Red Ginger Question

[TomOG]

We are on Riviera on May 15th. One of our party of 5 is not particularly fond of Asian cuisine and is concerned about the spiciness of the foods available on the menu. Does anyone have any comments or recommendations on the Red Ginger menu? We currently have a reservation there but could skip it if the food is considered spicy. thanks!

[Rob the Cruiser]

The dishes aren't spicy, at least for our taste, but if one of your party doesn't like Asian cuisine then he/she should skip Red Ginger. For the rest of your party, don't miss it. The cuisine is excellent.

Edited March 23, 2019 by Rob the Cruiser

[pinotlover]

Oceania doesn’t do spicy. Even the dishes marked as spicy aren’t really. The meat dish marked spicy is mostly just fatty but not really spicy.

 

Notwithstanding that, the Chilean Sea Bass is excellent and will not offend even the faintest of heart ( or tongue) with spicy ness. 

Edited March 23, 2019 by pinotlover

[Paulchili]

There are a number of non spicy items on the menu.

A couple that come to mind are sushi & fried calamari appetizers and miso glazed sea bass and lobster Pad Thai entrees.

I am sure there are others.

[WESTEAST]

Totally agree with Paulchili and my husband just loves the lamb - next cruise for us in August onboard the Marina and we can't wait! The waiters can help you navigate the menu - enjoy.

[Rob the Cruiser]

I read your post again and realized you asked for suggestions. I agree that the Chilean Sea bass is incredible. The Scallop Trilogy is delicious also. 

Edited March 23, 2019 by Rob the Cruiser

[LHT28]

just ask for less spicy dishes 

You can view  the menu  ahead of time 

that way  they are prepared  if  they still want to join you

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/ships/riviera/cuisine/

 

[StanandJim]

Don't miss Red Ginger!

The Miso glazed Sea bass is outstanding.

[rucruisn2]

On our last O cruise, I was not looking forward to Red Ginger and only scheduled it for the last night.  I don't like spicy foods either. It was one of the BEST dinners we had!!!  GO!!!

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, rucruisn2 said:

On our last O cruise, I was not looking forward to Red Ginger and only scheduled it for the last night.  I don't like spicy foods either. It was one of the BEST dinners we had!!!  GO!!!

 

On our first Oceania cruise, we didn't go to Red Ginger until the end, because we knew it wouldn't be a favorite, but we wanted to "try it".  I can't eat spicy food, so I figured I might eat "lightly".

 

Well! That sea bass!   BEST fish I have ever had (with the single exception of *very* freshly caught halibut in Alaska, which I never thought could taste "like that"!).

 

There were several other items we noticed.  This last trip a few months ago, we really enjoyed eating there.  There were plenty of choices that were not at all spicy (or the sauce was on the side anyway).

 

GC

[Flatbush Flyer]

Nothing in Red Ginger comes close to being spicy. In fact, if I had to cite one particular food complaint about Oceania in general, it would be that they could make the "spicy" dishes "spicy."

 

We actually bring individual packets of Tapatio hot sauce for whenever there's a Mexican themed dinner.

 

As for Red Ginger recommendations: Duck & Watermelon Salad!

[Ltctina]

7 hours ago, TomOG said:

We are on Riviera on May 15th. One of our party of 5 is not particularly fond of Asian cuisine and is concerned about the spiciness of the foods available on the menu. Does anyone have any comments or recommendations on the Red Ginger menu? We currently have a reservation there but could skip it if the food is considered spicy. thanks!

I don’t do spicy and Red Ginger has plenty of non-spicy dishes. It was our fav specialty restaurant on riviera. 

[pinotlover]

One of the greatest lines came from a server in the Terrace on day at lunch. A cruiser came up and asked if a particular dish was spicy. The server looked at her and said “ This is Oceania, there are no spicy dishes”.

 

The GDR was serving an Indian dish that is traditionally spicy. When someone at our table asked our waiter about how spicy it was he replied “ it’s not real ~~, we could bring you some spice sauces to make it taste real.” 

 

Red Ginger is perhaps our favorite O restaurant with several great dishes. Nothing on the menu is actually spicy.

 

 

Edited March 24, 2019 by pinotlover

[KatieBelle]

7 hours ago, TomOG said:

One of our party of 5 is not particularly fond of Asian cuisine

 

We have eaten in Red Ginger exactly one time.  I would probably give it another go but DH is not a fan of anything Asian.  We make our reservations for all 4 specialties and once on board we swap our Red Ginger time for another restaurant. 

You will notice on this board there is a lot of enthusiasm for Red Ginger.  However, food preferences are quite subjective.  No taste is universal.  You and your friends can decide what is best for you and still enjoy 4 reservations.

