Ordering Off Menu in MDR.

[Heymoe]

What's been the best unlisted item you've gotten in the MDR? Not something served earlier/later on the trip, but not on the menu at all.

 

Friends have taken a recipe for sticky toffee pudding that chefs on Princess have done a great job on. We've asked if they could fix Filipino food on the Royal's Freedom OTS, expecting an easy entree like pancit, and the (Filipino) chef made 2 full family style meals.

[ldubs]

Crispy Pata. Adobo.

 

Made for our table. Excellent.

[pris993]

Ordering off menu in mdr really depends on the cruise line. Some cruise lines that we have been on do better than others. Princess consistently did better for us. But I must say, what we really like is fish prepared very simply, i.e., pan fried no butter per our dietary needs. So our approach was to find out what fish is available on board and then order it, once we found one we liked a lot we order and reorder. We are not into ethnic dishes but do know some staff on board would love to prepare some ethnic dishes as mentioned above.

[Krazy Kruizers]

On HAL, if there is something you want that is not on the main menu, you have to order it 24 hours in advance -- like Bami Goreng.

[iancal]

I was on an NCL cruise with my father. He ordered spaghetti and meatball three nights. Not on the menu. He happened to ask and they said give a days notice and we will make of for you. They did. And he thought that it was very good. Complete with the requisite cheese and crushed red peppers.

[nascarcruiser]

What's been the best unlisted item you've gotten in the MDR? Not something served earlier/later on the trip, but not on the menu at all.

 

Friends have taken a recipe for sticky toffee pudding that chefs on Princess have done a great job on. We've asked if they could fix Filipino food on the Royal's Freedom OTS, expecting an easy entree like pancit, and the (Filipino) chef made 2 full family style meals.[/quote)

 

I can see odering something for dietary needs or steak or chicken or plain pasta but bringing a recipe for the chef to make seems a little presumptuous to me

[sail7seas]

Crispy Pata. Adobo.

 

Made for our table. Excellent.

 

 

 

I'll have to google to lean what tht dish is.

 

 

Which cruise line made it for you?

[Heymoe]

What's been the best unlisted item you've gotten in the MDR? Not something served earlier/later on the trip, but not on the menu at all.

 

Friends have taken a recipe for sticky toffee pudding that chefs on Princess have done a great job on. We've asked if they could fix Filipino food on the Royal's Freedom OTS, expecting an easy entree like pancit, and the (Filipino) chef made 2 full family style meals.[/quote)

 

I can see odering something for dietary needs or steak or chicken or plain pasta but bringing a recipe for the chef to make seems a little presumptuous to me

 

Friends were talking to a chef and asked if the ship ever served sticky toffee pudding. He said that it didn't, but if she had the recipe he'd make it.

[capriccio]

Risotto con fragole (risotto with strawberries).

 

We were on an Emerald Princess Baltics cruise for our 3rd cruise in 2009. While waiting to be seated we started talking to the head waiter who was Italian. My DH is Italian American and speaks native Italian and we lived in Italy for 5 years. We all started talking about Italy and Italian food. He then gave us a lovely 2 top (with space all around) with a fantastic waitstaff. At the end of the dinner he asked if we would like that table every evening, something we didn't even know was possible. The next evening he brought the Italian maitre'd over for introductions and more talk about Italian food. A night or two later the maitre'd stopped by again and asked if there was any dish we especially missed. We both responded risotto con fragole that was very popular in Italy in the 1980s. A couple of nights later, the maitre'd and the head waiter surprised us with a massive platter of risotto for our second course (an Italian dinner starts with antipasto, then pasta or risotto, then meat or fish). It looked beautiful and was delicious. We were so touched I think I had tears in my eyes. We insisted that they and the waitstaff try it too. If I remember correctly, I'm pretty sure we passed on the meat or fish dish. We weren't as young as we were when we lived in Italy and regularly ate large multi-course meals!.

[davekathy]

When cruising with RC, Celebrity and Princess I'll sometimes ask for the kids menu. Sometimes I want mac n cheese. No a potato fan. The kids menu also has a couple of good desserts on it.

[ldubs]

I'll have to google to lean what tht dish is.

 

 

Which cruise line made it for you?

 

It was RCI New England cruise this past October. These are Filipino dishes. It was very special for them to make these for us.

 

It is actually pretty incredible that they can take the time out from serving a couple thousands passengers to do things like this.

[SuiteTraveler]

In some cases, the Filipino or Indian or other such dishes are what they happen to be serving that in the crew mess, so they can easily serve it to MDR guests. Typically cruise ship's crew mess will serve foods from the various places the crew is from.

[ldubs]

In some cases, the Filipino or Indian or other such dishes are what they happen to be serving that in the crew mess, so they can easily serve it to MDR guests. Typically cruise ship's crew mess will serve foods from the various places the crew is from.

 

Adobo is pretty standard fare. Crispy Pata not so much.

[Corby114]

In 2006 on a Carnival Miracle cruise from Tampa to the Western Caribbean with my widowed mother in law she happened to have a conversation with the Executive Chef who was from Austria. He explained that there were only two other crew members that spoke German on the entire ship. While talking to her in German he asked if there was anything that she could think of that she would like to eat. He explained that he taught a few of the senior cooks onboard some special Austrian and German specialities and he would have one of them make whatever she wanted. She decided on a German dessert cake that she hadn’t had in years. The next afternoon she enjoyed the cake with the Executive Chef. She also got a private tour of the bridge. She always told my wife that it was truly a special cruise for her.

[bonsai3s]

Adobo is pretty standard fare. Crispy Pata not so much.

 

Idubs...hope to sail with you someday so we can share the Crispy Pata...with vinegar-soy sauce, and onions.

:D (Go GSW!)

[GUT2407]

Our last few cruises we have found they are less free in filling off menu requests.

[rkacruiser]

My first cruise: Rotterdam V, July 1970

 

My traveling companion and I requested Crepes Suzette for one evening's dessert. As the Table Captain prepared it, a couple walked past our table and I heard the woman say: "I didn't see that on the menu."

 

 

I have found that if possible, whatever is requested can be prepared if the staff is notified far enough in advance. Particularly on HAL ships, Indonesian and Filipino dishes and condiments are usually gladly provided.

[Heidi13]

Our last few cruises we have found they are less free in filling off menu requests.

 

That is also our experience.

 

Years ago, generally never a problem, provided you provided some notice. On our last cruise, we did get a curry night, but I wouldn't say they were really happy. Never did request a repeat and we were aboard for 104 nights.

[Underwatr]

I think that's why the "always available" selections (such as shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, steak, salmon, etc) on Cunard don't appear on the menu. It lets us Britannia diners feel like we're getting away with something. ;)