Blu Review - Reflection 1/18/14

[Alsmez]

We just returned from a wonderful 7-night cruise on Reflection in Aqua Class, so I thought I'd take a moment to share the Blu menus with you (attached here as a PDF, in the order we ate them), as well as my review of our Blu experience. We have sailed with Celebrity once before, in 2011 on Equinox. We ate in the MDR for most of that cruise, and I reviewed it extensively here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1366193 The MDR was a bit of a disappointment then, which definitely influenced our decision to try Aqua Class and Blu this time around. We also ate at the Lawn Club Grill, Tuscan Grill and The Porch on this trip, as well as the buffet and snacks at various locations around the ship (all of which have been reviewed separately and linked below).

 

Talking about and critiquing food is one of my favorite hobbies, so I apologize in advance for the length of this review. A bit about me: I am an avid cook, read food blogs/magazines religiously, make my own cheese, bread and sausage, and I’ve taken courses in pastry and sugar art. We live in NYC, so we are privileged to be surrounded by some of the world’s finest restaurants, as well as really fantastic ethnic foods. I realize that everyone’s standards for food are different, and I know mine are high. However, since Celebrity has a reputation for being a cut above in the cuisine department, and they advertise a higher-end experience, I feel that they should be held to a high standard! I received a call from them after our Equinox cruise regarding my feedback on the food, so I hope they will read and respond to this review as well.

 

There has been a great deal of debate on this board as to whether Blu is “better” than the MDR. That’s an impossible question to answer, in terms of which restaurant a passenger will enjoy more. However, I would say without question that the food in Blu is prepared with more care and attention to detail than that in the MDR – given the fact that Blu is cooking for 300 and the MDR is cooking for 3,000, it really can’t be otherwise. However, just because the food in Blu is cooked well, that doesn’t mean the actual menu items will be to everyone’s taste. We eat low carb 95% of the time in our daily lives, so the Blu menu suited us pretty well, generally speaking. However, we do like to let loose a little on vacation, and there were several times when we thought that the dishes offered in the MDR sounded better (or rather, more decadent). However, having experienced the lackluster quality of the cooking in the MDR, we preferred to eat in Blu, simply because we knew that whatever we ordered would be cooked to the right temperature, sauced appropriately and served hot. We were also often pleasantly surprised to find that what hadn’t sounded terribly exciting in Blu was actually very good indeed due to excellent execution, very flavorful saucing and/or top quality meat/produce. For those who might be trying to decide between the MDR and Blu, I would suggest not only comparing the menus but also keeping in mind that preparation counts!

 

Some general comments before I get to the food: overall, the service in Blu was excellent at dinner but much slower at breakfast (more on this later). We never had to wait to be seated for dinner - we usually ate around 8pm, at which time Blu was busy but not packed. The tables for two are a bit close together, but no more so than in most NYC eateries. We requested a “more private” table a couple of times and were happily accommodated (they tucked us away in a corner and left the table next to us empty). We didn’t request the same waiter each night (though many people did and were accommodated), because service was good no matter which server we had (although we definitely liked some of the wait staff better than others). The two sommeliers were occasionally a bit slow (but they were overworked, for sure!), but we were still able to get our wine glasses refilled as necessary. We had the premium package through 123Go, which definitely made our lives (and theirs, I think) easier.

 

And now, the review!

[Alsmez]

Saturday, 1/18/14

We had every intention of eating in Blu, but we had read on Cruise Critic that the first night in Blu can sometimes be a bit hectic, and that we might get a 50% off offer from some of the specialty restaurants for that night. The offer came through for the Lawn Club Grill and Qsine, and since DH wasn’t thrilled with the look of the Blu menu that night, we went to the Lawn Club. FYI, we got a 50% off offer for those two restaurants almost every day of the cruise – just something to keep in mind.

 

Sunday, 1/19/14

Tonight was the first formal night and our first trip to Blu! We were dressed according to the Smart Casual guidelines and I would say that 60% or so of our fellow diners were as well, with the other 40% going a little dressier (and maybe 10% going full formal). We were seated and greeted with a table setting that included a small cup of raw vegetables, a cup of ranch salad dressing and a cup of hummus, in addition to butter and a bread basket with a brown bread (the best of the bunch), a white roll of some type, baguette slices and some crispy breadsticks (grissini). I’m not a fan of ranch, so I sampled the hummus – it was a bit heavy on tahini for my taste, making it a little bitter and greasy, and it would have benefitted from a bit of lemon and salt. We had received hummus on our afternoon canapé tray the previous day that was far better, so I hoped that perhaps it was just an off batch. However, it remained the same throughout the cruise. The bread basket was fairly lackluster as well – breads were not a strong suit on Equinox and although there were a few improvements on Reflection, for the most part the breads were fairly flavorless. They changed out the white roll for focaccia or another type of white bread some nights – none were terribly exciting. DH enjoyed the grissini, though!

