Favorite foods/dishes on NCL (within the past year or two)

[frayedend]

6 minutes ago, UKstages said:

well, that’s one style of cheesecake. and I live in new york, so i can certainly appreciate it. and I do. but there is also italian cheesecake… it’s an entirely different dessert.  lighter, less dense and made with ricotta, not cream cheese. i like them both, but prefer the less sweet ricotta version when dining in an italian restaurant.
 

onda serves a good italian cheesecake. 

Yes, I love Ricotta cheesecake also. It is also a dense cheesecake, baked and cold.  And as you said, usually less sweet.  My grandmother was Italian and used to bring us these from the local Italian bakery in the North End of Boston every holiday.   IIRC it was baked in a thin pie crust/pie dish and she indeed called it Ricotta Pie.   Wonderful stuff.

Edited June 28, 2023 by frayedend

[GORDONCHICK]

There's also basque cheesecake.  I like it, but it's not what I want when I want cheesecake.

[schmoopie17]

The spicy shrimp appetizer in Palomar has been on my mind since we had it in January. It was so good, we asked for the recipe and it appeared in our cabin the next day. 

 

Haven't tried making it home yet...but it just might be on the menu sometime soon.

 

Honorable mention to the apple tart with ice cream in one of the specialty restaurants (can't remember which one). Unlike the name of the restaurant, the tart was memorable.

Edited June 28, 2023 by schmoopie17

[GORDONCHICK]

1 minute ago, schmoopie17 said:

The spicy shrimp appetizer in Palomar has been on my mind since we had it in January. It was so good, we asked for the recipe and it appeared in our cabin the next day. 

 

Haven't tried making it home yet...but it just might be on the menu sometime soon.

Ooooh, would you share that recpe?

[schmoopie17]

Just now, GORDONCHICK said:

Ooooh, would you share that recpe?

Mrs. Schmoopie has it stashed away someplace. I'll try to locate it...especially now that I really want some.

[cruiseny4life]

I've had a few amazing dishes on NCL:

 

Best appetizer I've ever had on NCL are the Tostadas. I wish I knew how small they were. I would have ordered three or four (and should have after tasting them):

 

 

The mozzarella sticks at Getaway's American Diner are excellent. Mmmmm, gooey cheese! 

 

 

The double cut pork chops in the Haven Restaurant are probably the best pork chops I've ever tasted. Same with the lamb rib eye! 

 

I'm with @GORDONCHICK and @frayedend when it comes to cheesecake. Yum!

Edited June 28, 2023 by cruiseny4life

[skeeter195]

My favorites are:

Apps

Ocean Blue- scallop and pork belly

Onda- grilled octopus

Mains

Le Bistro- duck

Haven- pork chop

La Cucina- Osso Bucco

Desserts

Haven- banana bonnoffee

Cagneys- creme brulee

 

Also, our last 2 cruises(Encore and Escape) the french onion soup in Le Bistro has been very disappointing.  It was always a go to for us.  Not anymore though.  Extremely salty with very little onion and a raw wine taste both times.  

[justhappy]

3 hours ago, frayedend said:

GordonChick understands cheesecake.  NY style, dense, baked, and served cold is the way it should be.

This is how I feel about cheesecake too, but I do have to give two thumbs up for the cheesecake in a jar at Ocean Blue, I think of it as a cheesecake pudding instead of cheesecake. It’s delicious.

[GORDONCHICK]

16 minutes ago, skeeter195 said:

My favorites are:

Apps

Ocean Blue- scallop and pork belly

Onda- grilled octopus

Mains

Le Bistro- duck

Haven- pork chop

La Cucina- Osso Bucco

Desserts

Haven- banana bonnoffee

Cagneys- creme brulee

 

Also, our last 2 cruises(Encore and Escape) the french onion soup in Le Bistro has been very disappointing.  It was always a go to for us.  Not anymore though.  Extremely salty with very little onion and a raw wine taste both times.  

