How is Canaletto on Nieuw Statendam?

[Judyrem]

I love Italian food more than any other cuisine.  I visited  Italy many times in each of the regions.  My sister in law loves it too.

I always said I wanted to eat my way through Italy!

 

Anyone been there?  Had a favorite dish?

Edited November 6, 2019 by Judyrem

[avian777]

We have enjoyed Canaletto on several HAL ships but not on NA yet.  Our experience has been uniformly good, with some variation (in service quality) from ship to ship.  The overall food quality (and portions) has been excellent IMO, the "ambience" so-so, and the overall fun factor superb.  I'm sure you'll hear from other CCers who claim to be Italian food experts (foodies) who will debunk Canaletto for not serving "authentic" Italian food, but for my money, I feel Canaletto is one of HAL's better (but lesser known) gems.  Given the very modest price of a Canaletto dinner, I'd say give it a try and decide for yourself.  And do let us know what you thought of the experience.  Good luck and enjoy your cruise.

 

P.S.  My "favorite dish" is virtually everything on the menu!

Edited November 6, 2019 by avian777

[emp]

We were on the NS in August for a Baltic cruise. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal in the Canaletto. The service and food were both excellent. Best of luck and enjoy your cruise.

[Judyrem]

Thanks for feedback, I think we will go!😊  I want to go to Tamarind too.  

[Sir PMP]

If you like leftovers...

[Judyrem]

30 minutes ago, emp said:

We were on the NS in August for a Baltic cruise. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal in the Canaletto. The service and food were both excellent. Best of luck and enjoy your cruise.

Mechanicsburg?  OMG I grew up there!  It is my home town, what a small world!😁😁

[emp]

Small world indeed! Happy cruising! And enjoy the Canaletto and the NS! We really liked it.

We also had the Dutch apple pie in the Grand Dutch Café--it was excellent!

[avian777]

1 hour ago, Judyrem said:

Thanks for feedback, I think we will go!😊  I want to go to Tamarind too.  

 

Tamarind was definitely a must-do when sushi was on the menu.  From what I just saw on the new Tamarind menu, sushi and sashimi are no longer offered either as an appetizer or an entree.  The really good sushi and sashimi are  now only available in the (also new) Nami Sushi restaurant.

[Cruising-along]

We sailed the NS Sept 8-Oct 17 and dined in the Canaletto several times. It was always good with excellent service. Our favorite was the shrimp dish (Sunday special). On Gala nights they served lobster. 

[rkacruiser]

On the Rotterdam's VOV, the best steak I had in a specialty restaurant was prepared in the Canaletto.  

 

I also enjoy Italian cuisine.  I don't particularly like a section of the Lido Restaurant becoming a Canaletto.  Doing such detracts from the Italian restaurant ambiance that I would expect.

[GlennG]

If you like the Olive Garden, you're going to love Canaletto.

[Crazy For Cats]

12 hours ago, Judyrem said:

I love Italian food more than any other cuisine.  I visited  Italy many times in each of the regions.  My sister in law loves it too.

I always said I wanted to eat my way through Italy!

 

Anyone been there?  Had a favorite dish?

We tried it in April and it was good.  I have it booked for one night next week.  BTW, I grew up in Hershey.

[Nymich]

We loved it on the NS!

[Judyrem]

2 hours ago, Crazy For Cats said:

  BTW, I grew up in Hershey.

My husband and I used to go to Lucy’s Italian in the 70s.😋

Hershey  park was our favorite place when we were young!

 

I loved Central PA! 

 

I can’t wait to try the seafood pasta at Canalettos.😋

[Crusinsusan2]

6 nights out of 16 for us a few weeks ago on the NA. The beef carpaccio for me beat the pants off the steak tartar in the Pinnacle, and do love that too! Lamb chops w truffle polenta and fava beans, Veal liver and all daily special's were crazy good. Seafood dishes/pasta/salads/desserts were wonderful also. It actually became our comfortable go to because of the excellent service welcoming team that remembered our preferences from the last meal and the chef 20 yards away cooking everything to order, delivered hot, wine steward standing by. (Reminded us of our CO experience on the K!) Gala night's we were also offered the lobster tails as a side dish. Semi-casual, comfortable, quiet and easy. They truly won us over when we got all dressed up (really dressed) for a gala night only to arrive for our one and only attempt at open seating in the MDR at 5:30 to be told it would be a 45 minute wait. Nope. Headed straight to Canaletto to beg mercy without reservation and had a perfect Gala night. (I get it we built no relationship in the MDR but for this one attempt the entire cruise)  Olive Garden?  I think not not not. A 5* dinner in Tuscany I think not too. But it was a perfect fit and real treat for us and our pallets as a 2nd Gen Italian that cooks for the most part every day at home when we are not traveling.   

 

We also did 4 nights at Tamarind which we have always enjoyed. The new Tamarind menu (not the staff!) on the K left us flat a few cruises ago as many of our favorites have now been eliminated so we very much enjoyed the original menu that still existed on the NA.   