 

We both started with the macadamia-crusted sea scallops, which came promptly. Two beautiful, plump and fresh-tasting scallops on each plate, with a little shaved fennel salad and some citrus. The crust was a touch greasy and didn’t have a lot of macadamia flavor, but the scallops themselves were delicious and perfectly cooked just shy of medium.

 

For the next course, DH chose the crab risotto (an entrée – they were happy to serve an entrée course as a second course or even two entrées to create a four course meal) while I went with the crab bisque. I was wary of the risotto after multiple bad risotto experiences in the MDR, but I’m happy to say that DH’s dish was tasty, if not exactly risotto. Instead of the rich creaminess of a true risotto, this had the drier texture of a rice pilaf, with more separate grains of rice. I’m not sure if this is due to the “healthier” theme of the Aqua Class menu or simply a lack of capacity to make a really great risotto, but it was tasty for what it was (unlike the risottos in the MDR, which were gummy and inedible) and made a nice light second course (the portion size was restrained – perhaps a cup of rice and two ounces of crab meat). My soup was very good indeed, with a rich shellfish flavor that you can only get from a well-reduced seafood stock. The soup portion was VERY small, though – approximately 4 oz. or a half cup. All of the soups I had in Blu were served in this size portion, so if you are a soup lover, be sure to order two.

 

Our third courses were the pheasant breast for me and the lamb dish for DH, although we ended up switching plates after about two bites since neither of us loved our own choice. The pheasant was perfectly fine, but the skin wasn’t crispy and the meat was slightly overcooked to my taste. Also, the advertised “oven roasted tomatoes” were actually sundried tomatoes, and they were present in such quantity that I felt their flavor was overpowering. DH enjoyed it, though, so it couldn’t have been too terrible! His lamb was much more to my taste – it was actually a two-part dish, with a double chop from the loin served alongside a portion of braised, shredded shoulder meat wrapped in phyllo. The loin was nicely seasoned and cooked perfectly medium rare but a little tough – not really the fault of the chef; sometimes you just get a tough animal. The braised shoulder, however, was rich and tender, very flavorful – my favorite part of the meal for sure. The pinot noir sauce was also on point, with a bright, assertive wine flavor that complemented the rich meat. The accompanying fingerling potatoes were undercooked, though – that would happen again and again in Blu (and throughout the ship).

 

I was surprised to find that the desserts in Blu were the same selection as in the MDR (this may not be true on every cruise but it was on ours). I was a bit concerned by this, as the MDR desserts on our Equinox cruise were VERY weak. I apologize that they aren’t included on the posted menus, but I forgot to take photos of them and I think they vary from ship to ship and cruise to cruise in any case. There were three daily special desserts every night, one of which was no sugar added. In addition, the usual assortment of ice creams and the four “Always Available” desserts from the MDR (cheesecake, crème brûlée, apple pie and a chocolate-dulce de leche cake) were also available in Blu.

 

On this particular night, none of the daily special desserts appealed to me, so I decided to try the chocolate cake with dulce de leche from the always available menu. This was not one of the options when we were on Equinox and I’m pleased to say that it was very good indeed, moist and rich and deeply chocolaty, with just a subtle layer of caramel and a thin layer of ganache on top. Given that nearly every cake I had on Equinox was dry and flavorless, I was thrilled by this improvement. DH chose the warm apple crumble from the daily specials – he had had it at the Lawn Club Grill the night before and LOVED it, and was happy to find it equally good in Blu.

 

Monday, 1/20/14 - Breakfast

Many people on Cruise Critic rave about breakfast in Blu, so we decided to give it a try today. Unfortunately, our experience was far from rave-worthy. We were seated promptly, but it took quite a while for a server to come by to take our coffee orders. They do make a good espresso/cappuccino here, but you need to be prepared to wait to get it! Anyway, when we were finally able to place our orders, DH went with a custom omelet (their list of custom fillings is rather short, much less extensive than the buffet) and I chose the smoked salmon and asparagus frittata from the menu, along with a bowl of fresh berries. The berries came first and they were EXCELLENT – big, plump and juicy blackberries, raspberries and blueberries, with just a couple of quartered strawberries to round out the dish. It was a small bowl, though, so I made a mental note to order extra the next time. DH had a fruit plate (just slices of melon, nothing interesting) and a pastry of some type that was being offered by a roaming waiter (which was dry).

