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New Pinnacle Menu

frankc98376

By frankc98376,
in Holland America Line

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Copper10-8 "Live from...." Rare

Copper10-8

Posted
Posted (edited)
A more interesting conversation could be had about Filipino and non-Filipino staff in the Pinnacle Grill. I have never been able to figure out what the European waiters are doing there. I have often seen them being very rude and superior to the Filipino staff. They certainly do not come with the same work ethics as the rest of the staff.

 

You do know, I take it, that the only Filipino staff in the PG on all fifteen ships is the Beverage Steward, yes? All others are Indonesian (male or female, not that that fact makes a significant difference, n'est pas? ;)) with a few odd (not saying they're strange as in "Geez, that dude is odd) Eastern Europeans hanging around. Most of the latter "puttt the candle back" have chosen to go elsewhere in their worldly travels

Edited by Copper10-8
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taxmantoo

taxmantoo

Posted
Posted
You do know, I take it, that the only Filipino staff in the PG on all fifteen ships is the Beverage Steward, yes? All others are Indonesian (male or female, not that that fact makes a significant difference, n'est pas? ;)) with a few odd (not saying they're strange as in "Geez, that dude is odd) Eastern Europeans hanging around. Most of the later "puttt the candle back" have chosen to go elsewhere in their worldly travels

 

Sorry for lumping them all together. Yes, I did mean Filipino-Indonesian.

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
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You do know, I take it, that the only Filipino staff in the PG on all fifteen ships is the Beverage Steward, yes? All others are Indonesian (male or female, not that that fact makes a significant difference, n'est pas? ;)) with a few odd (not saying they're strange as in "Geez, that dude is odd) Eastern Europeans hanging around. Most of the latter "puttt the candle back" have chosen to go elsewhere in their worldly travels

 

 

We miss Goren........ from Romania, formerly Pinnacle Grill Manager on Maasdam. ;)

 

Now with Celebrity, last I heard.

 

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Vict0riann "Live from...." Rare

Vict0riann

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Changing the subject again, :), but I've been wondering, if as some have said, the menu changes have come about because of the explore4 promo, whether the menu will change again after the promo is over, and go back to what we had before - I'm going to miss that lobster!

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frankc98376

frankc98376

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Changing the subject again, :), but I've been wondering, if as some have said, the menu changes have come about because of the explore4 promo, whether the menu will change again after the promo is over, and go back to what we had before - I'm going to miss that lobster!

 

Having spent a good deal of my early life in the restaurant/hotel business menus constantly change and are constantly reviewed and fine tuned. In our hotels we had weekly menu meetings to keep an eye on trends. If items don't sell or margins drop too much the item goes away. I'm sure after running a bit there will be changes and fine tuning to the menus. HAL knows what is moving and isn't and I'm sure watches "sales" closely after a major menu revision. Past items may well return and new ones may disappear. We may see "nightly specials" which are many times test menu items.

 

We aren't sailing till May so I'm betting there will be at least a few changes between now and then.

 

I really don't think that this is due to Explore 4 as we heard on Oosterdam in May that Seattle had been working on new menus for months.

 

BTW- I've had Double R beef at the Metropolitan Grill in Seattle and it is great (a Rib Steak at the Met is $60 ala carte). I think much better than Sterling Silver. To me the Pinnacle is very much like Metropolitan Grill.

Edited by frankc98376
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  • 3 weeks later...
Mympyl

Mympyl

Posted
Posted

We just returned home from the Amsterdam Xmas/New Year sailing from San Francisco through the Panama Canal. We ate MANY times at the Pinnacle Grill, trying various of the new additions and trying to explore the menu a bit. We usually choose to eat at the Pinnacle most nights for the more intimate setting and service.

 

Firstly, the Double R Ranch meat is TERRIBLE!! Maybe the brand is served at other restaurants and has been reported as good at those locations but I suspect they may be buying a higher quality of cuts. The quality of meat being served on HAL is truly a major downgrade in quality from the Sterling beef. Most of the cuts we tried, (except for the filet) were inedible. We ended up ordering the Filet less cooked than normal as it tended to dry out on the edges as it cooked more. It did also seem to have a strange livery type flavor but at least it could be cut with a knife and was edible.

 

There was still a veal chop being offered on the menu but I am not sure if it will only remain on the menu until the remaining stock is used up. My husband ordered that one night and enjoyed it....probably betting that didn't come from Double R Ranch!!!

 

My son ordered his usual favorite meal in the entire world....Pinnacle Grill bone-in rib eye. He almost cried......it was honestly inedible, fatty, chewy, sinewy. Cant begin to describe just how bad. We thought we had maybe gotten an unlucky bad piece but on the following night watched one of the singer's dine with his family and was unable to even cut through it. He eventually spoke to the PG manager and had it taken away. We had the same problem with the porterhouse.....chewy, dry!! so little of that giant steak was even able to be cut through let alone eaten.

