Food - what’s good, don’t miss or should avoid

[Biker19]

9 minutes ago, baelor said:

Three courses for $30-40 is "inexpensive" for most sit-down restaurants that are not chains.

And RCI loves you for thinking that way.

[baelor]

11 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

And RCI loves you for thinking that way.

It's not thinking.  It is the reality of restaurants in many places.  My local sushi place is around $60-80 per person for omakase, not including sake, and there are plenty of more expensive sushi places around. 

 

The local steakhouse, which is relatively inexpensive compared to other steakhouses, charges $15 for beef tartare (appetizer), $70 for a 12 oz filet.  The nicest steakhouse in the area breaks $150 for a chateaubriand for two. 

 

A burrito alone at the casual Mexican restaurant near my house is $14. 

 

The local seafood place (I am on the coast) charges $28 for a blackened salmon salad and $25 for the fish and chips.  Halibut is $58; scallops are $59.  

 

 

I am not sure why you think $30 for three courses is inexpensive or why you are portraying this as a matter of "thinking" when it is objective and verifiable reality.

Edited July 25, 2022 by baelor

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, baelor said:

I am not sure why you think $30 for three courses is inexpensive or why you are portraying this as a matter of "thinking" when it is objective and verifiable reality.

1. On land you have a different (and higher) pricing structure and establishment costs.

2. On land you are not taking into account having already paid for a pretty decent offering in the MDR.

[smokeybandit]

26 minutes ago, baelor said:

Three courses for $30-40 is "inexpensive" for most sit-down restaurants that are not chains.

True, but not when there's a "free" three course dinner option already available.

[baelor]

10 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

1. On land you have a different (and higher) pricing structure and establishment costs.

2. On land you are not taking into account having already paid for a pretty decent offering in the MDR.

Neither of those in any way conflicts with my point, which is that $30 is inexpensive for a sit-down, three-course dinner.  If you want to make some argument about value, that is a different issue.  

[Biker19]

7 minutes ago, baelor said:

Neither of those in any way conflicts with my point, which is that $30 is inexpensive for a sit-down, three-course dinner.

Again, RCI loves you for thinking that way.

[baelor]

3 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Again, RCI loves you for thinking that way.

Again, it is not a matter of thought.  It is verifiable fact.  Your framing is inaccurate and rather bizarre.  

 

How do you think people should think?

[hazeleyes46]

48 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Again, RCI loves you for thinking that way.

How often on land can you get as much food as you want for the prices of the specialty restaurants? 

[Biker19]

22 minutes ago, hazeleyes46 said:

How often on land can you get as much food as you want for the prices of the specialty restaurants? 

RCI loves that thinking even more considering you can get an unlimited amount of food in the MDR.

Edited July 25, 2022 by Biker19

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, baelor said:

How do you think people should think?

Here's an approximation - Would you pay $50pp extra (or whatever you can get Chops on sale for) to eat at Texas Road House when you have a free paid for dinner at Outback.

[hazeleyes46]

5 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Here's an approximation - Would you pay $50pp extra (or whatever you can get Chops on sale for) to eat at Texas Road House when you have a free paid for dinner at Outback.

Do you honestly think the quality of food is the same in the MDR? 

[Biker19]

Just now, hazeleyes46 said:

Do you honestly think the quality of food is the same in the MDR? 

That is as subjective as the food itself.

[rudeney]

4 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Here's an approximation - Would you pay $50pp extra (or whatever you can get Chops on sale for) to eat at Texas Road House when you have a free paid for dinner at Outback.

 

I was thinking the same thing.  I don't have any problems with the included MDR or Windjammer food, and I find it to be better than anything I could get at Applebee's, but sometimes I just want what the specialty restaurants offer.  And I do think the food in the specialty venues is better (subjective, I know).  .   

[hazeleyes46]

1 minute ago, rudeney said:

 

I was thinking the same thing.  I don't have any problems with the included MDR or Windjammer food, and I find it to be better than anything I could get at Applebee's, but sometimes I just want what the specialty restaurants offer.  And I do think the food in the specialty venues is better (subjective, I know).  .   

Agreed. For the quality you would pay much more on land. The only thing not worth the money, IMO is Hibachi. It is more than on land and just the same. 

[baelor]

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Here's an approximation - Would you pay $50pp extra (or whatever you can get Chops on sale for) to eat at Texas Road House when you have a free paid for dinner at Outback.

I have not really eaten at those restaurants, but neither appears to use USDA Prime or graded Wagyu, and Outback does not even dry-age its steaks, so I would not pay any money to eat at either.

Edited July 25, 2022 by baelor

[baelor]

8 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

That is as subjective as the food itself.

It's not.  Taste is subjective.  Quality is not.

[rudeney]

Just now, hazeleyes46 said:

Agreed. For the quality you would pay much more on land. The only thing not worth the money, IMO is Hibachi. It is more than on land and just the same. 

