Summit -Tuscan Grill Food Quality / Select Dining

[bandp407]

Can anyone who has recently been on the Summit & eaten at the Tuscan Grill provide some info? In some of the reviews I’ve read several commented on the poor quality of the beef & chicken. Simply put the meat was “tough”. 

As with all of the Celebrity Ships , the tables are getting closer & closer. My brother is celebrating his 30th Anniversary onboard the Summit to Bermuda in July. We took Select & I will reserve his dining times in advance. Can anyone suggest any areas in the dining room where the tables are more spaced out? Saw some photos with the high back chairs by the wall? Unfortunately select dining is on 4 , so no opportunity to request a table on the rail. 
 

Would greatly appreciate any information that can be shared. 

[hcat]

We'd also like to hear more about Tuscan dining,  it is usually good. 

 

Don't think we'll like the tall heavy chairs.. they look very enclosed.  

[jelayne]

For us the filet in Tuscan has always been great.  We don’t care for any of the pasta dishes and gave up on the ribeye a long time ago.  We don’t eat fish or seafood but others we have dined with enjoyed their meal.  
We like the Chianti that is only available in Tuscan

I can’t help with the Select dining as we were in Blu on the Summit.  

[katgio50]

We were recently on the Summit and were very disappointed in the Tuscan.  The tables were very close together, there was very little "ambiance", I didn't really like the placemats instead of a linen tablecloth and the service wasn't great.  Our filet was delicious.  However, like a previous poster we didn't find a pasta dish that appealed to us.  All in all I would not return anytime soon.

[lorimay]

We were on the Summit last July and ate in Tuscan for our 30th anniversary. My husband's steak was so tough he had to send it back (and we never send back food). I was a little disappointed in the food altogether - ok but not fantastic, but they made the night very special. 

 

We were in select dining for that cruise. The two-tops are incredibly close together. I have posted before about the very uncomfortable exchange we had with the couple sitting inches away from us. Anyway, there are two-tops by the windows with those tall-back chairs which are more private and there are a few larger 6-8 seat tables back there too. I would say the tables away from the back windows on the sides might be better. For the larger tables you are focused on each other around the table so you won't feel like you are on display like you do at the tables for two.

[hcat]

Has anyone ordered the meatball appetizer.. It was huge!

[Moby Jones]

We found Tuscan to be a real disappointment on Summit. Our steaks both needed sending back as they were well beyond our preferred cooking point. I've found Tuscan to be a disappointment onboard Eclipse and Silhouette too so no longer dine there. 

I'd agree with the above that there is very little ambiance in M class Tuscan restaurants and service has always been mediocre at best in my personal experience. 

 

[Jim_Iain]

We dined on Summit a couple times in the last year.   One was a regular dinner and the other was Chef Daniel Boulud and the second was a regular Tuscan Dinner.

 

Service was friendly and exceptional.    In our party of 5 everyone enjoyed their meal but one of our guests received her Lasagna which was COLD in the center.    The Hotel Manager immediately jumped into action and had the dish redone. 

 

In the past couple years we have found Tuscan Grill to be hit or miss and inconsistent.  

[hcat]

Appreciate the input

Do you have the current menu?

Not even sure the meatball is still offered.

Not many other choices for diner on board Summit,  so we will do our best to get a nice table and make good choices from the menu!

[Moby Jones]

16 minutes ago, hcat said:

 

Not many other choices for diner on board Summit, 

 

I was disappointed to see Qsine replaced with LPC because the latter is very much a one and done for me. 

Even more disappointing was seeing the Ocean Liners restaurants on M class ships (Murano by another name) replaced with Tuscan Grille. 

For me the lack of enjoyable venues make S and E class ships far more appealing than M class, particularly on longer sailings. 

Moan over! :) 

[Jim_Iain]

Here is the last menu I have.   Just checked it against the X App and it is current to what is on the app.

 

 

[hcat]

We are taking Summit for the itin..Bayonne RT to Newport, Charleston and Bermuda. So no choice in ship class.  Luckily there are  nice restaurants  in each of those ports..!

 

Is there a sushi  place on Summit  that has more than  than sushi?...dh does not like that and allergic to lobster.....etc.

[hcat]

4 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Here is the last menu I have.   Just checked it against the X App and it is current to what is on the app.

 

 

 

Thanks so much,...that's the menu I remember.

  We'll do fine if we skip the beef!

[Jim_Iain]

Summit has Sushi on 5    -  Al a Carte - they do have some non-fish items like "Kobe Beef Ramen Slider but mostly all fish.

 

[hcat]

1 minute ago, Jim_Iain said:

Summit has Sushi on 5    -  Al a Carte - they do have some non-fish items like "Kobe Beef Ramen Slider but mostly all fish.

 

Thanks... we should be set..esp with lunches out in the ports!

[Jim_Iain]

We did a B2B on the same itinerary you are taking last year.    We really enjoyed the cruise but our cruise had Boston instead of Charleston.   I'm sure you will enjoy.

 

 

[bandp407]

My fellow cruisers , thank you very much for the wonderful  feedback & Jim_lain for the Tuscan Menu! It’s pretty much what I remember from the Equinox. We did not love it either & think my brother should try to concentrate on getting a somewhat private table for 2 in the dining room based on Lorimay’s (happy 30th) feedback.

