Ember

[clo]

21 minutes ago, Tr1v1alCru1ser said:

Just goes to show @Gracie115 depends who’s cooking on the day.  

That should be the kiss of death for restaurants. There's The French Laundry in NorCal and many others. I'm guessing the chef's presence is rare.

[Harters]

4 minutes ago, clo said:

I'm guessing the chef's presence is rare.

Some years back, we got chatting to one of the two brothers who own a Michelin starred restaurant. He runs front of house and the other brother is chef. He said the thing that marks out a really good restaurant is consistency. It should be able to deliver the expected quality night after night, whether or not the chef is actually in the kitchen. I hadnt really thought of that before but he was right. 

[osandomir]

People have different tastes. No need to force others to like or dislike something the way you do it. One of the pleasures of cruising is to dine in different restaurants and have nice meals to satisfy one's preference. No way to figure out Ember or Jacques - which one is better.

[Redtravel]

Having different food options is good. 

[Redtravel]

On 1/16/2024 at 12:19 AM, osandomir said:

People have different tastes. No need to force others to like or dislike something the way you do it. One of the pleasures of cruising is to dine in different restaurants and have nice meals to satisfy one's preference. No way to figure out Ember or Jacques - which one is better.

Not a contest.  Enjoy whichever one is on the ship that you are sailing on.  I have had the pleasure of enjoying both restaurants.  The food is carefully prepared and presented.  They both provide an experience that is unlike the usual cruise cuisine.  Oceania prides itself on having “the best food at sea”.  The food is good in all venues.  Given the variety of dining venues, you can explore new cuisines or select items that are longtime favorites. We had a great time dining on Vista.  

[Hambagahle]

Looking at the Ember menu (sample menu anyway) I see some things that we might eat - Lobster Roll, Crabcakes - but not much more.  Plus I hate noise.  Everyone says Ember is very noisy.  I am thinking that we will eat there, starters only, and then go to the Terrace Café.   IF the noise isn't too bad I suppose we can order a second round of starters ?  

We loved Jacques.  Which is not "Haute Cuisine" but far more "bistro" food.  It is wonderful.  Very sorry to see it go.

Edited January 22 by Hambagahle

[Harters]

57 minutes ago, Hambagahle said:

Everyone says Ember is very noisy.

I may find that a problem. I use hearing aids, in both ears. When sound is bouncing off walls, as happens in some noisy restaurants, it can distort how I hear - sometimes being able to pick up a neighbouring table's conversation better than hearing my partner on the other side of the table. I hate very noisy restaurants - although not as much as very quiet places that have no atmosphere. 

[Hambagahle]

Seems that Americans like noisy restaurants.  Like you - we don't.  I don't use hearing aids but if there is a lot of background noise it is hard for me to hear.  And where is the pleasure of a nice dinner if you cannot talk with the people you are dining with?

[Vallesan]

7 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

Seems that Americans like noisy restaurants.  Like you - we don't.  I don't use hearing aids but if there is a lot of background noise it is hard for me to hear.  And where is the pleasure of a nice dinner if you cannot talk with the people you are dining with?

I agree!

Why would anybody want to eat in a noisy place unless it was a ‘Macdonalds’ !

[Snaefell3]

10 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

I agree!

Why would anybody want to eat in a noisy place unless it was a ‘Macdonalds’ !

Not I, but there is a school of restaurant design that spells "noisy" as v-i-b-r-a-n-t.  🙄

[clo]

7 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

Seems that Americans like noisy restaurants. 

Not this one. I try not to generalize.

[Hambagahle]

2 hours ago, clo said:

Not this one. I try not to generalize.

I don't like generalising either.  But all the Americans I know like a "buzz".  And think that noise in a restaurant is great.  I don't.  Not a problem.  I don't have to eat in those if I don't want to!

[Snaefell3]

6 minutes ago, Hambagahle said:

I don't like generalising either.  But all...

Ahem!  😉 

[Hambagahle]

4 minutes ago, Snaefell3 said:

Ahem!  😉 

What does that mean ?  I have heard of "amen" ...  but don't know "ahem" ?   

[clo]

14 minutes ago, Hambagahle said:

But all the Americans I know like a "buzz". 

There y'all go again, generalizing. I also have to wonder where you people go.

[clo]

3 minutes ago, Hambagahle said:

What does that mean ?  I have heard of "amen" ...  but don't know "ahem" ?   

