specialty restaurants on the Equinox?

[grest]

Looking for opinions/recommendations.   Thanks!

[mfs2k]

 

We had great dinners in Murano and Tuscan Grille.  I would put Murano one step ahead though.  

Tuscan Grille is good but the steaks still aren't the quality you'd get at a top city steakhouse. But they are cheaper, so there's that. 

I suspect you will get many different opinions.  This is mine. 

Edited February 17, 2022 by mfs2k

[JamieLogical]

We ended up doing Le Petit Chef twice on our Equinox sailing last month. The "show" was fun and we found the food to be some of the best on the ship. We also tried Tuscan Grill and Murano. We found Murano to be very disappointing, especially after all the rave reviews I see on Cruise Critic. Maybe they were just having an off day? It was the first day of the sailing, so we got the half-price offer.

[Jim_Iain]

I know that everyone tastes,  expectations and  experience are different. 

 

For us we have never been disappointed with Murano; Tuscan Grill has been hit and miss with a couple negative experiences with a guest lasagna coming out cold and had to send back 2 times; and Petite Chef -  fun but for us one and done (actually twice and done as we were invited as a guest for a birthday party and couldn't turn down). 

[brockmom]

We tried to avoid the main dinning room on our first cruise since Covid in November to hopefully avoid crowds, so we ate 6 dinners in the specialty on Equinox. We were not disappointed.

First  and last night in Munaro. First night was wonderful but I will never book the last night again- they were far too busy and the service was no where the same as the first night. 
We had Tuscan twice - John was the server  - service was stellar and 

he recommended a few things which we had never tried before. The Sea bass was wonderful and so was the fig gelato ! Wow.

le Petite we always find delicious but I admit I don’t like the rushing.

We were  told to be there at 5:45 but they didn't open the doors until after 6, and I couldn’t help wondering how much smoother and unhurried it would be if we were allowed to seat earlier. That would give the servers time to take orders etc without that rush rush feeling.

Sushi on five is wonderful, staff love to offer suggestions and do not rush 

at all.

enjoy your meals and your cruise

Brockmom

 

[39august]

There is also Sushi on 5, which we love. It is priced ala carte and we can usually fill up both of us for $40. Plenty to eat there besides sushi.   The specialty drink menu is very interesting as well.

[dkjretired]

Some recommendations for Murano, Warrm goat cheese soufflé, Chateabrian for two at your table, whole lobster. Also dessert , Dark Chocolate soufflé and the best thing I’ve had on a Celebrity ship sailing with them for 30 years Grand Marnier soufflé.

[Oceansaway17]

well I am glad that I am in Aqua class so that I can at least try BLU.

Not sure what to think of all the above comments.  But Murano sounds like a good SKIP IT.

 

Then again I am a buffet person as I like to see my food.  Might consider Le Petite but definitely no sushi since I do not like uncooked seafood.

[JamieLogical]

1 minute ago, Oceansaway17 said:

well I am glad that I am in Aqua class so that I can at least try BLU.

Not sure what to think of all the above comments.  But Murano sounds like a good SKIP IT.

 

Then again I am a buffet person as I like to see my food.  Might consider Le Petite but definitely no sushi since I do not like uncooked seafood.

 

There is a lot more on the menu at Sushi on 5. You should check the menu in the app before ruling it out.

[Oceansaway17]

3 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

There is a lot more on the menu at Sushi on 5. You should check the menu in the app before ruling it out.

ok will do.

after I posted my comments, I did remember that on RCI ships their restaurant got good reviews even from folks like me who do not like the raw seafood sushi just the veggie ones.

[PinkSandGirl]

1 hour ago, Oceansaway17 said:

folks like me who do not like the raw seafood sushi just the veggie ones.

I do not eat seafood and enjoyed Sushi on 5 for lunch.  😉

 

I started a Specialty Restaurant Picture thread last week.  I was on the Equinox in October and have some pictures posted.  

