Teppanyaki, Moderno or La Cucina

[Scubadoc]

So we have four specialty restaurants to reserve on our September cruise on the Pearl. We love and will probably do it twice. We have also reserved Le Bistro. The menu looks good to us. What should we do for our final choice? We are not fans of Asian food so that’s out.  

[meglet]

My vote is Moderno...amazing salad bar, good soups including lobster bisque, variety of meats. Don't miss grilled pineapple. Chocolate tres leches cake dessert.

[DorothyB]

Depends on what YOU like.  I LOVE the fried rice at Teppanyaki (not at the "included" attached restaurant on some ships, ONLY at Teppanyaki).  I also like the meat & veggies.  I am getting tired of the show.

 

I like Moderno OK but not a HUGE meat eater.  La Cucina is not that tempting to me personally.

[EngrJones]

Easy.  Teppanyaki.  I love the shrimp and scallops hot off the grill (or whatever that thing is called).  I also like the show.  It's the same every time, so if you're so inclined you can memorize the lyrics to "can't help falling in love with you" (Elvis) before you go.  Those are good lyrics to donate a few memory cells to anyways.😎

 

The rice is good, but I would like it better with about twice as much garlic butter.

Edited July 7 by EngrJones

[Scubadoc]

Teppanyaki sounds good to me. My only concern sounds bad. 😳 We are not social people on a cruise. I lead a nonprofit and we are constantly around groups of people. On a cruise ship we stay to ourselves. Does it feel like a group dinner you enjoy it just as a couple?

[cruiser1961]

37 minutes ago, DorothyB said:

I am getting tired of the show.

That's where we're at.  Love the food - it's amazing! Yet getting tired of the same old same old after 6 times.  

 

Earlier on, we thought Teppanyaki would be a great way to meet other travellers and somehow connect for future onboard things.  We could do the same old thing if it meant connecting with new folks.

 

However, the last 3 times, we've only been teamed up with groups of 6 or 8 who have no interest in interacting with others at the table.  (Maybe it's our choice of dining time?)  In any case, we have decided that we won't do this any more.

 

Lita

 

[DorothyB]

I've actually considered bringing my Kindle to read during the "show" and meal . . . 

[dbrown84]

2 minutes ago, Scubadoc said:

Teppanyaki sounds good to me. My only concern sounds bad. 😳 We are not social people on a cruise. I lead a nonprofit and we are constantly around groups of people. On a cruise ship we stay to ourselves. Does it feel like a group dinner you enjoy it just as a couple?

You can definitely stick to yourselves if you want.  It's a good meal.  That being said, moderno is also great, especially if you're a big meat eater.  Of course, you don't have to worry about socializing at all with moderno.  I've never done la Cucina since the menu doesn't interest me at all.

[EngrJones]

14 minutes ago, Scubadoc said:

Does it feel like a group dinner you enjoy it just as a couple?

You can engage others as much or as little as you wish.  Nobody cares.  Perhaps have a few cocktails prior and the group "fun" might have more appeal.  Or not.  Most interaction is between the entertaining chef and the people at the table.

[LatinaInTexas]

1 hour ago, meglet said:

My vote is Moderno...amazing salad bar, good soups including lobster bisque, variety of meats. Don't miss grilled pineapple. Chocolate tres leches cake dessert.

Glad I saw this. Have Moderno booked for next month as was wondering if there was dessert.

[cruiser1961]

5 minutes ago, Scubadoc said:

 

Scubadoc, I understand your hesitation.  If you and your wife would like to enjoy Teppanyaki, please don't be discouraged by the group thing.  Arrive early and pick your seats on the end of the Teppanyaki bar.  That way, you will only engage with the chef and the couple seated next to you - not the entire group (usually).     

[Wayward Son]

Put me down for Teppanyaki. The food, not so much the show. The steak and shrimp is divine. Even though they've switched to NY strip, it was thick cut and cooked to perfection. I order noodles instead of rice. You can be social, or not. Sit at an end if you want to be less social.

 

Moderno -- loved it. The filet, flank steak, lamb, pineapple, amazing. My wife loved the huge salad bar. 

 

We eat Italian all the time, so haven't bothered with La Cucina, yet.

 

[BirdTravels]

56 minutes ago, LatinaInTexas said:

Glad I saw this. Have Moderno booked for next month as was wondering if there was dessert.

We never have room for dessert at Moderno. We focus on the meat and don't waste space on greens. That's just us. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Scubadoc said:

Teppanyaki sounds good to me. My only concern sounds bad. 😳 We are not social people on a cruise. I lead a nonprofit and we are constantly around groups of people. On a cruise ship we stay to ourselves. Does it feel like a group dinner you enjoy it just as a couple?

You can keep to yourself. Most do. But, Teppanyaki is the hardest seat to get on the ship. If you didn't book it immediately at 120 days prior to departure, it will be hard to get a seat. They have very limited seating. 

