please tell me about La Cucina dining

[wasiii]

.....but the food and the service has been great both times and it's not like we don't know what good Italian food is. Our other favorite is Le Bistro.

 

Now I'm just salivating at the thought of dining on the ship.

 

42 days and counting. Can' wait to Breakaway again.

 

:D

 

wasiii

[valleyvillage]

WOW.

If I ever had to go to court to prove that "Food is subjective!" all I would need to do would be to subpoena this thread!

[Mr Robberts]

I have eaten in Italian eateries from Germany to Italy all over the east coast! I'm an Italian American and a food critic twitter foodcriticTFC . I have eaten at la cucina twice and it was the worst Italian food I have ever eaten. In fact I would never call it Italian food. Go to la bistro instead!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5s

 

Ah what do you know lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[njitalian76]

Ah what do you know lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

I know a lot! So far la cucina on the star and gem are not even close to Italian food!

[Hikini]

WOW.

If I ever had to go to court to prove that "Food is subjective!" all I would need to do would be to subpoena this thread!

 

That is exactly what I was thinking! It's been kind of comical to read through this thread.

 

But to answer the OP's question and add to the fray: La Cucina is our least favorite of the specialty restaurants on NCL.

[janpo]

We ate there on our last cruise on the Pearl. It was very good. A lot of food though. We're going to eat there again on our upcoming Getaway cruise.

[Coastalbreezes]

I order the same thing every time at La Cucina: the osso buco. Perfectly tender, lots of flavor and served over creamy polenta. I just love it and think La Cucina gets a bad rap. Also like the bread and dipping oil and fried calamari appetizer.

 

Tracy

[4774Papa]

We have eaten in La Cucina on Gem, Jade and Epic and enjoyed all our meals there. Le Bistro and Moderno are our favorites, but Cucina was good.

[js]

Hmmmmm let me say this the most positive way I can.

 

I LOVE the specialty restaurants. La Cucina is my least favorite of the list.

 

 

Ditto.

 

LaCuccina is the only speciality I did not book for our Breakaway cruise next week. I rather double up on the other restaurants.

 

I find the food is good but I rather eat somewhere else if I have a choice.

 

OP some enjoy it others not so much. If you have never been you should give it a try to see for yourself.

Edited August 3, 2014 by js
More info

[SissasMomE]

I have eaten in Italian eateries from Germany to Italy all over the east coast! I'm an Italian American and a food critic twitter foodcriticTFC . I have eaten at la cucina twice and it was the worst Italian food I have ever eaten. In fact I would never call it Italian food. Go to la bistro instead!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5s

 

It's not Italian food. It's on the same level with Olive Garden. Ick and eew.

[SissasMomE]

I order the same thing every time at La Cucina: the osso buco. Perfectly tender, lots of flavor and served over creamy polenta. I just love it and think La Cucina gets a bad rap. Also like the bread and dipping oil and fried calamari appetizer.

 

Tracy

 

That seems to be the meal to order when dining there. I have read that over and over again - that the Osso Buco is good.

[4774Papa]

It's not Italian food. It's on the same level with Olive Garden. Ick and eew.

I have visited Italy 7-8 times and lived in Europe for five years. I have had Italian food all over the World, including NYC, and in Georgia where we live.

 

I disagree that La Cucina and Olive Garden are not Italian food.

 

Ethnic food, whether it is Italian, French, German, Mexican, or for that matter American Southern has been Globalized.

 

Italian food varies according to whether or not it is Neapolitan, Sicilian, Tuscan, Northern Italian, etc. However, if you eat "Italian" food in Northern Italy, you will likely find a fair number of restaurants that serve Neapolitan (which is what most Americans consider Italian food).

 

It is like Mexican food. I was born in South Texas and have eaten Mexican food since I was out of diapers. In my opinion, it is hard to find really good Mexican food (actually Tex-Mex) outside of Texas. The tamales served in expensive chain Mexican restaurants in the NE USA are not as good as the ones you buy on the street in Texas.

