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TK Quest


cwisleman
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You might all be surprised to know that the most classic pairing for fried chicken is champagne. If the TK Grill fried chicken we encounter on the Quest this December is as good as touted I will gladly spring for a bottle of one the finer bubblys on Seabourn's wine list.

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We were also on the Quest, Lisbon to Copenhagen. Right after the invitation-only "soft" opening of the TK Grill, it was shut again because, apparently, the kitchen was not quite up to TK''s specifications. Lots of hammering going on the final few days. We did happen to dine with 2 ship's officers the following night, who said that the theme of the new TK grill is USA i950's DINER and that it will offer only the finest and freshest ingredients. No mention of "family-style" dining, helping yourself from a platter. Perhaps that will continue in the Colonnade. We never did get to dine in the Colonnade, which had this style of service on TK nights, because the menu did not particularly appeal to us. I am not a lover of hamburgers, but my husband had the TK burger twice at the Patio Grill, thought it was great, and we both got to try the TK hot dog, which we found to be very tasty, but I thought it was more like a spicy sausage and it gave me indigestion.

The best indication of a real change in Seabourn cuisine, I think, it that about every second night, in the main dining room there was a loose TK menu page inserted in the menu. You could try the whole dinner or mix and match courses from it with that night's offerings on the menu. We tried many of those dishes and thought that some of them were tasty and beautifully presented and others were just plain weird. A caviar starter is outstanding. However, I ordered a loin of lamb, rare, that came gray and overcooked, wrapped in a smooth caul of fat…really unappetizing. A "pave" of swordfish, whatever that is, was delicious, sitting on a bed of pureed roasted tomatoes; there was some kind of very fine, crunchy, caviar-like black stuff sprinkled on top. Another dish of grilled lobster on risotto was fabulous….not frozen lobster, but real Maine-type lobster, like what we get at home. In general, we thought the food was better than on our previous cruises and the service just as wonderful. Contrary to what someone else on this thread has said, I tried a cosmopolitan in the Observation Bar and found it to be undrinkable….far too sweet.

They are now serving martinis in 1950's-era wide champagne glasses, which we hated. No matter how many times we asked that they serve them to us in a regular old V-shaped glass, it never happened. We gave up sending them back and it became a running joke.

It was a gorgeous cruise: 14 straight days of warm and sunny weather and a great itinerary, with the possible exception of Fredericia, Denmark, which was neither beautiful nor interesting, although the town turned out to welcome us.

We can't wait to do it again and I'm already looking forward to seeing the 2018 itineraries.

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Does anyone know for sure that this is the policy? Why don't we wait to find out before we start complaining?

 

I spoke to friends who just left Quest. They ate in the newly remodeled TK Grill (R2) twice, the soft opening and a later night. They reported that complimentary wines were offered on both nights but the TK revenue list was amazing and reasonably priced, so they ordered revenue wines.

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The Humboldt Fog cheese was served as a course in the Colonnade TK menu which included the Waldorf salad, and beef with broccolini and mashed potato. I don't think it was served with the other TK menus in the Colonnade.

 

 

Good to know this, thanks!

The menu you describe is the same one it was served with back in December except the broccolini was asparagus.

SB must have run out of the Humboldt Fog on the cruise my friends were on, glad to know it hasn't disappeared.

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I've been looking for something that goes with British Sherry for years [emoji2]

 

I find washing a glass of sherry down with another glass of sherry is the most palatable option. If at that point you're still not feeling the love, keep pouring.

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Back from Monte-Carlo to Lisbon, 1st ones on board out of dry dock.

When we did dine at the grill for lunch. The Napa burger was always available, I had it one day & was underwhelmed, a few days later my friend gave it a try & again, nothing special, Can get a better burger down the street.

We had the TK menu at the Colonnade. Which was rib night. I am attaching a picture of the salad, I guess there was a shortage of beets that day. Ribs good, served with baked beans, (I am not a big fan of, find them always to sugary) these were not overdone with sugar, but too much for my liking. The one thing I found odd, the staff uniforms. They are in jeans, I get it laid back, etc, but us, as guest are not permitted jeans on board after a certain hour. Our servers are casual, but we can not be?

IMG_2866.jpg.4bb2e2cddb524bd394ff1898eaa2bcc8.jpg

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Yes, does look like the beets were being rationed -- too bad as I love beets. Just hope they were not rationing the Humboldt Fog cheese as well.

