Must try foods at non specialty restaurants.

[boopsahoy]

I LOVE the muesli (cold, oatmeal cereal that has fruit in it) with nuts and brown sugar on it. Served on breakfast buffet. If you like cheese, they have an awesome cheese spread at lunch/ dinner on buffet, pretzel bread, crepes.

 

I also like the cold soups and soufflés at desert. They also had this yummy chocolate mousse that is served in a chocolate shel:Dl.

 

YAY someone else that loves the Muesli! My husband thinks I am crazy!

[BamaVol]

Two Words: Pretzel Rolls.

 

They are addictive and fabulous. I eat them every day at the buffet during lunch. Don't miss out! Someone already mentioned the lamb in the MDH, and I will second that. Tender and delicious. The DH and I do a couple paid restaurants each cruise, but honestly we find that the MDR is great for dinners and the buffet is fine for breakfast and lunch. Sometimes if it's crazy during the day though, we'll opt for lunch in the MDR, and it's always been pleasant. It just takes a little longer. Have an amazing cruise, and remember that food is incredible subjective. These threads have turned nasty lately, but I will tell you that I have only had one bad meal in three cruises, and the waitress went back and fixed it. You're going to love it.

 

Pretzel rolls! How could I forget. Not waistline friendly but oh so chewy and delicious.

 

I am always surprised by how few guests choose to dine in the MDR for breakfast and lunch. Since our first cruise, we have found the MDR to be a relaxing way to dine. Never crowded. Better food (that's debatable of course). No searching for a table. Someone brings your food instead of you balancing a tray in one hand and a drink in the other, trying not to spill all over your sandals. No multiple trips for seconds or waiting for the crowd to break up around the omelet station. We cruise to chill. The MDR at breakfast and lunch facilitates that.

[cruiseelady]

Thanks again you all.

[bruadhin]

Pretzel rolls! How could I forget. Not waistline friendly but oh so chewy and delicious.

 

I am always surprised by how few guests choose to dine in the MDR for breakfast and lunch. Since our first cruise, we have found the MDR to be a relaxing way to dine. Never crowded. Better food (that's debatable of course). No searching for a table. Someone brings your food instead of you balancing a tray in one hand and a drink in the other, trying not to spill all over your sandals. No multiple trips for seconds or waiting for the crowd to break up around the omelet station. We cruise to chill. The MDR at breakfast and lunch facilitates that.

 

I'm with you. I decided to give up the buffet on Carnival for breakfast except on port days when you are in a rush to get off. Breakfast or brunch in the MDR is so much more relaxed and while there isn't the same variety, I feel the food is better. Also, there are options in the MDR that aren't available on the buffet.

[bangzoom6877]

Pretzel rolls! How could I forget. Not waistline friendly but oh so chewy and delicious.

 

I am always surprised by how few guests choose to dine in the MDR for breakfast and lunch. Since our first cruise, we have found the MDR to be a relaxing way to dine. Never crowded. Better food (that's debatable of course). No searching for a table. Someone brings your food instead of you balancing a tray in one hand and a drink in the other, trying not to spill all over your sandals. No multiple trips for seconds or waiting for the crowd to break up around the omelet station. We cruise to chill. The MDR at breakfast and lunch facilitates that.

 

I completely agree with you! We are on vacation and not in a rush. And on vacation we prefer to be served.

 

I think that there are several possible reasons why people choose the buffet over the MDR. Some I can think of are being able to get tons of food for yourself quickly, being in close proximity to the pool, and being able to take as much of something as you want. I know it is also unlimited amounts of food in the MDR and you could order as much as you'd like, but I think some people are embarrassed to ask a waiter for a lot of food. Personally I don't have a problem ordering 2 or 3 appetizers, a couple of different entrees and a couple of different desserts to try out in the MDR. ;)

 

Oh and I also agree about the pretzel rolls. Addictive!

[mpcaruth]

The bread pudding with custard sauce!!! I had this a few times in the dining room and once they had a special serving station at the buffet which included a special chocolate sauce too.

 

Eggs benedict with smoked salmon and a florentine (spinach) hollandaise sauce. This was available in the dining room and on the buffet.

Edited June 26, 2015 by mpcaruth

[flag fan]

I completely agree with you! We are on vacation and not in a rush. And on vacation we prefer to be served.

 

I think that there are several possible reasons why people choose the buffet over the MDR. Some I can think of are being able to get tons of food for yourself quickly, being in close proximity to the pool, and being able to take as much of something as you want. I know it is also unlimited amounts of food in the MDR and you could order as much as you'd like, but I think some people are embarrassed to ask a waiter for a lot of food. Personally I don't have a problem ordering 2 or 3 appetizers, a couple of different entrees and a couple of different desserts to try out in the MDR. ;)

 

Oh and I also agree about the pretzel rolls. Addictive!

 

I like buffets because you can get a large variety of food--a small sampling of a lot of different dishes to set what they are like; you can also take as little time or as much time as you want; you don't have to worry about making it to a show or not having time to eat between different activities. This is more relevant for lunch and dinner, but for breakfast the buffet is good if you need to get to an excursion or just want to get your day started and don't want to spend time waiting for food to be delivered.

[ldlewis45]

Buffet: the make-your-own soup section in the buffet, and the cheese and bread section (that was usually half of my breakfast/lunch every day on my Epic TA), the ground meat mixture (tasted like a cross of chili and taco) in the burger section, the potato and leek (or maybe it was fennel) au gratin, almond pastries in the morning, the Lipton Darjeeling tea bags

 

O'Sheehan's: I really like the meatloaf (and I'm not a fan of meatloaf, in general) and the corned beef and cabbage soup (with some Tabasco sauce added for zip). I am NOT a fan of their mozzarella sticks, though, since I think they taste like they've been sitting around for several hours and got nuked in a microwave.

 

Wasabi (not free, but very low price): vegetable roll, edamame, and miso soup

[dhill]

Was hoping for recommendations for foods to try at the free eating establishments, anything you thought was exceptionally tasty? Going on the Gem, would love your input.

 

Why not just go out on your own and explore and try them all.Isnt that part of the fun of cruising to go exploring?:eek:

[Jay Sam]

At O' Sheehans, I like Shepherds pie. I would have 2 of them each time. Great stuff. Would be served every other night. Just FYI, their Irish stew was not that great. Not at all.