Tamarind

[Topsham]

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

 

 

I read the message from the OP and I think he is mistaken for sure. Tamarind, Canaletto or Pinnacle all have set prices for the restaurant. If you pick one item or two you cannot change the charge... no matter how small portion of food you have requested. If you make a reservation for the restaurant then you pay the full amount. Does anyone else heard of this? Certainly I have not.

[josper]

Depending upon the length of the cruise, we dine at the Tamarind Restaurant between 2 to 4 times. If you like Chinese/Thai/Korean, etc food you will love this dining venue. The menu is structured in such a way that you can have different items in 4 or more visits. The food is excellent with service to match. One of the great alternative restaurants on the New Amsterdam, Eurodam and now the Koningsdam. We are looking forward to dining there on our Oct. 24th cruise on the K.

Go for it - give it a try

[avian777]

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

 

... 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 ...

 

If you were expecting to have Chinese food at Tamarind, I can understand your less-than-rave review because Tasmarind is not a Chinese restaurant - it is a Pan-Asian restaurant. FWIW I absolutely love Tamarind and have never had a bad or even mediocre meal there. Give it another try - you just might like it better the second time.

Smooth sailing ...

[Topsham]

If you were expecting to have Chinese food at Tamarind, I can understand your less-than-rave review because Tasmarind is not a Chinese restaurant - it is a Pan-Asian restaurant. FWIW I absolutely love Tamarind and have never had a bad or even mediocre meal there. Give it another try - you just might like it better the second time.

Smooth sailing ...

 

 

I agree. I would love to dine Tamarind more than once, but it would get rather boring after a few choices. Just like a steak house. Get tired of beef and poultry or fish are fine choices. Does not mean that you don't like the restaurant itself.

[ChinaShrek]

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.

 

I posted my comments because I wanted the OP to know what our experience was at the Tamarind. We did not have a great experience there and other people on the Eurodam felt the same way. Again, we were told the had to order the set menu and another couple in the restaurant was told the same thing. Could we have made a big fuss and insisted on less food? Maybe, but why bother? That's not an accommodating restaurant.

[Topsham]

I posted my comments because I wanted the OP to know what our experience was at the Tamarind. We did not have a great experience there and other people on the Eurodam felt the same way. Again, we were told the had to order the set menu and another couple in the restaurant was told the same thing. Could we have made a big fuss and insisted on less food? Maybe, but why bother? That's not an accommodating restaurant.

 

You did not have a great experience at Tamarind because you didn't get the special sauce?

 

I think you have made a mistake in your understanding. What 'set' menu are you talking about?

 

Accommodation restaurant? Why? Because you wanted to cut something off your choices to pay less than the advertised price for the dinner? It is a sit price. If you want to have a soup and green tea then you still pay the full price. What is the big deal?

Edited October 22, 2016 by Topsham

[john2003]

I thought it was $25 and Pinnacle was $35. Am I wrong?

 

Sent from my LG-H812 using Forums mobile app

[Florida_gal_50]

I thought it was $25 and Pinnacle was $35. Am I wrong?

 

Sent from my LG-H812 using Forums mobile app

 

You are correct.

[djhsolara]

On our last cruise on NA, we had reservations for one dinner and went back again. Have not been on Kdam yet, but so far this is my favorite HAL restaurant.

 

They have always been very accommodating there, so much so as to ask how spicy we would like a dish to be prepared.

 

What I do miss, however, is the lunch. I wish that would still be around.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Tamarind is our favorite restaurant

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

[MaisonRose]

In regards to eating out generally, there are diners where, one hopes, you can mix and match, and there are cafeteria lines where you can custom your plate..and the Market Place on the Eurodam is a particularly good example at dinner, where my gluten free sister found found joy.

 

Then the two classic restaurant agendas, offering à la carte where you choose selections like soup ($8) -a main like fish fillet ($18) etc, and pay by the piece.

Most restaurants offer à la carte ordering along with something called Menu of the Day or Price Fixed where you get a couple of choices within a category and no matter what, if you choose that route, you pay the $25, $30.etc price.

This strategy usually is meant to help the kitchen simplify their prep. Asking to substitute the mashed potatoes with French fries, for example, throws off the timing and delivery of the meal. I've tried this many times and here in France, where I live a bit, it almost never works. At home in the States where dining has adjusted to the demands of the customer, we can smile and basically get what we want.