Dictionary

Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more

 

 

 

 

 

a·hem

/əˈhm/

exclamation

 

1. used to represent the noise made when clearing the throat, typically to attract attention or express disapproval or embarrassment.

   "ahem, excuse me"

[Snaefell3]

20 minutes ago, Hambagahle said:

What does that mean ?  I have heard of "amen" ...  but don't know "ahem" ?   

I was teasing you over "I don't like generalizing" vs "all". 

-- mildly and in fun, certainly didn't mean to puzzle or offend.

[Hambagahle]

Sorry!  But really all the Americans I know - in total 2 !  (my brother in law and his wife) - love a "buzz".   Husband used to be an American but now is Swiss.   Can't think of any other Americans that I know.

 

So while I agree it sounded like generalizing.  It wasn't.  I should have said "both the Americans I know".  Mes excuses.

[tigerfan75]

7 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

Looking at the Ember menu (sample menu anyway) I see some things that we might eat - Lobster Roll, Crabcakes - but not much more.  Plus I hate noise.  Everyone says Ember is very noisy.  I am thinking that we will eat there, starters only, and then go to the Terrace Café.   IF the noise isn't too bad I suppose we can order a second round of starters ?  

We loved Jacques.  Which is not "Haute Cuisine" but far more "bistro" food.  It is wonderful.  Very sorry to see it go.

We did not find Ember noisy.  Perhaps because we are American?  Anyway, it was an excellent dining experience for us last summer.  Shared and two topper tables.  We returned several times.  Enjoy!

[clo]

4 minutes ago, tigerfan75 said:

Looking at the Ember menu (sample menu anyway) I see some things that we might eat - Lobster Roll, Crabcakes - but not much more. 

I just looked at their sample menu and it looks quite good and varied. Most meats, enough fish, vegetables, desserts. I would be unlikely to order the lobster roll as I've had the 'real deal' and can't imagine anything else. I think *I* make THE best crab cakes 🙂 so probably wouldn't order those either. What were the dishes you'd be disinclined to order. Oh, and if you've not eaten something before are you disinclined to try the new stuff? Just curious.

[MarkWiltonM]

19 minutes ago, tigerfan75 said:

We did not find Ember noisy.  Perhaps because we are American?  Anyway, it was an excellent dining experience for us last summer.  Shared and two topper tables.  We returned several times.  Enjoy!

 

We also did not find Ember noisy and we enjoyed it more than any other specialty restaurant on Vista. It was also the only restaurant where they gave us a table for two despite having been forced into a "shared table" reservation. 

Edited January 22 by MarkWiltonM

[ak1004]

On 1/12/2024 at 10:03 AM, MEFIowa said:

AND the pizza station at Waves seemed pretty empty most evenings on Riviera on our recent 20-night B2B (10/30-11/19). Another misfire. Who wants to eat such ordinary food on a cruise you're paying a small fortune to be on?

 

SS officially has 8 venues for dinner. One of them is Pizza. Yes, they consider a place that serves exclusively pizza as a full dining venue.

[clo]

1 minute ago, ak1004 said:

 

SS officially has 8 venues for dinner. One of them is Pizza. Yes, they consider a place that serves exclusively pizza as a full dining venue.

And if done correctly it sure as heck is! Oven temps up to 1000 makes a huge difference and not everyone has that, even on shore.

[ak1004]

1 minute ago, clo said:

And if done correctly it sure as heck is! Oven temps up to 1000 makes a huge difference and not everyone has that, even on shore.

 

We liked the Pizza on SS, but I would not consider it as a legitimate venue for dinner. It has only pizza, not even salads. It's very unhealthy to eat pizza for dinner, especially if it's only pizza. And as others mention, I don't pay a small fortune for an ultra luxury cruise to eat pizza.

 

Pizza on SS was very good, but not among the best we had.

[clo]

7 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

We liked the Pizza on SS, but I would not consider it as a legitimate venue for dinner. It has only pizza, not even salads. It's very unhealthy to eat pizza for dinner, especially if it's only pizza. And as others mention, I don't pay a small fortune for an ultra luxury cruise to eat pizza.

 

Pizza on SS was very good, but not among the best we had.

Did they only have slices not whole pizzas? That would account for the 'no sides.' Unhealthy? I can eat anything occasionally and it not count as unhealthy (unless I have some specific health issues).  And see that photo above? I made that. The dough is 8oz, about a tablespoon of olive oil and tomato sauce, 4oz of pork, mozzarella and the rest are sliced vegetables. That's for the whole pizza.