 

After another 10 minute wait, our eggs finally arrived. Calling them “eggs,” though, is highly inaccurate. Both of our dishes had clearly been made with the powdered (or liquid) eggs that they use to make scrambled eggs in the buffet. I despise this type of egg substitute and it never occurred to me that Blu, which is supposedly a more upscale, cook-to-order restaurant, would employ a shortcut like this. In addition, it was clear that my frittata had been premade and microwaved – it was rubbery as only microwaved eggs can be, and full of dried out, flaked salmon that was clearly leftover from some long-ago dinner (rather than the cold-smoked or cured lox I was expecting). The plates were adorned with limp asparagus, undercooked potatoes, and in DH’s case, link sausage from the buffet (all lukewarm). Needless to say, we ate no more than a bite. Our waiter noticed and offered to bring us something else, but we didn’t have time to wait around. FAIL!

 

Monday, 1/20/14 - Dinner

Anyway, despite our lackluster breakfast experience, we were looking forward to tonight’s dinner – this was one of the stronger menus, in our opinion. DH started with the red pepper soup and I chose the crab martini, both of which were lovely. The red pepper soup had just the right amount of sweetness, accented by the sweet corn and shrimp (though I will say that Blu could be more generous in general with the amount of garnishes in their soups – some nights there was no more than a shred of whatever was supposed to be in there). The crab martini was definitely not made of lump crab as advertised, but the meat was sweet and fresh tasting, and worked very well with the cucumber and avocado, with just a light amount of mayonnaise to bind it.

 

Next up: fennel salad for DH, seafood nage (a main) for me. He wanted something light in preparation for his planned third course, and the fennel salad fit the bill (especially given the very small portion – perhaps one ounce of fennel and four orange segments). Fennel and citrus are a classic combination, and pretty much impossible to screw up as long as the produce is fresh, which it was. It needed just a touch of salt, though – we felt that many things in Blu were just a touch underseasoned, but given that that is part of their “healthier” cuisine schtick, I wasn’t surprised. There was a salt grinder on the table so it was easy to fix. The seafood nage was quite nice too, with fresh-tasting seafood cooked to tender perfection. The clams were a bit small and tough, but the excellent mussels made up for it. The broth itself was a bit bland, to my taste – there was little lemongrass flavor, and it would have benefitted both from a touch of salt and a little butter to enrich it (but again, this isn’t the way they roll in Blu, so whatever). The flavor of the celery root was perfect with the fish, but instead of edamame, they used lima beans, which I despise. Luckily it was easy to pick around them!

 

Finally, the third course DH had been waiting for – the ribeye with white beans. He ordered it rare and they obliged with a perfect ruby red center. The steak was rich and beefy, and nicely marbled with fat (DH’s favorite part!). The white beans that came with it were a bit al dente for my taste, but DH loved them, and they worked well to pick up every bit of the luscious jus. My duck was also good – the leg was a little overcooked/tough, but the breast was tender and perfectly medium rare, with well-rendered skin. I often find star anise overpowering, so I ordered the sauce on the side, but it was actually quite subtle and delicious, lightly tart-sweet. It went beautifully with the slightly bitter radicchio and the earthy, delightfully chewy wild rice in the pilaf.

 

For dessert I had the chocolate lava cake, which was praised by all of the wait staff. Mine didn’t have a flowy center, but it was still VERY delicious, with a soft, almost custardy texture throughout and tons of dark chocolate flavor. I could easily have eaten three! DH wasn’t in the mood for anything on the menu so instead ordered a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream and an espresso to make his own affogato (ice cream “drowned” in hot espresso). The only trouble with this on Celebrity is that their ice cream is never frozen hard, so it melts very quickly in an affogato. It’s still good – you just have to eat it faster!

 

Tuesday, 1/21/14

Tonight was one of those nights where so many things sounded good, we just had to do four courses. It’s not as gluttonous as it sounds, though – the appetizers and soups are always very small, and tonight was no exception. We started with the mushroom Napoleon for him and the baked brie for me. Mine won . The Napoleon was actually not all that interesting – it was just a bread base of some sort with a bit of mushroom topping and some lightly melted mozzarella on top. Not bad, just nothing special. The brie, however, was delicious – even though it wasn’t baked, almond-crusted OR brie. I received three bread crumb-coated, lightly fried triangles of cheese (not sure what kind, I’m just sure it wasn’t brie – it was far too mild – but perhaps a Monterey jack or maybe fontina, something that melted well) in a fabulously sweet-spicy pepper jelly. I’m a sucker for fried cheese and these were awesome. I could easily have eaten twenty of them! Our second course was the remaining appetizer for me (lobster salad) and parsnip soup for DH. The lobster salad was similar to the crab salad from the previous night and equally delicious. The parsnip soup was also fabulous – lovely sweet-earthy flavor and silky texture. They definitely needed to add more duck to it, though – there was such a tiny amount that I wouldn’t have known it was duck if the menu hadn’t said so.

