Pinnacle Grill

[nannygoatjunction]

We had our meal last night on our embarkation day.

Seriously. Fried onion rings and mashed spud with steak? Not my idea of fine dining thats for sure.  😂

 

 

[Kay S]

That's too bad.  I like the crab cakes.  What is your idea of find dining?

[scooter6139]

57 minutes ago, nannygoatjunction said:

We had our meal last night on our embarkation day.

Seriously. Fried onion rings and mashed spud with steak? Not my idea of fine dining thats for sure.  😂

 

 

Uhh, you do realize that the Pinnacle Grill is a Steakhouse, right?  Which is also served by the steakhouses on NCL (Cagney's) and Princess (Crown Grill).  😏

[Blackduck59]

It's unfortunate you didn't enjoy your choices from the Pinnacle Grill Menu. I think there are several choices of sides on the menu. I think mashed potatoes and onion rings would be popular choices for many cruisers. Hopefully if you choose to go to Pinnacle again you will choose something that better suits your tastes.

[alwaysfrantic]

You could have selected from a number of sides. 

Edited April 28 by alwaysfrantic

[Vineyard View]

We haven’t sailed HAL for a long while, but Pinnacle Grill was an excellent restaurant. Not Michelin….that does not exist on cruise lines, regardless of their tag lines nor claims. 
I read recently that HAL introduced additional charges for certain items on their menus, in specialty as well as MDR. That would be a big change. Maybe played into the original posting, but it isn’t mentioned. 

[richwmn]

5 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

We haven’t sailed HAL for a long while, but Pinnacle Grill was an excellent restaurant. Not Michelin….that does not exist on cruise lines, regardless of their tag lines nor claims. 
I read recently that HAL introduced additional charges for certain items on their menus, in specialty as well as MDR. That would be a big change. Maybe played into the original posting, but it isn’t mentioned. 

Here is the current Volendam Pinnacle Grill Menu showing up charges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sir PMP]

3 hours ago, alwaysfrantic said:

You could have selected from a number of sides. 

I'm missing the brussels sprouts.

[POA1]

We had the Dry Aged Delmonico ($25 supplement) and the Lobster Roll on the PG Lunch menu. (Also a small supplement,)  The dry aged steak was excellent, but you'll be fine ordering off the standard menu.

[Vineyard View]

Thank you richwmn for posting the full menu. That is really helpful. If you “Have it all” then any drinks listed at $15 or under would be included, correct?

The dry-aged Delmonico was, while not necessary,  probably a nice upgrade

Are upcharges also occurring in the MDR? 

[julia]

4 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Thank you richwmn for posting the full menu. That is really helpful. If you “Have it all” then any drinks listed at $15 or under would be included, correct?

The dry-aged Delmonico was, while not necessary,  probably a nice upgrade

Are upcharges also occurring in the MDR? 

If you have the HIA Plus (which includes the Elite Bev Pkg) then yes, drinks listed up to $15. The regular HIA has the Signature Bev Pkg, with drinks up to $11. I don't mind paying the difference to drink finer wines while dining in PG...

[cbr663]

11 hours ago, nannygoatjunction said:

We had our meal last night on our embarkation day.

Seriously. Fried onion rings and mashed spud with steak? Not my idea of fine dining thats for sure.  😂

 

 

 

Unfortunately, one thing I have learned sailing HAL is that the cruise line struggles with consistency.  I think HAL needs to drop the "Fine" dining as it hasn't provided a fine dining experience in a very long time.

[Haljo1935]

My experience is no matter what beef selection we have in the PG, there is always an onion ring (maybe 2) served with it; we don't order them as sides. 

Onion rings were served w/beef on NS in Dec

 

Here are some of the sides

[POA1]

Hand cut, double dipped onion rings are a steakhouse classic. If they bother you, you can ask that they be left off.

 

If you are at a table near mine, I'll take them off your hands. The onion ring is the donut-meets-vegetable super food.

[alwaysfrantic]

2 hours ago, richwmn said:

Here is the current Volendam Pinnacle Grill Menu showing up charges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where is the clothesline bacon?😱

[POA1]

23 minutes ago, alwaysfrantic said:

Where is the clothesline bacon?😱

Page 1 of the food. It has a box around it.