 

We ate at Le Petit Chef & Tuscan Grille for dinner and Sushi on 5 for lunch.  I like to try Specialty restaurants but only a couple nights.  We enjoyed Blu so wanted to stay there the other nights.   

 

I had been to Tuscan Grille before and honestly it isn't my favorite.  It doesn't have anything to do with the type of food it's just how they prepare some things.  I've never had anything bad but I don't leave there thinking,  'Wow!  That was so good'.    I said this before we went but my mom, dad and boyfriend wanted to go again so I said, "fine". 😄  My opinion is still the same as last time.  😉 

 

🍹

[LGW59]

2 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

well I am glad that I am in Aqua class so that I can at least try BLU.

Not sure what to think of all the above comments.  But Murano sounds like a good SKIP IT.

 

Then again I am a buffet person as I like to see my food.  Might consider Le Petite but definitely no sushi since I do not like uncooked seafood.

4 of the 6 posts above loved Murano, personal decision, but that to me would at least warrant a let's try it out

[jalves]

We were on the Reflection (sister ship to the Equinox) a couple of weeks ago.  We were in a suite and only ate in one specialty restaurant (besides Luminae) Le Petite Chef.  We loved it.  Enjoyed both the show and the food.  Did it twice on the cruise to experience the two (3 on cruises longer than 7 nights) different menus/shows.

[RBKL]

Can Le Petit Chef be booked using the dining deals like Dining Trio? Is it ever discounted on board?

Edited February 17, 2022 by RBKL

[DaKahuna]

5 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

There is a lot more on the menu at Sushi on 5. You should check the menu in the app before ruling it out.

 We love Sushi on 5 on the S-Class ships.  It's is our default for lunch on days the ship is in port. 

 

[cheeseheads4ever]

We love Murano's and as stated by others all depends on a persons personal taste.  But the flambéed lobster is out of this world (table side). We’ve had their lobster lunch and  fillet which on this particular cruise was incredible. Never have you ever heard this come out of my lips..

I’m tired of lobster and fillet..

All was outstanding… 

[JamieLogical]

2 hours ago, RBKL said:

Can Le Petit Chef be booked using the dining deals like Dining Trio? Is it ever discounted on board?

 

We booked our second trip to Le Petit Chef at a discounted rate onboard. We had pre-booked the first visit and while we were there, our waiter told us about the different menu later in the cruise and said he could get us reservations for that for $35/person, instead of the listed $55.

[RBKL]

1 minute ago, JamieLogical said:

 

We booked our second trip to Le Petit Chef at a discounted rate onboard. We had pre-booked the first visit and while we were there, our waiter told us about the different menu later in the cruise and said he could get us reservations for that for $35/person, instead of the listed $55.

Thanks. Did you prefer one menu over the other?

 

[dkjretired]

7 hours ago, dkjretired said:

Some recommendations for Murano, Warrm goat cheese soufflé, Chateabrian for two at your table, whole lobster. Also dessert , Dark Chocolate soufflé and the best thing I’ve had on a Celebrity ship sailing with them for 30 years Grand Marnier soufflé.

Not the only items in Murano, be advised all the restaurants will have different steak types.

[dkjretired]

7 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

There is a lot more on the menu at Sushi on 5. You should check the menu in the app before ruling it out.

Yup, check the app for menus. I can’t stand Bait on Five. Lots of options.

 

[jalves]

11 hours ago, RBKL said:

Thanks. Did you prefer one menu over the other?

 

I thought they were both pretty good.  I might give the edge to the first one.  But there might be some bias there for the first exposure to this new experience.  

[JamieLogical]

11 hours ago, RBKL said:

Thanks. Did you prefer one menu over the other?

 

 

I preferred the "and Friends" menu with the Ravioli and Steak Frites. Though the original menu with the lobster and filet was also good.