 

We moved on with two mains: orzo for him, squab for me. DH loved the orzo, which surprised me since he’s usually not a fan of smoked chicken or sundried tomatoes, but somehow it worked for him. I thought it was pleasant but not something I’d be rushing to order again. As with all of the pastas in Blu, the portion was fairly small – maybe a cup of orzo and a couple of ounces of meat, which for us is perfect for a mid-meal course but not large enough for a main (however, we would rarely eat pasta for our main anyway, so that was not an issue). The squab was a little hit or miss – I received three leg quarters, two of which were lovely and tender and one that was dry and chewy (they are so tiny, it can be hard to cook them evenly). The jus was excellent, as all sauces in Blu tended to be. However, the “gnocchi” were a travesty – I wasn’t even sure what they were when I saw them on the plate. They looked as though someone had made dough, boiled it in a slab, chopped the slab into triangles and then fried them, and they were so chewy and tough that they bounced off the plate. I needed a sharp knife to cut into the one I tasted, and believe me, one taste was enough!

 

Luckily, the fourth course brought redemption – short ribs for us both. These were wonderful, tender, unctuous, everything short ribs should be. They came atop mashed potatoes with just a hint of horseradish flavor – I would have liked more horseradish, but DH thought they were perfect. The red onion marmalade added just a hint of sweetness to cut the rich meat. Glorious. The green beans were good (sautéed and al dente, just as I like them!) but topped with the worst croutons I’ve ever encountered – they made the boxed type that my mother served on salads in the mid-80s seem like gourmet fare. Still, with ribs that good, who cares?

 

We rounded out the meal with another affogato for DH and peach clafoutis for me – it wasn’t bad, but the peaches were clearly canned. That’s the type of shortcut I would expect from the MDR – and given that the desserts were the same in both restaurants, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. The desserts overall were better than what we had on Equinox, but I still feel that Blu should have its own dessert menu, or at least a nice cheese plate or berries on offer – something to differentiate it from the MDR.

 

Wednesday, 1/22/14

Dined in Tuscan Grille.

 

Thursday, 1/23/14

This was our second formal night – lobster night! We started with potato croquettes for DH and the soft shell crab for me. The potato croquettes sounded lovely in the menu description, but in reality they were just mashed potatoes, breaded and fried, served in a puddle of puréed black beans (which sort of had the same texture as mashed potatoes, and no real flavor of its own). No idea where the smoked gouda or tasso ham were supposed to be, but I can assure you we neither tasted nor saw them. The soft shell crab was a bit greasy and the sauce wasn’t acidic enough to cut through it – too bad, as the crab itself was tasty. The sommelier was nice enough to track down a rosé I had in Tuscan Grille the night before that wasn’t on the Blu wine list – great service!

 

For the second course I took a chance on the chilled pea soup (as I am neither a fan of peas nor chilled soup, this was risky!) and ended up being very glad I did! The soup was quite delicious, with the slivered almonds accentuating the nutty undertone of the peas. It was sweet but not cloying, and the cool temperature along with the bits of crab made it quite refreshing. A touch of salt and it was perfect. DH had the veal scallopini salad entrée – for some reason, neither of us had thought to order one of these salads before, but it made a very nice second course. The veal was perfectly tender and the tangy dressing complemented it nicely. The meat portion was far more generous than the salad portion, though – there was probably 5-6 ounces of meat but just a small handful of watercress and herbs. I don’t know if that’s how all of these entrée salads are, but if you really want to eat your greens, you may want to request a larger portion of them.

 

DH is not a lobster lover, so he had to choose something else for his main, and I must say it was a bit of a struggle – the rest of the menu wasn’t terribly interesting, IMO. He wavered between the pepper steak and the stuffed shells, and finally settled on the pepper steak. The steak was tough, but he really enjoyed the cipollini onions and the olive oil mashed potatoes that came with it. He’ll know to order the shells next time! I had the lobster, of course – I was very much looking forward to Blu’s preparation after an extremely disappointing lobster night on Equinox a few years ago. I’m thrilled to report that Blu did a FANTASTIC job. I was presented with a fat, juicy tail, steamed to tender perfection, served over a bed of pleasantly bitter sautéed escarole. The bitterness played off the sweetness of the lobster and was accented nicely by the bright, tangy citrus notes of tangerines. The waiters were removing the meat from the shell and spooning butter over each serving individually – woe to anyone who didn’t accept the butter! It was just what the dish needed to pull all of the elements together. An incredibly delicious preparation. I especially liked the fact that they didn’t try to disguise the fact that they use warm water lobster by serving a preparation that is more classically done with cold water lobster – that will only invite negative comparisons. Warm water lobster is delicious for what it is and I was thrilled that Blu let it shine!

