Ember on Vista

[PirateShark]

OK.  We did dine at Ember last night.  It was loud and it was quick.  Food is subjective to each persons taste.  That being said, I think our reservation for the next segment will be cancelled.  I’m glad there are folks who did enjoy it.  The service, as elsewhere on the ship, was excellent.  All a matter of personal preference.  

[hubofhockey]

On 6/21/2023 at 3:43 AM, Hambagahle said:

"High end Indian" - you now have my FULL attention.   That is seriously great food.

I would doubt an cruise ships have tandoori ovens.

[Hambagahle]

3 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

I would doubt an cruise ships have tandoori ovens.

Not impossible. They do take a lot of electricity though.  (clearly you couldn't have a charcoal or a gas one!)   But tandoori is not everything when it comes to really great Indian food - by far.  

[Hambagahle]

4 hours ago, PirateShark said:

OK.  We did dine at Ember last night.  It was loud and it was quick.  Food is subjective to each persons taste.  That being said, I think our reservation for the next segment will be cancelled.  I’m glad there are folks who did enjoy it.  The service, as elsewhere on the ship, was excellent.  All a matter of personal preference.  

I doubt we will be eating there.  Like Toscana - I will make the reservations and then give them to the butler so he can pass them on to people who want them.  This means for us we have two restaurants to eat at - Red Ginger and Polo.   Probably we'll be ordering in a lot from those as well!

[PirateShark]

30 minutes ago, Hambagahle said:

I doubt we will be eating there.  Like Toscana - I will make the reservations and then give them to the butler so he can pass them on to people who want them.  This means for us we have two restaurants to eat at - Red Ginger and Polo.   Probably we'll be ordering in a lot from those as well!

It sounds as if the steaks are well prepared (I just had a couple of apps and dessert), all of which were fine but not really to my individual tastes.  We've been talking about our next reservation and we'll see if we go and if we do try the steak at least to see if it was just "one of those nights".  But I get where your coming from.  

 

Overall, we're loving Vista and would book again.

[hubofhockey]

1 hour ago, Hambagahle said:

Not impossible. They do take a lot of electricity though.  (clearly you couldn't have a charcoal or a gas one!)   But tandoori is not everything when it comes to really great Indian food - by far.  

Agreed, but many of the classic Indian dishes that many would want are made in that kind of oven.  Not saying an Indian cuisine couldn’t be done on a cruise ship, just maybe not an Indian restaurant.  

[Hambagahle]

2 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

Agreed, but many of the classic Indian dishes that many would want are made in that kind of oven.  Not saying an Indian cuisine couldn’t be done on a cruise ship, just maybe not an Indian restaurant.  

Disagree.  Really "high end" Indian cuisine does not involve a tandoor at all.   (OK- maybe to cook a roti but not for food).   There used to be a superb restaurant in Geneva, at the M-O Hotel.  Rasoi.  Vineet Bhatia set it up.  His London restaurant (now closed) and the Geneva one both had Michelin stars.  For that sort of level you need really great chefs.  Perhaps it would not work on a cruise ship.  But replace Ember with a high end Indian restaurant - would be amazing!

[Tr1v1alCru1ser]

Disappointed that they’ve done away with Jacques, always enjoyed our meals there.  I know a lot of people like Red Ginger, but not a fan, too fusion for my taste.  

[ORV]

Worst food I've ever had on Oceania was Indian nights in Terrace. I tasted multiple items, all tasted the same, none of which I cared for. Maybe it's my taste, but I'd hate to see any expansion of that cuisine. 

[jonthomas]

NO to Indian food. But that is just me, I also say NO to Mexican, Korean, No to any shellfish and a few others. 

 

Yes I have been told, just stick to McDs...lol....

[Tr1v1alCru1ser]

I love Indian food, but have found it’s usually been ‘dumbed down’ on the ship to appeal to a wider range of people.  I doubt it would necessarily have mass appeal, but I’d be up for it if they spiced it up 😁

[hubofhockey]

1 hour ago, Tr1v1alCru1ser said:

I love Indian food, but have found it’s usually been ‘dumbed down’ on the ship to appeal to a wider range of people.  I doubt it would necessarily have mass appeal, but I’d be up for it if they spiced it up 😁

 

I love many kinds of food that I would not get on a cruise ship.  

[Snaefell3]

3 hours ago, Tr1v1alCru1ser said:

Disappointed that they’ve done away with Jacques, always enjoyed our meals there.  I know a lot of people like Red Ginger, but not a fan, too fusion for my taste.  

O really couldn't design Vista with a French restaurant:  A "Jacques" even back when M. Pépin was only 85 was too likely to be ...overly optimistic, and a French restaurant not named for him on an Oceania ship would be gauche.