 

As to jeans, I believe you will find they are not permitted at all in the MDR but are allowed in the Colonnade on all but formal nights.

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The salads by TK seem to be a weak point - the one night we went for the casual family dining or whatever it is called the version of waldorf salad was a huge pile of lettuce, about 4 very thin slices of apple, about 4 walnuts and a few raisins. (Luckily there were only 2 of us).

 

Actually I was disappointed in the dress for the wait staff- jeans, OK, but the oversized black short sleeved shirts worn outside the pants did nothing for any of them - personally I think well cut black tee shirts would have looked more attractive. And I confirmed to myself that I do not like drinking wine out of a glass without a stem - there are some really nice rustic short stemmed glasses around. The pale blue water glasses are nice, though. Obviously we all have different tastes and opinions, I don't expect everyone to agree with me.

 

Someone commented on the TK lamb dish in the dining room. It was indeed awful - looked like a large hefty sausage, and had no flavour. DH sent it back, and by now I guess it has been improved or disappeared.

 

I think it has been quite a struggle getting all the TK things right, and I do hope that it will evolve into dishes and meals most people will enjoy.

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Agree re the uniform for Colonnades. But I think you will find that jeans for passengers is not "recommended" for any of the dining areas, although "dress jeans" (ie not denim) tend to be increasingly seen. And the Waldorf salad on our "TK family meal" night was as described by others. There were 7 on our table and the salad allocated wasn't sufficient. Nor were there many walnuts in the salad. Time will tell, but it seems to be tough for the staff dealing with a change which hasn't been well communicated and, to date, not well received.

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We had the stemless wine glasses on Regent when dining in La Veranda for lunch last year which felt like tumblers - OK if you must for BBQs and cheap red wine but rubbish for white wine as it warms up too quickly. When we moaned politely to the waiter, we were told by a rather snooty lady at the next table that 'many restaurants are now using stemless wine glasses they aren't tumblers'. Well call me old fashioned but I like my wine in a glass with a stem (and the lovely waiter who we moaned to ensured that is what we had for the rest of the cruise :D )

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Just curious -- when offered wine in the stemless glasses in the Colonnade has anyone politely asked their waiter if they might be able to go find them a couple of stemmed glasses?

 

The second time we participated in the Colonade TK night on Sojourn in March, we politely asked (and after a short debate with the wine waiter about the temperature that wine should be served at:mad:) we received stemmed wine glasses.

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Just curious -- when offered wine in the stemless glasses in the Colonnade has anyone politely asked their waiter if they might be able to go find them a couple of stemmed glasses?

 

We requested and had no problem getting stemmed glasses at the TK rib night. It is still Seabourn: Ask and yea shall receive.

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Have been hoping someone would post a menu from the new TK Grill. It was supposed to open on May 21st. Delayed?

 

There may not be any CC contributors on board at present - however, if you are one, please post on this topic, when you get home and have time if not before. Thanks.:)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Had dinner at the TK Grill last night and was quite impressed. It had a limited, but varied menu, excellent service, and every item we ordered was well prepared. The portions are too large, in my opinion (I had a sirloin steak that had to be at least 16 ounces) and there should have been mention on the menu that house wines were available as well as the premium wines listed. All in all, we found it a great dining experience and plan to return next week during the second leg of our cruise.

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Had dinner at the TK Grill last night and was quite impressed. It had a limited, but varied menu, excellent service, and every item we ordered was well prepared. The portions are too large, in my opinion (I had a sirloin steak that had to be at least 16 ounces) and there should have been mention on the menu that house wines were available as well as the premium wines listed. All in all, we found it a great dining experience and plan to return next week during the second leg of our cruise.

 

When you have a chance could you post a copy of the menu?

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I think it was a wise move to name it the TK Grill - the menu is therefore what one might expect. I don't think it was unreasonable of people to expect something a bit more innovative and interesting to be served in a restaurant organised by TK. Certainly the main and dessert dishes are not unusual or novel - however, I can believe, as people have said, that the food is very good, well prepared and enjoyable.

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It looks to me that Thomas Keller has created a menu here that eh knows can be consistently well delivered. If the dishes had become too complicated quality and consistency would certainly have suffered. jmo.

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