High End Mexican? Really Good Deli?

[cruisemom42]

My first choice would be a high-end Italian restaurant, but given HAL's seeming commitment to Canaletto, I'm not sure that would fly.

 

Second choice would be a French restaurant, maybe with menus by (or initial concept by) a known chef with a Michelin star or two...

 

I probably wouldn't spend extra for either a high-end Mexican or classic NY deli experience.

 

 

On rethinking this, wouldn't it be nice if HAL could commit to keeping certain ships in certain locales much of the year? It would be fun to have some differences among ships -- like high end Scandinavian cuisine on a ship doing the Baltics and/or fjords, or high-end Mediterranean, or high-end Mexican for those cruises headed to Mexico.....

[sail7seas]

We actually ordered live 2 pound lobsters this Christmas from the Fresh Market in Greensboro...they were wonderful..but cannot wait to have some New England Seafood this summer...oldest son was born in Boston:):):)

 

Maine (New England) lobster is the best ever, I agree. I will rarely, if ever, order it anywhere else. I got too spoiled when I lived up there.

 

 

There are some very reliable lobster suppliers in/around Boston that will ship you fresh, live seafood. It isn't inexpensive but for a special celebration or real treat, it's nice to know it is available if you really crave it. :)

 

[PathfinderEss]

High end Mexican would be great, or high end Italian, Seafood, French or Tapas. Just make it good and I'll be there. :D

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

There are some very reliable lobster suppliers in/around Boston that will ship you fresh, live seafood. It isn't inexpensive but for a special celebration or real treat, it's nice to know it is available if you really crave it. :)

 

 

It's been a few years since I have been up there......I remember a place called "_ _ Hooks" (?) seafood down on Atlantic Ave. Is it still there? I believe they packed lobs to ship for the plane, at least they used to.

[sail7seas]

It's been a few years since I have been up there......I remember a place called "_ _ Hooks" (?) seafood down on Atlantic Ave. Is it still there? I believe they packed lobs to ship for the plane, at least they used to.

 

 

You have a good memory. James Hook is the name of a lobster supplier. They had a bad fire but I believe they are rebuilding. :)

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

You have a good memory. James Hook is the name of a lobster supplier. They had a bad fire but I believe they are rebuilding. :)

 

Well maybe the next time I am up there, if they have rebuilt, I will take a few boxed "stowaways" on the plane, if Homeland Security still allows it.....which they probably don't, so I will have to have them ship them (if they do that). I know of a place that ships in Maine (or at least they did)also. If all else fails, there is always Legal Seafoods. Expensive as can be, but at least it is an option.........

[Krazy Kruizers]

My choice would be Todd English Restaurant -- food has excellent raves on Cunard.

My next choice would be a French restaurant -- everyone we ate at in France was excellent.

For a Deli I would want a Jewish Deli --have eaten at them in various places and the food was yummy.

[whogo]

I'm with you - a high end, haute couture French restaurant. Now THAT would be nice. A nice TAPAS spot would be nice too. Mexican - well, I cook it all the time. DH is Mexican - it would have to be awful dam good or we would be very disappointed. If I could have done better at home, I wouldn't be a happy camper:rolleyes:

Excellent idea, tapas gets my vote. I would also go for an "authentic" English pub experience with real ale on hand pumps, steak and Guinness pie, and the like.

 

My first thought was a pizza restaurant, but people would go for the lousy free pizza at the pool instead. The same thing with a deli, they will go for the free sandwich station instead. What kind of deli experience would an Indonesian crew member provide anyway?

 

With more and more cruisers going casual, a fancy French restaurant would be a bust. A good French restaurant should feature an ever changing menu and fresh, local products. HAL would be unwilling to do that or to hire superior chefs and waitstaff and cruisers would be unwilling to pay for it. Before I get attacked for dissing the hardworking crew, I will say that their English skills are not up to explaining the menu.

[sail7seas]

 

 

 

<snip>

 

With more and more cruisers going casual, a fancy French restaurant would be a bust. A good French restaurant should feature an ever changing menu and fresh, local products. HAL would be unwilling to do that or to hire superior chefs and waitstaff and cruisers would be unwilling to pay for it. Before I get attacked for dissing the hardworking crew, I will say that their English skills are not up to explaining the menu.

 

 

While we enjoyed some wonderful French meals while in our travels as well as fine dining in Boston, now I shiver at the thought of all that cream and butter. :eek: My style of eating these days is far too divergent from French cooking. Lots of folks no longer eat that heavy, rich food.

 

JMO.....

 

[Boytjie]

My choice would be Todd English Restaurant -- food has excellent raves on Cunard.

 

Our only experience with TE was lunch on QM2 and it was disappointing. Others rave so I am sure I'd give it another chance if I was on Cunard.

[jimmy2x]

Real Philly cheesesteaks and hoagies!:D

[sail7seas]

Our only experience with TE was lunch on QM2 and it was disappointing. Others rave so I am sure I'd give it another chance if I was on Cunard.

