Chef's Table Menus for your Review - May 2013

[Bill Leiber]

Hello Azamara Followers -

 

I am pleased to be able to share with you the Menus for the three wine degustation dinners - French, Italian and California.

§ All guests can book the chef's table, it accommodates 12 people. If there are more bookings, then it will be held in the Library with a capacity of up to 22 guests.

§ The charge is $95 per person including wine pairing.

§ An example of the wines that will be paired is shown below.

 

Chef’s Table – France

§ Tuna Tartare Niçoise

§ Smoked Potato Leek Soup

§ Scallops Grenobloises

§ Filet of Beef au Poivre, or

§ Seared Sea Bass

§ Caramelized Apple Gâteau

 

Chef’s Table – Italy

§ Chilled Crab Panzanella Salad

§ Zuppa di Celeriac

§ House-Made Black Pepper Tagliatelle

§ Roasted Veal Tenderloin, or

§ Olive Oil Poached Halibut

§ Chocolate Amaretto Panna Cotta

 

Chef’s Table – California

§ Lobster Salad Stuffed Avocado Roulade

§ Smoked Tomato Velouté

§ Surf and Turf

§ Herb-Roasted Strip Loin, or

§ Walnut-Crusted Salmon

§ Strawberry Almond Shortcake

 

A Note about the Wine Pairings:

We have not listed the wines that will be served with each menu because, at this time, each vessel is using the wines that currently exist within their individual cellars. As the year progresses, we will be rolling out a new wine list for both ships so that there will be a standard wine selection for each course.

 

To provide you with an example of the types of wines that we have used for recent Chef's Tables, please see the below list. Please be aware that if your decide to do the Chef's Table, do not expect any of these wines as they will change continually until we have the new, permanent wines in place.

 

Sample Wine List:

§ Cervaro, Castello della Sala, Antinori, Italy

§ Chablis, William Fèvre, Premier Cru, Montmains, Burgundy, France

§ Chardonnay, Rombauer, Carneros, California

§ Château Castera, Haut Médoc, Bordeaux, France

§ Château Coufran, Haut Médoc, Bordeaux, France

§ Conundrum, Napa Valley, California

§ Cortese,La Scolca, Gavi di Gavi, Piedmont, Italy

§ Gewürztraminer, Hugel, Alsace, France

§ Gevrey-Chambertin, Maison Louis Jadot, Côtes de Nuits, Burgundy, France

§ Merlot, Robert Mondavi, Private Selection, California

§ Nero d’ Avola, Corvo, Vendemmia, Sicily, Italy

§ Pinot Grigio, Vigneti Fantinel, Sant’ Helena, Collio, Italy

§ Pinot Noir, La Crema, Sonoma Coast, California

§ Promis, Gaja, Ca Marcanda, Tuscany, Italy

§ Ridge Vineyards, Lytton Springs, Dry Creek Valley, California

§ Rosé, Château Esclans, Provence, France

§ Santa Cristina, Igt, Antinori, Tuscany, Italy

§ Sauternes, Barton & Guestier, Bordeaux, France

§ Sauvignon Blanc, Honig, Napa Valley, California

§ Stars and Stripes, Domaine Chandon, Brut Classic, California

 

As I mentioned, there is a new flyer about the "Chef's Table" program that is under production and once it is completed, we'll be able to have Andy place it on the forum as a Sticky Post.

 

Eat, drink and be merry!

 

Best regards,

 

Bill Leiber

_____________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[Dr H]

Ouch! Thanks for the menu posting Bill, but I must say that I am terribly underwhelmed! The menus are lovely, but not particularly different from what can be routinely obtained in either Prime C or Aqualina, for considerably less money. Olive Oil poached (frozen) halibut does not excite me, nor does a day old bread salad with crab (the panzerella). Fillet au Poive probably should be on the Prime C menu, and I'm sure the kitchen would do it in a heartbeat if requested. Zuppa di celeriac? I don't think so... Celeriac is a grossly underused vegetable, at least here in the States, it makes a great puree, but I don't think any Italian would turn one into a soup. (I do a "French" version with chestnuts and celeriac, but it ain't Italian) To be fair, the wine selections are the "standard", superb Azamara bottles. I've had many of them (off ship, not on), and would not hesitate to recommend them in a heart beat. You can do a fantastic pairing with the menus presented.

 

My conclusion - if you are not a foodie, but want to splurge on a superb meal that you would never do at home, paired with some great wines, go for it. But if you are a foodie, well, you can order in the specialty restaurants, and you will figure out which of either the house wines or the bottles you wish to try. For a lot less than $190. per couple.

 

Lest anyone think this a "criticism" of the Journey/Quest food service, far from it. It doesn't really matter where you eat on these ships, you aren't going to go away hungry, and that certainly includes the pool grill. It is a criticism of the imagination of the people who put together these specialty menus. These could be showcase meals for the line, but alas, they are not, and certainly not for the prices they are charging. Keep the idea, rethink the menus! (Friendly criticism from a true friend of Azamara)

[marinaro44]

+1, Dr. H.

[rubens]

Lest anyone think this a "criticism" of the Journey/Quest food service, far from it. It doesn't really matter where you eat on these ships, you aren't going to go away hungry, and that certainly includes the pool grill. It is a criticism of the imagination of the people who put together these specialty menus. These could be showcase meals for the line, but alas, they are not, and certainly not for the prices they are charging. Keep the idea, rethink the menus! (Friendly criticism from a true friend of Azamara)

 

Well said and explained. Fully agree with these suggestions

[melody hounddog]

Sounds like a wonderful experience. Thanks for posting the menus. Does anyone have any pictures?