 

Katie

 

[CintiPam]

I love the atmosphere/ambience and serenity of Red Ginger, which I find a great contrast with what often feels to me a bit frenetic in Jacques, although the food is excellent in both.

 

That duck and watermelon salad (first recommended to me by frequent contributor Jim of StanandJim!) is exceptional.

Edited March 24, 2019 by CintiPam

[KatieBelle]

Red Ginger is IMO the most beautiful restaurant on the O ships.  BUT if someone is not fond of Asian cuisine, they should not be subjected to it in any setting.  Listing all our favorites here won't make someone else change their preferences in taste.  Different palates, different tastes, hence 9 different dining venues.  We can all enjoy our vacations in many different ways, with or without Red Ginger.

 

Katie

[Paulchili]

I am not sure if OP’s main concern is for his friend’s dislike of Asian food or spicy food.

If it’s the former then RG is not a good choice; if it’s the latter then RG might be OK as it’s easy enough to avoid “spicy” foods there.

[StanandJim]

8 hours ago, Paulchili said:

I am not sure if OP’s main concern is for his friend’s dislike of Asian food or spicy food.

If it’s the former then RG is not a good choice; if it’s the latter then RG might be OK as it’s easy enough to avoid “spicy” foods there.

+1 and if I am dining with a crowd for the camaraderie, and the food is not exactly to my liking, I'll either discreetly run up to the Terrace afterward, or meet Room Service at my cabin.

I know that I am not going to starve, so sometimes the social angle is key.  

[LHT28]

We  ate in RG 3 times

1st  great

2nd   tried to kill DH not once but twice in the same meal  (that is my job)

3rd tried to burn my mouth with the highly spiced curry dish

DONE  no more chances

 

For those that say there is no spicy food there  I wish I could have given you mine

If you want spicy they can make it so  ..JUST ASK

[Andee]

I was chastised by a server in Red Ginger when I complained that something was, for me, inedibly spicy. 

[Mura]

I'm at the opposite spectrum.  We really like spicy food, and so the first ventures at RG (not many, it's true) we asked for extra spice.  It was a bit hotter, but not enough.  OTOH, on our last visit to RG which would have been either on Marina in Nov '17 or Riviera in May '18 I asked for spicy and really got it!

 

Still, RG is our least favorite specialty.  But I agree with most posters, that it's easy to avoid spicy food at RG.  They DO know that the average passenger is older and so (they assume, whether rightly or wronger) that most people want milder food.

 

My hubby has cut back on the spice -- and he is the person who introduced me to Szechuan.  But I still like the super-spice.

 

He IS older than I am,  but I'm no longer one of the "younger set" on the ship ...

 

Mura

[LHT28]

Just now, Andee said:

I was chastised by a server in Red Ginger when I complained that something was, for me, inedibly spicy. 

well I hope you reported  them to management

 

The server & Maitre'd  offered to have  the cook add  more coconut milk to dilute the spiciness  ..it did not work

It would have been better if they just made a new dish with a lighter hand on the spice  bottle 🙂

[chuckcarole]

22 hours ago, TomOG said:

We are on Riviera on May 15th. One of our party of 5 is not particularly fond of Asian cuisine and is concerned about the spiciness of the foods available on the menu. Does anyone have any comments or recommendations on the Red Ginger menu? We currently have a reservation there but could skip it if the food is considered spicy. thanks!

The food is wonderful, my DH loves this restaurant more than the others.  The food is not spicey unless you want it that way, you do it yourseld.  Don't miss it.

[Rob the Cruiser]

48 minutes ago, Mura said:

I'm at the opposite spectrum.  We really like spicy food, and so the first ventures at RG (not many, it's true) we asked for extra spice.  It was a bit hotter, but not enough.  OTOH, on our last visit to RG which would have been either on Marina in Nov '17 or Riviera in May '18 I asked for spicy and really got it!

 

Still, RG is our least favorite specialty.  But I agree with most posters, that it's easy to avoid spicy food at RG.  They DO know that the average passenger is older and so (they assume, whether rightly or wronger) that most people want milder food.

 

My hubby has cut back on the spice -- and he is the person who introduced me to Szechuan.  But I still like the super-spice.

 

He IS older than I am,  but I'm no longer one of the "younger set" on the ship ...

 

Mura

 

We're with you. Bring on the heat!

[orchestrapal]

1 hour ago, Rob the Cruiser said:

 

We're with you. Bring on the heat!

 

DITTO make it hot 🥵 and the others may have our portions of the sweet sea bass.....