La Dame- $160 pp or $320 for dinner for 2!!!!

[Lascellesman]

True, but in a restaurant you aren't already paying a base price for wine before you elect to go for the pairing. 

[Gourmet Gal]

42 minutes ago, Lascellesman said:

True, but in a restaurant you aren't already paying a base price for wine before you elect to go for the pairing. 

Correct, so La Dame should be really excellent.  It will be interesting to hear if Nova pax feel the experience and food are better than on other ships in La Dame and/or if the wines are that much better.

[Dolcevita Diva]

3 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

A $100 fee for a wine pairing in a very good restaurant is actually a typical price.  High-end restaurants can be double that. 

Based on information provided elsewhere, the pairing at $160 will be from the complimentary wines.  Pairing with wines from the Connoisseur list will be an additional $90 and a champagne pairing will be an additional $140. 

Edited August 10, 2023 by Dolcevita Diva

[Lirio]

@ Silver Spirit. La Dame wine pairing. We had the house wines, not pairing.

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by Lirio

[Dolcevita Diva]

La Dame menu from Silver Nova was posted on another site, with some photos and video of the experience.  
 

[A Tucson Guy]

Having seen the menu and comments from another website, it looks like La Dame for $160 per person is the same experience as La Dame for $60 per person. We are dining there next week and SS has respected the old price for us since we made the ressies before the new price was announced. I will report back but it sure looks like the same old, same old for an extra $200 per couple. If this is true, I will not eat there at the new and improved price. Let me do the math- cruise prices have gone up in 2024 and 2025 and now they want to charge us a lot more for the same experience in La Dame and Kaiseki??? I will report back after our La Dame dinner on the Nova.

[Gourmet Gal]

Perhaps I am misreading but why are there prices for the wine pairing when it’s included on Nova?

[Dolcevita Diva]

1 hour ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Perhaps I am misreading but why are there prices for the wine pairing when it’s included on Nova?

Because the pairings from the premium wines or champagnes are in addition to the $160 per person charge. 

[Dolcevita Diva]

1 hour ago, A Tucson Guy said:

Having seen the menu and comments from another website, it looks like La Dame for $160 per person is the same experience as La Dame for $60 per person. We are dining there next week and SS has respected the old price for us since we made the ressies before the new price was announced. I will report back but it sure looks like the same old, same old for an extra $200 per couple. If this is true, I will not eat there at the new and improved price. Let me do the math- cruise prices have gone up in 2024 and 2025 and now they want to charge us a lot more for the same experience in La Dame and Kaiseki??? I will report back after our La Dame dinner on the Nova.

Very much look forward to your report of your experience next week.

 

I haven’t bothered with La Dame in a number of years, but was intrigued by this shift and was considering trying it again if the menu and experience are unique.  The menu doesn’t look vastly different (although I shook my head over the salted caramel soufflé. Really? Salted caramel was a flavor trend 7 or 8 years ago, but far from unique now…). 

Hope to hear that you have an amazing meal that is well worth the additional charge!

 

 

[LAL Cruiser]

1 hour ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

Because the pairings from the premium wines or champagnes are in addition to the $160 per person charge. 

 

Good point, I am confused.  The increased charge is supposed to cover the cost of upgraded wine pairs.   Why would prices be listed for the better wines if said wines are included?  Are the listed wines Super Premium wine pairing suggestions?  This is getting a little silly - when the increased prices for La Dame on Silver Nova first were announced, I was not happy but gave Silversea the benefit of the doubt that the New La Dame would be an enhanced experience with even better food and wines; well, the menus look very familiar and if the premium wines are not really included, then I am very disappointed.  Paring and standard white wine with fish and a standard red wine with meat dishes certainly does not justify increased prices.

 

See Silversea site:  Per guest reservation fee of US$60 and US$160 (incl. complimentary wine pairing) for Silver Nova

 

This all needs to be sorted about, and as I stated above, the relaunch of the extra change restaurants on the Silver Nova with increased prices has been very poorly handled by Silversea.  

