuck and 50% ground bacon. That would make a lot more sense.

 

The onion ring is soggy because they try to keep them hot in a steamer. Why not just keep them in an oven at 400F. That would keep it crispy and prevent it from getting soggy.

 

I understand that they probably have to cook the patties on a flat top because you can't have an open flame I would assume. If that is the case, I can let how greasy they are slide because there just isn't much you can do about it.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

I'm a transplant Nocal girl living in Alabama (don't ask). I truly understand you when you compared the Guys Burgers to In-N-Out, and Five Guys. I have been looking forward to trying Guys Burgers when I cruise next year, and I will give them a fair chance. However, nothing, nothing, nothing, compares to an In-N-Out Burger. Oh how I wish we had them here in Alabama. We do have Five Guys, but I wasn't thrilled with their burgers. Just give me an In-N-Out Burger and I'll be just fine.

 

Again, thanks for your review. Can't wait to read the rest of it.

[SPKEMO]

So we arrived at the Lobby Bar for the Chef's Table. We had to wait about 20 minutes for all the people to get there. No biggie. We were escorted through the dining room and into the kitchen. There was a large rectangular stainless steel table that we stood around for some Hors d'oeuvres.

 

Again freshness was in sight.

 

 

There were some olives on the table that I was ready to try.

 

 

Our first stop was an olive stuffed with mozzarella.

 

 

Very simple but, VERY good! There was a drizzle of oil on this which matched perfectly with the mozzarella.

 

Next up was Lobster Fritter with a Sun Dried Tomatoes.

 

 

It had some flavor but, nothing special

 

Next up was a a cheesy Focaccia with prosciutto draped over it and Mascarpone on top.

 

 

This was fabulous!!! I loved it.

 

The final item was a Chorizo stuffed date.

 

 

This had such an amazing savory and sweet flavor to it, I LOVED IT!!!

 

The could have given me 100 of those and it would have been worth the money paid.

 

After our fun there it was time for the 'actual Chef's Table'.

 

More to come!!!

[tinkerbell_82]

You are making me want to do the chefs table!! :)

[SPKEMO]

We finished up in the galley and headed over to our table inside the kitchen.

 

It was set up perfectly!

 

 

 

They then brought some bread for us.

 

 

The bread was good. A brioche loaf in a flower pot with a roasted garlic clove on top and a drizzle of olive oil.

 

Next came the wine!!!

 

 

And it kept coming!!!

 

More freshness throughout the kitchen.

 

 

 

More to come!!

[SPKEMO]

Next up was our first dish of the night.

 

"Tomatoes Our Way!"

 

 

This dish was incredible!

 

Two tomatoes poached in chardonay, one coated in cocoa butter, with an aerated tomato juice. Everything on this plate was great.

 

The idea of the cocoa butter with tomato was genius.

 

Next up was a tuna tartar.

 

 

This dish was bursting at the seams with flavors!! The avocado and miso cream gels were a perfect pairing with the tartar. The sesame crisp protecting the tartar gave the dish a much needed addition of texture.

 

My wife loved this dish.

 

 

Another home run.

 

Next up was the game bird.

 

 

This was the most inventive/creative dish of the night.

 

The game hen breast was perfectly caramelized and the butternut squash cream sauce was amazing.

 

The thing I loved the most was the use of molecular gastronomy.

 

 

This was great!! Mozzarella balls with balsamic vinegar balls. The balsamic vinegar is frozen with liquid nitrogen and then scooped out into the ball shape.

 

I was a kid in a candy store with this dish. It was so whimsy and fun.

 

After a pour of a reduced glaze.

 

 

The dish was complete.

 

I just can't put into words how much I loved this dish.

 

I have read on these boards how the new Chef's Table menu was cheap. Things like, "if I wanted Cornish game hen then I would make it at home." Feel free to try and make this dish at home. You will have NO chance.

 

More to come!!

[Mizzouaholic]

Looking good!

[mairead224]

Wow the game hen looks amazing!!!

[pirate4me2]

Love your review, I can't wait to read more. :)

[SPKEMO]

Love your review, I can't wait to read more. :)

 

I'm glad you are enjoying it.

[kbcubed]

So excited to hear your Chefs table review! We are doing it on the Breeze in September! Love your enthusiasm for food since I share it!

[SPKEMO]

So excited to hear your Chefs table review! We are doing it on the Breeze in September! Love your enthusiasm for food since I share it!

 

Yes I love food. And yes, the Chefs Table is worth every penny.

