Princess Specialty Restaurants & Chef's Table

[lwongd2n]

My SO and I had the chance to experience Sabatini's, the Crown Grill, and the Chef's Table last week on the Golden Princess. We tried to take as many pictures of the food as possible, but obviously missed out on some of the dishes (primarily due to lack of space in our stomachs). I'll edit in the names and details of each of the dishes when possible. Apologies in advance for some of the blurrier/noisier photos; we opted not to use flash so as to not interfere with the other diners. Photos are organized according to restaurant:

 

1-28 - Sabatini's

29-40 - Chef's Table

41-64 - Crown Grill

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/103406021975507005480/PrincessSpecialtyRestaurantsChefSTable?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCJb13r-TkP6kFg&feat=directlink

 

Hope this helps!

[sherryf]

Thanks for posting. Now I am starving. :eek: I'd never really thought it necessary to pay extra to go to the specialty restaurants, but now I am reconsidering. I don't normally like seafood, but even some of those dishes looked good enough to try.

[Pam in CA]

Thanks for posting!

 

Quick question: what is the little yellow rubber duck? Is that a "Boston Strong" duck?

[paul929207]

Thanks for the pictures. Now, where is my dinner

[BLS]

WOW! Great photo's mahalo for sharing!

Hope to diner in all 3 of these places on the Royal in Oct!!!!!

 

Aloha,

Bev

[jeaniust]

Oh wow the pictures look amazing!! I'm going on the Golden in 4 days and your pictures got my really excited! Which meal was your favorite? I think we are getting a complimentary meal in the Crown Grill from our TA but now I'm wondering if I need to spring for Chef's Table or Sabatini's? Thanks!!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[MomC]

I was wondering if you could tell me the extra charge per person for eating at these. I believe that the last figure I read for Sabatini's and Crown Grill was $25 per person. Is that still the amount? How about the Chef's Table? We want to eat at these on our cruise in November.

 

Thanks,

Mom C

[MomC]

I forgot to ask if reservations are hard to get. Also, how do you get reservations? Can you do it ahead of time?

[caribill]

I forgot to ask if reservations are hard to get. Also, how do you get reservations? Can you do it ahead of time?

 

 

 

Cannot make reservation until you are onboard.

 

Only reservation hard to get is the Chef's Table. Call the DINE line from your cabin or see the Matre d' or a headwater as soon as you can.

[sminfiddle]

Thanks so much for taking and posting the pictures.

Some of the dishes take me back to my cruise, some whet my appetite for the next one.

 

Bravo!

[lwongd2n]

@ Pam in CA: The yellow rubber duck was a cute little thing the Chef decided to include as part of the presentation of the dish. The dish itself was actually a mini duck burger with a side of mini sweet potato fries.

 

@ jeaniust: I made reservations for Chef’s Table the moment that I got onto the ship. Apparently all 20 spots (they did 2 Chef’s Tables on our particular cruise—and each Chef’s Table consisted of a party of 10) filled up within 2 hours. I’d definitely do the Chef’s Table again should the opportunity arise. The meal itself is paired with champagne, white wine, red wine, and dessert wine—and my glass was never empty, so you definitely get your money’s worth. Sabatini’s was also excellent. I’d actually pick Sabatini’s over the Crown Grill—but that was primarily due to the excellent service that we received both of the times that we ate there (we ate 2x at the Crown Grill and 2x at Sabatini’s). I’m partial to the desserts at the Crown Grill, but the main courses and appetizers were much more unique (if not “better”) at Sabatini’s. However, it’s all a matter of taste—and you can’t go wrong with either.

 

@ MomC: Prices are as follows: $25 per person for Sabatini’s, $25 per person for Crown Grill, and $95 per person for Chef’s Table (wine pairing included). Reservations for Chef’s Table went fast (as I discussed above), but reservations for the other specialty restaurants were relatively easy to come by. You can make reservations the moment you get on the boat.

 

Feel free to ask more questions!

[IECalCruiser]

Thanks for posting!

 

Quick question: what is the little yellow rubber duck? Is that a "Boston Strong" duck?

Pam, It appears the Chef Convery is still/again on the Golden. We experienced his Chef's Table last September and that is a rubber duckie that accompanied a very small appetizer duck burger and sweet potato fries. Really liked his imaginative appetizers :)

[JimmyVWine]

Also note that the cost appears to vary by ship. On the Crown we paid $20 for Sabatini's and $25 for the Crown Grill and a recent poster provided copies of his Patters and they showed that Sabatini's was $25 and The Sterling Steak House was $20.

[IECalCruiser]

Also note that the cost appears to vary by ship. On the Crown we paid $20 for Sabatini's and $25 for the Crown Grill and a recent poster provided copies of his Patters and they showed that Sabatini's was $25 and The Sterling Steak House was $20.