[LatinaInTexas]

53 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

We never have room for dessert at Moderno. We focus on the meat and don't waste space on greens. That's just us. 

I will find room for dessert, I'm a sugarholic lol. Have no problem skipping greens! 

[GORDONCHICK]

We've gone to Moderno twice and both times, most of the meat was over cooked so we haven't gone back.  We always go to Teppanyaki because the food is good.  Sometimes the show is better than at other times.  The only thing at La Cuchina that is amazing to me is the Osso Bucco.  My guys never found their "thing" there.

So my vote would always go to Teppanyaki out of those 3.

We always go to Cagney's and LeBistro, so those are a given for us.

[EngrJones]

16 minutes ago, GORDONCHICK said:

We've gone to Moderno twice and both times, most of the meat was over cooked so we haven't gone back. 

I tried Moderno years ago and found the same thing.  I created a case after the cruise an got some OBC for my next cruise.  After reading many helpful post here, I learned that you have to tell the waiters you need medium rare.  They then bring that to you if their current "stick" is full of the usual charcoal.

[debenson0723]

I like the food at Teppanyaki but am over the show.  Last time we were there, it was so incredibly loud. Didn't help that the table next to us had a large group of about 20 who decided they needed to sing every 3 to 4 minutes (no matter what the chef was doing). I have decided that next time I will take some earplugs so that everything is kept to a dull roar. 

[complawyer]

scubadoc

 i will be the 1st to admit that if you look up anti-social in the dictionary,  you will see my picture

i have been known to sit at teppanyaki, and never once say anything to the people next to me. i came for the food, not to make life-long friends, so dont worry about it, it's like sitting in a sushi bar. you dont need to talk to anyone else other than your dinner partner.

on the downside, teppanyaki used to offer filet mignon as one of the choices, much like the edsel, this choice has gone by the wayside. in it's place, they offer (among other choices) ny strip steak, You can get this at the mdr also and not have to pay.

 

by the way, after as many times as i have eaten in teppanyaki, or benihana's in the states, or any similar restaurant, i have learned to completely tune out the show. i dont want to sing along, i dont want to try and have the chef toss a piece of the egg into my mouth, im just sitting there for the style of the restaurant. 

 

we have been on almost 30 ncl cruises since 2010 and IMHO, the quality of food in teppanyaki, and moderno has gone way,way down. never cared much for la cucina, (kind of like olive garden, but without the unlimited soup, salad or breadsticks).

 

most of the time we are more than happy (satisfied) with both cagney's and le bistro

[Scubadoc]

Thanks everyone! Great advice! After hearing from everyone, I think we’re only going to do Cagneys once and do Moderno and Teppanyaki if I can get it.  

[EngrJones]

48 minutes ago, complawyer said:

scubadoc

 i will be the 1st to admit that if you look up anti-social in the dictionary,  you will see my picture

i have been known to sit at teppanyaki, and never once say anything to the people next to me. i came for the food, not to make life-long friends, so dont worry about it, it's like sitting in a sushi bar. you dont need to talk to anyone else other than your dinner partner.

on the downside, teppanyaki used to offer filet mignon as one of the choices, much like the edsel, this choice has gone by the wayside. in it's place, they offer (among other choices) ny strip steak, You can get this at the mdr also and not have to pay.

 

by the way, after as many times as i have eaten in teppanyaki, or benihana's in the states, or any similar restaurant, i have learned to completely tune out the show. i dont want to sing along, i dont want to try and have the chef toss a piece of the egg into my mouth, im just sitting there for the style of the restaurant. 

 

Stick with me friend.  I'll have you singing along and having a grand old time.😎

[Laszlo]

La Cunning on the Gem was terrible last week. I got a caprese salad. I swear the tomatoes were frozen, they were ice cold on my plate and had zero taste. The sliced tomatoes in the buffet were great.... Go figure

 

 

 

[dbrown84]

10 hours ago, complawyer said:

(kind of like olive garden, but without the unlimited soup, salad or breadsticks).

man, if they had the soup, salad, and breadsticks, I'd probably eat there.  would make for an awesome lunch

[uneamie]

Do they have ANY fish at Moderno? Party of 4 and all of us like meat except for hubby. He is a fish eater. We want to this restaurant but not sure unless there's some fish on the menu. 

Edited July 8 by uneamie

[complawyer]

enjrjones. your post  is kind of like an oxymoron!  how can i possibly stick with you, if i dont /

wont talk to anybody?

 

while i appreciate your good intentions, there is no way, or any amount of liquor that will get me to sing along! LOL

 

if we're ever onthe same cruise, i might invite you for a beer or a scotch, but that would probably be the extent. certainly nothing personal, that's just me

 

sorry, im just not social of a being