Post your special meal requests

I've read on these boards that with 24-hour notice, Compass Rose will prepare any meal requested provided the kitchen has the ingredients. Thought it'd be fun for people who've taken advantage of this to share what meal they had specially prepared. It may give others tasty ideas :D

I've only taken advantage of this twice in 45 nights on Regent - our butler on one cruise was from Mumbai and he insisted that we had to try an Indian feast; it was absolutely delicious and had our neighbors in CR asking all about the dishes.

Two years later, we ran into the same butler on another cruise (he wasn't our butler on this trip) and we mentioned how much we'd enjoyed our Indian adventure the last time, and he set it up again for us.

That said, I don't like to take advantage of that too often as it really increases the workload on an already busy kitchen staff. I've found that there's almost always something on the daily menu that gets my mouth watering, so no real need to ask for special meals...especially when they're serving local dishes - lots of tasty options every night!

I love to special order a mixed Tempura...shrimp, zucchini etc. We've done it as our entree as well as a shared appetizer for our entire table. YUM !

Lobster, Beef Wellington, Chateaubriand, Indian dinner, Filipino dinner, Miso Glazed Sea Bass (needs longer than 24 hours notice).

Seared Foie Gras (once had it seven nights in a row), quail stuffed with foie gras, Grand Marnier souffles, tempura, lobster tail appetizers, steak tartare (at lunch), rack of lamb, crepes normandie, and schnitzel come to mind. We have also special ordered something that we liked on the menu for a repeat.

Marc

Having learned that we had lived in the Philippines, a maître d' offered to have lumpias (Filipino spring rolls) prepared for us. The next evening, he brought us a tray with enough lumpias to feed at least four people. They were so good that The Boss and I tried our best, but we couldn't finish them. Thank God I had my stretchy pants on.

Z and TB

towel-animal; thanks for starting this very helpful thread. We plan to take some of the suggestions that Marcie, Jackie, and Marc have offered when we are on the Voyager in January (Auckland to Hong Kong).

One nite when dining in the Voyager we asked to be seated with a single and joined a retired banker from Portugal. He had a plate of Avocados and said every nite the wait staff brings him these. From then on (just like at home) (whether we're on Silversea or Regent) we order Avocados with our salad course. Tho, not when we have been on Regent but recently, when we have been on Silversea--we have special ordered; dover sole, crepe Suzette, Thai dinner, Philippine dinner, steak Diane, English Pie, and a delicious chocolate trifle.

Also, on one Silversea crossing I was asked to get with the Food & Beverage Manger and Head Sommelier to have them prepare a gourmet five course lunch paired with exquisite wines (pls see menu, wines below) of the connoisseur list (our TA paid for this for a group they had on board). So, towel-animal, am betting you can have Compass Rose also prepare a special dish for lunch in Compass Rose if you give them enough advance notice.

WesW your menu looks very good and nice to see the included picture with wines. Jean.

Loving all these responses! Definitely liking the Indian dinner, steak tartare, and crepe suzettes ideas.

With all the Regent Cruises we have done, I have never ordered anything "off" the menu.

Could you imagine the craziness if everyone did this? You would never get your food.

The seared foie gras appetiser does sound good.

Could you imagine the craziness if everyone did this? You would never get your food.

Which is precisely why I've only done this twice in 45 nights on board - and only then at the insistence of our butler (same guy) both times. So many good choices on the menu, I'd have to really, REALLY not like any of the choices to order off-menu.

But that's just me...

We have only done this a few times, because I love the regular menus. But we have had a special Filipino dinner and an Indian dinner. Both were because I mentioned to a waiter ow much I enjoyed food from their respective homelands, and they insisted they produce a special meal for us. The Filipino dinner had enough food for 10 people, but George and I gave it a valiant effort. And the absolute pleasure and pride by the waitstaff in presenting told me that they did not feel it was any trouble.

Ok, how many items in the Indian Feast or Filipino dinner? Do the service it in the dining room or in your suite? Is it really a problem or something they do if asked with a smile?

Is it really a problem or something they do if asked with a smile?

