Pinnacle Grills.....Changes? ....New Menus?

[K&RCurt]

Given my limited cruise experience (1 cruise on Westerdam and never went to the Lido for diner), I have the following proposed adendum to Dave's idea.



What if they took 1/2 of the Lido restaurant and turned it into the additional reservations only premium venue during the dinner time? By using removable glass or fabric dividers this could be done fairly quickly to change over before and after dinner. Is the Lido typically full during dinner? This way, you could maintain the practice of everyone having an assigned table in the main dining room and also add an additional "premium" venue.

As far as the Pinnacle menu is concerened, I would like to see the addition of more fish and perhaps a poultry item or two (chicken, duck?).

[elmorejj]

One half of the lido is currently used for staff dining. I haven`t been on a Vista class ship but on the R & S class, the other side of the lido really wouldn`t be large enough to divide into two venues.....good idea though...........jean :cool:

[MikeT718]

[quote name='dakrewser']CHange nothing, unless you change everything. The menu is certainly varied enough for a fine restaurant. Adding more would not improve it and could cause problems in the kitchen (more deep fryers, more frozen junk).

That said, there's nothing wrong with changing to an Italian theme, a Vietnamese theme or some non-specific-country theme (Pan-Asian, Mediterranean, etc.).

Even better would be keeping the Pinnacle Grille and adding a second premium restaurant - and one that differes by ship: Pan-asian on the Westerdam, Italian on the Rotterdam, All-American Diner on the Zuiderdam, etc.[/QUOTE]

If you start to change things in the Pinnacle the you start to make the move to Free Style cruising and that is a BAD idea.. :)

[MikeT718]

[quote name='dakrewser']THe secret is to cut the size of the DR to one level. Convert the upper level into either 1 or 2 specialty restaurants with a lower cover charge (say $10) and then you're offering up to 5 different venues:

1) Lido casual dining
2) Standard DR
3) Pan-Asian reservations-only ($10)
4) Pan-European reservations-only ($10)
5) The Pinnacle reservations-only ($20)

It would require some extensive behind-the-scenes work to outfit more kitchens but would attract more cruisers, I believe.

Even better, IMHO, is if you take #3 and #4 and vary them by ship - Japanese & Italian on one, North African & Thai/Malaysian/Indonesian on another, Chinese & French on yet another, etc.

Then folks could choose a ship based on itinerary, size or even cuisine! And by having the specialty restaurant chefs do shows in the Culinary Arts theaters, you attract those who want to learn different cooking styles.

Similar to the "Fitness passport", HAL could offer a "cuisine passport" - get it stamped in different specialty restaurants (on different ships) and earn prizes like a no-cover-charge meal, bottle of wine, free cooking lessons, etc. Not only would their be HAL Mariners, but HAL Gourmets![/QUOTE]

The problem with this concept is what happens if every one wants to eat in the Main dinning room at the same time then there is a problem..And then HAL would moving to Free Style and that would move me to another line from my crusing :)

[sail7seas]

[B]As attractive as HAL's Lido Restaurants are, I don't think them suitable to be used as a venue for 'premium dining'. For me, premium dining is more than more costly food items. It is about the atmosphere and setting as well as all the other distinctions. If we were to be seated in the same place as I went in my swimsuit (with proper coverup, of course :) ) for lunch, it just would not/could not have an elegant feel for me.

[Bookish Angel]

Whole wheat pasta, etc., and more vegetarian entrees.

[sail7seas]

[quote name='Bookish Angel']Whole wheat pasta, etc., and more vegetarian entrees.[/QUOTE]


[b]yes, yes, yes......[/b]

[b]I've posted here several times how I really would love to see whole wheat pasta available at the pasta bar for lunch and more vegetarian entrees/veggies for dinner. I can get my fill of veggies for lunch at the salad bar but dinner is sometimes a challenge. They are often plate decoration or garnish. I want servings of veggies....not a tiny speck on the plate. [/b]

[bepsf]

[quote name='K&RCurt']What if they took 1/2 of the Lido restaurant and turned it into the additional reservations only premium venue during the dinner time? By using removable glass or fabric dividers this could be done fairly quickly to change over before and after dinner. Is the Lido typically full during dinner? This way, you could maintain the practice of everyone having an assigned table in the main dining room and also add an additional "premium" venue. [/QUOTE]

[font=Garamond][size=3]The current scuttlebutt is that HAL may be experimenting with something similar in concept rather soon.[/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3]They already have the kitchen facilities up there on Lido Deck to handle it - all they need is the staffing, some removable partitions/draperies and nice tablecloths to separate the area, and make arrangements to accept reservations - perhaps charging $10-15/person? Serving Italian Food? Call it 'Marco Polo'?[/size][/font]

[trubey]

Brian, just another thought. I've thought it would be great if there were three restaurant venues each night—one to match each of the dress codes. And each restaurant, or area, would have a different dress code. And each night you could chose which restaurant you wished to visit—only the formal one requiring you to reserve.

The choice/quality/style of food is what makes the fine dining experience different from a diner experience. But it is not just the food, a lot of it is also in the ambience. And the ambience sometimes can be changed just by changing the table linens and a few items of room decor. This is akin to a woman putting on a black pantsuit, with some fancy jewelry, and heels and being appropriately formal. The same pantsuit, with a casual scarf and sneakers is casual.

On another note, I've been checking out cruising on freighters. The website I visited says that because the ship's cooks are from India, they will be serving Indian food. I wasn't sure if for many people that would be a threat or a promise.

susana.

[KAYEF]

When on the Oosterdam last fall, we dined in the Pinnacle and while the food was excellent, the service was NOT and we were amazed at that.
I had halibut on a cedar plank and it was DELICIOUS but I think I left 2/3 of it; the serving was huge. My husband had the porterhouse steak and when it came I just thought, "That looks like a roast I would have served the entire family in the old days."
It was a shame to leave so much food.
When we ordered dessert (of course!) we wanted the chocolate or fudge or whatever it is that's their signature and the waiter told us they were out of it and it would be, "At least 45 minutes before it is available."
We were shocked!! OUT? Embarkation night and there couldn't have been twenty people in the restaurant; it was almost empty. That shouldn't happen.

I'm looking forward to those prawns on the cedar plank; what a great idea!

Incidentally, that was a 24 day cruise and the Pinnacle was always quite empty.................so the idea of more "pay extra" restaurants probably wouldn't sit well with HAL.
I really get hungry for my Asian food when on the ship, for sure. Being able to order Vietnamese and Thai food would be "heaven"..............Chinese just doesn't do it.

Veendam, here we come!:) :)
By the way, we've been on Princess and NCL and are more than eager to return to HAL but...............the Anytime Dining and Freestyle are really quite nice. We never stood in a line. Our only "problem" was the wearing of baseball hats, t-shirts, sweats, etc. in the fine diningrooms. They may have standards but they're not enforced............especially on NCL>:(