 

Unfortunately, lobster night is also baked Alaska night, which has to be one of my least favorite desserts of all time. However, the ice cream selections included a wonderful caramel ice cream, which made an awesome affogato for both of us.

 

Friday, 1/24/14 - Breakfast

For our last full day on board, we decided to give Blu one more shot to impress us at breakfast. We should have known upon arrival, however, that this was not meant to be. For whatever reason, Blu was incredibly busy – we had a short wait for a table (about 5 minutes), but then it was at least another 10 before anyone came to take our coffee orders or offer a pastry, etc. Furthermore, the chaos led to some confusion as to which tables had been seated first – we watched several tables that were seated after us get served before we were able to place our orders. The tableside muesli presentation that everyone on Cruise Critic seems to go nuts for was a HUGE part of the problem – it’s freaking oatmeal, why does it take you 10 minutes to decide which of 8 toppings you want in it? Also, EVERYTHING on that cart is available at the buffet – why not just go up there and make it yourself?

 

Anyway, when we were finally served (by Jose, about whom I had heard great things on Cruise Critic), I ordered a large bowl of berries with extra raspberries, an omelet made with real eggs, and the Blu berry pancakes to share with DH. He requested a fruit plate and three sunnyside up eggs with wheat toast. Nothing that seemed terribly complicated. We sipped our coffees and sampled a cherry Danish from the roaming waiter (which was dry and filled with gummy, canned cherry pie filling). The berries and fruit came and although the berries were as perfect as they were the first day, it certainly wasn’t a large bowl and there weren’t any extra raspberries, either. Not a big deal, though – I had ordered a lot of other stuff and I figured at least some of it would be edible.

 

Our eggs and pancakes arrived all at once about 10 minutes later. I could tell by looking that my omelet was made with powdered eggs, but I gamely took a bite, just to confirm. BLECH. Not only was it made with powdered eggs, but it was also WAY undercooked, which meant I got a mouthful of powdered egg slime. Shudder. I received white toast, which I gave to DH since the wheat toast he had requested never materialized (his eggs were fine). The pancakes arrived without syrup or fruit compote, so we waited for Jose to return. He came back quickly and unceremoniously dumped syrup all over the pancakes, without asking if we wanted it. He also left a small cup of blueberry “compote” on the side, and dashed off before we could ask for DH’s toast or anything else. I know how busy they were that morning, but I was really underwhelmed by his service, especially given the raves I had read on Cruise Critic.

 

So, the pancakes. I was unimpressed with any of the breakfast carbs available in the buffet, so I was hoping for something better in Blu. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The pancakes were clearly pre-made and microwaved, spongy and so tough they needed to be cut with a knife even after a thorough dousing in syrup. Furthermore, the blueberries weren’t whole berries but seemed to have been puréed into the batter, resulting in an unappetizing, greenish-blue color throughout the pancake. As for the syrup – the menu advertises “Vermont maple syrup.” If it hadn’t, I wouldn’t have bothered to order them – I am a fiend for maple syrup and pancakes are just a more polite way of consuming it than drinking it from the bottle would be. I know better than to expect the real deal from the buffet, or even the MDR, but since Blu was advertising it, I thought surely they were providing it. No. Not even close. This was the same crap they serve in the buffet, which is about two steps below Aunt Jemima. The “blueberry compote” was canned blueberry pie filling – its thick gloopyness is unmistakable. EPIC FAIL.

 

The assistant waiter (whose name escapes me – I only remember that he was from Italy) noticed that we weren’t eating and came over to see if everything was alright. I mentioned that the eggs weren’t cooked and that the pancakes and syrup weren’t good and he immediately asked “are you from Canada?” I had a good chuckle at that (I’m not Canadian, but I am from Michigan and I have a good many Canadian friends who would have been equally appalled at the syrup – not to mention my friends from Vermont, who probably would have mutinied then and there!), and he said it’s the same for him when they’re serving pasta (understandably!). Anyway, he offered to bring out the chef so that I could speak with him, but we weren’t interested in hanging around any longer. Besides, I don’t think there was anything I could have said that would have come as any surprise to him – they know they’re serving powdered egg omelets and microwaved pancakes with fake maple syrup.