 

Separate question: what is the dress code at La Dame on the Nova; I thought that I read that it was going to be formal all of the time, but formal is OUT on the Nova and dressing for dinner is now optional.  Any ideas?

 

We are on the Nova Holiday cruise -by then this will be worked out.  We will try the "new and improved" La Dame, why not, and am hoping to see some value for the upcharge.

 

 

 

 

[Dolcevita Diva]

1 hour ago, LAL Cruiser said:

 

Good point, I am confused.  The increased charge is supposed to cover the cost of upgraded wine pairs.   Why would prices be listed for the better wines if said wines are included?  Are the listed wines Super Premium wine pairing suggestions? 

 

See Silversea site:  Per guest reservation fee of US$60 and US$160 (incl. complimentary wine pairing) for Silver Nova

 

This all needs to be sorted about, and as I stated above, the relaunch of the extra change restaurants on the Silver Nova with increased prices has been very poorly handled by Silversea.  

 

 

 

 

 

There is some additional detail in the Setting Sail guide for the Silver Nova (below).
Silversea’s blog post about the wine programs on the Nova mentioned there will be some exclusive wines only available in La Dame, so it would seem from the description below that those may be part of the complementary complimentary (😂) wines.  But the premium pairings are at additional cost. 
 

100% agree that the introduction and communication around these new programs has been very poor. I remember what a terrific job they did last year in rolling out the OTIVM spa program, with teaser communications, photos and videos well before the inaugural voyage. If they’d taken a similar approach with the Silver Nova it would have generated additional excitement and buzz.   I’m very intrigued and interested in the Chef’s Table, but even after the preview voyage this past week for media, travel agents, etc., there is still no information nor photos from the press previews about what that will entail for $180 pp. 

Edited August 13, 2023 by Dolcevita Diva

[ronrick1943]

2 hours ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

There is some additional detail in the Setting Sail guide for the Silver Nova (below).
Silversea’s blog post about the wine programs on the Nova mentioned there will be some exclusive wines only available in La Dame, so it would seem from the description below that those may be part of the complementary complimentary (😂) wines.  But the premium pairings are at additional cost. 
 

100% agree that the introduction and communication around these new programs has been very poor. I remember what a terrific job they did last year in rolling out the OTIVM spa program, with teaser communications, photos and videos well before the inaugural voyage. If they’d taken a similar approach with the Silver Nova it would have generated additional excitement and buzz.   I’m very intrigued and interested in the Chef’s Table, but even after the preview voyage this past week for media, travel agents, etc., there is still no information nor photos from the press previews about what that will entail for $180 pp. 

When you consider you’re not eating in another restaurant that night the cost is more than $160 per person.  So the service, the food should be EXCELLENT—no excuse’s period.

[vistaman]

serving a sweet wine with gooseliver is IMHO  wrong 

that is history  :  in the 19th and early 20th century gooseliver was served as last course and so a sweet wine was appropriate 

now drinking a Sauternes or other sweet wine  starting your meal with is simply" killing you moth " for other wines 

believe it or not   as last course  fresh lobsters were served with salad what was in those day a very expensive vegetable  as were tomatoes until 20 years ago during winter in the low countries 

 

[mchell810]

9 hours ago, vistaman said:

drinking a Sauternes or other sweet wine  starting your meal with is simply" killing you moth " for other wines 

 

I had the exact same thought!  I understand it being paired with the foie gras but no way would I drink it at that point in the meal.

[A Tucson Guy]

I am hoping that somebody currently on the Nova will post about their dinner in La Dame. We shall see. I am having dinner there a week from today!!

[Gourmet Gal]

13 hours ago, vistaman said:

serving a sweet wine with gooseliver is IMHO  wrong 

that is history  :  in the 19th and early 20th century gooseliver was served as last course and so a sweet wine was appropriate 

now drinking a Sauternes or other sweet wine  starting your meal with is simply" killing you moth " for other wines 

believe it or not   as last course  fresh lobsters were served with salad what was in those day a very expensive vegetable  as were tomatoes until 20 years ago during winter in the low countries 

 

Goose liver?  That’s really a rarity.  Most foie gras is duck liver these days.  Anyway, what do you prefer to drink with your foie gras?  I love having Sauternes with a seared foie gras but it doesn’t work as well with a pâté or mousse de foie gras.  It was definitely a trend 10-15 years ago but I’d rather be 10 years behind the times than 100.