 

 

Todd English is a Boston Chef and has operated restaurants here. They are not among my favorites but he has a following. We have left disappointed. Everyone's taste is different but he's not a first choice of mine.

 

[lovetocruise2020]

What I am sure we will get (and I am not at all interested in):

 

-French (NCL Has this)

-Tapas (X has this)

-Brazillan Steakhouse (NCL and RCCL have this)

 

 

What I wish we would get:

 

-Teppanyaki tables added to the Tamarind (NCL ships have the Pan Asian/Sushi and Teppan all as a combo.

 

-Southern High End BBQ- No one has this. I would pay for this.

(The only BBQ out there is Fat Jimmy's (included) on sea days, Carnival or Private Islands,-- not so great)

 

What Carnival does very well:

 

Add's restaurants included in your fare that are not an additional cost.

 

They changed the Breakfast & Lunch MDR to a Brunch menu open morning till 2. (Amazing menu looks like and no rushing to get there before the doors close.

 

They added a Guy's Burgers ands you choose everything that goes on your burger, included, menu looks great

 

They added a Burrito/Taco/Breakfast Burrito bar (homeade tortillas), included, menu looks great

 

They also have the Italian Restaurant (Cucina Del Capitano) and it has a free pasta bar at lunch

 

As well as the new Pan Asian restaurant will also be free for lunch like Tamarind is free for lunch, but its the Mongolian grill they have poolside on some other ships.

 

I am referencing the Sunshine, as it will be the first to have all of the options. We love HAL but we love to eat even more so we will be doing the Sunshine at least once. Have you seen that Serenity deck!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

What I am sure we will get (and I am not at all interested in):

 

-French (NCL Has this)

-Tapas (X has this)

-Brazillan Steakhouse (NCL and RCCL have this)

 

 

What I wish we would get:

 

-Teppanyaki tables added to the Tamarind (NCL ships have the Pan Asian/Sushi and Teppan all as a combo.

 

-Southern High End BBQ- No one has this. I would pay for this.

(The only BBQ out there is Fat Jimmy's (included) on sea days, Carnival or Private Islands,-- not so great)

 

What Carnival does very well:

 

Add's restaurants included in your fare that are not an additional cost.

 

They changed the Breakfast & Lunch MDR to a Brunch menu open morning till 2. (Amazing menu looks like and no rushing to get there before the doors close.

 

They added a Guy's Burgers ands you choose everything that goes on your burger, included, menu looks great

 

They added a Burrito/Taco/Breakfast Burrito bar (homeade tortillas), included, menu looks great

 

They also have the Italian Restaurant (Cucina Del Capitano) and it has a free pasta bar at lunch

 

As well as the new Pan Asian restaurant will also be free for lunch like Tamarind is free for lunch, but its the Mongolian grill they have poolside on some other ships.

 

I am referencing the Sunshine, as it will be the first to have all of the options. We love HAL but we love to eat even more so we will be doing the Sunshine at least once. Have you seen that Serenity deck!!!

 

Have you actually tried all the various venues that mentioned??

[Krazy Kruizers]

Real Philly cheesesteaks and hoagies!:D

 

 

Way too greasy with cheap beef.

[babyher]

[quote name='sail7seas'][B] Todd English is a Boston Chef and has operated restaurants here. They are not among my favorites but he has a following. We have left disappointed. Everyone's taste is different but he's not a first choice of mine.[/B]

[/quote]


I feel the same way about Lidia Bastianich. I have watched her show for years , Have several of her cookbooks and have made her recipes and loved them.



Went to one of her restaurants in NYC...it was OK , nothing special.

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

[quote name='jimmy2x']Real Philly cheesesteaks and hoagies!:D[/quote]

CHEESESTEAKS!! Wow!! :D I forgot about those....delicious!!!!!!! Could eat one of those (a [I]real[/I] one) anytime, anywhere!!!

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

[quote name='babyher']I feel the same way about Lidia Bastianich. I have watched her show for years , Have several of her cookbooks and have made her recipes and loved them.



Went to one of her restaurants in NYC...it was OK , nothing special.[/quote]

That is interesting, I have all of Lidia's cookbooks and love her recipes.....too bad her restaurants are not that great.

[cruisemom42]

[quote name='sail7seas'][B] While we enjoyed some wonderful French meals while in our travels as well as fine dining in Boston, now I shiver at the thought of all that cream and butter. :eek: My style of eating these days is far too divergent from French cooking. Lots of folks no longer eat that heavy, rich food. [/B]

[B]JMO.....[/B]

[/quote]


I don't think French cuisine stacks up badly against either Mexican food or those piled-high deli sandwiches.