The duck was amazing the first time I had it but not as much since then so I hesitate to order it again.  Though it's been 5 years since I've had it.

[justhappy]

My favorites from the last year and last 4 cruises,

 Blazing Shrimp, clam chowder, and Cheesecake in a jar at Ocean Blue

Osso Bucco  at La Cucina

Mushroom soup, escargot and Dover sole at Le Bistro.

Reuben sandwich and wings at the Local

Banana Banoffee cream, seafood fritto misto, lump crab cakes and shrimp scampi at the Haven restaurant.

Ribeye steak with maitre d butter and crème brûlée at Cagneys

Poblano relleno and bunuelos at Los Lobos

Loaded fries with pulled pork, brisket and fried okra at Q

Thai chicken lettuce wraps and Volcano roll at Food Republic

Nutella crepes, palak chicken with naan, and lemon sorbet at the Garden grill.

 

 

[RB9643]

47 minutes ago, skeeter195 said:

Also, our last 2 cruises(Encore and Escape) the french onion soup in Le Bistro has been very disappointing.  It was always a go to for us.  Not anymore though.  Extremely salty with very little onion and a raw wine taste both times.  

 

 

That is unfortunate. We will be on Escape in November and Encore in April. Of course, I will order it anyway, so we'll see. I really, really hope your experiences were outliers.

 

 

[bobship]

In August, 2022 I sailed on the Bliss and one night I dined at the Mexican restaurant, Los Lobos. I figured it might just be ok but it turned out to be incredible. Some items I tried:

 

Guacamole: Prepared at the table and the best I've ever had. After tasting it I wished that I had requested a double order.
Corn tortilla chips: How can tortilla chips vary? But they were the best I've ever had.
Tortilla soup: Again, hands down the best I've ever had.
Mahi-mahi tacos: Disappointed with these. Dryish and not as much flavor as I would like.
Mexican coffee: Made with some kind of liquor and it sent me to heaven. Had to get a second one!

 

Might have been one of the best meals I've ever had on any ship even though the tacos were disappointing. The other items made up for it however. If I sail on Norwegian in the future and they have a Los Lobos I might consider dining there three or four evenings. Highly recommended!

Edited June 28, 2023 by bobship

[Sand and Seas]

I wish they would put Los Lobos on more ships!  Always have to get the fresh table-side guacamole.  We also love the Carne Asada and Elotes (corn).

 

Ocean Blue-  Love the Blazing Shrimp!   Might need to make it my Main dish🤔

 

Local- we share sandwich halves ,ordering a Rueben and the Chicken Salad sandwich.

Also love the sweet plantains (from the Cuban dish) at the Local.  Have nicely asked for a side of it in place of fries.   And, Local on Prima, Hot Fudge Sundae!  It's on the complimentary menu.  Ordered it for a charge ($6?) on another ship's Local and it just wasn't quite as good.

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Sand and Seas

[bkrickles1]

47 minutes ago, bobship said:

In August, 2022 I sailed on the Bliss and one night I dined at the Mexican restaurant, Los Lobos. I figured it might just be ok but it turned out to be incredible. Some items I tried:

 

Guacamole: Prepared at the table and the best I've ever had. After tasting it I wished that I had requested a double order.
Corn tortilla chips: How can tortilla chips vary? But they were the best I've ever had.
Tortilla soup: Again, hands down the best I've ever had.
Mahi-mahi tacos: Disappointed with these. Dryish and not as much flavor as I would like.
Mexican coffee: Made with some kind of liquor and it sent me to heaven. Had to get a second one!

 

Might have been one of the best meals I've ever had on any ship even though the tacos were disappointing. The other items made up for it however. If I sail on Norwegian in the future and they have a Los Lobos I might consider dining there three or four evenings. Highly recommended!

My favorite meal on Encore was at Los Lobos. Everything we had was terrific! 