[seattleskibums]

On 7/26/2023 at 10:51 AM, Gourmet Gal said:

La Dame never seemed worth the slight upcharge previously but was okay for a way to spend OBC.

Exactly.  On the Shadow in 2017, we ate at La Dame four times just to get a decent meal, but on our recent cruises on the Wind and Moon in June and July, the Silversea food in the other restaurants was as good (and even better in some cases) than in La Dame.  Our feeling was that La Dame has become obsolete because Silversea has upped its game in the other venues. Other diners obviously felt the same way because we were the only ones in La Dame on one night and on the otherr night we went, there were only four other diners in the place.

[canderson]

1 hour ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Goose liver?  That’s really a rarity.  Most foie gras is duck liver these days.  Anyway, what do you prefer to drink with your foie gras?  I love having Sauternes with a seared foie gras but it doesn’t work as well with a pâté or mousse de foie gras.  It was definitely a trend 10-15 years ago but I’d rather be 10 years behind the times than 100.

It's the timing that's a problem, as others have pointed out.  I'll hold a Sauterne until the end with a cheese course.  Nothing like C d'Y with real Papillon Roquefort (the only non-coop left there for years).

 

The only time I'll opt for something sweet in the middle of things is a GOOD Auslese if having roast pork cooked with fruit or with a heavy fruit glaze.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I love seared foie gras [paté is too close to a liverwurst sandwich, which takes me back to my youth and therefore goes with a glass of milk...] and am open to expanding my knowledge of proper pairings.  At a number of top restaurants, the pairing was either sweet wine or sake.  [And with my sweet tooth, there has never been a wine that is too sweet – is there something beyond trockenbeerenauslese???]  But for pairing with seared foie gras, what are the preferred choices?

[canderson]

15 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

[And with my sweet tooth, there has never been a wine that is too sweet – is there something beyond trockenbeerenauslese???] 

Certainly nothing nicer than a really good one - but I need a good balance of acidity to back up the sugar.  Not every year and certainly not in every region does it happen.  But a really good one is just amazing.

[Gourmet Gal]

I also like a nice Jurançon or off-dry Alsace Pinot Gris with foie gras.

[drron29]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I love seared foie gras [paté is too close to a liverwurst sandwich, which takes me back to my youth and therefore goes with a glass of milk...] and am open to expanding my knowledge of proper pairings.  At a number of top restaurants, the pairing was either sweet wine or sake.  [And with my sweet tooth, there has never been a wine that is too sweet – is there something beyond trockenbeerenauslese???]  But for pairing with seared foie gras, what are the preferred choices?

As I have been told by more than one winemaker the best wine is the one you like.

[Brad1185]

On the Nova if you don’t drink and do not have deserts it’s a really bad deal as there is no $60 meal option with no alcohol included. 

[Tothesunset]

4 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 [And with my sweet tooth, there has never been a wine that is too sweet – is there something beyond trockenbeerenauslese???] 

Eiswein:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_wine

[Whinenowine]

10 hours ago, canderson said:

It's the timing that's a problem, as others have pointed out.  I'll hold a Sauterne until the end with a cheese course.  Nothing like C d'Y with real Papillon Roquefort (the only non-coop left there for years).

 

The only time I'll opt for something sweet in the middle of things is a GOOD Auslese if having roast pork cooked with fruit or with a heavy fruit glaze.

This was me, too....until I had the pan seared foie gras at the French Laundry about 20 years ago...the Somm at the time was a friend of mine and he insisted on a sauternes...to this day it's the best food/wine paring I've ever had. And luckily I found switching back to dry wine wasn't a problem....at least I THINK it wasn't a problem...we did go through 5 bottles that night so my recollection is a bit muddled! 

 

And, as much as Climens and Rieussec are tasty, I have to (somewhat snobbily) say that none can touch d'Yquem.  I just wish they were still at 2013 prices, rather than 2023.