[terrydtx]

We were on the Equinox last August in a Sky Suite, so we had dinners in Luminae. We did do Murano one night and we asked about the lobster, our server told us it was a warm water lobster and that they had a lot of complaints about the quality from passengers all week. We decided to do the herb crusted rack of lamb, it was good but not as good as the same rack of lamb we had in Luminae a couple of nights later.  We also did one dinner at Tuscan and had the Veal Marsala, and it probably was one of the best veal marsala's I have ever had, the veal was tender, and the marsala sauce had 3 or 4 different types of mushrooms, nothing like it in the other restaurants. We did sushi on 5 for one lunch and it was also very good, my wife who hates sushi enjoyed the Ramen bowl and pot stickers. Our overall opinion was that the specialty restaurants were good but not as good as the service and dishes we had in Luminae. On or future cruises we will bypass the specialty venues and stick with the Luminae, except we may try Eden next year on the Apex. I Know not everyone can book the suites, but my opinion is based on our experience in both Luminae and the SR's.

Edited February 18, 2022 by terrydtx

[Pinboy]

19 hours ago, dkjretired said:

Some recommendations for Murano, Warrm goat cheese soufflé, Chateabrian for two at your table, whole lobster. Also dessert , Dark Chocolate soufflé and the best thing I’ve had on a Celebrity ship sailing with them for 30 years Grand Marnier soufflé.

You Da Man !!! 

Here's the , oops, my score out of 10:

Murano ---  10  

Tuscan Grille-- 8.5

Suchi on 5 --- 6 ( been there only once )

Mast Grill -- We have enough hamburgers et chien chaud  ( hot dogs ) here-- not fair to compare .

Spa Cafe---- 9 ( excellent for lunch )

Blu---- 7  ( toooo healthy ) !!

Luminae -- Do not qualify--- We don't stay in a suite.

OVC ( Slugfest on 14 )--- 2 when full of slobs at breakfast and lunch----- 9 at 4pm when they offer scones, open face sandwiches.

MDR--8 ----- ( LOL,  except one time when our waiter forgot to bring my 3 shrimp cocktails at the same time.

To be a " good sport " I didn't  remove our gratuities or write a 300 word letter complaining about it----- Why ?  I didn't need the chocolate covered strawberries with the " Sorry for the inconvenience  " form letter " from Guest Relations ).  

Overall--- Food excellent---- Service excellent 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2022 by Pinboy
Forgot a point

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, Pinboy said:

You Da Man !!! 

Here's the , oops, my score out of 10:

Murano ---  10  

Tuscan Grille-- 8.5

Suchi on 5 --- 6 ( been there only once )

Mast Grill -- We have enough hamburgers et chien chaud  ( hot dogs ) here-- not fair to compare .

Spa Cafe---- 9 ( excellent for lunch )

Blu---- 7  ( toooo healthy ) !!

Luminae -- Do not qualify--- We don't stay in a suite.

OVC ( Slugfest on 14 )--- 2 when full of slobs at breakfast and lunch----- 9 at 4pm when they offer scones, open face sandwiches.

MDR--8 ----- ( LOL,  except one time when our waiter forgot to bring my 3 shrimp cocktails at the same time.

To be a " good sport " I didn't  remove our gratuities or write a 300 word letter complaining about it----- Why ?  I didn't need the chocolate covered strawberries with the " Sorry for the inconvenience  " form letter " from Guest Relations ).  

Overall--- Food excellent---- Service excellent 

 

 

OVC ( Slugfest on 14 )--- 2 when full of slobs at breakfast and lunch----- Could not agree more, WTH is it about breakfast buffets that makes people act like they never saw a damn slice of bacon or a big pan of powdered scrambled "eggs" and don't get me going on when they have fish n chips for lunch.  I will say, back in the self serve days, it was entertaining to get a nice cup of coffee and sit at a table for a bit in the morning and enjoy the circus, I will miss that entertainment and I will be at guest services on my next cruise demanding a refund for taking that away from me.