Some very good restaurants, though, offer only the Price Fixed menu. Their kitchen is not a short order line. Tamarind is like that.

IMPORTANT POINT

TAMARIND'S menu does accommodate, I know from my sister, gluten free eating which is built in to the selections.

Everyone in the restaurant is paying a per head price, though.

Sorry if this is sounding like a bit of a lecture.

[ChinaShrek]

You did not have a great experience at Tamarind because you didn't get the special sauce?

 

I think you have made a mistake in your understanding. What 'set' menu are you talking about?

 

Accommodation restaurant? Why? Because you wanted to cut something off your choices to pay less than the advertised price for the dinner? It is a sit price. If you want to have a soup and green tea then you still pay the full price. What is the big deal?

 

There is no big deal, really. I provide legitimate criticism of the Tamarind and everyone jumps to HAL's defense. It's funny actually. This forum should be about providing all perspectives and not just positive opinions.

 

Just to reiterate: We were told that we had to order: 1 soup (per person), 1 appetizer (per table), 1 main dish per person, and 1 desert per person. We asked if only one of us could have a soup and we were told, "no." That's not accommodating.

 

My mom does not like spicy dishes or rich sauces. She asked if the dishes could be prepared without any sauce or with a mild sauce. The server said that this was not possible. All dishes are served as advertised. That's not accommodating. She asked about using the gravy in the MDR. (Wha's so hard about doing that, really?) Again, not possible, and that's not accommodating.

 

The OP should know that what happened to us could very well happen to him/her.

[Topsham]

 

 

 

Just to reiterate: We were told that we had to order: 1 soup (per person), 1 appetizer (per table), 1 main dish per person, and 1 desert per person. We asked if only one of us could have a soup and we were told, "no." That's not accommodating.

 

 

 

My mom does not like spicy dishes or rich sauces. She asked if the dishes could be prepared without any sauce or with a mild sauce. The server said that this was not possible. All dishes are served as advertised. That's not accommodating. She asked about using the gravy in the MDR. (Wha's so hard about doing that, really?) Again, not possible, and that's not accommodating.

 

The OP should know that what happened to us could very well happen to him/her.

 

And this is completely HOGWASH! Because that is not what they do at Tamarind. I think you are trying to make an issue because you wanted to have JUST A SOUP so you would not have to pay the full amount. You are not FORCED to eat anything.

 

Again, go back to my early comment. You asked for a sauce from the MDR and didn't get it in Tamarind. I told you already... it is a different kitchen. If you had asked a day before or even a few hours before, they would have accommodated. Expect to run a steward all the way down to lower deck and the other end of the ship because someone want their special sauce? No! Get real.

[Topsham]

You posted this several months ago:

 

 

 

"My mom and I sailed on the Eurodam in April. We enjoyed the food at both the Pinnacle Grill and Tamarand. I would only return to the Tamarand if I was starving. We received too much food at Tamarand. We ended up with a five-course meal. We were "told" to order 5 courses (soup, two appetizers per person, a main course, and desert) by our server. I write "told" because the server stated that we each "needed" to order these things. I wanted to simply order the soup and then decide if we wanted an appetizer. She stated that it didn't worth that way. I told her that I wanted only one appetizer and she said that we are paying for two, so you should order two. Yes, I guess I could have made a big scene or left food on the table, but I hating wasting food, and why should I make a scene at a fine restaurant?"

[Fouremco]

There is no big deal, really. I provide legitimate criticism of the Tamarind and everyone jumps to HAL's defense. It's funny actually. This forum should be about providing all perspectives and not just positive opinions.

 

Just to reiterate: We were told that we had to order: 1 soup (per person), 1 appetizer (per table), 1 main dish per person, and 1 desert per person. We asked if only one of us could have a soup and we were told, "no." That's not accommodating.

 

My mom does not like spicy dishes or rich sauces. She asked if the dishes could be prepared without any sauce or with a mild sauce. The server said that this was not possible. All dishes are served as advertised. That's not accommodating. She asked about using the gravy in the MDR. (Wha's so hard about doing that, really?) Again, not possible, and that's not accommodating.