[maxamize]

7 hours ago, Snaefell3 said:

O really couldn't design Vista with a French restaurant:  A "Jacques" even back when M. Pépin was only 85 was too likely to be ...overly optimistic, and a French restaurant not named for him on an Oceania ship would be gauche.

So because Jacques Pépin has reached a certain age you can’t name a restaurant after him that the other ships already have? 

[Jayne E]

5 hours ago, maxamize said:

So because Jacques Pépin has reached a certain age you can’t name a restaurant after him that the other ships already have? 

Or a French restaurant with a different name if Mr. Pépin no longer wanted his named restaurant on a new ship?  For us what stood out about O was the 4 very distinct specialty offerings. We’ll be on Vista in November but the majority of Ember reviews are underwhelming. Agree with a previous post that there were enough casual dining venues on Vista without Ember. 

[Linkster248]

I am reading many of your posts about Ember. Until you all realize that Ember has been substituted for Jacques, you’ll never be satisfied with Ember. I’ve read that there enough casual restaurants. Like what? Terrace Cafe? Waves?. Aquamar?.

 

Accept Ember for what it is. High quality food in a relaxed atmosphere. Steaks, Lobster Rolls, Fried Shrimp, Lobster Mac and cheese with chunks of lobster and according to a guest that I spoke to, one of the best pork chops he’s ever had.

[Tr1v1alCru1ser]

7 hours ago, maxamize said:

So because Jacques Pépin has reached a certain age you can’t name a restaurant after him that the other ships already have? 

 

1 hour ago, Jayne E said:

Or a French restaurant with a different name if Mr. Pépin no longer wanted his named restaurant on a new ship?  For us what stood out about O was the 4 very distinct specialty offerings. We’ll be on Vista in November but the majority of Ember reviews are underwhelming. Agree with a previous post that there were enough casual dining venues on Vista without Ember. 

My thoughts exactly!  They could call it The Brasserie, or whatever they like, but they could still have a french restaurant on board.  Seems the reviews for Ember aren’t great, we may try it, we’ll see. 

[Snaefell3]

7 hours ago, maxamize said:

So because Jacques Pépin has reached a certain age you can’t name a restaurant after him that the other ships already have? 

Phrase it as "the increased likelihood of having to hire the lawyers of his estate as your Executive Culinary Director instead of M. Pépin himself" to see where I am coming from.

 

...and where the other ships' "Jacques" are likely to go come contract renewal time  😞

[mac_tlc]

On 8/26/2023 at 7:39 AM, hubofhockey said:

I would doubt an cruise ships have tandoori ovens.

I think the Norwegian Prima and Viva have Tandoori ovens in their Indulge Food Hall. 
 

 

mac_tlc

[Harters]

20 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

Really "high end" Indian cuisine does not involve a tandoor at all.

Not even high end. A tandoor is really only going to be used for breads and kebabs in whatever level of Asian restaurant. 

 

As for Jacques (which we enjoyed on Marina in 2017), let's be frank, M. Pepin is now 87 so his personal connection with Oceania is time limited. But I doubt whether the name "Jacques" is trademarked by him, so there's no commercial reason why O cannot keep that as a restaurant name if it so chose.

 

I'll reserve judgement on Ember until I try it next year. Whilst I can guess that O's motivation is intending an American influenced restaurant as a draw for its overwhelmingly American customer base, I'm not sure that to have another one, along with Polo, will prove to be the best of ideas. Of course, for me, an American cuisine restaurant is "foreign cuisine", so potentially quite an exciting prospect, even if the current online menu is a bit limited in its appeal (but then, so is Red Ginger's  for different reasons). 

[Snaefell3]

1 hour ago, Harters said:

...But I doubt whether the name "Jacques" is trademarked by him, so there's no commercial reason why O cannot keep that as a restaurant name if it so chose...

There is a technical term for the difference between being right and proving it: "lawyers' fees".

[maxamize]

25 minutes ago, Snaefell3 said:

There is a technical term for the difference between being right and proving it: "lawyers' fees".

Pay the fee to the man who helped to create Oceania’s finest cuisine at sea and keep the name as a tribute to him and all he has done. 

Edited August 27, 2023 by maxamize

[Snaefell3]

29 minutes ago, maxamize said:

Pay the fee to the man who helped to create Oceania’s finest cuisine at sea and keep the name as a tribute to him and all he has done. 

Last comment.  I'll listen but not likely reply:

 

I wasn't speaking of M. Pépin or *his* lawyers.   ...and, no, "kept as tribute" would not fly without permission from his estate.

[LHT28]

I do not think the dishes in Jacques have changed much over the years   & maybe they are trying to appeal to  different demographic

 

The menus in some of the specialties are old & tired  

JMO

 

[1985rz1]

Would Pepin really support a resturant using his name to market dishes that he didn't approve?