polo grill

[S O B]

We enjoyed the Polo, but for some reason I have never had a steak on a ship, including the 2 Crystal ships or the Riviera that was as tender and flavorful as a steak that one routinely is served at a premium land based steakhouse like Fleming's or The Palm, Del Frisco, Emeril's, etc.

 

First, I want to take credit for putting this thread, (This very important thread), back on topic and away from unappetizing insect secretions. (You're welcome.)

 

I love steakhouses and have eaten at all of the chain restaurants listed above and would agree that a cruise restaurant cannot be compared with a fine land-based steakhouse ashore. There's no fair comparison but Polo doesn't have to apologize to anyone. It's a fabulous venue at sea and I salute Oceania for providing it.

 

And I live in Tampa where we have a fine steakhouse called Bern's that I will argue is as good or better than anyplace in your town.

 

S O B, heading for cover now.

[potterhill]

On our Nautica cruise in March the steaks were terrible. Finally on the last night DH had a good one. I had given up. Overcooked. Tough. Flavourless. Gristly. Overcooked. Did I say overcooked? And yes I sent it back. Not worth the wait to get another the same.

 

Toscana was wonderful, as was The Grand Dining Room if you stayed away from the steaks. We embarked in China. Not sure if this was a factor somehow. You have to start with a good product, but even a great piece of meat can be ruined by a poor cook.

 

As for the pork, they overcook it purposely. I asked to have it at 155 degrees which is a bit pink and lovely and juicey, but they said it had to be well done. Here in Canada our pork is disease free and is routinely cooked medium. Such a difference!

 

We have had cruises where the food was first rate and cruises where the best one could say of the food was that it was adequate. All on Oceania as we have not cruised with anyone else. Go figure.

 

Mo

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Mura]

And I live in Tampa where we have a fine steakhouse called Bern's that I will argue is as good or better than anyplace in your town.

 

 

No need to head for cover. That is a FABULOUS restaurant! And they introduced me to bok choy which they grow in their own garden ...

 

But I guess we can't ask Oceania to have a fresh vegetable garden ...

 

Mura

[Mura]

On our Nautica cruise . . . they overcook [the pork] purposely. I asked to have it at 155 degrees which is a bit pink and lovely and juicey, but they said it had to be well done. Here in Canada our pork is disease free and is routinely cooked medium. Such a difference!

 

 

I typically cook my pork roasts to 150 or so. I agree that cooking it well done destroys the meat.

 

Now, on our Oceania cruises (the most recent was a year ago on Regatta) I didn't see a problem with overcooking the pork, although now that I think about it -- it was probably cooked 5-10 minutes more than I would have. But it wasn't dried out, far from it! Pork has really become my favorite meat and having it overcooked and dried out is NOT what I look forward to!

 

Let's see what happens on Marina in November.

 

Mura

[digtexas]

First, I want to take credit for putting this thread, (This very important thread), back on topic and away from unappetizing insect secretions. (You're welcome.)

 

I love steakhouses and have eaten at all of the chain restaurants listed above and would agree that a cruise restaurant cannot be compared with a fine land-based steakhouse ashore. There's no fair comparison but Polo doesn't have to apologize to anyone. It's a fabulous venue at sea and I salute Oceania for providing it.

 

And I live in Tampa where we have a fine steakhouse called Bern's that I will argue is as good or better than anyplace in your town.

 

S O B, heading for cover now.

 

Yes, you are probably correct. Texas Longhorn beef is known to be a little tough!

[rallydave]

 

And I live in Tampa where we have a fine steakhouse called Bern's that I will argue is as good or better than anyplace in your town.

 

S O B, heading for cover now.

 

No need to duck at all, undoubtedly the best steak house I've ever been to anywhere on planet earth. When we lived in Florida, we used to drive 250 miles round trip for dinner at Berns. Tell everyone that you just have to go there and you'll find a way to get there again and again and again!!!!!!!!

[S O B]

I do adore a good steakhouse and I now apologize for hijacking this thread to my love affair with Bern's in Tampa. I had just brought us back from speaking of worm and bee waste and now we're tangent-ing once again.

 

There's just something about a steakhouse. About 40 or so years ago, it seemed like they were doomed. We were all being told that red meat wasn't healthy; nouvelle cuisine was taking over; smaller portions of "healthy heart" meals were the fashion. I feared that the very masculine dark-wooded rooms with sporting prints on the walls, white table cloths, tuxedoed waiters serving thick steaks and pouring strong bourbon libations might go the way of the dinosaurs.

 

I've travelled a bit and I'm a serious red meat man and I've enjoyed enormous pleasures at the likes of Indy's St. Elmo's, Cinci's The Precinct, Chicago's Gene & Georgetti's, Atlanta's Bones, San Francisco's long gone Ernie's, Manhattan's Kean's Chophouse, Smith & Wollensky, the original Palm and Gallagher's, Dallas' original Del Frisco's, and many more. (Big, big hole in my red meat resume: haven't yet been to Brooklyn's Peter Luger's. Oh, the shame!)

