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Tamarind

saturn93

By saturn93,
in Holland America Line

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saturn93

saturn93

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We just got reservations for a 14 day Caribbean cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam for March/April 2018, and we are thinking about having dinner at the Tamarind for a night. For those who have eaten there, how was everything (food, ambiance, etc.) in there.

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Daisyloo

Daisyloo

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LOVE the Tamarind. It is our favorite shipboard restaurant.

Everything we have had there has been delicious and the service is excellent. You must eat there at least once on your cruise.:)

Edited by Daisyloo
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POA1 "Live from...." Rare

POA1

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I have seen very few posts by people that did not love it. It is very good.

 

We're not wild about it, but we've eaten there a number of times and found the food to be good, ambience refined, and service excellent.

 

So, why aren't we wild about it? Not sure. There's nothing wrong with Tamarind. It just didn't do it for us.

 

My advice for your 14 day sailing: Go early on in the cruise. If you like it, you can make additional reservations at the end of the meal.

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Crew News "Live from...." Rare

Crew News

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Enjoyed the Tamarind six times on our last 19-day cruise to Alaska.

 

Here is what you can expect to see/taste (disregard the the last image of my chocolate purse that was a gift from the MDR Manager but delivered to me in the Tamarind the last cruise evening):

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/ms-nieuw-amsterdam-on-board-images/nieuw-amsterdam-dining-2/lido-restaurant-dining-lido-restaurant/

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ChinaShrek

ChinaShrek

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I have seen very few posts by people that did not love it. It is very good.

 

My mom and I went to the Tamarind on the Eurodam earlier this year and did not really enjoy it. Why?

 

!) We were told told that we had to order all four courses and could not simply order random dishes off the menu. That is, we had to order 1 soup, 1 appetizer, 1 main course, and 1 desert for each person. We could not order 1 appetizer and 1 desert and leave, for example. The portions are also huge. So, we felt there was way too much food us after eating lunch 5 hours earlier.

 

2) I thought the food was just OK. I have had Chinese food all over the world and in China many times. I thought the Tamarind's food was fine but nothing to rave about or pay extra for.

 

3) You really cannot ask them to do anything special with the dishes. You receive what is on the menu and cannot change it. For example, my mom wanted one of the dishes cooked in a different sauce (one that was available in the MDR) and they wouldn't do it.

Edited by ChinaShrek
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RuthC

RuthC

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My mom and I went to the Tamarind on the Eurodam earlier this year and did not really enjoy it. Why?

 

!) We were told told that we had to order all four courses and could not simply order random dishes off the menu....

...

3) You really cannot ask them to do anything special with the dishes....

Either something has changed radically, or you were misinformed, sadly.

 

I am not fond of Pan-Asian food, but I have gone to the Tamarind on every sailing I've taken where that restaurant appears---mainly because my friends wanted to go. I always left satisfied by the meal.

I have ordered only those things I want, and even had them leave the wasabi off my filet. That was the best on the ship.

 

I have found the service and ambiance there to be the best in the fleet, far surpassing the Pinnacle (which I love).

I'm so sorry you weren't able to have those small accommodations that would have made your time in Tamarind special. Please do try it one more time when you have the chance. Hopefully you will have a much better experience.

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serendipity1499

serendipity1499

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We just got reservations for a 14 day Caribbean cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam for March/April 2018, and we are thinking about having dinner at the Tamarind for a night. For those who have eaten there, how was everything (food, ambiance, etc.) in there.

 

My favorite restaurant on a ship! Definitely go for it!

 

I too love the Tamarind & wish they had it on our next Hal cruise..

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tampadee

tampadee

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Enjoyed the Tamarind six times on our last 19-day cruise to Alaska.

 

Here is what you can expect to see/taste (disregard the the last image of my chocolate purse that was a gift from the MDR Manager but delivered to me in the Tamarind the last cruise evening):

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/ms-nieuw-amsterdam-on-board-images/nieuw-amsterdam-dining-2/lido-restaurant-dining-lido-restaurant/

 

OMG, I want that chocolate purse! Is it served in the MDR?

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RuthC

RuthC

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OMG, I want that chocolate purse! Is it served in the MDR?

It used to be, but I haven't seen it on a menu in a long time.

It was the single absolute best dessert I have ever had on a HAL ship---and that's a LOT of desserts. ;)

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Topsham

Topsham

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!) That is, we had to order 1 soup, 1 appetizer, 1 main course, and 1 desert for each person. We could not order 1 appetizer and 1 desert and leave, for example.

