Specialty restaurant on Equinox - lasagna awful?

[tbmrt]

We dined at one of the Specialty restaurants on the Equinox last year and had lasagna as one course of meal. I was amazed that it looked like a plate of sauce with very little pasta in it and the sauce was extremely bland.

 

Maybe this was just a bad day for lasagna because we loved most of the food on the Equinox.

 

Has anyone else experienced this?

[jveevers]

Did all 3 specialty restaurants on Equinox last year . Murano would definately not have Lasagne on the menu and Silk Harvest wouldnt either. That leaves Tuscan Grill, I dont recall Lasagne on the menu so I just looked at the menu on Celebrity website, no Lasagne.

[bluecruisin]

We are just off the Silhoutte and I had the lasagna at the Tuscan Grill. I didn't care for it either. But that was fine as I was full from having 3 wonderful starters. I would still go back and get the filet as I usually do.

[wallie5446]

Celebrity fancies Tuscan as an Itialian steak house. The beef Tartar is to die for! We have cruised them since 1994 and they have never been know for a great pasta dish, in any dinning venue.

[Wine-O]

Every time I've ordered lasagna in a restaurant I am always surprised -- it's made 100's of different ways. I've even had some terrible lasagna in Italy.

 

On a cruise ship, I certainly wouldn't order it in a Specialty Restaurant -- I would think it would be complimented somewhere in the buffet line near the pasta/pizza station.

[flyingv4me]

We dined in Tuscan on the Silhouette. My wife had the filet and said it was perfect. I was actually tired of all of the beef I'd eaten and ordered the lasagna. Big mistake. It was a puddle of sauce with little pasta, meat or cheese.

 

I agree with another poster that everything else was great, but don't get their lasagna! :D

[Gordoncruickshank]

I wasn't too impressed with Tuscan on the Eclipse in March.

 

We did a B2B, the first leg on Reflection and first visit on RF was very good. The second wasn't quite as good - Calamari slightly overdone.

 

On the Eclipse the Calamari was rubber. I had a steak which was excellent but had ordered parmesan fries to go with it. What I received were potato wedges with parmesan poured over them. I had these on the RF a week before and they were great.

 

Very disappointed. Didn't go back

 

Gordon

[bluecruisin]

My favorite pasta dish at Tuscan is a mushroom ravioli in a parmesan cream sauce. It is wonderful and a did get a "starter portion" as an appetizer.

[BosoxI]

Experience has taught me that if I want good Italian food, my chances are better on a Princess ship, which is not to say it is impossible to find on an X ship. Lasagne is a case in point, as others have pointed out. I joke with my wife that if a restaurant can't spell lasagne, it probably can't prepare it properly, either;) Short of grilling a steak, is there an easier dish to prepare?

Edited April 1, 2015 by BosoxI

[miched]

I notice the same. We ate in that French specialty restaurant Buffet. The place was very crowded so we figured the food had to be fantastic. I had that awful mess and ended up leaving it. Many must have loved the food becasue I noticed they kept going back for more. My wife said that it was my fault as I shouldn't have had a Italian dish in a French restaurant. :D

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

Edited April 1, 2015 by miched

[blueboro]

Can you say "Chef-boy-ar-dee"? That is what the Lasagna was like on our recent Equinox cruise. Sauce and a little cheese. On the other hand, the filet and veal were some of the best steaks I have ever had on a ship.

[DYKWIA]

When it comes to Lasagne my wife and I find the fancier (and pricier) they try to make it the less we tend to enjoy it. Usually it doesn't work out that way.

[wwcruisers]

Although I didn't try the lasagna, we were also disappointed in Tuscan Grille, on our recent Eclipse Holiday cruise. Every dish we tasted (except the table-side prepared salad) was over-salted. My DH's main course was a filet, which was cooked properly, and he enjoyed. I made the fatal mistake of ordering a veal chop. The first attempt came out completely over-done. When I sent it back, it took forever to get a re-fire -- a tough, gristly piece of meat that was barely recognizable as a veal chop! :(

 

We asked to see the Maitre'd, who apologized profusely, and offered to bring me something else. But, by then, my DH had finished his meal, and I was too upset to eat -- so, they removed my meal charge. I did see the Head Chef "making the rounds" of the big tables in Tuscan, that night. But, he never came over to ask us about the problem. Over all, it was a very disappointing dining experience -- and, not one that I"m eager to repeat.

[Karynanne]

Tuscan Grill is a beautiful room, but the last few times we've dined in this venue, our meals weren't that great. We had to send back steaks and fish, due to taste and doneness.

 

I wish they could figure this out and get it right.

[Max Circus]

We had lunch at Tuscan Grill on one of the Equinox sea days but it was very price ($25) for what we got. The menu was about half of what they offered for dinner, and I don't remember seeing any pasta entrees which I thought was odd.

 

The steak tartar was very good. And they had a great wine which we only found in that restaurant. Later in the cruise we asked the Blu sommelier to see if he could get it for us (it is just around the corner) - and he was able to.

 

I don't think I would pay $50 to dine here. For that amount, I'd go back to Murano.

[ORV]

Every time I've ordered lasagna in a restaurant I am always surprised -- it's made 100's of different ways. I've even had some terrible lasagna in Italy.

 

On a cruise ship, I certainly wouldn't order it in a Specialty Restaurant -- I would think it would be complimented somewhere in the buffet line near the pasta/pizza station.