 

I'm somewhat prejudiced against chain restaurants of any kind and I have to include the Polo Grill in that list since there are five of them floating around but for a sea-going refuge for carnivores, it belongs in the same conversation with the above-mentioned grouping.

 

Thank you Oceania! The fourth specialty dining venue on the large ships might have been dedicated to the cuisine of some other popular ethnicity such as Greece, Mexico, North Africa or even just some kind of Canyon Ranch health food. Instead you "threw a bone" to us meat lovers. Bravo!

[TKS]

S O B, you sound like you must be thrilled with the new Paleo, the latest craze in diets. It espouses a diet heavy on proteins, veggies and some fruits, but no grains, carbs or sugars. Almost the opposite of the much touted food pyramid designed a few years ago (except for the sugars). One of our close friends is on that diet and since we eat together often I've been following it sort of passively. I must admit I have lost 20 lbs., but I'm missing my pasta mightily.

 

I guess if we live long enough we see everything cycle around to the start.

[wripro]

There was a diet like that around maybe thirty years ago. People were eating a pound of bacon for breakfast and steaks for lunch and dinner. They were the thinnest corpses in the morgue.

[orchestrapal]

There was a diet like that around maybe thirty years ago. People were eating a pound of bacon for breakfast and steaks for lunch and dinner. They were the thinnest corpses in the morgue.

 

Well said!

As my physician mother said, until she died at 94 never having been on a diet, "everything in moderation."

[TKS]

Wish I could say I'd never been on a diet. Unfortunately I don't seem to be too good at moderation in things I love, and food is one of them (cruising is another). So I periodically have to bite the bullet (well, maybe not bite it - I'd probably gain weight even from that) and go on a diet.

 

I've tried to just cut back on everything and continue eating what I always have, because I find if I cut too much out the diet is too short lived to do any good. But I can humor my friend during the times we're together. And I have tried to cut back on carbs and sugar the most, but it's still sad. I love my pasta!

 

The good news is I found a 90% cocoa chocolate treat I enjoy which only has 60 calories - so at least I didn't have to give up chocolate, which does have anti-oxidents (that's my excuse for keeping it in the diet)!!!:D Maybe chocolate pasta. . .hhhmmmmm???

[digtexas]

Well said!

As my physician mother said, until she died at 94 never having been on a diet, "everything in moderation."

 

My 94 year old mother eats whatever the hell she wants!

[Paulchili]

My 94 year old mother eats whatever the hell she wants!

 

Fortunately for some and unfortunately for others - the genes trump everything!

I know of a person in her 40's who is "skinny", was a yoga AND aerobics instructor at the time and eats "right". To boot, pre-menstrual women are hormonally "protected" from heart disease.

Despite all this on her side, she had a mild heart attack in her late 40's due to very bad family history of heart disease. This is by no means unique to this person.

That is not to say one shouldn't eat well, but some will die young despite doing that and others will live long in spite of eating "poorly".

We have all seen people in their 90's happily smoking away and others dying of lung cancer at a young age.

But, we are OT here. Back to Polo and steaks :D

[legaleaglegreen]

On the old sailing ships, they addressed the preservation issue by either salting the beef or pork or carrying live animals on board, not usually steers I suppose, and slaughtering them when needed. Doubt either would be popular today.

[JannoWilliamstown]

On a Regatta cruise to Alaska, we were uniformly disappointed with the food. I guess this was because we had very high expectations. It was quite a "telling statement" that at no time in the 12 day cruise, did a single person that we dined with, comment on the food (and we opted to sit with others at each meal). They didn't say the food was bad or good - just nothing. There were not even any expressive "hmmms" as someone tucked into their meal. Having been quite underwhelmed by all the dining experiences, I now have much lower expectations of my upcoming Riviera cruise and thus will, I'm sure, be quite happy!

[Paulchili]

On a Regatta cruise to Alaska, we were uniformly disappointed with the food. I guess this was because we had very high expectations. It was quite a "telling statement" that at no time in the 12 day cruise, did a single person that we dined with, comment on the food (and we opted to sit with others at each meal). They didn't say the food was bad or good - just nothing. There were not even any expressive "hmmms" as someone tucked into their meal. Having been quite underwhelmed by all the dining experiences, I now have much lower expectations of my upcoming Riviera cruise and thus will, I'm sure, be quite happy!

 

I am sorry to hear about your disappointing dining experience on the Regatta. Are you comparing your dining experience to prior cruises (if so, which ships) or dining on land?

I hope that your Riviera experience will be a better one :)

[LHT28]

On a Regatta cruise to Alaska, we were uniformly disappointed with the food. I guess this was because we had very high expectations. It was quite a "telling statement" that at no time in the 12 day cruise, did a single person that we dined with, comment on the food (and we opted to sit with others at each meal). They didn't say the food was bad or good - just nothing. There were not even any expressive "hmmms" as someone tucked into their meal. Having been quite underwhelmed by all the dining experiences, I now have much lower expectations of my upcoming Riviera cruise and thus will, I'm sure, be quite happy!