 

But again, there is already some money spent on the included food.  I don't know what value to assign to that, but let's say $15 per meal per person.  That means a $60 upcharge for Chops is really just $45.  That doesn't sound too bad, except that I've had some really good meals at Texas Roadhouse for $25.  

 

We bought the UDP for our next cruise and intend to eat all dinners in the specialty restaurants (even though Voyager has only three).  We'll see how that goes.  

[Ret MP]

At Chops Grill, I absolutely love the (I call it) Candied Pork Belly.  Not too many in my usual party like it or aren't willing to try it because it is "Pork Belly", so I get a few plates of it and I'm in heaven.  BTW, I try to tell them that Bacon is "Pork Belly".  It doesn't do any good but I benefit from it.

[baelor]

16 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

aren't willing to try it because it is "Pork Belly"

Why would they not be willing to try it because it is pork belly?  That seems really good.  Also, do they deny the reality that bacon is often from the belly?  

 

Your usual party is very confusing.

[Bound4Bermuda]

4 minutes ago, rudeney said:

 

But again, there is already some money spent on the included food.  I don't know what value to assign to that, but let's say $15 per meal per person.  That means a $60 upcharge for Chops is really just $45.  That doesn't sound too bad, except that I've had some really good meals at Texas Roadhouse for $25.  

 

We bought the UDP for our next cruise and intend to eat all dinners in the specialty restaurants (even though Voyager has only three).  We'll see how that goes.  

I think you’re doing your math backwards—unless I’m misunderstanding the point you’re making. If $15 of your cruise fare is allotted to the MDR, then paying $60 for Chops is really like paying $75, not $45. (Though, the value for the MDR food is certainly more than $15, so your all-in price for the specialty restaurant might be closer to $100.)  I agree that $60 is a pretty decent price for a 3-course meal in a restaurant, but I’m with those who say I spend a lot of money eating out in nice restaurants at home as it is. I might as well get the food I already paid for in the MDR. However, I have NOT eaten in any of the specialty restaurants, so I am completely willing to admit I have no basis for comparison and maybe the specialty restaurants are just so incredible that I would be weeping because my taste buds have never experienced such ecstasy. So, I don’t know, I’m sure someday I’ll try it.

[hazeleyes46]

1 minute ago, Bound4Bermuda said:

I think you’re doing your math backwards—unless I’m misunderstanding the point you’re making. If $15 of your cruise fare is allotted to the MDR, then paying $60 for Chops is really like paying $75, not $45. (Though, the value for the MDR food is certainly more than $15, so your all-in price for the specialty restaurant might be closer to $100.)  I agree that $60 is a pretty decent price for a 3-course meal in a restaurant, but I’m with those who say I spend a lot of money eating out in nice restaurants at home as it is. I might as well get the food I already paid for in the MDR. However, I have NOT eaten in any of the specialty restaurants, so I am completely willing to admit I have no basis for comparison and maybe the specialty restaurants are just so incredible that I would be weeping because my taste buds have never experienced such ecstasy. So, I don’t know, I’m sure someday I’ll try it.

Definitely try one at least once. You won't be disappointed 🙂

[Ret MP]

12 minutes ago, baelor said:

Why would they not be willing to try it because it is pork belly?  That seems really good.  Also, do they deny the reality that bacon is often from the belly?  

 

Your usual party is very confusing.

??????????  I'd bet that if I told them that it was really thick candied bacon, they'd try it and love it.  But, it's like many other things, it's "Optics" or presentation on paper.  

Edited July 25, 2022 by Ret MP

[baelor]

4 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

I'd bet that if I told them that it was really thick candied bacon, they'd try it and love it.  But, it's like many other things, it's "Optics" or presentation on paper.  

Are they children or extremely old?  I am still very confused about what kind of adults act that way.

[Ret MP]

37 minutes ago, baelor said:

Are they children or extremely old?  I am still very confused about what kind of adults act that way.

One teenager and two or three 30 somethings.  I'm 70+.  I don't think it has anything to do with age.  I'm going to stick my neck out here but I'll say exactly who wouldn't try it, the girls/women.  All the males at least tried it.  One didn't like it.  

 

I've stopped trying to figure out people a long time ago.  It ain't worth it.  They do them and I do me.  In this case, I benefit.

 

To add to a few previous posts:  If I like Chops Grill more than Golden Corral or Metro Diner and I eat everything on my plate at Chops Grill but, I leave/waste much of my food at Golden Corral or Metro Diner, my perspective is that Chops Grill is a much better choice and value for my money even at 5 X the money at Chops Grill.  

[Ret MP]

48 minutes ago, baelor said:

I am still very confused about what kind of adults act that way.

BTW, don't you know anybody that won't eat Venison, or Moose, or anything that is hunted in the wild?  Some people just have psychological hang up by the way things are presented/called/named.  Bacon vs. Pork Belly is obviously one of them.  There are lots of them.  Of which, I'm one.  If it doesn't have USDA stamped on it, I don't want it.  Not that I won't try it (I've tried Venison, Moose, Duck, and others), I just don't want anything wild. I don't do Mountain Oysters, either. YMMV