 

 

Not quite true. You do not have to order the full menu. You can just ask for one soup and one desert.

 

 

 

3) You really cannot ask them to do anything special with the dishes. You receive what is on the menu and cannot change it. For example, my mom wanted one of the dishes cooked in a different sauce (one that was available in the MDR) and they wouldn't do it.[/

 

 

I think were asking too much from any restaurant such style as this.

As far as request for a different sauce, well that would have come from the Main Kitchen. Tamarind come from its own kitchen . Now if you had the day before or spoke to the Maitr'd at lunch and requested the special sauce you might well have got it.

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ChinaShrek

ChinaShrek

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!)

 

 

Not quite true. You do not have to order the full menu. You can just ask for one soup and one desert.

 

 

 

I think were asking too much from any restaurant such style as this.

As far as request for a different sauce, well that would have come from the Main Kitchen. Tamarind come from its own kitchen . Now if you had the day before or spoke to the Maitr'd at lunch and requested the special sauce you might well have got it.

 

"You do have to order the full menu." What does that mean? What if I want only 1 main dish? Can I do that? What if we only want to share one main dish? Moreover, I have gone to the Pinnacle Grill and ordered the Lobster Bisk and left. They didn't have any problem with that and said people do that all of the time. If I paying $35 more, why should I have to order anything that I do not want to order? The Tamarind seems far too pretentious for my test.

 

Fair enough. However, readers should know then that Tamarind is far less accommodating than Pinnacle Grill. Again, at the Pinnacle Grill I have asked them to cook a number of dishes with and without certain spices. At Tamarind, the server said that all dishes are served the same way. Again, that's nonsense if I am paying $35 per person.

Edited by ChinaShrek
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Topsham

Topsham

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"You do have to order the full menu." What does that mean? What if I want only 1 main dish? Can I do that? What if we only want to share one main dish? Moreover, I have gone to the Pinnacle Grill and ordered the Lobster Bisk and left. They didn't have any problem with that and said people do that all of the time. If I paying $35 more, why should I have to order anything that I do not want to order? The Tamarind seems far too pretentious for my test.

 

Fair enough. However, readers should know then that Tamarind is far less accommodating than Pinnacle Grill. Again, at the Pinnacle Grill I have asked them to cook a number of dishes with and without certain spices. At Tamarind, the server said that all dishes are served the same way. Again, that's nonsense if I am paying $35 per person.

 

 

 

 

You said that you HAD to order: appetizer, maincourse, desert etc. No, you do NOT have to order ANHTHING. Tamarind will accommodate IF they can. If you want to have main course and share with someone else that is possible. The think is you will have to pay $35 EACH. You can't to split. What if a husband, wife and child come into to Tamarind. OK, the wife gets the soup, the husband gets the steak and the kid gets the icecream. Well, you will pay for $105. The cost of the $35 is not just the cost of the food. It included the service. No, it is nonsense. You make reservations then you pay for each diner. What you do with the food is your business. Tamarind it not pretentious at all. Again, if they can accommodate they will. As I said, this is from a different kitchen. Some dishes will come prepared and that way for a reason.

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lahlah57

lahlah57

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"You do have to order the full menu." What does that mean? What if I want only 1 main dish? Can I do that? What if we only want to share one main dish? Moreover, I have gone to the Pinnacle Grill and ordered the Lobster Bisk and left. They didn't have any problem with that and said people do that all of the time. If I paying $35 more, why should I have to order anything that I do not want to order? The Tamarind seems far too pretentious for my test.

 

Fair enough. However, readers should know then that Tamarind is far less accommodating than Pinnacle Grill. Again, at the Pinnacle Grill I have asked them to cook a number of dishes with and without certain spices. At Tamarind, the server said that all dishes are served the same way. Again, that's nonsense if I am paying $35 per person.

 

Well sounds like Tamarind is not for you! It is on you if you do not want to get your $35 worth. I am sure they would have loved to save money on you when you order only a soup and.appetizer. You did not "have" to order all courses I am sure.......but you will still pay $35.

Never understood people who make special requests other than leave this or that off but to request leaving the pad thai sauce off of the noodles and replace.with strogonoff sauce is ridiculous from a.clearly asian venue (just an example).

"Experiemce.and.take things as they come.at you" :D

Edited by lahlah57
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