 

Mike, you obviously have never had it in Toscano on an Oceania ship. Might just be the best lasagna I've ever had. And that's saying a lot.

[PRH]

On our recent equinox cruise, we were very disappointed in the Tuscan Grille entrees. They have much to learn from Royal's Chops. We ate in Tuscan two different times and the meat was poorly prepared and very salty. The Mac and cheese had so much garlic my husband could not eat it. The desserts were merely ok. Was not impressed, especially for the price.

[wallie5446]

On our recent equinox cruise, we were very disappointed in the Tuscan Grille entrees. They have much to learn from Royal's Chops. We ate in Tuscan two different times and the meat was poorly prepared and very salty. The Mac and cheese had so much garlic my husband could not eat it. The desserts were merely ok. Was not impressed, especially for the price.

 

Celebrity, Princess, RCCL, Chops hands down was the best first dish to last of every speciality venue we have dinned in. The only challenge was our Ultimate Balcony dinner on Princess! Oh My Goodness! It was, well, almost perfect.

[keesar]

Celebrity, Princess, RCCL, Chops hands down was the best first dish to last of every speciality venue we have dinned in. The only challenge was our Ultimate Balcony dinner on Princess! Oh My Goodness! It was, well, almost perfect.

 

I would agree about Chops on RCL. Each course was top notch. Each dish was fantastic.

 

The grilled red snapper at the Lawn Club Grill on Reflection had to be a major disappointment. Dry and tasteless. The apple crisp was also a disappointment. Not worth the $$$.

[Andy]

Celebrity fancies Tuscan as an Itialian steak house. The beef Tartar is to die for! We have cruised them since 1994 and they have never been know for a great pasta dish, in any dinning venue.

 

Hi Wallie,

 

I agree. The Steak Tartare is fantastic, and one of my favorites. I think I had the lasagne not too long ago. That I recall, it was ok, but nothing special. Surely, Tuscan has far better items to choose from.

 

As always, please keep in mind that cuisine opinions are very subjective.

[Andy]

Tuscan Grill is a beautiful room, but the last few times we've dined in this venue, our meals weren't that great. We had to send back steaks and fish, due to taste and doneness.

 

I wish they could figure this out and get it right.

 

Hi Karynanne,

 

Our last 2 experiences in Tuscan, were absolutely wonderful. In early 2014, I had grown concerned about our Tuscan experiences - but I must say that things have improved greatly over the past few months, both on Eclipse, and more recently on Equinox. Both Tuscan meals were outstanding, and the steaks were as good as ever. We also thought that our Murano experience on Equinox in January 2015, was one of the finest meals we've ever had on a Celebrity ship. We can't wait to experience both venues again on Equinox, in 2 weeks !

 

Let's hope that any past Tuscan shortcomings have been resolved.

[ghstudio]

Hi Karynanne,

 

Our last 2 experiences in Tuscan, were absolutely wonderful. In early 2014, I had grown concerned about our Tuscan experiences - but I must say that things have improved greatly over the past few months, both on Eclipse, and more recently on Equinox. Both Tuscan meals were outstanding, and the steaks were as good as ever. We also thought that our Murano experience on Equinox in January 2015, was one of the finest meals we've ever had on a Celebrity ship. We can't wait to experience both venues again on Equinox, in 2 weeks !

 

Let's hope that any past Tuscan shortcomings have been resolved.

 

We all hope with you. I don't think there's a general problem....I think that preparation and raw materials vary. We have had excellent meals in all restaurants, seasoned well on many cruises...and we have had the occasional cruise where the only seasoning used is salt, everything was overcooked and the term gristle should have replaced beef on the menu. Consistency in food is apparently very difficult to maintain.

[jveevers]

Remembering that in the speciality restaurants, you are not restricted to a standard "3 course meal". If you dont like the Lasagne or anything else, say so and order something else. If you love something and are still hungry, order another. I remember in Tuscan Grill, hard to decide on Dessert, so they brought both. Still costs the same.

[DYKWIA]

Remembering that in the speciality restaurants, you are not restricted to a standard "3 course meal". If you dont like the Lasagne or anything else, say so and order something else. ...

 

That can impact on those you are dining with, my wife and I find that very awkward, particularly if one person of us is more than happy with the food they've had presented and keen to tuck in...

 

We're also a bit funny about having meat and particularly fish binned purely because we don't like the way it is cooked or the sauce it is in. As long as it's safe to eat and not ridiculously far removed from what we've ordered and expected, we'd prefer to chalk it up to experience. Unusual I know, if we didn't love meat and fish so much we'd be vegetarians.

Edited April 2, 2015 by DYKWIA

[jveevers]

That can impact on those you are dining with, my wife and I find that very awkward, particularly if one person of us is more than happy with the food they've had presented and keen to tuck in...

 

We're also a bit funny about having meat and particularly fish binned purely because we don't like the way it is cooked or the sauce it is in. As long as it's safe to eat and not ridiculously far removed from what we've ordered and expected, we'd prefer to chalk it up to experience. Unusual I know, if we didn't love meat and fish so much we'd be vegetarians.

I agree that could be awkward and thinking back, I dont think I have ever refused to eat anything excrpt gor once when I was served very undercooked chicken. My point was that in principal, you can send something back and order different.