 

The OP should know that what happened to us could very well happen to him/her.

I strongly suspect that there was a communication problem here. My DW has asked for milder spicy dishes and has always been accommodated with no fuss. As for ordering only soup, as long as you explained that you were paying for the full meal for that person, serving the soup and holding the remaining dishes wouldn't have been a problem.

[doublebzz]

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.

 

There is probably no more subjective subject than tastes in food so there will always be some negative comments. You should evaluate your decision by the fact that, as this thread indicates, favorable comments about Tamarind outweigh negative comments by a factor of 10 to 1.

[Taters]

I've enjoyed reading such positive things about Tamarind! I made my Pinnacle Grill reservations for my Koningsdam cruise and since reading this thread, I am definitely going to book Tamarind for one night early in the cruise, too. Thank you!

[ChinaShrek]

And this is completely HOGWASH! Because that is not what they do at Tamarind. I think you are trying to make an issue because you wanted to have JUST A SOUP so you would not have to pay the full amount. You are not FORCED to eat anything.

 

Again, go back to my early comment. You asked for a sauce from the MDR and didn't get it in Tamarind. I told you already... it is a different kitchen. If you had asked a day before or even a few hours before, they would have accommodated. Expect to run a steward all the way down to lower deck and the other end of the ship because someone want their special sauce? No! Get real.

 

I will give them one more chance to prove their worthiness. If they are not perfect, you will here about it here.

[Tom O.]

We love Asian food, but for us it cheap eats. We lived in So Calif most of our lives where Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese restaurants are in abundance. It is always a good and inexpensive meal.

It is a complete mystery to us why HAL charges extra for the Tamarind.

We believe that the kind of meal you get in MDR would cost more to serve than what is served in the Tamarind. So we are not planning to eat in the Tamarind for our next cruise.

[Topsham]

I will give them one more chance to prove their worthiness. If they are not perfect, you will here about it here.

 

 

 

Nah, I already know that Tamarind is just fine. Just in case I will send $5 to you to pay for the soup.

[Topsham]

We love Asian food, but for us it cheap eats. We lived in So Calif most of our lives where Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese restaurants are in abundance. It is always a good and inexpensive meal.

It is a complete mystery to us why HAL charges extra for the Tamarind.

We believe that the kind of meal you get in MDR would cost more to serve than what is served in the Tamarind. So we are not planning to eat in the Tamarind for our next cruise.

 

 

Cost depends on 'location'. Also necessary to control the number of passengers trying to get into the restaurant. It would take just fifty passengers to booked table for every night then no one else would be able to get in. Likewise for Canaletto and Pinnacle.

[Fouremco]

We love Asian food, but for us it cheap eats. We lived in So Calif most of our lives where Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese restaurants are in abundance.

You can also go to McDonald's for cheap eats with a burger, but I'd still be happy to pay extra and go to the Pinnacle Grill at lunch time and enjoy its burger. The atmosphere, service and food are simply not comparable.

[Tom O.]

You can also go to McDonald's for cheap eats with a burger, but I'd still be happy to pay extra and go to the Pinnacle Grill at lunch time and enjoy its burger. The atmosphere, service and food are simply not comparable.

 

We have booked dinner in the Pinnacle for our next cruise. We don't mind paying the extra money for their high end menu.

I just don't understand paying extra to eat in the Tamarind for a meal that should be priced lower than the MDR.

I don't understand what McDonalds has to do with it.

[Topsham]

We have booked dinner in the Pinnacle for our next cruise. We don't mind paying the extra money for their high end menu.

I just don't understand paying extra to eat in the Tamarind for a meal that should be priced lower than the MDR.

I don't understand what McDonalds has to do with it.

 

 

 

Well, all I can say is that you don't understand how the ship needs to flow of people through the ships... and through the restaurants. Do you think how the ship can get everyone into just ONE MDR? No. It has to do with flow. You know a MacDonald that has a view like Tamarind has?

[ZSandy25]

Just off six weeks on the Koningsdam and we had the pleasure of eating there four times. We loved it, the food, the service, ambiance. Have to agree with a few others who posted here, we liked it better than the PG.

 

DH said it was one of the best steaks he had onboard and he polished off a few at the PG:)

 

Try it early in your cruise, if you enjoy it you can always book another reservation.