I don't think these two items are mutually exclusive - they'll do it with a smile, but as others have stated, if everyone did it, it would be chaos. Guess it's a good thing that not all passengers are avid CC readers! :)

It would be silly to think this thread would start a mass movement in special ordering. The intent of this thread was just to hear about any unique dishes people have requested to spark an idea for occasional indulgence. :)

We asked for "fish & chips" on one Navigator cruise, I don't remember who the chef was but the fried fish concept was baffling. When we finally mentioned Tempura, that solved the issue. It was wonderful, and like has been said above, enough for several people.

Ok, how many items in the Indian Feast or Filipino dinner? Do the service it in the dining room or in your suite? Is it really a problem or something they do if asked with a smile?

We were served in Compass Rose, although they will also do it in your suite. There were lots of dishes, at least 5 and way more than we could eat. The Filipino one had lumpia, Filipino egg rolls, barbecued pork (has another name but I can't remember it), plain rice and fried rice, and I think some other stuff as well.

Indian had lamb curry, veggie curry, a chicken dish, that creamed spinach dish, some other veggies, rice, and naan.

The waiters were the ones who suggested it and encouraged us. They were so delighted and proud to serve it. I learned from the chef that several Indian and Filipino dishes are prepared in the crew mess every day, so it is probably not as much trouble as one would think to serve it to us. And very delicious, though the Filipino menu was terribly lacking in vegetables, which I expected.

Agree with Rachel. Regent would not offer this benefit if they did not want to. Also agree that many people do not know about their option to order special meals 24 hours in advance. And, finally, agree that there are such wonderful choices of food on Regent that a "special" order is not the "norm".

With all the Regent Cruises we have done, I have never ordered anything "off" the menu.

 

Could you imagine the craziness if everyone did this? You would never get your food.

 

The seared foie gras appetiser does sound good.

A lot of people with special food needs travel with Regent just because they can do about anything.

j

Hendro, our CR Indonesian waiter on the a Voyager and Mariner, set up a special Indonesian meal for us on our '15 and'16 Grand Voyages...very special for is and our guests. Excellent preparation and team service. Hope to run into him again on one of our Navigator or Explorer voyages.....

In our 180'ish days on Regent, we have only made special order requests a half dozen times, including a magnificent Indian lunch which was the envy of our fellow pax in Compass Rose.

We consider the ability to make special food requests to be one of the defining advantages of Regent ships but are distressed to read such statements as, "Seared Foie Gras (once had it seven nights in a row)". One might suggest that the sort of sense of entitlement and/or excess evident in such a statement - (i.e. I did it because I could) - might well lead Regent to reduce or eliminate the ability of guests to make special requests.

In our 180'ish days on Regent, we have only made special order requests a half dozen times, including a magnificent Indian lunch which was the envy of our fellow pax in Compass Rose.

 

We consider the ability to make special food requests to be one of the defining advantages of Regent ships but are distressed to read such statements as, "Seared Foie Gras (once had it seven nights in a row)". One might suggest that the sort of sense of entitlement and/or excess evident in such a statement - (i.e. I did it because I could) - might well lead Regent to reduce or eliminate the ability of guests to make special requests.

Freddie, in 200+ nights, I have done that once. I, like you, think this benefit puts Regent above other cruising options. We don't abuse it having put in special requests just twice on our recent cruise; however, I won't apologize for taking advantage of this perk, it is very nice. One thing I have done on a few occasions is to ask them to recreate dishes I have had elsewhere; sometimes with great success and others not so good.

Marc

I've always thought that ordering a dish that's offered in one of the other restaurants (Prime 7 seared foie gras, Signature lobster salad, etc.) was different from ordering a dish (or meal) not on any of the menus (Indian, whatever). Is this correct, or am I mistaken? In fact, I've wondered whether when one orders something in CR that's a staple in one of the other venues (creamed spinach, Dover sole, etc.) the dish is somehow brought from that restaurant, or whether the CR kitchen makes it. In other words, I have no idea whether the various restaurants are somehow "connected."

A lot of people with special food needs travel with Regent just because they can do about anything.

j

Yes, I didn't even think about the number of no salt, low salt, no gluten, no dairy, kosher, etc, etc. meals that they must prepare for people with dietary needs.

I think they're generally fine with complex special orders, but asking for something simple like a grilled cheese sandwich seems to really through them for a loop.