 

Given that a lot of items on the menu have been removed, it is even more sad to see the quality of the meat reduced to such low levels! I guess my mother was right when she said "There's no such thing as a free lunch". All those free PG meals being given away have resulted in them serving food which is no better than in the dining room, perhaps even not worse. On a longer cruise like this (18 nights) it was tough to find any variation.

 

The "Special" has most certainly been removed from the specialty restaurant. The new soup is nothing like the old coconut soup, though it sounds a bit similar in name. It was like a plain tomato soup with long vermicelli noodles which were difficult to eat without splashing your clothing!! They added extra spice to our soup at our request as it was very bland and tasteless and that made it better but no where near as good as the old one.

 

Shrimp cocktails were still as good as before, large yummy shrimps as usual. They still offered the crème brulee and both vanilla and choc soufflés. Though for 2 nights in a row they were unable to bring out a vanilla soufflé which was any higher than 1/2 way up the soufflé dish. The choc ones came out fine and they then confessed that they were having problems with the oven and couldn't get the vanilla ones to rise. Apparently the choc ones are flourless...who knows!! We just stuck to the choc and stopped ordering the vanilla.

 

As for the crab legs, we bit the bullet and paid the additional $20 to give them a try. Now, there was a large plate of crab legs but they weren't really the giant red beauties I had imagined. They were smaller but lots of them. Vegas buffet style. Certainly not worth the $20 upcharge. I would have rather stuck to the previous lobster offering with no upcharge. The Cioppino was very fishy. My husband sent it back and ordered something else. Which if you knew him you would realize was a real shocker. I don't think in 25 years I have ever seen him send anything back!!

 

I know lots of people aren't fond of brussell sprouts but I am a LOVER of them!!! unfortunately, they are serving "frozen" brussell sprouts which are very heavy and waterlogged. They are served with bacon/pancetta but that is clearly just added as garnish after cooking. They were actually horrible and I didn't eat them. Tried them another night too but they were just plain bad. I just don't think that they should be serving frozen vegetables in there!!

 

Now, not to be a Debbie Downer, as we really did have a great cruise and met so many wonderful people, But..... bottom line is that they have upped the surcharge for Pinnacle to $29 along with lowering the quality of the food and limiting the selection!!! It was really sad to see, as we have always enjoyed the Pinnacle Grill so much. I will be curious to see where this all goes.... as right now it only seems to be going in one direction!!!

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cruz chic

cruz chic

Posted
Posted
We just returned home from the Amsterdam Xmas/New Year sailing from San Francisco through the Panama Canal. We ate MANY times at the Pinnacle Grill, trying various of the new additions and trying to explore the menu a bit. We usually choose to eat at the Pinnacle most nights for the more intimate setting and service.

 

Firstly, the Double R Ranch meat is TERRIBLE!! Maybe the brand is served at other restaurants and has been reported as good at those locations but I suspect they may be buying a higher quality of cuts. The quality of meat being served on HAL is truly a major downgrade in quality from the Sterling beef. Most of the cuts we tried, (except for the filet) were inedible. We ended up ordering the Filet less cooked than normal as it tended to dry out on the edges as it cooked more. It did also seem to have a strange livery type flavor but at least it could be cut with a knife and was edible.

 

There was still a veal chop being offered on the menu but I am not sure if it will only remain on the menu until the remaining stock is used up. My husband ordered that one night and enjoyed it....probably betting that didn't come from Double R Ranch!!!

 

My son ordered his usual favorite meal in the entire world....Pinnacle Grill bone-in rib eye. He almost cried......it was honestly inedible, fatty, chewy, sinewy. Cant begin to describe just how bad. We thought we had maybe gotten an unlucky bad piece but on the following night watched one of the singer's dine with his family and was unable to even cut through it. He eventually spoke to the PG manager and had it taken away. We had the same problem with the porterhouse.....chewy, dry!! so little of that giant steak was even able to be cut through let alone eaten.

 

Given that a lot of items on the menu have been removed, it is even more sad to see the quality of the meat reduced to such low levels! I guess my mother was right when she said "There's no such thing as a free lunch". All those free PG meals being given away have resulted in them serving food which is no better than in the dining room, perhaps even not worse. On a longer cruise like this (18 nights) it was tough to find any variation.

 

The "Special" has most certainly been removed from the specialty restaurant. The new soup is nothing like the old coconut soup, though it sounds a bit similar in name. It was like a plain tomato soup with long vermicelli noodles which were difficult to eat without splashing your clothing!! They added extra spice to our soup at our request as it was very bland and tasteless and that made it better but no where near as good as the old one.