 

 

 

      

[terrydtx]

15 hours ago, Judyrem said:

Thanks for feedback, I think we will go!😊  I want to go to Tamarind too.  

We had dinner one night at the Canaletto on the Noordam in July the food was excellent. My favorite was the Oso Bucco. BTW I think the Tamarind is the best specialty restaurant of any cruise line we have been on. The wasabi crusted tenderloin steak is better than any steak in the Pinnacle Grill. 

[ricka47]

30 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We had dinner one night at the Canaletto on the Noordam in July the food was excellent. My favorite was the Oso Bucco. BTW I think the Tamarind is the best specialty restaurant of any cruise line we have been on. The wasabi crusted tenderloin steak is better than any steak in the Pinnacle Grill. 

 

We're trying Canaletto on the NA for the first time in a few weeks and will be in Tamarind twice.  How strong is the wasabi taste on that tenderloin?

Edited November 7, 2019 by ricka47

[terrydtx]

1 minute ago, ricka47 said:

 

We're trying Canaletto on the NA for the first time in a few weeks.  How strong is the wasabi taste on that tenderloin?

My wife doesn't like real spicy foods but she loved the wasabi tenderloin. I thought it wasn't over strong but all tastes are not the same. 

[ricka47]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

My wife doesn't like real spicy foods but she loved the wasabi tenderloin. I thought it wasn't over strong but all tastes are not the same. 

 

Great - works for me.  Thanks!

[Judyrem]

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We had dinner one night at the Canaletto on the Noordam in July the food was excellent. My favorite was the Oso Bucco. BTW I think the Tamarind is the best specialty restaurant of any cruise line we have been on. The wasabi crusted tenderloin steak is better than any steak in the Pinnacle Grill. 

I was looking at the Tamarind menu and there are about six things I want to order and now I want the wasabi tenderloin too!

Thanks!  I may have go twice to both Tamarind and Canaletto!😁

I am so excited!  This cruise sounds wonderful!!!!!!!  I love good food!

Edited November 7, 2019 by Judyrem

[Judyrem]

8 hours ago, Crusinsusan2 said:

6 nights out of 16 for us a few weeks ago on the NA. The beef carpaccio for me beat the pants off the steak tartar in the Pinnacle, and do love that too! Lamb chops w truffle polenta and fava beans, Veal liver and all daily special's were crazy good. Seafood dishes/pasta/salads/desserts were wonderful also. It actually became our comfortable go to because of the excellent service welcoming team that remembered our preferences from the last meal and the chef 20 yards away cooking everything to order, delivered hot, wine steward standing by. (Reminded us of our CO experience on the K!) Gala night's we were also offered the lobster tails as a side dish. Semi-casual, comfortable, quiet and easy. They truly won us over when we got all dressed up (really dressed) for a gala night only to arrive for our one and only attempt at open seating in the MDR at 5:30 to be told it would be a 45 minute wait. Nope. Headed straight to Canaletto to beg mercy without reservation and had a perfect Gala night. (I get it we built no relationship in the MDR but for this one attempt the entire cruise)  Olive Garden?  I think not not not. A 5* dinner in Tuscany I think not too. But it was a perfect fit and real treat for us and our pallets as a 2nd Gen Italian that cooks for the most part every day at home when we are not traveling.   

 

We also did 4 nights at Tamarind which we have always enjoyed. The new Tamarind menu (not the staff!) on the K left us flat a few cruises ago as many of our favorites have now been eliminated so we very much enjoyed the original menu that still existed on the NA.   

 

 

 

      

It so good to hear your great review!😁😋  Ab fab!

[mvaughn11]

17 hours ago, GlennG said:

If you like the Olive Garden, you're going to love Canaletto.

@GlennG can you please elaborate? Many here have replied that Canaletto is good. What has been your experience that you would rate it like Olive Garden? 
 

Any info. you could provide would be helpful. We are on NS for our 1st HAL cruise in 2 weeks and want to be able to make an informed decision. Thanks!

[bamelin]

I like The Olive Garden

[terrydtx]

17 hours ago, GlennG said:

If you like the Olive Garden, you're going to love Canaletto.

I wouldn't be caught dead in any Olive Garden, just average Americanized Italian food. I found Canaletto to be as good as some of the better meals we had in Italy last year on our 14 day land tour.

[Judyrem]

7 minutes ago, bamelin said:

I like The Olive Garden

When Olive Garden first debuted Many years ago and it was a novelty and my BFF from Sicily thought it was good, what can I say.  Everything I learned about Southern Italian cooking  was from her.

 

I never let other opinions influence my actions, if it is good FOR ME, that's all that matters.

I have not been lately but my son in law likes it too and he is a foodie and an excellent cook.

 

Our very first foray into REAL Italian restaurant was Lunas on Canal st NYC, she was our guide and that food rocked!

Edited November 7, 2019 by Judyrem