Epicurean on Ventura, never again

[keeven2]

We were on Ventura to Portugal during half term holiday. This was the second time with P&O. The first time was on Iona last year to Norway. Due to the post Covid shortages, the Epicurean restaurant was closed on Iona. This time I was keen to try Epicurean because it was often mentioned as "Amazing". However it turned out to be quite disappointed. 

Firstly about the reservation. We are a party of 7 so we went to the restaurant to make the reservation. However the lady at door told us it was fully booked for the whole cruise. I showed her that there are availability on the "My Holiday". She still insisted that it was fully booked, nothing (no matter of the table size) was available. If we book on "My Holiday", it might get cancelled. She even asked the restaurant manager came over to convince us. So we left and booked it online, a table of 5 and a table of 2. We did this on Iona and it worked out perfectly. After a few days, the booking reminder was delivered to our cabins. I went up to the restaurant to tell them that we are a party of 7. Another lady said it is no problem.

Secondly, about the food. I'm gonna laugh. One of the main course on the menu is literally Fish and Chips. It might be some fancy Cod or Haddock. I only can say it would be a British fine cuisine. Some of us ordered the "whole" lobster. It turned out very small, and without claws. I don't know if it the definition of "Whole" lobster. The lobsters were all over cooked, the meat is loose, like being frozen for a very long time. The other starters and main courses were just so so, nothing to highlight. 

The only good thing was the service was good. 

So in general, I feel it was completely waste of £30 per head. The beach house was much better.

 

[keeven2]

[Megabear2]

20 minutes ago, keeven2 said:

Personally I think that looks very good!

 

Cost wise P&O speciality dining is far cheaper than other lines and is good value.  I'm sorry you were unhappy, sometimes anticipation and reviews lead to disappointment if you have a different expectation.

[sandancer]

That’s a shame. We ate in Epicurean 3 times on Azura and enjoyed all of the meals. It seems that “fully booked” seems to be the standard reply. 

[SeaJane]

What a pity that Epicurean was not to your liking on your cruise. We ate there 3 times on Ventura in May and found both the food and service to be excellent at that time. From the pictures you have shown it looks as though we had the other menu.

[zap99]

2 hours ago, keeven2 said:

I would guess that most of the lobster in ' mainstream ' restaurants is frozen.

[Interestedcruisefan]

Very rare for people to have a bad experience at Epicurean 

 

Sorry you didn't enjoy

 

I also thought the pictures looked nice tbh

Edited November 9, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[DS_Dean]

It can be a bit bushtucker trial in there I find.😄

[yorkshirephil]

2 minutes ago, DS_Dean said:

It can be a bit bushtucker trial in there I find.😄

I hope you don't mean those meatballs once belonged to a kangaroo😁

[keeven2]

2 hours ago, zap99 said:

I would guess that most of the lobster in ' mainstream ' restaurants is frozen.

Frozen is fine. The problem for these lobsters did not taste right. I don't know how to describe that feeling exactly, the texture felt loose. At home if the prawn from fishmonger is not very fresh, you put it into the freezer, after defrost and cook, it will taste like that. 

[Thejuggler]

Thats a crawfish, not a lobster.

[keeven2]

4 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Personally I think that looks very good!

 

Cost wise P&O speciality dining is far cheaper than other lines and is good value.  I'm sorry you were unhappy, sometimes anticipation and reviews lead to disappointment if you have a different expectation.

Yes, I think my expectation was too high. It was just ordinary in terms of food. We found out that we were very happy with the Beachhouse. 

[zap99]

11 minutes ago, Thejuggler said:

Thats a crawfish, not a lobster.

I though the same, but couldn't be sure. That would explain the lack of claws.

[Dobbers]

On Ventura last year we were unable to book any speciality dining. The restaurant manager said she had only been allowed 70 covers per day due to staffing. 
Sindhu was almost empty every night (apart from ships officers🤔)

[Fionboard]

Those tiny "lobsters" would be illegal to catch in some places. Probably from some country with no regulations. Not exactly like the ones I saw in Canada recently! 

