Specialty dining - Eurodam

[Herfnerd]

HAL newbs - cruising the Eurodam to Alaska this September

 

We're wanting to try one of the specialty dinings venues, but which one?

 

All look interesting but didn't know if one is better than the other. With the free dining with the Explore 4 (we don't have) didn't know if this should affect our decision so, what say ye?

 

TIA

[CruiserBruce]

You have a choice of Pinnacle, Cannaleto and Tamarind. All are discussed here frequently. Fancy Steak House, Italian or Asian fusion. Menus for all 3 can be found by looking around the board, as can many reviews and comments. What interests you?

 

We have eaten in all 3, like all 3.

Edited January 12, 2017 by CruiserBruce

[WeLoveCruising]

HAL newbs - cruising the Eurodam to Alaska this September

 

We're wanting to try one of the specialty dinings venues, but which one?

 

All look interesting but didn't know if one is better than the other. With the free dining with the Explore 4 (we don't have) didn't know if this should affect our decision so, what say ye?

 

TIA

 

They're all good for what they are - Canaletto for Italian, Tamarind for Asian, or Pinnacle Grill for Steak/Pacific Northwest cuisine.

 

We've always enjoyed Canaletto, but it's more casual, created out of a section off the Lido. The food is good, but nothing you cant get at home.

 

The Asian food on HAL is consistently good. I even like the Asian food from the Lido buffet every day at lunch. Tamarind is no exception, HAL does Asian well.

 

If you had to narrow it down to only one, I would choose whichever menu appeals the most to you. But if you're looking for the one that would be most special occasion worthy, I'd go with the Pinnacle Grill.

 

And if you really wanted to up the game, the Pinnacle Grill does a specialty meal typically once a cruise, either Le Cirque or De Librije. If those menus appeal to you, I think they're splurge-worthy.

[Herfnerd]

Thanx for the info so far

 

Have read about all three and all three sound wonderful so it just made it that much more difficult to decide so I had to ask....

[Krazy Kruizers]

We love the Tamarind Restaurant the best.

When we were on the Eurodam for 14 days not too long ago, we found ourselves eating more there than the Pinnacle.

[Tom O.]

We will be cruising next week, we are having two dinners in the Pinnacle Grill and one in the Tamarind. We have never been to either before. I will post a review here that will include reviews of these restaurants. I will title it "Nieuw Amsterdam 1/18/2017 Review." It will show up around Feb. 1st.

Everyone raves about the Tamarind, I have never seen a single bad review about it. The Pinnacle Grill usually gets good reviews, but it is not 100%. The Cannaleto, gets mixed reviews - about 50/50 good and bad.

The atmosphere at the Cannaleto would be poor, since it is simply a partitioned space of the Lido (buffet). The atmosphere of the Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind, is rated excellent - better than the Main Dining Room.

Edited January 12, 2017 by Tom O.

[zookiebird]

Both Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind are special but If I had to choose just one it would be Tamarind. The food, service and ambiance is terrific plus it gives us an opportunity to try dishes we don't normally get at home. Very relaxing and fun.

[POA1]

I'll step up and take a contrarian position on Tamarind. We dined there three times over two cruises in 2014. It's a lovely venue and the food is good. The service is excellent. Despite all that, we'd rate it below the Pinnacle. On our recent Eurodam 7 day cruise, Tamarind didn't make the cut. We did De Librije and the Pinnacle. We had a free Canaletto as part of Explore 4, and we did not use it. (It would be nice if you could gift your unused specialty dining to other cruisers.)