[SPKEMO]

After our first portion of dinner it was time for a little break. We took a tour of the galley. The chef informed us of the ins and outs of how a cruise ship kitchen operates. Salamander ovens are used as the primary cooking tool along with electric stove tops. No open flames.

 

We made our way over to the head pastry chef. There he would describe how to make the chocolate melting cake.

 

All the ingredients were lined up and ready.

 

 

 

 

And the chef started the process.

 

 

At that time I saw the chef was waiting on the side for us to finish the presentation. I had no interest in seeing how this recipe was made so I separated my self from the group and walked over to the chef.

 

I informed the chef of my background and with that, he informed me that he would like to take me on a little private tour of the galley. We toured the walk-ins which, were amazing. The amount of food was overwhelming.

 

I spoke to the chef about his history in food. Surprisingly, he is an untrained chef. He has a bachelors in hospitality management and started working for Carnival 15 years prior as a line cook. He has worked his way all the way to just about the top!! He is considered the 'Top Dog' of all Carnival chefs at sea. He informed me that the only chef above him, would be the corporate chef.

 

He explained to me, what I feared, that being a cruise chef does not help for your creativity. Although, because of his rank, he has been able to influence many dishes on Carnival's menu. Most chefs, he said, do not have any influence. He informed me that producing food that is current and relevant with the times is his top priority. The use of molecular gastronomy was his doing. "Imagine, trying to convince corporate to buy liquid nitrogen tanks for every ship so we can make 2 menu items per cruise." He said that only took about 6 months of him protesting non stop to get it. The best quote he said to me, and rings the truest, "If our food can't evolve and change to what current, then we are just a cafeteria." Couldn't have said it better my self.

 

More to come...

[rhcpchika1]

Very nice experience at chef's table. I am still loving the review :)

[SPKEMO]

Very nice experience at chef's table. I am still loving the review :)

 

I'm glad you like the review.

[SPKEMO]

We made our way back to the table and our plates were waiting for us.

 

 

This would be the soup dish. A warm turnip and apple juice soup with spinach and a pea puree.

 

 

Final product:

 

 

This was the least successful dish of the night. It just didn't pop! There wasn't a lot of depth to the dish and it was vastly under seasoned.

 

This is a dish they should think about changing.

 

Next up was the salmon.

 

 

The salmon was perfectly cooked. Nice and warm on the outside with a translucent/raw looking middle. The pesto on top gave the salmon a little extra flavor. The true star of the dish though, the beets!

 

The beets are condensed to a liquid, frozen with liquid nitrogen, rolled out flat, cut, and then rolled into rings.

 

The amount of beet flavor that you get from each little ring is amazing. By condensing the beets first into a liquid, it is all just flavor now. A perfect sweet accompaniment to the pesto salmon. A+

 

Our last savory dish of the night was the Wagyu short rib.

 

 

The short rib was delicately tender. The red square in the corner is a piece of roasted pumpkin that is sprinkled with tomato dust and the 3 potato balls complete the dish.

 

As first glance this dish again, looks simple. WRONG!

 

Tomato dust is a great product. You line a sheet pan with tomato skin. Bake on a low heat for about 2 hours until the the skins are crispy. You then grind to a powder in a coffee grinder and done. A sprinkle of this will give anything a pure tomato flavor.

 

Again, a lot of thought and care went into this dish. Every component blended seamlessly with the next.

 

We ended the night with dessert. Chocolate "88F"

 

 

This was a nice finish to the meal. 88F stands for the temperature of which the chocolate was tempered. Aerated pistachio and mango cakes were along side the chocolate.

 

Aerated cake is cake batter that is charged with a Co2 canister and then probably just microwaved. This technique was invented by my mentor Ferran Adrià. It is truly the lightest and fluffiest cake you will ever eat. And it brought back some fond memories of Spain.

 

It was finished with some mascarpone and a dehydrated fruit (roll up).

 

It was a good finish to a great meal. The cake and the memories probably bumped up the dessert a little in my book.

 

The Chef's Table was a home run in my book. If you have never done, do it! If you have already done it, do it again!

 

Thank you again Chef for having us in your home/kitchen.

 

More to come......

[FireMedT]

 

 

This is what I managed to get:

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the awesome review and photos. By the way, I agree with you about the Guy Burgers. I went in thinking they were going to be amazing as much as a burger can be and was pretty disappointed. I had the same thoughts you did.

 

The breakfast burrito on the Glory was delicious and I don't particularly remember it being cold.

