Lobster, L'escargots and all that...

[Buddy L]

Read a lot on this board about Lobster and l'escargots being on the menu on some cruise lines.

Now, I've never had either of these but I'm keen to try, actually not that keen on the snails bit!! but I'm worried about trying, not liking and wanting something else.

Is this practice frowned upon.

I mean, you wouldn't do it in a restaurant would you? (Having said that, I probably wouldn't order it in the first place!!)

I just feel a little awkward if I send something back, I think its a British thing.

Something like:

"This food is lousy"

Waiter: "Everything ok sir?"

"Fine thank you!"

We're good at that in England!!

[Fran0521]

Don't be worried about trying something new and not liking it. The waiters have no problems in taking it back, and bringing you somethine else. At least thats the experience I have had on the NCL ships. My first time trying escarot I was very hesitant, but when I tried the one my husband ordered I loved it, then proceeded to order my own. Actually, at times he has ordered a double order of escargot. We are seafood lovers we always get lobster when on the menu. One cruise my husband made up his own meal, ordered the steak selection with a side of lobster. When the waiter asked how things were, he said great, can I have lobster for dessert. Well the waiter was more than happy to bring it. My husband was joking with him and got a real dessert. So don't worry about it, they are more than happy to please the passengers.

[jturner901]

If you want to try it, order it. If you like it, enjoy it. If you don't like it send it back and ask for something else. If you love it, order another. The crew are there to make you happy.

[nitnyleo]

Pretend you're French and say it was the worst escargot you ever had. (And, if you do it right, only 1 or 2 people at your table should be able to see that you spit it out.)

 

Personally, I love escargot....think chewy garlic.

[rkacruiser]

That is one of the many joys of cruising: being able to try foods that one might not ordinarily eat at home--without worrying about the right side of the menu, whether it is in Pound Sterling, Euros, Yen, or Dollars.

 

As to escargots, one of the best parts--after you have eaten the little creatures--is to use some good bread and sop up the delicious broth! YUM!!

[Cotton]

Buddy, we 'do that' in the South, too.:) However, while on a cruise, since they are so accommodating, if I truly don't care for something I've ordered, I do not hesitate to ask for another selection. I often have a lobster tail, then order another. (I have actually seen a tablemate order five lobster tails!) They will bring them to you one at a time, of course...and with a smile.

 

Escargots, I am not fond of. I will try anything once, because I have a strong sense of adventure where food is concerned. But, no thank you. (I am a cajun from New Orleans, and the saying here is "Cajuns will eat anything that doesn't eat them first!"......but no to escargots.):D

 

So - order to your heart's content, and Bon Appetit!

[cruisepest]

We love escargot! in fact my wife always orders me a second one! And she also orders me a second Lobsters as well. In fact on one cruise I had eight lobsters in front of me. If the is a choice of Escargot and some thing you know you will like by all means order both, the same goes for the Lobster as a main course.

[Cotton]

...in fact my wife always orders me a second one! And she also orders me a second Lobsters as well. In fact on one cruise I had eight lobsters in front of me.

Well, if you were on a Carnival cruise, you didn't get ALL eight lobster tails served at the same time.:rolleyes: (Just curious - does your wife always do your ordering for you?):D Happy cruisin'........

[garvii]

Here's the way I look at it... I'm a lot like yourself in that I don't want to offend anyone and hesitate to sent food back (especially in restaurants because who knows what the kitchen will do with the food before bringing it back!). All the other posters are absolutely on target with their suggestions, but here's another. If you don't like it, and don't wish to order something else and find yourself still hungry after dinner, hit the buffet for a quick bite, or order room service dinner. Heck, even if you loved the lobster, and had eight of them (wink wink) you can still go back to your cabin and order more from room service, right?

 

Enjoy every moment!

 

Jessica

[Bonnie J.]

