Breakaway - Specialty Dining

[adivineeternity]

I've been floating around here for a few months now, posting here and there as my excitement slowly builds up to my first cruise this September, which I will be going on with my boyfriend, James (it's his first cruise and first time leaving the country). I've been doing a lot of reading and researching, but I do have one question, which is going to give me highly subjective answers. We're looking into a couple of nights at specialty restaurants for dinner, including the possibility of a formal night of our own making at Le Bistro, and I wanted to get people's thoughts on all the different options.

 

We're trying to pick from the available choices and, well, I'm not good at decisions. He has a habit of not making decisions until I pick because he seems to think that I won't agree with his ideas (even though they usually wind up matching my ideas so... I dunno). We both love food and grew up with mothers who know how to cook really well. He's pickier about Italian than I am, but we're open to anything as we both really love food.

 

So, if you could pick any two specialty restaurants while trying to remain at least somewhat budget-conscious, which two would you restrain yourself to? Also, if you have recommendations for certain meals you loved at a place, feel free to include those.

[dexddd]

I've been floating around here for a few months now, posting here and there as my excitement slowly builds up to my first cruise this September, which I will be going on with my boyfriend, James (it's his first cruise and first time leaving the country). I've been doing a lot of reading and researching, but I do have one question, which is going to give me highly subjective answers. We're looking into a couple of nights at specialty restaurants for dinner, including the possibility of a formal night of our own making at Le Bistro, and I wanted to get people's thoughts on all the different options.

 

We're trying to pick from the available choices and, well, I'm not good at decisions. He has a habit of not making decisions until I pick because he seems to think that I won't agree with his ideas (even though they usually wind up matching my ideas so... I dunno). We both love food and grew up with mothers who know how to cook really well. He's pickier about Italian than I am, but we're open to anything as we both really love food.

 

So, if you could pick any two specialty restaurants while trying to remain at least somewhat budget-conscious, which two would you restrain yourself to? Also, if you have recommendations for certain meals you loved at a place, feel free to include those.

 

Le Bistro is normally the one that gets suggested when this question gets asked. When we ate there in March on the BA the meal and service was great. We also ate at Cagneys and while the food was good the service sucked.

[Fishbait17]

My two choices would be Le Bistro and either Moderno or Cagney's. Moderno has a slight edge for me, as it has such variety and is both a meat-fest and has the great salad bar, but Cagney's is a good classic steakhouse if that's what I'm in the mood for.

 

Least favorites would be the Italian place (doesn't compare to really good Italian food in NJ), Teppanyaki (can be fun with a group but food is ordinary for such a place), and the Noodle Bar or Asian (mostly because of food allergies). Ocean Blue, in my opinion, was overpriced and unwilling.

 

Robin

[RickinNYC]

Hello from Queens!

 

I've sailed on Breakaway twice and will be going again this August. The only restaurants we've tried thus far are Cagney's, Moderno and Le Bistro. Don't go on board with the expectation of a four star restaurant in Manhattan, but all three were pretty good nonetheless. Certainly worth a try at their pricepoints.

 

In August, we'll definitely go back to Moderno's because we like the relaxed, yet still nice, atmosphere. Plus the variety of food was fun. We'll also very likely hit Cagney's for a steak. Probably skipping Le Bistro simply because that was the last place we went this past February.

 

ETA: We'd tried the noodle place a couple of times on two other ships and truly hated everything we ordered both times. I wouldn't consider either of us particularly picky, but I thought we could get better at the local Chinese chain at the mall. Yuck.

Edited May 8, 2014 by RickinNYC

[adivineeternity]

Yeah, I know this gets asked a lot. It's just one of those topics. Thanks for the input so far, though. Fortunately for little miss indecisive here, I have plenty of time to make up my mind.

 

(At least I haven't started bugging the folks on the Bermuda board with all my questions in regards to planning our days in-port. Yet. I have loads of probably really vague questions right now, at least partially because I'm bored at work.)

 

ANND hi Rick! I'm in Queens right now. That's where my, uhh... joyous workplace is.