[B]Calorie counts of some typical French appetizers and mains:[/B]

Mussels (190)
Grilled goat cheese salad (240)
Pate de campagne (260)
Escargot (300)
French onion soup (375)

Grilled dover sole or grilled trout (220-250)
Chicken chasseur (480)
Steak au poivre (490)
Steak with bearnaise sauce (575)
Moules mariniere with pommes frites (580)
Coq au vin (585)
Beef bourguignon (635)
Duck a l'orange (840)

[B]Calorie counts of some typical Mexican dishes:[/B]

Tortilla chips and salsa (515)
Tortilla chips and guacamole (590)
Quesadilla (650)
Nachos (1,000)

Chicken burrito or enchilada (600-615)
Chicken chimichanga (675)
Beef burrito or enchilada (695-700)
Beef chimichanga (765)
Vegetable fajitas (810)
Chicken fajitas (1035)
Beef fajitas (1300)


Even a tostada salad often has more than 1,000 calories....

And if you eat an entire Carnegie deli Reuben sandwich, you will have consumed 2,300 calories!


Butter and cream (French) vs. cheese, sour cream, lard, and all that deep frying (Mexican)..... In either cuisine they can be avoided, if desired.


Perhaps we should stick with a simple "Mediterranean style" restaurant, since the news today is about the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. ;)

[George C]

[quote name='Irish Eyes Are Sailing']That is interesting, I have all of Lidia's cookbooks and love her recipes.....too bad her restaurants are not that great.[/QUOTE]

Went to one on resturant row in NYC and it was excellent, will be returning on my next trip.

[babyher]

[quote name='Irish Eyes Are Sailing']That is interesting, I have all of Lidia's cookbooks and love her recipes.....too bad her restaurants are not that great.[/quote]




Like I said I always made her recipes and loved them, so I figured that if they were so good I could make them and they were delicious, imagine how good they would be in her restaurant :)


Again , not bad , just a little disappointed. Maybe if I had never seen or heard of her or tried her recipes and just walked into the restaurant, I would have felt different.

[lovetocruise2020]

[quote name='Krazy Kruizers'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4]Have you actually tried all the various venues that mentioned??[/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

On Carnival:
Not guys, the Burrito/Taco place or Italian because its not built on the sunshine yet, but menus look great for it being included, other ships that have it were met with pretty good reviews.

On RCCL yes

ON X, no to the Tapa's Place

On NCL yes but we arent big fans of French

We LOVE the mongolian grill on Carnival.

We like the ideas of some for fee, but some included. Too many lines have gone the way of a fee for everything, with the exception of NCL (thier 24 hour place with a wide menu and Carnival's included options). This is of course aside from the MDR and BUFFETs...

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

[quote name='George C']Went to one on resturant row in NYC and it was excellent, will be returning on my next trip.[/quote]

I guess it is up to individual taste. The other poster who commented was a little disappointed. I know her cookbooks are wonderful, I make a lot of her dishes and they turn out great. I know how the other poster feels, because I am very fussy about Italian food. I feel I make really good Italian food at home, so I have a tendency not to go out for it. My DH says that most places don't measure up to my Italian cooking.......go figure, considering I'm half Irish!!:confused: (hence the forum name!):)

[sail7seas]

[quote name='cruisemom42']I don't think French cuisine stacks up badly against either Mexican food or those piled-high deli sandwiches.


[B]Calorie counts of some typical French appetizers and mains:[/B]

Mussels (190)
Grilled goat cheese salad (240)
Pate de campagne (260)
Escargot (300)
French onion soup (375)

Grilled dover sole or grilled trout (220-250)
Chicken chasseur (480)
Steak au poivre (490)
Steak with bearnaise sauce (575)
Moules mariniere with pommes frites (580)
Coq au vin (585)
Beef bourguignon (635)
Duck a l'orange (840)

[B]Calorie counts of some typical Mexican dishes:[/B]

Tortilla chips and salsa (515)
Tortilla chips and guacamole (590)
Quesadilla (650)
Nachos (1,000)

Chicken burrito or enchilada (600-615)
Chicken chimichanga (675)
Beef burrito or enchilada (695-700)
Beef chimichanga (765)
Vegetable fajitas (810)
Chicken fajitas (1035)
Beef fajitas (1300)


Even a tostada salad often has more than 1,000 calories....

And if you eat an entire Carnegie deli Reuben sandwich, you will have consumed 2,300 calories!


Butter and cream (French) vs. cheese, sour cream, lard, and all that deep frying (Mexican)..... In either cuisine they can be avoided, if desired.


Perhaps we should stick with a simple "Mediterranean style" restaurant, since the news today is about the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. ;)[/quote]



[B] ;) KILL JOY!!!!! :D
What fun are you?!!!! :D



[/b]

[George C]

[quote name='Irish Eyes Are Sailing']I guess it is up to individual taste. The other poster who commented was a little disappointed. I know her cookbooks are wonderful, I make a lot of her dishes and they turn out great. I know how the other poster feels, because I am very fussy about Italian food. I feel I make really good Italian food at home, so I have a tendency not to go out for it. My DH says that most places don't measure up to my Italian cooking.......go figure, considering I'm half Irish!!:confused: (hence the forum name!):)[/QUOTE]

very true, I am preety fussy also, she has many resturants, we went to Becco on 9th ave and really enjoyed the food (I am also Itilian that grew up in NYC) , maybe the wine list that had 100 bottles all for 25 dollars had something to do we how much I liked it. I would recommend this place to anyone.