 

Shrimp cocktails were still as good as before, large yummy shrimps as usual. They still offered the crème brulee and both vanilla and choc soufflés. Though for 2 nights in a row they were unable to bring out a vanilla soufflé which was any higher than 1/2 way up the soufflé dish. The choc ones came out fine and they then confessed that they were having problems with the oven and couldn't get the vanilla ones to rise. Apparently the choc ones are flourless...who knows!! We just stuck to the choc and stopped ordering the vanilla.

 

As for the crab legs, we bit the bullet and paid the additional $20 to give them a try. Now, there was a large plate of crab legs but they weren't really the giant red beauties I had imagined. They were smaller but lots of them. Vegas buffet style. Certainly not worth the $20 upcharge. I would have rather stuck to the previous lobster offering with no upcharge. The Cioppino was very fishy. My husband sent it back and ordered something else. Which if you knew him you would realize was a real shocker. I don't think in 25 years I have ever seen him send anything back!!

 

I know lots of people aren't fond of brussell sprouts but I am a LOVER of them!!! unfortunately, they are serving "frozen" brussell sprouts which are very heavy and waterlogged. They are served with bacon/pancetta but that is clearly just added as garnish after cooking. They were actually horrible and I didn't eat them. Tried them another night too but they were just plain bad. I just don't think that they should be serving frozen vegetables in there!!

 

Now, not to be a Debbie Downer, as we really did have a great cruise and met so many wonderful people, But..... bottom line is that they have upped the surcharge for Pinnacle to $29 along with lowering the quality of the food and limiting the selection!!! It was really sad to see, as we have always enjoyed the Pinnacle Grill so much. I will be curious to see where this all goes.... as right now it only seems to be going in one direction!!!

 

Sad to hear how bad it was. While I haven't eaten at the pinnacle for dinner on my last 2 cruises I think the lunch isn't as good as it once was. I think you hit the nail on the head about cheapening the experience because of all the free meals. That is not right for us folks that pay for it. Very disappointed with the direction Hal seems to be taking. Thx for posting.

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Krazy Kruizers

Krazy Kruizers

Posted
Posted
We just returned home from the Amsterdam Xmas/New Year sailing from San Francisco through the Panama Canal. We ate MANY times at the Pinnacle Grill, trying various of the new additions and trying to explore the menu a bit. We usually choose to eat at the Pinnacle most nights for the more intimate setting and service.

 

Firstly, the Double R Ranch meat is TERRIBLE!! Maybe the brand is served at other restaurants and has been reported as good at those locations but I suspect they may be buying a higher quality of cuts. The quality of meat being served on HAL is truly a major downgrade in quality from the Sterling beef. Most of the cuts we tried, (except for the filet) were inedible. We ended up ordering the Filet less cooked than normal as it tended to dry out on the edges as it cooked more. It did also seem to have a strange livery type flavor but at least it could be cut with a knife and was edible.

 

There was still a veal chop being offered on the menu but I am not sure if it will only remain on the menu until the remaining stock is used up. My husband ordered that one night and enjoyed it....probably betting that didn't come from Double R Ranch!!!

 

My son ordered his usual favorite meal in the entire world....Pinnacle Grill bone-in rib eye. He almost cried......it was honestly inedible, fatty, chewy, sinewy. Cant begin to describe just how bad. We thought we had maybe gotten an unlucky bad piece but on the following night watched one of the singer's dine with his family and was unable to even cut through it. He eventually spoke to the PG manager and had it taken away. We had the same problem with the porterhouse.....chewy, dry!! so little of that giant steak was even able to be cut through let alone eaten.

 

Given that a lot of items on the menu have been removed, it is even more sad to see the quality of the meat reduced to such low levels! I guess my mother was right when she said "There's no such thing as a free lunch". All those free PG meals being given away have resulted in them serving food which is no better than in the dining room, perhaps even not worse. On a longer cruise like this (18 nights) it was tough to find any variation.

 

The "Special" has most certainly been removed from the specialty restaurant. The new soup is nothing like the old coconut soup, though it sounds a bit similar in name. It was like a plain tomato soup with long vermicelli noodles which were difficult to eat without splashing your clothing!! They added extra spice to our soup at our request as it was very bland and tasteless and that made it better but no where near as good as the old one.

 

Shrimp cocktails were still as good as before, large yummy shrimps as usual. They still offered the crème brulee and both vanilla and choc soufflés. Though for 2 nights in a row they were unable to bring out a vanilla soufflé which was any higher than 1/2 way up the soufflé dish. The choc ones came out fine and they then confessed that they were having problems with the oven and couldn't get the vanilla ones to rise. Apparently the choc ones are flourless...who knows!! We just stuck to the choc and stopped ordering the vanilla.

