CGTNORMANDIE

3 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

Then you shouldn't be conflicted by octopus. Eat and be happy 😁. 

Ahhhh…”Be Happy”…good advice…as long as it’s prepackaged! 😂 The problem is…I still have this vision in my head of the old woman on the rocks by the sea.  In Greece the tradition is to take the octopus and slam it against the rocks in order to tenderize the meat…poor octopus…. Then they cut it up and marinate it and char grill it…simply delicious.  Now you can see how I’m conflicted. 😩

1 hour ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

I personally have always believed it more ethical to eat wild animals than captive animals. If you believe in the intelligence hierarchy pigs and octopus are on par but a pig will spend its life in a small enclosed area or even with free range a controlled farm environment. While an octopus will live a life free in its natural environment. To me that has always seemed better. 

I have trouble working up empathy for a prepackaged chicken or a bone in pork loin ready to be roasted.  DW refused to cut up a chicken but that is about as far as it goes…lol.  Sunday dinner is often comprised of the above.  We dine guilt free.  

2 hours ago, clo said:

I'm hoping we do Silverseas to Galapagos. Supposed to be a lot of local food.

Talk to Lois.  She appears here and is a Silversea devotee’.  

I used to eat raw oysters until I developed an intolerance to raw seafood.  I will gladly eat fried oysters or broiled oysters…Florentine, Rockefeller, Casino…or any variation.

6 hours ago, clo said:

I recently read this and will no long eat octopus. Sigh.

 

Is an octopus more intelligent than a dog?

 

 

 

 

Cephalopods, including octopuses, are the smartest invertebrates on the planet. They can use tools, carry coconut shells for shelter, stack rocks to protect their dens, and carry jellyfish tentacles for defense. And they are as smart as your average dog. ...

 

How Smart are Octopuses? Are Octopuses As Intelligent as Dogs ...

https://biogeoplanet.com › how-smart-are-octopuse

I am very conflicted when it comes to eating octopus.  I love a nice charred octopus salad.  On the other hand I have known for some time that they are intelligent beyond expectation.  They actually have personalities and can be aggressive or comical.  

6 hours ago, clo said:

Sao Paolo is one of the largest cities in the world IIRC. It's crazy busy traffic. And we didn't find anything particularly appealing about it. Got to Rio 🙂

Thanks Clo.  Good advice.

6 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

CGT....... Oil & Garlic and being daring adding Anchovies. I'm not a Al D person, too much bit and chew.

Ditto....Not a Fresh fan......Dry is great.... 

My al dente is very chewable.  There is a critical boiling point where the pasta turns color from darker to lighter.  That’s when the pasta is perfect.  Some restaurants cook al dente that is actually too underdone.  This gives al dente a bad rep.  I love agli olio and anchovies too.  

Thank you Snoop and Ilike.  I’ll have to pass on that one.  Raw fish goes right through me…lol.  

Please tell me about San Paolo.  How far is it from hotels near city center to the piers where the ships dock?  Are the taxis safe?  

1 hour ago, ilikeanswers said:

There are two dishes I make that  I start to miss when travelling. One is a ginger bean dish another is an eggplant dish cooked in a yoghurt sauce. I also miss spice, unless I am travelling through certain countries that have a similar affinity to spices I find myself shaking the pepper dispensers really hard after a week😂. Overall I find I miss vegetarian dishes. Not a lot of places that you eat out at make good cooked vegetable dishes, and on cruises I find they are either really bland, over cooked or like my last cruise their idea of cooked vegetables was potatoes done in a hundred different ways. I love a potato but a little variety would have been nice. 

Thank you for posting Ilike.  We have a very small group of cruise foodies here.  

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I ordered such an entree with a pesto sauce.  While somewhat green--humm-- when it was served, it was delicious.  

 

Basil and garlic…what’s not to like??  I need my pasta to be al dente when having it with pesto.  Fresh pasta doesn’t work for me…too soft.  Dry pasta absorbs the flavor better than fresh pasta.  

28 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

Hands down poisson cru (ia ota in Tahitian) on Aranui. I adore poisson cru, it is my favourite things to eat in the Pacific and Aranui's version was one of my favourites as it was so well balanced with lime and coconut plus they used native island greens from the Marquesas that gave it an extra kick. 

Thank you Ilike.  Can you give us a more in depth explanation of what poison cru.  It literally translates to poured fish?  

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

What we need is more participation!  

I only wish there were more.  I guess we will have to keep the home lights burning.

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

Just discovered this thread.

 

Prior to cost cutting, HAL did an excellent job of providing local specialties on the MDR menu.  One example:  Filet of Kangaroo when the Volendam was sailing in Australian waters.  

 

Most recently, there will be region-themed entrees, appetizers, or desserts offered.  I consider a Filet of Kangaroo to be "exotic".  What the current items offered aren't so exotic.  

Thanks for resurrecting this thread RK.  I was beginning to think that we had run out of foodie things to talk about…lol.  BTW…Oceania does an excellent job at sourcing local foods.  The top river cruise companies are also doing a good job with local markets. They even have a chef’s tour of local markets.  