 

Having spent a good bit of time in Mexico, I found that enchiladas in Mexico City were not as good as the ones from Texas.

 

Still, if you eat an enchilada from Don Pablo's in Woodbridge, VA, it will be very close to what you find in Texas, and not bad at all. Clearly, it qualifies as Mexican.

Heck, a taco from Taco Bell qualifies as Mexican.

 

To say the Olive Garden is not Italian is wrong. They serve a plethora of dishes that are very common to Naples or Rome. The recipes have likely been modified from someone's Neapolitan Grandmother, but the food bears a close resemblance to Italian food.

 

I have found one dish that I like quite a bit from Olive Garden, that is portobello stuffed Ravioli. Overall, I would say OG is what we call fair to middlin down here in Georgia, but it still Italian.

 

I will say that the best pizza that I have ever eaten was in New York, but I have had pretty good pizza here in Georgia.

 

Food changes, I remember the first time I heard of a burrito. Burritos are not Tex-Mex, they are California-Mex, but they are definitely Mexican.

[Demonyte]

I for one think that La Cucina is perfectly fine for the cover charge. It might not be the best Italian restaurant around but definitely nowhere close to worst either.

[Quincella]

I avoided La Cucina for years. In all of my NCL cruises, I assumed it was not good, based on what I'd read over and over, and just never went.

 

My last cruise on the Dawn were were looking for something different, so we decided to give it a shot.

 

I have to say that the Osso Buco, as others have said here, was outstanding. And the creamy polenta it was served with was divine. No kidding, I would have sucked that stuff through a straw if I could have!

 

We'll be back on the Getaway, at least once. We were both very pleased with our meals.

[njitalian76]

I have visited Italy 7-8 times and lived in Europe for five years. I have had Italian food all over the World, including NYC, and in Georgia where we live.

 

I disagree that La Cucina and Olive Garden are not Italian food.

 

Ethnic food, whether it is Italian, French, German, Mexican, or for that matter American Southern has been Globalized.

 

Italian food varies according to whether or not it is Neapolitan, Sicilian, Tuscan, Northern Italian, etc. However, if you eat "Italian" food in Northern Italy, you will likely find a fair number of restaurants that serve Neapolitan (which is what most Americans consider Italian food).

 

It is like Mexican food. I was born in South Texas and have eaten Mexican food since I was out of diapers. In my opinion, it is hard to find really good Mexican food (actually Tex-Mex) outside of Texas. The tamales served in expensive chain Mexican restaurants in the NE USA are not as good as the ones you buy on the street in Texas.

 

Having spent a good bit of time in Mexico, I found that enchiladas in Mexico City were not as good as the ones from Texas.

 

Still, if you eat an enchilada from Don Pablo's in Woodbridge, VA, it will be very close to what you find in Texas, and not bad at all. Clearly, it qualifies as Mexican.

Heck, a taco from Taco Bell qualifies as Mexican.

 

To say the Olive Garden is not Italian is wrong. They serve a plethora of dishes that are very common to Naples or Rome. The recipes have likely been modified from someone's Neapolitan Grandmother, but the food bears a close resemblance to Italian food.

 

I have found one dish that I like quite a bit from Olive Garden, that is portobello stuffed Ravioli. Overall, I would say OG is what we call fair to middlin down here in Georgia, but it still Italian.

 

I will say that the best pizza that I have ever eaten was in New York, but I have had pretty good pizza here in Georgia.

 

Food changes, I remember the first time I heard of a burrito. Burritos are not Tex-Mex, they are California-Mex, but they are definitely Mexican.

 

 

La Cucina and Olive Garden are Italian Themed Not Authentic Italian food! Neapolitan Grandmothers are turning in their graves from your comment! Where in Europe did you live? Not Italy i'm guessing! Cause if you did you wouldn't say you had the best pizza in NYC! Oh and by the way Northern Italian is nothing like Neapolitan food! Two different regions!