 

As for the crab legs, we bit the bullet and paid the additional $20 to give them a try. Now, there was a large plate of crab legs but they weren't really the giant red beauties I had imagined. They were smaller but lots of them. Vegas buffet style. Certainly not worth the $20 upcharge. I would have rather stuck to the previous lobster offering with no upcharge. The Cioppino was very fishy. My husband sent it back and ordered something else. Which if you knew him you would realize was a real shocker. I don't think in 25 years I have ever seen him send anything back!!

 

I know lots of people aren't fond of brussell sprouts but I am a LOVER of them!!! unfortunately, they are serving "frozen" brussell sprouts which are very heavy and waterlogged. They are served with bacon/pancetta but that is clearly just added as garnish after cooking. They were actually horrible and I didn't eat them. Tried them another night too but they were just plain bad. I just don't think that they should be serving frozen vegetables in there!!

 

Now, not to be a Debbie Downer, as we really did have a great cruise and met so many wonderful people, But..... bottom line is that they have upped the surcharge for Pinnacle to $29 along with lowering the quality of the food and limiting the selection!!! It was really sad to see, as we have always enjoyed the Pinnacle Grill so much. I will be curious to see where this all goes.... as right now it only seems to be going in one direction!!!

 

 

Thank you for telling us about the "new" food in the Pinnacle.

We already have booked the Pinnacle for a 21 day cruise and now I am getting very worried about eating there every night.

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Typhoon1

Typhoon1

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Posted

Now, not to be a Debbie Downer, as we really did have a great cruise and met so many wonderful people, But..... bottom line is that they have upped the surcharge for Pinnacle to $29 along with lowering the quality of the food and limiting the selection!!! It was really sad to see, as we have always enjoyed the Pinnacle Grill so much. I will be curious to see where this all goes.... as right now it only seems to be going in one direction!!!

 

Very disappointed to hear of this. If they can't get the PG turned around, it will be an empty room.

 

Word of bad experiences travels fast among cruisers.

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flhawkeye

flhawkeye

Posted
Posted

As a frequent HAL cruiser who usually dines 6 of 7 nights in the Pinnacle I am truly disturbed. I just booked and paid for 6 night in the Pinnacle Grill on my upcoming Westerdam cruise. I looked at the new menu and was disappointed but now even more concerned after reading this. And, our 7th night is in Canaletto which looks and sounds even worse from recent reviews. I remember many years ago...before the internet...when I would buy the Frommers book each year which reviewed all of the cruise ships. The one thing they always said about Carnival was "the only reason to get off the ship is to get a decent meal." Sadly I wonder if the same is becoming true of HAL. Pay more for far less? $58 per night plus tip? I went on the NCL Breakaway in October and ate at a specialty restaurant every night. At least it was all good to excellent. So disturbing!

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holacanada

holacanada

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi fellow cruisers !

 

Did they downgrade the PG to a Canalleto level OR WHAT ?

 

Very sad decision from HA Headquarters.

Is it just me ? I can see some expensive claws extracting from each of my hands..?

 

Now I can (and I am going to) watch and estimate how many $$$ it will cost me for an HA cruise vs a Princess or Celebrity upscale restaurants (and cruise…) offers. —> I have the last word $ on my side after all … ?

 

Holacanada from the beautiful and surchargeless Quebec City !

Edited by holacanada
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kakalina

kakalina

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Posted

We got back last week from a 25 night Holiday cruise. We pre-booked the PG for almost every night. We didn't go on Le Cirque or Chef's Dinner nights.

 

For the first 18 nights we had the old and well loved menu. The new Double R Ranch beef was being served and my husband loved it. I am a fan of Steak Diane and the several times I had it the meat was tender and tasty. My DH had the steak in every cut they offer and it was all good and tender and he likes his well done!

 

On day 19 we were given the new menu. They had showed us a copy earlier so we were prepared. No Steak Diane which I had not noticed the first time. I had a lot of lamb chops the last week. I tried the Cioppino and I also thought it was very fishy. It needed more shellfish and less whitefish.

 

The food in the last week was every bit as superbly prepared and tasted as good as it did the first part of the cruise. We personally prefer the old menu and probably won't book as many nights there next cruise. But the food and service were tremendous.

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foodgirl

foodgirl

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Posted

Having dined on our recent trip in the PG I can tell you that the service was great it took less time to eat dinner and the food was good. However with the more limited menu we would be less inclined to dine there more than once a cruise if at all. I will say that the restaurant was pretty full and we finished eating at 6:30. We liked what we ate there but didn't like having less choices. I will add as a chef and someone who works in the industry that crab legs are extremely expensive right now and anyone selling them cheap is doing so at a loss. I am guessing in order to keep the quality they made them an additional charge. Many restaurants are doing the same thing. Just my two cents.

 

 

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