MDR Favorites & what to avoid

[CanWeGoYet?]

Planning first cruise on HAL, and wondering what menu items stood out as favorites & what you might have been better off not ordering. Even though food tastes are subjective I'd love to see other's faves on this line. Need to get through the next 4 months of waiting!

[Koshlong]

I have lots of favorites, but one caveat.......If you ask the DR waiter if something is spicy and he says "not really", it's probably pretty spicy. If you don't think it's spicy enough........they will be glad to bring you some of the spicy sauces they use themselves. My brother in law was thrilled.........the rest of us drank lots of water!

 

Try the chilled soups. The Lido has a nice stir fry station and a while you wait omelette bar that includes egg whites and egg beaters as options. The free icecream in waffle cones is really good and if the ship has two ice cream stations, the choices will be different at each.

 

I've enjoyed most of the entrees in the main dining room.......though there was a Lobster Newburg that was disappointing.

 

Important to remember; If you order breakfast from room service, you can write in hot entrees and things like cinnamon buns and chocolate croissants. You can also order anything from the Main Dining room dinner menu if you place your order during the earlier part of dining room hours. Think dinner on the verandah when you can't be bothered to dress up.

 

Marnie

[Willsot]

Of course it's all according to personal tastes, but here are my MDR favorites:

 

I always order the chilled soups, for appetizers I love the baked brie and the escargot, I always order the lamb entrees, and I enjoy the seafood entrees.

 

I generally avoid the salads and desserts (other than sorbets) and I try to avoid the breads (not that the breads are bad, they're just bad for me).

[catl331]

osso bucco and fresh morning raisin buns.

[jtl513]

I think a cruise is a great opportunity to try new things, because if you don't like it you can order something else at no additional cost! :)

[CanWeGoYet?]

Thanks for all the tips, it's only a 4 day cruise so I will have to be mindful of not squandering my menu choices & missing out on the favorites! :p

[CanWeGoYet?]

I think a cruise is a great opportunity to try new things, because if you don't like it you can order something else at no additional cost! :)

 

Good point!

[Route6A]

On the last HAL cruise we took on the Noordam in the fall of 2009, there were, sadly, no waffle cones. Cost cutting. It was a 28 day trip, so there was surely time to obtain some. Maybe with the improving economy, they are back. My boys love them. They go to the Lido in the afternoon for a "salad"...A waffle cone salad...

 

As far as favorites go, we find that dishes vary from cruise to cruise, but the parmesan crusted chicken is usually very good as is the flourless chocolate cake. Decadent that cake. Good quality chocolate. We also like the everyday strip steak when it's tender. And nothing is spicy enough for us on HAL, but we like highly seasoned food. HAL food can be a bit bland sometimes.

 

Be sure to try the Pinnacle Grill. Excellent steaks and quite good bernaise sauce. Best of all, we love the HAL crews. Wonderful folks.

[alpal1993]

This will be our first cruise on HAL We will be doing the 14 Night Alaskan Cruise on Amsterdam,Some one posted the menus from their Oosterdam cruise and may I say I was impressed,Can't wait to try so many things,except the security will have to pull us away from the Alaskan King Crab.

Is the Bread Pudding served in MDR or in the Lido.I didn't see it listed and I really want to try that.

[jtl513]

Is the Bread Pudding served in MDR or in the Lido.I didn't see it listed and I really want to try that.

Lido, just at lunch time.

[IRL_Joanie]

My MDR favorites are:

 

Lobster Macaroni & Cheese

Lobster

Chilled Berry Soups

Pate

Volcano Cake

 

I'm sure there are more, but these are the ones that really stick out the most.

 

Joanie

[trvlcrzy]

I have lots of favorites, but one caveat.......If you ask the DR waiter if something is spicy and he says "not really", it's probably pretty spicy. If you don't think it's spicy enough........they will be glad to bring you some of the spicy sauces they use themselves. My brother in law was thrilled.........the rest of us drank lots of water!

 

Pinnacle Grill... with a sore throat... until I ate the Spicy Chicken Coconut Soup. Misnamed. FIERY Chicken Coconut Soup. The good news was that the symptoms of my sore throat disappeared since I had no sensation in my throat for several minutes!

 

To the original question, HAL does a great job with low and slow cooked meats. Braised short ribs that fall apart with the slightest touch.

 

I second the cold soups in the dining room.

 

Check the Asian station in the Lido for Indonesian dishes like Nasi Goreng or Bami Goreng. It is harder to find these on the MDR menu, apparently, but you can ask a Lido server about the Sambal sauce as a condiment for these... that should have a black label combustion warning. (There's a sweet version and a hot version... I had a little of both. Even the sweet is still spicy.)

[Typhoon1]

As mentioned many times before, Chocolate Volcano cake in the PG is to die for.

[mrspeck]

We enjoy ordering the Lobster Mac & Cheese in the PG to share amongst the table along with our individual entrees. To me its not really what I would want as a main course, but its a great side. We are usually told that it will be an additional $10 charge, but I've never seen that followed through.

[garydm]

I generally find the food in the MDR to be very good. The consistent exceptions are the breads and many of the desserts. Makes it easier to not load on the pounds.