[laudergayle]

@GORDONCHICK @frayedend @UKstages @cruiseny4life  calling all true NY style cheesecake lovers.  If you haven’t tried the OMG Butterscotch Cheesecake in Cagney’s…you must!!  Also Onda ricotta cheesecake is good…but not nearly as good as Cagney’s…IMO.

 

[laudergayle]

@cruiseny4life those “tortilla chips”  (lol) look amazingly fresh and delish.  It is silly how small they are!!  We’re they served in the Haven?

Edited June 28, 2023 by laudergayle

[omahabob]

7 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

... If you haven’t tried the OMG Butterscotch Cheesecake in Cagney’s…you must!!  Also Onda ricotta cheesecake is good…but not nearly as good as Cagney’s…IMO.

 

Might vary by ship, but I didn't think it was that great on the Getaway. Good, yes, but not great. The prime rib was really good though.

[GORDONCHICK]

7 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

@GORDONCHICK @frayedend @UKstages @cruiseny4life  calling all true NY style cheesecake lovers.  If you haven’t tried the OMG Butterscotch Cheesecake in Cagney’s…you must!!  Also Onda ricotta cheesecake is good…but not nearly as good as Cagney’s…IMO.

 

Is this a newish dessert in Cagney's?  I love both butterscotch and caramel so it's definitely something I'd try but I don't know if I could skip creme brulee.  And being diabetic, I certainly can't have both!

[laudergayle]

8 minutes ago, GORDONCHICK said:

Is this a newish dessert in Cagney's?  I love both butterscotch and caramel so it's definitely something I'd try but I don't know if I could skip creme brulee.  And being diabetic, I certainly can't have both!

I ❤️ crème brûlée too!!  We have only cruised post Covid but it’s been on the menu since at least  Oct. 2021.  I thought the Ile Flontante in LeBistro was very similar to a crème brûlée only lighter.  It had a crunchy top and a creamy meringue below it.  You should try that if you can.

[GORDONCHICK]

1 minute ago, laudergayle said:

I ❤️ crème brûlée too!!  We have only cruised post Covid but it’s been on the menu since at least  Oct. 2021.  I thought the Ile Flontante in LeBistro was very similar to a crème brûlée only lighter.  It had a crunchy top and a creamy meringue below it.  You should try that if you can.

Oh that looks like something I should definitely try.

[hallux]

1 hour ago, GORDONCHICK said:

Is this a newish dessert in Cagney's?

It's been there since at least Spring 2019, but mine have been presented different from @laudergayle has gotten. Yes, it's worthy of the 'OMG' moniker!!!

[laudergayle]

8 minutes ago, hallux said:

It's been there since at least Spring 2019, but mine have been presented different from @laudergayle has gotten. Yes, it's worthy of the 'OMG' moniker!!!

Wow, that’s a lot of caramel…lol.  But def OMG.

[frayedend]

1 hour ago, laudergayle said:

@GORDONCHICK @frayedend @UKstages @cruiseny4life  calling all true NY style cheesecake lovers.  If you haven’t tried the OMG Butterscotch Cheesecake in Cagney’s…you must!!  Also Onda ricotta cheesecake is good…but not nearly as good as Cagney’s…IMO.

 

 

 

Awesome.  I have Cagney's booked next week.  

[frayedend]

1 hour ago, laudergayle said:

I ❤️ crème brûlée too!!  We have only cruised post Covid but it’s been on the menu since at least  Oct. 2021.  I thought the Ile Flontante in LeBistro was very similar to a crème brûlée only lighter.  It had a crunchy top and a creamy meringue below it.  You should try that if you can.

That looks great too and I also have Le Bistro booked next week.  I picked the right 2 restaurants for sure.  Keto diet is out the window next week.

[GORDONCHICK]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

It's been there since at least Spring 2019, but mine have been presented different from @laudergayle has gotten. Yes, it's worthy of the 'OMG' moniker!!!

If it's covered in that much butterscotch, I'm in!