That sounds bad

You did not have a good meal on your cruise :confused:

 

We are not the type of people who ooooh & AHHH or drool in our food (well maybe the odd dessert) ;)

We enjoy the food & conversation with fellow guests ..maybe your table mates were the same

We might comment that the dish was tasty

If I do not have to cook it ....it works for me ;)

 

Hope the food will be better on your upcoming cruise

 

Lyn

[RJB]

Wow, very sorry to hear this. We think Oceania's food is the best at sea. Everyplace we ate on the Marina was just wonderful. Can't wait to go back.

[Arusha]

On a Regatta cruise to Alaska, we were uniformly disappointed with the food. I guess this was because we had very high expectations. It was quite a "telling statement" that at no time in the 12 day cruise, did a single person that we dined with, comment on the food (and we opted to sit with others at each meal). They didn't say the food was bad or good - just nothing. There were not even any expressive "hmmms" as someone tucked into their meal. Having been quite underwhelmed by all the dining experiences, I now have much lower expectations of my upcoming Riviera cruise and thus will, I'm sure, be quite happy!

 

The title of your post is "Regatta Food 2011." I was on the Regatta this past May 2013 on an Alaska cruise, and October 2012 to NE/Canada. The food was excellent in all dining venues.

[JMBobB]

We just completed our first cruise on Nautica in the Baltic. The cuisine in every on board venue was both outstanding and the choices eyepopping. Only complaint was in the limits on specialty reservations.

[JMBobB]

Two more positive points on Nautica cuisine: service was uniformly excellent and helpful; my wife is gluten intolerant and we had lunch and dinner menus on our door every morning listing gluten free options for every course. We were blown away with food service staff start to finish.

[Graypanther]

Two more positive points on Nautica cuisine: service was uniformly excellent and helpful; my wife is gluten intolerant and we had lunch and dinner menus on our door every morning listing gluten free options for every course. We were blown away with food service staff start to finish.

 

That has not been my recent experience and I last traveled on Oceania in Jan & June. Two evenings before I was to dine I was given the same menu that all diners receive when they dine and asked to select items that I "guessed" could be served gluten free. If the item could not be made GF, then I was told that when I sat down to dine and asked if there was another item I wanted and sometimes the waiter was aware of another item which was GF. There were no GF markings on the menu. A year ago, I was given the normal dinner menu one evening before. In both cases the menu, marked with my selection "guesses," was to be given to the reservation person by 10am the next morning. I do appreciate that they go to this effort. I do not know what other cruise lines do.

[babysteps]

That has not been my recent experience and I last traveled on Oceania in Jan & June. Two evenings before I was to dine I was given the same menu that all diners receive when they dine and asked to select items that I "guessed" could be served gluten free. If the item could not be made GF, then I was told that when I sat down to dine and asked if there was another item I wanted and sometimes the waiter was aware of another item which was GF. There were no GF markings on the menu. A year ago, I was given the normal dinner menu one evening before. In both cases the menu, marked with my selection "guesses," was to be given to the reservation person by 10am the next morning. I do appreciate that they go to this effort. I do not know what other cruise lines do.

 

I had a much more positive experience with GF dining on Riviera September 2012. Obviously experiences can vary!

 

It also got the "same" menu with no GF notations to fill out as homework. Since that is the restaurant standard I'm used to, it didn't bother me. I never ordered anything that O wasn't able to make GF, but I admit I do avoid choosing things that would be tough or unlikely to make GF and tasty (something wrapped in dough, say). Maybe it is partly in the attitude...my view is that my health is more important than being able to order or eat everything on a menu - this may be low expectations on my part? I can say is that in my experience, compared to other set-menu large group dining situations, O does an excellent job of serving diners with dietary restrictions, including offering better-than-average GF bread in Jacques (although I tend to skip GF bread generally).

 

Don't know if the process has changed (or perhaps is different O vs R class?), but on Riviera I was given the menu the night before (not 2 nights). Typically our server had a copy of my marked up menu already. O has a method to filling out a menu out ahead of time, and it showed when our first night on board last fall we joined another couple in Red Ginger but my name wasn't tied to our cabin number correctly (NOT O's fault, will spare you the details) and it did incur a slight delay in getting me GF food.

 

When dining out in cases where I'm not sure if an item will work GF, I often let the server know my second choice up front - I don't remember if I did this on O last fall, I don't think I did. If this year my experience includes last-minute choices that Graypanther ran into, I will definitely start marking alternates on my 'homework' menu!

[CateW]

I don't eat meat, my husband is a steak lover. I like Polo and the lobster. We have not had a bad meal there. Looking forward to Alaska next year on Regatta!