[newmexicoNita]

I would love to read what you really liked to eat there. thanks so much. :)

 

We ate at Il Adagios on the Sun and it was the best meal we had in the entire 11 days, but I have heard it is now converted to La Cucinas. We have also eaten at the one on the Jewel, Spirit and Pearl. I think they are all La Cucinas now. We have had good and bad experiences with them, both service and food. It seems to be very hit or miss. On the Dawn. people we talked to said it was really not worth extra money.

[newmexicoNita]

Hmmmmm let me say this the most positive way I can.

I LOVE the specialty restaurants. La Cucina is my least favorite of the list.

 

with the exception of Il Adagios I would agree. You put it very PCly.

[SissasMomE]

I have visited Italy 7-8 times and lived in Europe for five years. I have had Italian food all over the World, including NYC, and in Georgia where we live.

 

I disagree that La Cucina and Olive Garden are not Italian food.

 

Ethnic food, whether it is Italian, French, German, Mexican, or for that matter American Southern has been Globalized.

 

Italian food varies according to whether or not it is Neapolitan, Sicilian, Tuscan, Northern Italian, etc. However, if you eat "Italian" food in Northern Italy, you will likely find a fair number of restaurants that serve Neapolitan (which is what most Americans consider Italian food).

 

It is like Mexican food. I was born in South Texas and have eaten Mexican food since I was out of diapers. In my opinion, it is hard to find really good Mexican food (actually Tex-Mex) outside of Texas. The tamales served in expensive chain Mexican restaurants in the NE USA are not as good as the ones you buy on the street in Texas.

 

Having spent a good bit of time in Mexico, I found that enchiladas in Mexico City were not as good as the ones from Texas.

 

Still, if you eat an enchilada from Don Pablo's in Woodbridge, VA, it will be very close to what you find in Texas, and not bad at all. Clearly, it qualifies as Mexican.

Heck, a taco from Taco Bell qualifies as Mexican.

 

To say the Olive Garden is not Italian is wrong. They serve a plethora of dishes that are very common to Naples or Rome. The recipes have likely been modified from someone's Neapolitan Grandmother, but the food bears a close resemblance to Italian food.

 

I have found one dish that I like quite a bit from Olive Garden, that is portobello stuffed Ravioli. Overall, I would say OG is what we call fair to middlin down here in Georgia, but it still Italian.

 

I will say that the best pizza that I have ever eaten was in New York, but I have had pretty good pizza here in Georgia.

 

Food changes, I remember the first time I heard of a burrito. Burritos are not Tex-Mex, they are California-Mex, but they are definitely Mexican.

 

That's nice. Since I'm a second generation American, my knowledge of Italian food trumps yours LOL My Italian born grandparents (on both sides) wouldn't step foot in an Olive Garden - and neither would I! You can decorate a restaurant and call it Italian, and it's not even close. Not even ....

[SissasMomE]

La Cucina and Olive Garden are Italian Themed Not Authentic Italian food! Neapolitan Grandmothers are turning in their graves from your comment! Where in Europe did you live? Not Italy i'm guessing! Cause if you did you wouldn't say you had the best pizza in NYC! Oh and by the way Northern Italian is nothing like Neapolitan food! Two different regions!

 

Ha! Exactly.

[4774Papa]

La Cucina and Olive Garden are Italian Themed Not Authentic Italian food! Neapolitan Grandmothers are turning in their graves from your comment! Where in Europe did you live? Not Italy i'm guessing! Cause if you did you wouldn't say you had the best pizza in NYC! Oh and by the way Northern Italian is nothing like Neapolitan food! Two different regions!

Of course Northern Italian cooking different from Neapolitan. My point there was that many restaurants in Northern Italy serve Neapolitan type food.

 

I realize that Northern Italian food is different from Neapolitan, but even in Northern Italy many restaurants have adapted to a Neapolitan influence.

 

As a student of history, I am aware that much of French cooking was borrowed from Northern Italy. When Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Northern Italy, we people took to France some of the cooking.

