Main Dining Room questions

[HermmyGranger]

I know I've seen posts on this before, but I can't seem to find them right now. I was looking at the nightly menus for the MDR and I'm wondering if there are standard options that are always available every night, but that are not listed on the menu itself? And just how much customization can you ask for on dishes? I'm assuming you can nix side dishes, but can you ask for things without the stated sauce and such?

[Florida_gal_50]

Roger Jett has a wonderful site with a lot of menus.  Here is the link to his site 

 

https://rogerjett-photography.com
 

There are items available every night and you can do some customization.

[HermmyGranger]

7 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Roger Jett has a wonderful site with a lot of menus.  Here is the link to his site 

 

https://rogerjett-photography.com
 

There are items available every night and you can do some customization.

That's where I was looking (his stuff is so great), but the MDR dinner menus are fairly concise. I'm just wondering if you don't like anything specifically showing on that menu, are you just out of luck and head to the Lido or are there some "regulars" that you could request (grilled chicken breast, steak, pasta, etc.).

 

[Florida_gal_50]

I want to say there is chicken breast, steak and salmon.  I’m going from memory because I generally eat at specialty restaurants.  When I do eat at the mdr (or club orange) I seem to find something I like.  Hopefully someone else can pipe in with the choices if these aren’t correct.

[CurlerRob]

55 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I want to say there is chicken breast, steak and salmon.  I’m going from memory because I generally eat at specialty restaurants.  When I do eat at the mdr (or club orange) I seem to find something I like.  Hopefully someone else can pipe in with the choices if these aren’t correct.

 

Used to be French Onion Soup, Caesar Salad, chicken, salmon and steak as "always available" - but in looking at the posted meus referenced earlier, it appears the (small) steak is no more, although you can pay extra for a larger one.

[Florida_gal_50]

8 minutes ago, CurlerRob said:

 

Used to be French Onion Soup, Caesar Salad, chicken, salmon and steak as "always available" - but in looking at the posted meus referenced earlier, it appears the (small) steak is no more, although you can pay extra for a larger one.

Yes I forgot about the soup and salad.  I was thinking mains.

[ajcathy]

Just returned from 21 days on the Rotterdam and the everyday items are not always listed but onion soup, Caesar salad, salmon, chicken and a steak are the menu items that should always be available.  The waiters are very accommodating for special requests. I love brussels sprouts and if they show up anywhere on the menu I always ask for some and I always get them.  If you can't make up your mind between two appetizers they will bring you both.  We ate all but three meals in the MDR and could always find something we were happy with. I thought the food was very good as did everyone in our party of eight.

[roxybear135]

You can find menus on the Navigator app.  It seems that French onion soup and Caesar salad is always available as appetizers.  There's a garlic-herb roasted chicken, NY strip loin, and salmon dish available each night.  I had no trouble with them accommodating requests for no sauce, different sides, etc. on our last two cruises.

[Dunmore2]

16 minutes ago, roxybear135 said:

You can find menus on the Navigator app.  It seems that French onion soup and Caesar salad is always available as appetizers.  There's a garlic-herb roasted chicken, NY strip loin, and salmon dish available each night.  I had no trouble with them accommodating requests for no sauce, different sides, etc. on our last two cruises.

Great news on the swapping of sides.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Dunmore2

[zhuangcorp]

50 minutes ago, roxybear135 said:

You can find menus on the Navigator app.  It seems that French onion soup and Caesar salad is always available as appetizers.  There's a garlic-herb roasted chicken, NY strip loin, and salmon dish available each night.  I had no trouble with them accommodating requests for no sauce, different sides, etc. on our last two cruises.

When I check the navigator app, I see the garlic-herb chicken and the Salmon available listed on the menu every night. But I don't see the NY strip loin listed every night. Is it part of a secret menu?

[roxybear135]

16 minutes ago, zhuangcorp said:

When I check the navigator app, I see the garlic-herb chicken and the Salmon available listed on the menu every night. But I don't see the NY strip loin listed every night. Is it part of a secret menu?

I see it on the main dining room menu in my app.  It shows up every night on the different menus.

[Florida_gal_50]

I’ve never had problems switching sides as long as they are on the menu for the night.  For instance I can’t eat polenta or corn in any form.  If a certain type of potatoes or rice is on the menu I’ve had no problem subbing it in.  Same with veggies.

[quack2]

9 hours ago, zhuangcorp said:

When I check the navigator app, I see the garlic-herb chicken and the Salmon available listed on the menu every night. But I don't see the NY strip loin listed every night. Is it part of a secret menu?

Oooo.  Secret menu.  Can I get the strip loan "animal style"?