[majortom10]

We visited Epicurean on both Iona and Arvia this year and personally had the lobster on both ships and both excellent meals with first class service. The t bone pork was also excellent on Arvia. With pre booking and getting 20% discount and then 10% Peninsular Club discount made it £21-60pp. Excellent value for money and a meal of that standard for the cost was exceptional. You would struggle in many pubs to get 3 course meal for that price. Think people's expectations are too high when these days fish and chips to take away in paper can be in excess of £10+.

[keeven2]

14 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

We visited Epicurean on both Iona and Arvia this year and personally had the lobster on both ships and both excellent meals with first class service. The t bone pork was also excellent on Arvia. With pre booking and getting 20% discount and then 10% Peninsular Club discount made it £21-60pp. Excellent value for money and a meal of that standard for the cost was exceptional. You would struggle in many pubs to get 3 course meal for that price. Think people's expectations are too high when these days fish and chips to take away in paper can be in excess of £10+.

The problem is I can go to the main dining room for free. There was not much difference in terms of food. Epicurean was just slightly better. That's why I felt like a waste of money and efforts.

[Camberley]

What a real shame. We’ve eaten in Epicurean dozens of times post-Covid and many times before that, and have never once had a meal that was below first rate: Epicurean has always been well worth every penny for us and has always been a real “cut above”. We always find it adds a celebratory foodie tone to cruises that just does not happen with the barely adequate and sometimes fairly grim fayre in the MDRs. The fish and chips in Epicurean was certainly a proper upscaled one on Iona the other month so how disappointing it just did not live up.

[Interestedcruisefan]

21 minutes ago, keeven2 said:

The problem is I can go to the main dining room for free. There was not much difference in terms of food. Epicurean was just slightly better. That's why I felt like a waste of money and efforts.

Shows how good MDR  is then I guess

[BertieRulesOK]

I get a bit bored in P&O MDR.  There's only so much meat and three veg I can take, especially with the always there choices now making up a large amount of the menu.  Specialty restaurants at least give some variety.

[9265359]

3 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Excellent value for money and a meal of that standard for the cost was exceptional. You would struggle in many pubs to get 3 course meal for that price.

 

The cost of using Epicurean (or the Beach House or Sindhu, etc.) is a supplement to what you have already paid to use the MDR not the whole cost, so to compare it to the whole cost of a meal in a pub or restaurant on land is not comparing like with like.

[Interestedcruisefan]

10 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

 

The cost of using Epicurean (or the Beach House or Sindhu, etc.) is a supplement to what you have already paid to use the MDR not the whole cost, so to compare it to the whole cost of a meal in a pub or restaurant on land is not comparing like with like.

Well bearing in mind technically theres nothing to actually stop you also dining in the buffet and/or the MDR on the same night you dine in Epicurean you could actually argue the opposite

 

Early or late buffet or MDR plus Epicurean is also possible

 

If someone chose to of course

 

Just saying....

 

I've certainly dined 6pm ish (not in Epicurean) but also had a buffet 9.15pm as well on occasions 

 

I'm sure I'm not the only one

 

You don't actually forego anything when you choose to pay extra for Epicurean bookings

[9265359]

51 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

You don't actually forego anything when you choose to pay extra for Epicurean bookings

 

Yes, but in reality nobody does eat in the MDR or Buffet for a a full meal as well as the Epicurean, and if they do then what does it say about the food in Epicurean that they needed to do that.

[Interestedcruisefan]

6 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

 

Yes, but in reality nobody does eat in the MDR or Buffet for a a full meal as well as the Epicurean, and if they do then what does it say about the food in Epicurean that they needed to do that.

Lol

[terrierjohn]

7 hours ago, keeven2 said:

Yes, I think my expectation was too high. It was just ordinary in terms of food. We found out that we were very happy with the Beachhouse. 

I have to confess that I also find the Beechhouse food far tastier than Epicurean. However Celebrity Eclipses Tuscan Grill food was always delicious, and well worth the extra cost, especially as we always managed to get a discounted price.