 

Some advice on the bacon - you want it to be candied & crispy. I'm not even sure how to order it. (Hard caramelized?) We had some come out a little like syrup-dipped bacon. It was not great. The coating needs a bit of a crunch.

[alwaysfrantic]

27 minutes ago, POA1 said:

Page 1 of the food. It has a box around it.

 

Some advice on the bacon - you want it to be candied & crispy. I'm not even sure how to order it. (Hard caramelized?) We had some come out a little like syrup-dipped bacon. It was not great. The coating needs a bit of a crunch.

Whew.  Thank you.  And yes, it should not be drippy!

Edited April 28 by alwaysfrantic

[Toofarfromthesea]

15 hours ago, nannygoatjunction said:

We had our meal last night on our embarkation day.

Seriously. Fried onion rings and mashed spud with steak? Not my idea of fine dining thats for sure.  😂

 

 

 

Isn't that what you ordered?  Didn't you have other choices?

[RuthC]

16 hours ago, nannygoatjunction said:

 

Seriously. Fried onion rings and mashed spud with steak? Not my idea of fine dining thats for sure.  😂

Seriously? I would kill right now for that exact Pinnacle dinner, along with a veggie. Oh, and dessert, too, of course. 
Can't wait until my next cruise for that exact meal. Add the clothesline bacon as an appetizer, please. 

Can't get a meal anywhere near that fine in my own home! 

[nannygoatjunction]

I understand it is a steakhouse. I didnt say i didn't enjoy the food. 😬 and, yes, it was part of the hia package.  It is promoted as fine dining, which I guess I think of as something that takes skill to prepare, not something my kids can cook up and we eat every week.  I will eat mash taties till the cows come home.  If its offered, I can't help myself!  Hence, why I chose it.  I know many are happy, I had hoped for a little bit of exceptional. 😆 

[Blackduck59]

2 hours ago, nannygoatjunction said:

I understand it is a steakhouse. I didnt say i didn't enjoy the food. 😬 and, yes, it was part of the hia package.  It is promoted as fine dining, which I guess I think of as something that takes skill to prepare, not something my kids can cook up and we eat every week.  I will eat mash taties till the cows come home.  If its offered, I can't help myself!  Hence, why I chose it.  I know many are happy, I had hoped for a little bit of exceptional. 😆 

 

I guess it depends on your idea of "Exceptional". Pinnacle Grill is officially a "Steak House at Sea" which means good steaks and chops well prepared, accompanied with a selection of sides. If you are looking for new highs in gastronomic imagination you are probably looking in the wrong place on a cruise ship.

[TiogaCruiser]

When we first started cruising, I would say it was exceptional: now we say “ it’s a steak house.” Our last cruise we didn’t even go. ( our standards have not really changed….)

[oaktreerb]

3 hours ago, nannygoatjunction said:

I understand it is a steakhouse. I didnt say i didn't enjoy the food. 😬 and, yes, it was part of the hia package.  It is promoted as fine dining, which I guess I think of as something that takes skill to prepare, not something my kids can cook up and we eat every week.  I will eat mash taties till the cows come home.  If its offered, I can't help myself!  Hence, why I chose it.  I know many are happy, I had hoped for a little bit of exceptional. 😆 

We enjoy the King Salmon in the Pinnacle.  I find it exceptional.

[DeeniEncinitas]

1 hour ago, TiogaCruiser said:

When we first started cruising, I would say it was exceptional: now we say “ it’s a steak house.” Our last cruise we didn’t even go. ( our standards have not really changed….)

🌺🌺🌺🌺Aloha TiogaCruiser!

I so agree with you! I still miss my veal chop and how they used to toss those Caesar Salads at the table!! On our last cruise we didn’t even go there for dinner!

Now their lunch time service is exceptional. I agree our standards have not really changed either.

🌺Mahalo,

Denise🙂

Edited April 29 by DeeniEncinitas
Spelling

[nannygoatjunction]

1 hour ago, TiogaCruiser said:

When we first started cruising, I would say it was exceptional: now we say “ it’s a steak house.” Our last cruise we didn’t even go. ( our standards have not really changed….)

We last cruised 12 years ago.  We remember a very different experience.  It is ok to note a change, it is not halbashing despite how the loyalists puff up.  😬