[RuthC]

You can also get an entrée size portion of an appetizer, if you want. IIRC you can get an appetizer size portion of an entrée, but I'm not positive about that. If you don't see a potato or vegetable you want, you can ask for mashed potatoes or carrots; IIRC, you can also get green beans. 
Now, all of this was pre-pandemic, but if you don't ask you don't get. 

You could also ask to see the next night's menu, and if you don't see anything you like, ask about the 'always available' so it can be prepped for you. 

[Seasick Sailor]

I have a severe garlic allergy. Every night in MDR I would get a next day menu telling me what dishes I could safely have. If we ate in a specialty restaurant the following day, I would get the menu selections in our mailbox. Chef always came out while we dined in Rudi's to ensure me there was no garlic in my meal choice. 

(We sailed Rotterdam 34 days Dec/Jan)

[Trapper44]

Everyone else has mentioned the Starters and Mains available every night. For dessert a Fruit Crisp and a Cheese Plate are available upon request.

 

[Crew News]

6 hours ago, Trapper44 said:

Everyone else has mentioned the Starters and Mains available every night. For dessert a Fruit Crisp and a Cheese Plate are available upon request.

 

On my first MDR night on the Zuiderdam last month, I asked for a crisp and the waiter assured me that it was not available.  After following my request to ask in the kitchen, my waiter returned and told me that apple crisp with a scoop of ice cream was available that evening if I wished. 

 

On subsequent MDR visits, I overheard my waiter offering the crisps to other diners.

[Trapper44]

16 hours ago, Crew News said:

On my first MDR night on the Zuiderdam last month, I asked for a crisp and the waiter assured me that it was not available.  After following my request to ask in the kitchen, my waiter returned and told me that apple crisp with a scoop of ice cream was available that evening if I wished. 

 

On subsequent MDR visits, I overheard my waiter offering the crisps to other diners.

They had it every night on our Koningsdam cruise in the Lido. Several evenings our waiter was not sure, but I ended up with one.

 

 

[mpk]

On 5/18/2022 at 12:16 AM, Crew News said:

On my first MDR night on the Zuiderdam last month, I asked for a crisp and the waiter assured me that it was not available.  After following my request to ask in the kitchen, my waiter returned and told me that apple crisp with a scoop of ice cream was available that evening if I wished. 

 

On subsequent MDR visits, I overheard my waiter offering the crisps to other diners.

 

Thanks for nicely "schooling" the apparently new waiter 😀     The others in the MDR that night benefited.

[RGEDad]

On 5/16/2022 at 11:10 PM, zhuangcorp said:

I see the garlic-herb chicken and the Salmon available listed on the menu every night. But I don't see the NY strip loin listed every night.

DW asked for the NY Strip Loin several times on our last cruise in May (21 day cruise). She got it every time without issue even if it was not on the menu.

Note: they have several steak sauces, but no A1 sauce. We knew about that so she always bring a bottle of her own when we cruise HAL along with her creamy French dressing. Salmon is always available for me, even if it is not on the night menu - and quite well cooked also.

 

On 5/17/2022 at 10:05 AM, RuthC said:

If you don't see a potato or vegetable you want, you can ask for mashed potatoes or carrots; IIRC, you can also get green beans. 

I would always ask for mashed Potatoes - and to discard the green vegetables. That vegetable discard mostly worked, but the potatoes were always there.

Also always got a scoop of ice cream on many/most desserts offered when we asked.

 

Once noted to the DR manager on the way out after dinner when he asked how  was dinner and I noted the Creme Brullee was not up to their normal standards, and what was wrong with it. Next evening is was delivered as a dessert alongside of what we ordered, and the manager came over after and asked how this one was. It was back up to it's normal excellent standard.

 

DW was taking medication and it would affect her appetite, and sometimes she would barely touch her meal. They would always be concerned if there was something wrong with the meal served, asking other options they could bring.

 

They really do try to make the dinner enjoyable.

[LobstersLass]

On 5/18/2022 at 1:31 AM, Trapper44 said:

Everyone else has mentioned the Starters and Mains available every night. For dessert a Fruit Crisp and a Cheese Plate are available upon request.

 

This is good to know, thank you. I was just looking at the menus on Roger's site in anticipation of my next cruise and was so disappointed that the cheese plate was no longer listed.

[Crew News]

2 hours ago, LobstersLass said:

This is good to know, thank you. I was just looking at the menus on Roger's site in anticipation of my next cruise and was so disappointed that the cheese plate was no longer listed.

FWIW I take a small plate (fits in 1-gallon Ziploc bag) of various cheeses during the Lido Market breakfast to keep in my minibar for a late evening snack.  Boxed crackers travel well in checked luggage and provide a tasty accompaniment to the chilled cheese.

 

My current Lida Market Late Buffet menus show various cheeses (change each evening) available with crackers (don't remember seeing them) that offer another source of cheeses than available at daily Lido Market breakfast. 

 

Lido Market Late Buffet Menus