 

Gary

[CowPrincess]

Another vote for the escargot, and for the baked brie, and for the flourless chocolate cake. On our last cruise a couple of evenings had appetizers with smoked duck -- those were fabulous! We find the desserts generally to be a waste of calories, but that doesn't stop us from ordering and trying them.

 

And if the Thai Basil Chicken is offered in the Lido, I recommend trying it.

[mrspeck]

If you are on a Signature Class ship, the Rijsttafel event in the Tamirind, is a very worthwhile event for one evening meal.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Is the volcano cake only served in the Pinnacle Grill? I take it this is different from the flourless chocolate cake?

 

I'm not sure what the signature class ships are, I will be on the Amsterdam. I will have to try to the Asian Station in the Lido, I love Indonesian.

[Willsot]

Is the volcano cake only served in the Pinnacle Grill? I take it this is different from the flourless chocolate cake?

 

I'm not sure what the signature class ships are, I will be on the Amsterdam. I will have to try to the Asian Station in the Lido, I love Indonesian.

 

Yes, two different choc. cakes. My Lido favorites are the omelet station for breakfast and the Asian station for lunch. Both usually have some waiting required, but the waits are worth it for the hot, quality meals.

[RuthC]

Is the volcano cake only served in the Pinnacle Grill? I take it this is different from the flourless chocolate cake?

Yes, the Volcano Cake is only available in the Pinnacle, and it is different from the flourless chocolate cake.

However, as the reigning, official Chocolate Goddess, I will say that I prefer the flourless chocolate cake to the Volcano Cake.

First, it's smaller, so doesn't leave me feeling stuffed after a big meal. Second, the volcano cake is inconsistent. A bit too much, or too little, time preparing it and it just isn't as good. I've never experienced that problem with the flourless cake.

[TracieABD]

What types of cold soup do they have?

On Princess, they were served in glasses with drinking straws and had alcohol in them;)...

Just wondering if the HAL version was "kid friendly" like gazpacho?

[RuthC]

What types of cold soup do they have?

 

Just wondering if the HAL version was "kid friendly" like gazpacho?

Kid friendly, like gazpacho, is one of the choices. Others are three berry soup, a strawberry soup, something made from cranberries. There was a peach one---I can't remember them all.

Think "dessert" for a first course; that's what they are like. I don't believe the recipies are the same as they used to be, but once upon a time there were things like cream, sherbet, and tapioca in them.

I haven't seen the tapioca in ages, though. Too bad, it was a great thickener.

[Willsot]

What types of cold soup do they have?

On Princess, they were served in glasses with drinking straws and had alcohol in them;)...

Just wondering if the HAL version was "kid friendly" like gazpacho?

 

I was just on Princess and did not think the chilled soups were nearly as good as on HAL. I thought the drinking glasses and straws were ridiculous. Had gazpacho in a tall glass with a straw and the dining steward said not to even try the straw because the gazpacho would not fit through it. The Princess soups seemed more icy vs. creamy (probably healthier but not as tasty). On HAL I have enjoyed green apple, grapefruit, peach mango, strawberry, blueberry, mixed berries - just about any fruits you can think of in chilled soups. I also enjoy the chilled vegetable soups - potato, leek, cucumber, borscht, ginger, pumpkin (and I'm sure there are many other variations I've missed). Can't wait to try them again!

[78232]

The favorites that I can remember are strip steak in MDR. Filet in the Pinnacle, and. Bread pudding, waffles, and the sandwich station in the Lido. I didn't like some of the cold soups..gazpacho and pumpkin I think, and the mushroom strudle wasn't wonderful. Shrimp cocktail was usually very good

Marcia

[CanWeGoYet?]

Yes, the Volcano Cake is only available in the Pinnacle, and it is different from the flourless chocolate cake.

 

However, as the reigning, official Chocolate Goddess, I will say that I prefer the flourless chocolate cake to the Volcano Cake.

 

I am very much looking forward to the flourless chocolate cake, oh Reigning Official Chocolate Goddess! Not sure if I will be dining in the Pinnacle so I'm very glad this is a dining room option.

 

And the chilled soups, I've had them on Carnival and Celebrity. I liked them on those lines so I am sure I will like them on HAL as well. On Carnival they are served in a bowl. The waiter comes out with a large shallow bowl, with the teensiest little garnish of whatever the soup is made from, in the center of the bowl. It could fit in a teaspoon with plenty of room to spare. Sometimes they have the pitcher containing the soup to pour into the bowl at the same time - other times they appear with the pitcher in a moment. I spoiled our waiters surprise for my tablemate by telling her "he's coming back with the soup" when I saw how shocked she looked by this large bowl containing a speck of peach. Waiter, who was quite the jokester, overheard my whispered explanation & admonished me for giving away the practical joke. Don't get me wrong, he was an excellent waiter, he just liked to entertain the table with a joke from time to time. I am certain he only exercised this sort of humor selectively on the passengers who would not be distressed or annoyed by it. The next night he served me my cheesecake upside down on the plate as payback. It took me a moment to figure out why it looked so odd.