6 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

If you are in a Yacht Club room, I don't see how you can't use the bar, restaurant, or pool area, at least on the Seaside, the only ship we've been on. The Yacht Club is a sealed off area where you can only enter with your room key. Once in, nobody has ever asked to see our card to see if we qualified. You aren't more than five minutes from any of the designated areas no matter what room you are in.

Correct grandgeezer!  Let’s get this straight once and for all.  If you get an upgrade to the Yacht Club you get ALL the benefits…period.   

3 minutes ago, BklynBoy8 said:

Real Steakhouses like Lugers are once a year.

 

Local ones like Chadwicks in Bay Ridge can be several times a year for special occasions like birthday, anniversary and special visits of family or friends. But use them for regular meals. 

I can reveal a little secret.  DW and I don’t really enjoy high end dining.  An upscale steak is nice once or twice a year but normally…we enjoy diners, bar rooms and dives.  We have a number of these that are our go-to places where we meet friends and enjoy a leisurely meal.  Once you’ve spent a couple of weeks onboard a great ship, enjoying a high end cruise experience, you tend to welcome a more relaxed dining venue.  DW claims I can replicate any high end dining experience.  I guess she’s biased…lol.  I’ll check out Chadwick’s…sounds nice. 

6 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

Hope so mixed reviews not favorable during these day in Manhattan. Many other choices are available now in NYC....

 

Smith & Wollensky and Porter House are very good. Michael Lomonaco in Porter has a excellent setup.

 

 

SSmith & Wollenskymith & Wollensky

You have a great selection of steakhouses in NY.  I always look for dry aged steak.  If I’m going to shell out a couple of hundred dollars for dinner I want it to be the best.  I also want a really comfortable room with all the fixtures and, most of all, comfortable seating.  How I miss some of the classic Boston restaurants that have been wiped out over the years.  We are fortunate to have a few new restaurants in the area that get it.  You pay a premium but once in a while it’s nice to have a good steak.

5 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

Unfortunately Keen's lost it's touch quite sometime ago.... Very disappointed the last time there...Not the same and this goes back years.

 

We prefer even though some call it a tourist trap.....Peter Lugers, Brooklyn..

 

Besides being a stones throw from us because of the BQE, we have never been disappointed. From their bacon App, Tomato & Onion w their Sauce, T Bone w the Right Temp....German Home Fries/Cream Spinach... Dessert so great with Strudel w Shlag..... Their Chocolate Sundae too much...

 

Couldn't ask for anything more.......

Glad to hear Lugers is still delivering the goods.  Fear not…the owners of Keen’s will not let it slip too long.

Just now, CGTNORMANDIE said:

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

I love swiss cheese😃

Hi Lois,  you should try Baby Swiss.  It has a nutty flavor and will last two weeks or more in the refrigerator.  I now prefer it over regular Swiss.

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

I love swiss cheese😃

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

I am gaining a gastronomic education with the above posts.  

 

I think I will stick to my menu for this evening of a Roast Beef Sandwich with Swiss Cheese, Potato Salad, and Creamy Cole Slaw followed by a slice of a delicious fresh Peach Pie.  😁

Sounds good RK.  One of my favorites is roasted strip loin, in my own oven, done medium rare to medium…my own recipe.  Served on soft French bread with lettuce, tomato and thin onion.  Where did you get the peach pie???

19 minutes ago, BklynBoy8 said:

I know many are talking about the Steak and Kidney Pie here but it's Steak and Guinness Mushroom Suet Pie on the menu in Golden Lion.

 

I know it was offered in the past on the QE2 and my dad liked Steak & Kidney Pie. It is even served in Keen's Chop House in Midtown Manhattan as a favorite. 

Close enough…the addition of Guinness gives the pie a distinct flavor.  Keen’s Chop House is a N.Y. icon.  I doubt I’d order steak and kidney pie if I went there…but who knows.  Would it compete with a big char broiled filet steak with mushroom sauce??

56 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi rka, my parents both loved tongue........they would order a tongue sandwich anytime we went to a good Deli..........

Nothing like a good tongue sandwich on rye with deli mustard.  Also with baby Swiss for some of us.  I learned to eat tongue when I was 16 years old and touring England.  I also learned to eat pickled lamb’s tongue when I was young.  My grandfather introduced me to this delicacy.  

8 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thank you.  Bubble and Squeak, Cumberland Sausage (I have had a British banger):  yes, I would enjoy them.  Have not had steak and kidney pie, but am not adverse to try it.  I enjoy Sweetbreads when I see them on a menu while some of my tablemates are aghast at my choice of such an item.  

Steak and kidney pie is basically beef stew…in pastry…sometimes mushrooms are added too…delish!  Sweetbreads have always been a delicacy.  I remember my chef at the Ritz yelling at me when I almost knocked a tray off a table.  He told me they were worth more than I was!  Lol…he had a bombastic demeanor but he was a great chef.  Sweet breads are wonderful.  Like any other delicacy…they are wonderful if prepared properly.  I believe you might see Vol au Vent Financier on a ship’s menu from time to time.

I think the problem here might have been that the OP was not in the YC.  Obviously his room stewards were not familiar with Premium Plus.  OP mentions going to Guest Services.  If this were YC it would have been a nonissue.