 

Also, imagine Neapolitan cooking without tomatoes, which came from the New World. Ethnic foods change, due to foreign influences.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_cuisine

 

OK, my ancestry comes from the British Isles, I am not Italian. However, that doesn't disqualify my opinion. Oh, now Olive Garden is Italian themed, but not Italian. What, OG serves a wide variety of dishes, incluiding Lasagne, Spaghetti, Ravioli, as well as eggplant dishes.

These dishes are Italian, regardless of the exact ingredients.

 

After eating Chinese food for three weeks in China, we discovered a much broader variety of dishes that normally found in Chinese restaurants in the USA.

We discovered several dishes that we had never eaten and very much enjoyed the food. However, the Chinese food we had eaten in the USA was still very similar to what we had in China.

We had Peking Duck in Beijing that was remarkably like what we had in the USA. I guess some will say that the Peking Duck that I had in the USA was Chinese themed!

 

We lived in Augsburg, Germany and drove down to Italy several times. Having eaten in Naples, Rome, Florence, Siena, Pisa, Ravenna, Bolognia, Verona, Venice and in between, we had savored all the wonderful Italian gastronomic experience. I still had the best pizza in NYC.

[missy428]

^^^Ugh. Please don't use Comic Sans for your font. Please! We're not in the 2nd grade. Go here for more info: http://comicsanscriminal.com/ ^^^^

 

*applauds*

[Pappion]

We ate at the one on the Pearl and found the food to be average (like Olive Garden type food) but on our particular sailing the service was super slow. Our dinner took 3 hours. The bread and dipping oils were really good though.

[gcdogwalker]

Loved it! Thought the food was delicious!

[njitalian76]

Of course Northern Italian cooking different from Neapolitan. My point there was that many restaurants in Northern Italy serve Neapolitan type food.

 

I realize that Northern Italian food is different from Neapolitan, but even in Northern Italy many restaurants have adapted to a Neapolitan influence.

 

As a student of history, I am aware that much of French cooking was borrowed from Northern Italy. When Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Northern Italy, we people took to France some of the cooking.

 

Also, imagine Neapolitan cooking without tomatoes, which came from the New World. Ethnic foods change, due to foreign influences.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_cuisine

 

OK, my ancestry comes from the British Isles, I am not Italian. However, that doesn't disqualify my opinion. Oh, now Olive Garden is Italian themed, but not Italian. What, OG serves a wide variety of dishes, incluiding Lasagne, Spaghetti, Ravioli, as well as eggplant dishes.

These dishes are Italian, regardless of the exact ingredients.

 

After eating Chinese food for three weeks in China, we discovered a much broader variety of dishes that normally found in Chinese restaurants in the USA.

We discovered several dishes that we had never eaten and very much enjoyed the food. However, the Chinese food we had eaten in the USA was still very similar to what we had in China.

We had Peking Duck in Beijing that was remarkably like what we had in the USA. I guess some will say that the Peking Duck that I had in the USA was Chinese themed!

 

We lived in Augsburg, Germany and drove down to Italy several times. Having eaten in Naples, Rome, Florence, Siena, Pisa, Ravenna, Bolognia, Verona, Venice and in between, we had savored all the wonderful Italian gastronomic experience. I still had the best pizza in NYC.

 

 

You are entitled to your opinion. But thats what it is, your not of Italian heritage or trained in the culinary arts. But you are way off topic the OP doesn't care what Chinese food you have eaten or what you really think of Olive Garden. The thread is about La Cucina! KEEP TO THE TOPIC!

[Va. Plumber]

NOTE TO ITALIAN FOOD EXPERTS:

Stop trying to dazzle everyone with your knowledge of Italian food. I doubt

seriously if you will convince the OP to eat there or not.

 

Obviously there are a significant number of people who enjoy La Cucina. Otherwise it would be long gone. To be honest, I found RCCL's Giovanni's Table to be head and shoulders ahead in both ambiance and food.

 

That being said, however, I have never had a bad meal at La Cucina.

 

Lighten up!