The cost for Sabatini's increased from $20 to $25 fleet wide about a year or so ago. The Sterling Steakhouse on the Diamond and Sapphire and the Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse on the Coral and Island are still $20.

[Pam in CA]

Pam, It appears the Chef Convery is still/again on the Golden. We experienced his Chef's Table last September and that is a rubber duckie that accompanied a very small appetizer duck burger and sweet potato fries. Really liked his imaginative appetizers :)

Ahh... Interesting. Thanks!

[lwongd2n]

Couldn't edit my original post, so...

 

Posted pictures of the menus here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/103406021975507005480/PrincessDiningMenus?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCK_o3dThuMeHNw&feat=directlink

 

Posted photos of MDR food here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/103406021975507005480/PrincessMDR?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKPvzJLlrZj-TQ&feat=directlink

[Tak8]

I've never done the Chef's Table, but from your photos it looks great. Thanks for sharing.

[Astrobuff]

Ok, I am new to Cruise Critic..... I am sailing on Emerald Dec 19th this year (2013), I will want to book a single seat for Chef's table - is this a problem or for couples only? Also how many Chef's Table nights are there on a particular sailing? I am hoping to be able to do this (solo) on 24th or 25th Dec to keep with the "season". Have heard lots of good things and am definitely looking forward to this event. I will be early on the ship (have Elite status) in order to try and book this for my holiday meal.

 

any info appreciated.

rgds

Lynda Farnell

(astrobuff)

[Treven]

Ok, I am new to Cruise Critic..... I am sailing on Emerald Dec 19th this year (2013), I will want to book a single seat for Chef's table - is this a problem or for couples only? Also how many Chef's Table nights are there on a particular sailing? I am hoping to be able to do this (solo) on 24th or 25th Dec to keep with the "season". Have heard lots of good things and am definitely looking forward to this event. I will be early on the ship (have Elite status) in order to try and book this for my holiday meal.

 

any info appreciated.

rgds

Lynda Farnell

(astrobuff)

I did the Chef's Table last year as a solo cruiser; so it's not just for couples. Actually there were 5 single people there.

[LuvinDisCruiser]

These pictures are awesome !

 

I am now considering one of the specialty restaurants on our cruise next month !!!!

 

Is it better to reserve a specialty restaurant on a night other than formal night ? Just wondering if formal nights menu's are better than other nights ?

 

Thanks !

[rdsqrl]

The menus in the specialty restaurants don't change; they're the same every night.

 

The menus in the dining room are generally considered to be elevated on formal nights. It all depends upon one's tastes/preferences. I myself do not eat cockroaches-of-the-sea; however, formal night is when lobster is on the menu and some/most people love lobster night and look forward to it with great anticipation.

 

If you do a search of the board, people have posted menus and you can get an idea. And the dining room always posts the menu (generally it's up by late evening for the next night), so you can see what you'll be missing. Or, on embarkation day, if you go to the designated place to book a reservation for the specialty restaurants (they generally have someone set up outside Sabatini's or Crown Grill ready to take bookings, and this'll be advertised in the Patter), the person there will usually have the menus for each night in the dining room.

 

Didn't mean to ramble on so long. Hope this helps.

[LuvinDisCruiser]

The menus in the specialty restaurants don't change; they're the same every night.

 

The menus in the dining room are generally considered to be elevated on formal nights. It all depends upon one's tastes/preferences. I myself do not eat cockroaches-of-the-sea; however, formal night is when lobster is on the menu and some/most people love lobster night and look forward to it with great anticipation.

 

If you do a search of the board, people have posted menus and you can get an idea. And the dining room always posts the menu (generally it's up by late evening for the next night), so you can see what you'll be missing. Or, on embarkation day, if you go to the designated place to book a reservation for the specialty restaurants (they generally have someone set up outside Sabatini's or Crown Grill ready to take bookings, and this'll be advertised in the Patter), th

e person there will usually have the menus for each night in the dining room.

 

Didn't mean to ramble on so long. Hope this helps.

 

Yes, that definately helps !!! The cockroach of the sea comment, now gives me a totally different image of lobster. Ewwww. :confused:

[bulldog on water]

as to when to go to specialty resturants (SR), that will depend on what you may like at the Main DR. We generally go to one of the SR on one of the Formal nights because you don't have to be formal there, and the other SR on the last nite of the Cruise, because generally the menu that nite is not that inventive, except for the baked Alaska which is good but we don't really mind if we miss it.

[Treven]

Yes, that definately helps !!! The cockroach of the sea comment, now gives me a totally different image of lobster. Ewwww. :confused:

Guess this is similar to what the Aussies call lobster, which I can't remember just now.