Every one's been right on! Once I ordered a steak and also asked for the frogs legs as I'd never had them and wasn't going to ordr them in a restaurant. We have also ordered two appetizers and once 3 people ordered 8 (!) shrimp cocktails. The crew will please you in whatever you order and how many of anything you order! You will not go hungry!! Have a ball!!!!!!!!!!

[Buddy L]

Have a ball!!!!!!!!!!

Is that some kind of animal delicacy?? :D :D :D

[bUU]

Here's my take on lobster and escargot: They're really good mediums for butter! However, I have developed, in recent years, a firm suspicion of any food that is served with or in a vat of butter.

 

Don't get me wrong: I'm not going to turn my nose up at lobster (specifically American Lobster, a/k/a Maine Lobster). It's okay stuff, even though lobsters are bottom-feeders. When cooked well, it is worth eating, even though I don't do the vat-of-butter (or cream sauce/bisque) thing. (Other kinds of lobster are a bit less worth eating IMHO -- they, much more so than the American Lobster, require the butter to make them palatable.)

 

I've found, though, that it is a far greater sign of culinary mastery to create something that doesn't require 800 calories of saturated fat in order to taste good!

 

I've never had escargot without the butter, so I'm not really sure if there is any chance of a decent use of snails in cooking without them serving as a medium for fat. I suspect, unlike lobster where you really get to determine how much, if any, fat you'll eat with it, escargot aren't ever offered sans butter.

[marvholly]

I have been cruising since 1969. Took my kids on their first cruise in 1989. Told them upfront and reinforced almost daily that a cruise is the place to try the stuff you would never order/pay for at home. I love escargot and scallops and calimari. Am still trying the cold soups (vicysios(sp?) bleeh). My entree order is almost always something I do not make at home due to time/price/limited family appeal. Between that and the late nite bites, room service (coffee, cheese and fruit or desert of the day) or buffet (as limited as that has become) I NEVER go hungry. the wait staff could care less about replacing a course you did not like. They really want to serve and I have sailed Carnival, NCL and Celebrity in the last 3 years.

[cruiserforlife]

Love escargots and order it everytime we sail.

 

Lobster,now that's another story.I buddy up to my waiter from day one and let them know how my world revolves around lobster and how I can't live without it,blah,blah,blah.

 

Voila!...on lobster night,I have so many brought to me,I usually have to beg them to stop but only after I've consumed at least 10 tails.

 

My record is 13!

[punknhead]

I been known to order the 'dessert lobster' (after two or three main course lobsters--of couse!)

 

Punk

[cbryteach]

Bicker,

 

 

Did they serve Lobster on your Serenade cruise. I am going with my mom and she is really hoping that lobster will be served.

[bUU]

You can let me know. My Serenade cruise is in January.

 

No, they didn't serve lobster on the Shehrayar. Most of the cuisine was either Egyptian or French.

[cbryteach]

Sorry, looked at your calendar wrong. I will let you know.

[Morley]

:rolleyes: Some lines offer a "Spa" menu or an "Cooking Lite" menu. I have had Lobster once with a wonderful citrus dipping sauce that enhanced the sweet lobster meat and another with a herb based sauce - wonderful. In Paris I had a wonderful appetizer of Escargot and mushrooms sauteed together and served with bitter salad greens....Yummy - healthy.... NCL features "Cooking lite" with a Restaurant called "Pacific Heights" on the SUN - the entire menu was from the Cooking Lite publication....try their wonderful mussels, meatloaf, and walnut Gorgonzola salad! Part of their skill is to use enough of an ingredient(gorgonzola) to get the flavor but not overwhelm the dish with an amount that borders on the unhealthy.....oftentimes less is MORE.....Bon Apetit....BOB & MIKE

[bUU]

Shipshape cuisine, on RCI, was interesting. I abandoned it early-on, probably because I wasn't "into" it for various reasons, but the selections I saw were only marginally healthy, as compared to what we'd normally choose for ourselves when we go to a restaurant. Choices seemed to be either low-fat (with lots of sugar and/or starches) or sugar-free (with lots of fat).