 

As much as we enjoyed Blu at dinner, breakfast in Blu is an absolute embarrassment. Celebrity should be ashamed of themselves for calling this a “perk” or an “upgrade,” when for the most part they are serving food from the buffet (and not doing as good a job as the buffet does with it!). There is way too much focus on showmanship (the tableside muesli, the roaming pastry waiter) and not enough actual cooking and serving going on. Also, the short hours (Blu is only open for 1.5 hours for breakfast) make for very crowded conditions (this may be less of a problem on other ships that have less Aqua Class passengers). While this won’t dissuade us from booking Aqua Class in the future, it is certainly something that we will keep in mind when recommending Aqua Class to others, or when weighing the value of an AQ room versus a regular room plus the Ultimate Dining package or another alternative dining plan.

 

Friday, 1/24/14 - Dinner

After our less-than-ideal breakfast experience, we were happy to end our time in Blu on a high note with Friday’s dinner. We arrived at 8pm to find the place only about three-quarters full, and it emptied out long before we were done with our meal – I assume people must have been eating early to prepare for disembarkation the next day. Anyway, we were seated at a lovely, private corner table and started with frog legs for me and the creamed white bean soup for DH. The frog legs were only okay – they were a little tough, and the sauce on them was too sweet (it needed spice and/or salt to balance it). DH’s soup was delicious, however – creamy without being heavy. It was very short on bacon, though, as usual, and needed a hit of pepper to perk it up. DH also ordered the escargot from the MDR, which they were happy to provide. It was as magnificently buttery and decadent as ever, with nice tender snails.

 

For our second course, we both chose the duck confit ravioli, although I had some reservations about it just from the menu description. I like ratatouille and tomatoes, so I figured the sauce would be fine, but I wasn’t sure how it would work with duck confit. Turns out it didn’t really matter, as the ravioli weren’t stuffed with duck confit (which should be rich and fatty, with a texture similar to that of braised short ribs), but instead some dry, shredded meat, which I can only assume was leftovers from the duck leg served earlier in the cruise. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t really good, either, and the pasta was a bit too thick and therefore tough. The tomato sauce (which was chunky and had a good deal of zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant in it) was good in and of itself, but IMO it did nothing for the duck and wasn’t something I would pair with any sort of ravioli (ravioli generally work best with a thin/smooth sauce or just some butter and/or broth). DH liked it though, so he got both of our portions! This was another instance of a VERY small main dish portion – there were three silver dollar-sized ravioli in each bowl.

 

I was tempted to order a replacement dish (the halibut looked interesting), but I wasn’t starving so I decided to see how our third courses were before I ordered more. Smart move. We both chose the veal loin for our final course, and it was OUTSTANDING. The waitress didn’t ask how we wanted it cooked, and DH’s came out a bit more cooked than he would have liked (mine was perfectly medium rare, his closer to medium), but the dish was still excellent. The cauliflower purée was silky and mild (and I’m not a cauliflower lover, so that’s high praise from me), and complemented the subtle flavor and texture of the veal much better than a more commonplace mashed potato would have. The porcini ragout was intense and rich, as was the jus. Truly excellent – if I had wanted another course, I would have ordered another veal loin!

 

Desserts tonight didn’t sound all that appealing to me – Sachertorte (which I always find rather dry) and whipped passionfruit curd with tropical fruit. I wasn’t going to order either, but then at the last minute I decided to order both, just to see! Surprisingly, both were really good. The Sachertorte wasn’t the classic Austrian recipe – more of a reinterpretation – but it was tasty, a moist chocolate cake with a thin layer of tangy apricot jam under a ganache icing. It was sitting in a puddle of really bland apricot sauce, but I just ignored that. The passionfruit curd was deliciously TART and similar to key lime pie filling in texture – really great, if you like tart (which I do). I could have done without quite so much chopped pineapple in it, and the weird tropical Jello cubes on top, but those were easy to pick around. DH had the apple pie from the always available menu, which he enjoyed – I thought the filling was fine, but I didn’t care for the crust (it was sweet and crumbly/cardboardy, like all pie crusts on the ship. I really wish they could do a classic American-style, tender and flaky pie crust, but I doubt they have the capacity to make something like that in quantity on board). A really lovely last meal in Blu.

 

In conclusion, Blu is two different places – a hot mess at breakfast and a true delight at dinner! I have no desire to set foot in Blu at breakfast again unless some MAJOR changes are made – at this point, it’s not as good as the buffet, much slower and just as hectic (if not more so). The food is disgraceful and the service poor. Until they begin cooking meals to order with fresh ingredients, I won’t be back.

 

On the other hand, dinner in Blu is certainly an upgrade to the MDR and I would likely prefer to sail Aqua Class in the future, although I would also consider a regular room with a dining package of some type, even if it meant a few nights in the MDR. I would like to give the MDR another chance to see if they’ve improved the way that some of the other dining venues have – you’ll have to read my other reviews to find out about those changes!