 

Hope Celebrity is seeing this & try’s  to address the situation. In addition to my brother doing the Summit for his 30th, DH & I are contemplating the Summit May of 21 to Bermuda, RI, & Charleston for our 35th.  We live in Florida & would be doing it for the itinerary like hcat. After reading this I think we will rethink. We too have done only the S class ships & enjoy Murano .

 

Thanks again to all !

[hcat]

1 hour ago, bandp407 said:

My fellow cruisers , thank you very much for the wonderful  feedback & Jim_lain for the Tuscan Menu! It’s pretty much what I remember from the Equinox. We did not love it either & think my brother should try to concentrate on getting a somewhat private table for 2 in the dining room based on Lorimay’s (happy 30th) feedback.

 

Hope Celebrity is seeing this & try’s  to address the situation. In addition to my brother doing the Summit for his 30th, DH & I are contemplating the Summit May of 21 to Bermuda, RI, & Charleston for our 35th.  We live in Florida & would be doing it for the itinerary like hcat. After reading this I think we will rethink. We too have done only the S class ships & enjoy Murano .

 

Thanks again to all !

I'd book it!

It's an outstanding itin with overnights. We are focused on having  lunches out in the  ports,  if you book early enough,,try for  AQ Class or a suite for a diff dining experience, esp for your 35th!

 

Jim's  detailed review of his b2b  encouraged  us even more; and now we want to do the Boston version, sooner rather than later.

 

Bando407...    ...Hi in Naples...we are in Venice for the season. Great weather so far!

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by hcat

[MEcruzr]

Like any restaurant there are choices that can be hit or miss... I've had my best meal and my worst meal on a ship in Tuscan Grille! Best meal was a sea day lunch. Everything about it was exceptional. In October I had my least favorite meal. I had the Lobster Rigatoni Alfredo in case you're wondering. A real miss. Our waiter noticed I wasn't eating and offered to get me ANYTHING else but I declined. Our check came and he had taken 30% off both meals. I will still go to TG in May... because I'm a hopeless optimist and who knows, we might have another best meal ever! 

[bandp407]

5 hours ago, hcat said:

I'd book it!

It's an outstanding itin with overnights. We are focused on having  lunches out in the  ports,  if you book early enough,,try for  AQ Class or a suite for a diff dining experience, esp for your 35th!

 

Jim's  detailed review of his b2b  encouraged  us even more; and now we want to do the Boston version, sooner rather than later.

 

Bando407...    ...Hi in Naples...we are in Venice for the season. Great weather so far!

 

HCAT - thanks for your enthusiasm ! We did Aqua Class on all of our Reflection & Silhouette sailings  before moving to Florida. On Equinox we have been in standard balcony cabins & dined in the main dining room & Murano. Enjoyed both. I will keep an open mind about the Bermuda, Charleston cruise & read up again on Jim's blog & the various Aqua cabins & food in Blu. . Depending on the price it might be something to consider. Always wondered about noise from the Oceanview & Pool above though. 

 

And yes HCAT the weather has been beautiful!  Look forward to your review of the Bermuda, Charleston cruise!! When do you go?  

 

[bandp407]

2 hours ago, MEcruzr said:

Like any restaurant there are choices that can be hit or miss... I've had my best meal and my worst meal on a ship in Tuscan Grille! Best meal was a sea day lunch. Everything about it was exceptional. In October I had my least favorite meal. I had the Lobster Rigatoni Alfredo in case you're wondering. A real miss. Our waiter noticed I wasn't eating and offered to get me ANYTHING else but I declined. Our check came and he had taken 30% off both meals. I will still go to TG in May... because I'm a hopeless optimist and who knows, we might have another best meal ever! 

Now that's a great attitude!  ENJOY!

[Not a username2]

8 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

We dined on Summit a couple times in the last year.   One was a regular dinner and the other was Chef Daniel Boulud and the second was a regular Tuscan Dinner.

 

 

 

Hi Jim, Can you please tell me more about the Daniel Boulud dinner? I'm very interested in this one

[aml3679]

It is too bad that there are so many bad reviews for the Tuscan Grill.  My husband and I ate there twice on the Equinox and plan on eating there again next month.  We usually get a pasta dish though.

[hcat]

The Snapper and a Caesar  Salad would work for me,  dh loves the meatballs, pasta and beef ..but maybe beef not a great choice anymore!

[elaineb]

8 hours ago, aml3679 said:

It is too bad that there are so many bad reviews for the Tuscan Grill.  My husband and I ate there twice on the Equinox and plan on eating there again next month.  We usually get a pasta dish though.

I have booked the Tuscan Grill for our first evening on the Equinox.  We have sailed only 1 other time on Celebrity - on the Summit last March.  We did not do any specialty dining, so we don't have a standard to compare it with.  I am hoping it will be good as we are celebrating our 45th.  I know Murano gets rave reviews, but the menu is not so appealing to me.

PS - we had those horrible chairs in the Main Dining Room.  So ridiculous to get in and out of, and my back was killing me.  Our server brought pillows for my back when she saw me coming!