Edited May 8, 2014 by adivineeternity

[RickinNYC]

Yeah, I know this gets asked a lot. It's just one of those topics. Thanks for the input so far, though. Fortunately for little miss indecisive here, I have plenty of time to make up my mind.

 

(At least I haven't started bugging the folks on the Bermuda board with all my questions in regards to planning our days in-port. Yet. I have loads of probably really vague questions right now, at least partially because I'm bored at work.)

 

ANND hi Rick! I'm in Queens right now. That's where my, uhh... joyous workplace is.

 

No worries about the questions. That's what this board is for. Lots of very helpful folks here. And NCL is a great choice for a cruise newbie simply because they tend to be much more relaxed and go-with-the-flow.

 

And you work in Queens? Ha. I work in Chelsea. My husband works in Queens, however. He's a teacher.

[BuffetPantsPls]

If you're dressing up and making it a formal night

 

le bistro for sure

 

i like the moderno, but nothing like having meat juices all over the jacket and tie. or even meat sweats afterwards.

 

le bistro has a nice pace, the decor is nice and you can find a nice little nook in the corner.

 

cagney's is decent, but, i personally have never taken the wife to a steakhouse if it was a date and it's mostly because i'm probably not that attractive wolfing down a big hunk of red meat =)

[nycmode]

Le Bistro is very good for the price point

Cagney's is decent too

Teppanyaki is great if you want a little fun to go along with the food (I personally like it), it's pricey tho

 

Ocean blue is very pricey but you get what you pay for

[Fishbait17]

Oh, and one little note: if you want a nice evening in Le Bistro on the Breakaway, be sure to note your reservation with "Inside Seating Only!" Otherwise you might be seated in the "outside" patio area (not really outside but an indoor patio in the atrium area - noisy with lots of people walking by within feet of you)... We used the concierge to make the note on res, but you could stop by and speak to the Le Bistro Maitre'D the night before to make the note..

 

Robin

Edited May 8, 2014 by Fishbait17

[weltek]

I haven't been on Breakaway, so haven't tried Ocean Blue nor experienced the exact layout of these restaurants. However, having experienced everything else except Teppenyaki on other ships, I'd vote Le Bistro and Moderno. Two very different experiences. Then treat yourself to the noodle bar or sushi for lunch. :-)

[nycmode]

Oh, and one little note: if you want a nice evening in Le Bistro on the Breakaway, be sure to note your reservation with "Inside Seating Only!" Otherwise you might be seated in the "outside" patio area (not really outside but an indoor patio in the atrium area - noisy with lots of people walking by within feet of you)... We used the concierge to make the note on res, but you could stop by and speak to the Le Bistro Maitre'D the night before to make the note..

 

Robin

 

Agree on this - it gets REAL noisy by the atrium/patio area. It's no wonder those seats are almost always empty on all the sailings I've been on.

On the Breakaway - LeBistro is right across from headliners - which gets big lines going in, and huge noisy crowds coming out after the second city or dueling piano shows FYI. The stairway into the atrium right above the "patio" seats also lead to the casino - and it gets smoky.

[Fishbait17]

Agree on this - it gets REAL noisy by the atrium/patio area. It's no wonder those seats are almost always empty on all the sailings I've been on.

On the Breakaway - LeBistro is right across from headliners - which gets big lines going in, and huge noisy crowds coming out after the second city or dueling piano shows FYI. The stairway into the atrium right above the "patio" seats also lead to the casino - and it gets smoky.

 

They tried to seat us there once, and we ended up having to wait almost two hours for a table to open up inside. Worth the wait, though, as I really wouldn't like sitting out there (we saw several people seated out there on our sailing last May).

 

Robin

[nycmode]

They tried to seat us there once, and we ended up having to wait almost two hours for a table to open up inside. Worth the wait, though, as I really wouldn't like sitting out there (we saw several people seated out there on our sailing last May).

 

Robin

 

It was worth the wait! :D

[mets07]

Although it likely will not be up to your home-made and local standards, we actually enjoyed La Cucina the most -- because we loved eating outside. The weather was great and the scenery gorgeous.

 

Enjoy!