 

There are some minor improvements to be made even at dinner; I detailed a few cut corners that detracted from what would otherwise have been a really outstanding experience. Blu could also enhance its dinner menu by adding another “Always Available” choice – perhaps a creamy pasta, for those diners who want something a little more decadent than the current menu offers – but otherwise I think they are doing a terrific job providing a nice variety of well-cooked dishes to suit a multitude of tastes. I would have been happy to have been served most of the meals I received in Blu at any mid-priced restaurant in NYC, and that’s pretty high praise for a cruise ship restaurant!

[Alsmez]

Links to the other reviews:

 

Specialty: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1981590

Buffet/Other: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1981591

[drarill]

Thanks for your review!! Sorry to hear about your experience having breakfast in Blu. We enjoyed going there on the Eclipse, as a suite perk, and was looking forward to the same experience on the Reflection this July. :(:(

[clo6216]

Thank you so much for the comprehensive review of Blu. Although we've been on many Celebrity ships, we will be taking our first Aqua Class cruise in a couple of weeks. I sort of knew what to expect, but I feel much more informed now. We're also "foodies" and much prefer quality to quantity, so I believe Blu will be a good fit. It was kind of you to take the time to write such a thoughtful summary.

[poolwife]

I am interested in your opinion of Lawn Club Grill, please. I do not get to eat in Blu but am considering Lawn Club Grill. Thank you. We sail on the Silhouette on 3/2/14.

[patty1955]

This is undoubtedly the best food review I've ever read on Cruise Critic. Thank you so much!

[Alsmez]

Thank you so much for the comprehensive review of Blu. Although we've been on many Celebrity ships, we will be taking our first Aqua Class cruise in a couple of weeks. I sort of knew what to expect, but I feel much more informed now. We're also "foodies" and much prefer quality to quantity, so I believe Blu will be a good fit. It was kind of you to take the time to write such a thoughtful summary.

 

I am sure you will enjoy Blu - the quality of the cooking was head and shoulders above the MDR, and the portions, while they sometimes seemed small in terms of each individual dish, were perfect when you had a three or four course meal. Have a great cruise!

[Alsmez]

This is undoubtedly the best food review I've ever read on Cruise Critic. Thank you so much!

 

Aw, thank you Patty! And thanks for slogging through the whole thing - I didn't realize JUST how long it was until I posted it!

[Alsmez]

I am interested in your opinion of Lawn Club Grill, please. I do not get to eat in Blu but am considering Lawn Club Grill. Thank you. We sail on the Silhouette on 3/2/14.

 

Hi Poolwife,

 

You can find my specialty restaurant reviews here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1981590

 

As you'll read, we enjoyed Lawn Club, but I would never pay full price for it ($40 per person). Most of what you can get there can be had for free or for less money elsewhere on the ship.

[Tommy3putts]

Wow one of the most detailed reviews of Blu I ever seen. Great info. We look forward to dining there this summer.

[galavant3]

Thanks for the detailed review! Like you, I love reading about food!

 

We loved Blu and fortunately, didn't have any of your slow service issues.

 

As a matter of practice, I never order eggs scrambled or in an omelet...any where. I want to be assured of real eggs!

 

We've also learned, when on a cruise ship, get your berries early in the week. Due to the perishable nature of berries, by week's end, they might be gone or spoiled.

 

For the most part we enjoyed the food, but what impressed us most was the attentive, personalized service.

[jackdiamond]

The poached eggs with bacon, asparagus, potatoes, onions, and musrooms is outstanding.

[Alsmez]

The poached eggs with bacon, asparagus, potatoes, onions, and musrooms is outstanding.

 

At breakfast in Blu? I didn't try the poached eggs, but in my experience the breakfast plates came with overcooked asparagus, undercooked potatoes and the whole thing was served lukewarm. Those garnishes looked nice, but if they aren't cooked well, they're just wasteful decoration, IMO. I would much rather they spent less time decorating my plate and more time actually cooking breakfast from scratch.

[flowery]

Excellent, scholarly review- thank you very much! We're trying Blu for the first time in Oct on the Constellation.

I abhor eggs like the ones you described. Also, usually running late in the morning so now I won't have to feel guilty about skipping breakfast at Blu.

 

I'll continue with my routine of getting husband to bring me a mini croissant and cappuccino in the morning and order room service breakfast. The pastries from Cafe Bacio are pretty good I think and they often have delicious desserts in the afternoon though occasionally awful.

 

I wonder if husband can get a decent bagel with lox at Blu- he loves to go out in the mornings- doesn't want to stay in the room. Are fried potatoes and sausage/bacon also an option or just healthy stuff? In the past he has roamed between the Aqua Spa cafe and the regular buffet :)

[Alsmez]

Excellent, scholarly review- thank you very much! We're trying Blu for the first time in Oct on the Constellation.