 

True also about the difference in the lines. For some reason on the Glory the omelet lines by the oriental restaurant or sandwich shop were 3 times as long as the omelet station by the center of the buffet which rarely had people waiting.

[MikeyA53]

We made our way back to the table and our plates were waiting for us.

 

 

This would be the soup dish. A warm turnip and apple juice soup with spinach and a pea puree.

 

 

Final product:

 

 

This was the least successful dish of the night. It just didn't pop! There wasn't a lot of depth to the dish and it was vastly under seasoned.

 

This is a dish they should think about changing.

 

Next up was the salmon.

 

 

The salmon was perfectly cooked. Nice and warm on the outside with a translucent/raw looking middle. The pesto on top gave the salmon a little extra flavor. The true star of the dish though, the beets!

 

The beets are condensed to a liquid, frozen with liquid nitrogen, rolled out flat, cut, and then rolled into rings.

 

The amount of beet flavor that you get from each little ring is amazing. By condensing the beets first into a liquid, it is all just flavor now. A perfect sweet accompaniment to the pesto salmon. A+

 

Our last savory dish of the night was the Wagyu short rib.

 

 

The short rib was delicately tender. The red square in the corner is a piece of roasted pumpkin that is sprinkled with tomato dust and the 3 potato balls complete the dish.

 

As first glance this dish again, looks simple. WRONG!

 

Tomato dust is a great product. You line a sheet pan with tomato skin. Bake on a low heat for about 2 hours until the the skins are crispy. You then grind to a powder in a coffee grinder and done. A sprinkle of this will give anything a pure tomato flavor.

 

Again, a lot of thought and care went into this dish. Every component blended seamlessly with the next.

 

We ended the night with dessert. Chocolate "88F"

 

 

This was a nice finish to the meal. 88F stands for the temperature of which the chocolate was tempered. Aerated pistachio and mango cakes were along side the chocolate.

 

Aerated cake is cake batter that is charged with a Co2 canister and then probably just microwaved. This technique was invented by my mentor Ferran Adrià. It is truly the lightest and fluffiest cake you will ever eat. And it brought back some fond memories of Spain.

 

It was finished with some mascarpone and a dehydrated fruit (roll up).

 

It was a good finish to a great meal. The cake and the memories probably bumped up the dessert a little in my book.

 

The Chef's Table was a home run in my book. If you have never done, do it! If you have already done it, do it again!

 

Thank you again Chef for having us in your home/kitchen.

 

More to come......

 

 

I'm really enjoying your review; you have me convinced to try the chef's table again. We did it in 2010, when they had the other menu.

We are doing a B2B on Liberty and Breeze this summer and I was thinking about doing it on Liberty since Breeze has more dining options. However, you made it sound like the chef on Carnival Breeze is better than his colleagues on other ships and I should do it on Breeze.

[SPKEMO]

I'm really enjoying your review; you have me convinced to try the chef's table again. We did it in 2010, when they had the other menu.

We are doing a B2B on Liberty and Breeze this summer and I was thinking about doing it on Liberty since Breeze has more dining options. However, you made it sound like the chef on Carnival Breeze is better than his colleagues on other ships and I should do it on Breeze.

 

I'm glad you are enjoying my review. The Chef's Table is awesome.

[isaiahsnana]

I'm really enjoying your review; you have me convinced to try the chef's table again. We did it in 2010, when they had the other menu.

 

We are doing a B2B on Liberty and Breeze this summer and I was thinking about doing it on Liberty since Breeze has more dining options. However, you made it sound like the chef on Carnival Breeze is better than his colleagues on other ships and I should do it on Breeze.

I would choose the Breeze just for the set up alone. It is special to do the chef's table as it should be in the actual kitchen. We attended the table on the Magic and truly enjoyed the experience and loved the chef there. He had many of the same stories about them attempting to convince Carnival management of the necessity of doing this right!!

[SPKEMO]

Thanks for the awesome review and photos. By the way, I agree with you about the Guy Burgers. I went in thinking they were going to be amazing as much as a burger can be and was pretty disappointed. I had the same thoughts you did.

 

The breakfast burrito on the Glory was delicious and I don't particularly remember it being cold.

 

True also about the difference in the lines. For some reason on the Glory the omelet lines by the oriental restaurant or sandwich shop were 3 times as long as the omelet station by the center of the buffet which rarely had people waiting.

 

Yea the back omelet bar where the sandwich place is during the day seemed to be the short one.

[TanyaH321]

I'm so loving your review. I can't wait to read more!