I abhor eggs like the ones you described. Also, usually running late in the morning so now I won't have to feel guilty about skipping breakfast at Blu.

 

I'll continue with my routine of getting husband to bring me a mini croissant and cappuccino in the morning and order room service breakfast. The pastries from Cafe Bacio are pretty good I think and they often have delicious desserts in the afternoon though occasionally awful.

 

I wonder if husband can get a decent bagel with lox at Blu- he loves to go out in the mornings- doesn't want to stay in the room. Are fried potatoes and sausage/bacon also an option or just healthy stuff? In the past he has roamed between the Aqua Spa cafe and the regular buffet :)

 

Definitely DO NOT feel guilty about skipping Blu at breakfast. It is crowded, slow and the food SUCKED. Seriously, aside from the availability of berries (which I have in the past gotten from room service), there is NOTHING there that is not available elsewhere. Blu does have sausage/bacon/potatoes/etc., but I found it easier to get exactly what I wanted at the right temperature in the buffet. Finding a decent bagel anywhere on the ship is probably impossible, but the fastest way to get a bagel and lox with the accoutrements is to go to the buffet.

[TexSea]

Another great review! Sorry you had such a bad breakfast experience as it's always one of our best meals.

 

The tableside muesli presentation that everyone on Cruise Critic seems to go nuts for was a HUGE part of the problem – it’s freaking oatmeal, why does it take you 10 minutes to decide which of 8 toppings you want in it? Also, EVERYTHING on that cart is available at the buffet – why not just go up there and make it yourself?

 

My favorite quote - my thoughts exactly.

[wpgcycler]

" (attached here as a PDF, in the order we ate them)"

 

LOVING these reviews but can't find this PDF to save my life. (I'm sure I'm being stupid)

[Chitown12562]

Thank you very much for posting the detailed review.

 

I had great food in Blu back in 2011 for both breakfast and dinner, but I never order scrambled eggs. I look forward to seeing how things have changed in 2014.

 

Did you say you had PDFs of the menus for Blu? I look several times in your posts and could not find them. I guess my eyes are tired.

[Alsmez]

" (attached here as a PDF, in the order we ate them)"

 

LOVING these reviews but can't find this PDF to save my life. (I'm sure I'm being stupid)

 

Nope, I'm the stupid one - I completely forgot to attach them. I'll do it first thing tomorrow when I get back to my office computer. Sorry about that!

[jackdiamond]

As I earlier indicated, my poached eggs etc., was outstanding. Of course, I had them bring that special salsa; and, I also had fresh orange juice, skim milk, decaf coffee and some very nice rolls. Other times, I would enjoy the pancakes with all of the trimmings; and, it was always very good. We have enjoyed three ten night cruises in AQ; and our experiences vis-a-vis breakfast are far different from your reports. I should mention that we are not very picky; and, we are not loquacious in asserting excoriations.

[wpgcycler]

Nope, I'm the stupid one - I completely forgot to attach them. I'll do it first thing tomorrow when I get back to my office computer. Sorry about that!

 

Many, many thanks! And I hope to find time to finish savouring and properly responding to your HUGELY helpful reviews. I'm REALLY enjoying and appreciating your hard work!

[keesar]

Monday, 1/20/14 - Breakfast

 

After another 10 minute wait, our eggs finally arrived. Calling them “eggs,” though, is highly inaccurate. Both of our dishes had clearly been made with the powdered (or liquid) eggs that they use to make scrambled eggs in the buffet. I despise this type of egg substitute and it never occurred to me that Blu, which is supposedly a more upscale, cook-to-order restaurant, would employ a shortcut like this. The plates were adorned with limp asparagus, undercooked potatoes, and in DH’s case, link sausage from the buffet (all lukewarm). Needless to say, we ate no more than a bite. Our waiter noticed and offered to bring us something else, but we didn’t have time to wait around. FAIL!

 

[

 

I had the same meal! The omelet was disgusting and I figured it was just a bad morning. Same the next morning. Breakfast was so disappointing that we ended up having breakfast in the MDR. The French toast was real good but the eggs were something else. Fast food restaurant quality at best.

[riclop]

Thanks for the long review.

[4cats4me]

We had really good breakfasts in Blu, and great service, but we weren't on the reflection, for which I understand Blu is more crowded.

We always had many people attending to our needs immediately, never had to wait. I will definitely be scrutinizing my breakfasts in Blu in a month or two lol. :eek:

 

But I have got to say, the food at the buffet paled in comparison to our breakfasts in Blu, but that is only my humble opinion regarding my particular cruise :confused:

I