Allure question. If you had to pick one and only one specialty restaurant...

[wonderdox]

I will first say that food is so subjective. If you have likes and dislikes take that into consideration. I am fairly adventurous but know my limits.

 

Izumi's has a great view. It is nice and bright because of the windows. Great place to catch the sun setting. I really enjoyed the sushi (although I am no sushi expert) and it was so artfully prepared. Tried the Hot Rock and although it was fun it just wasnt that tasty. I would not order it again.

 

I selected Giovanni's as my first night dinner partly because of this review: http://foodietales.com/2013/01/royal-caribbean-cruise-line-allure-of-the-seas-giovannis-table/

 

Even though I was dinning solo I had prompt and pleasant service. Not too attentive... just right. I did not care for the pasta I selected but the Veal Osso Bucco I ordered as my main course was melt in your mouth. The green beans crisp and the polenta creamy.

 

I also started the meal with prosciutto wrapped mozzarella with a small salad that really hit the spot. I finished the evening with the gelato of the day. Table side they poor coffee into the ice cream. I cant recall the flavor of the ice cream. I must keep better notes!

 

 

Edited May 19, 2014 by wonderdox

[Cruisegirl6]

The photos that you showed for Giovanni's was not the food that was served to us this week on the Allure, there are changes to the menu.

 

Giovanni's probably was my best meal on the ship.

[Oville]

No it was enough but most people would say it wasn't. If you dine at 4/5 star restaurants as I do often, you will be satisfied, but again, it didn't blow us away that we would rave about it.

 

I would definitely rate it much above the Samba Grill and Chops.

 

Ha, ha, your 4 and 5 stars gave me a chuckle. Whose stars?. Doughnut and ice cream shops often get 5 stars on that very popular online rating site.

[Cruisegirl6]

By the way Mr. Oville, the hotdog cart did wow us, we were very impressed with the many choices of hot dogs to choose from, it was fun, and I am a person that doesn't eat hot dogs but it was so nice to have on the ship, it was fun and different and a great snack and I went there four days. The cupcake shop was excellent, the donuts were very good too. Yes, I rate these three places 5 stars....you simply don't get what I am saying.

Edited May 19, 2014 by lyndamr

[nednrom]

We like Giovanni's. My husband and I also like Vintages although it is not a typical restaurant. They have very good tapas, great wine in a cafe setting. My husband is a picky eater and calls 150 Central Park "fufu" food and Chops is really not tHat great compared to the premium steak houses you find on land.

[Cruisegirl6]

Nednrom- I have to totally agree with you. We were 7 adults and ordered 11 different dishes at Vintages and they all were excellent. You do know your food, because we totally agree with you Chops cannot be compared to quality steak house, in fact, Longhorn gives a much tastier porterhouse and filet. We also do agree Vintages does offer a different experience and different selection of foods and 150 Central Park was nice to do but it was not on top of my list, I do prefer Giovanni's then comes Vintages, the Izumi.

[Oville]

Oville your not good with your wisecracks. You obviously don't know a lot about dining!!

 

By the way Mr. Oville, the hotdog cart did wow us, we were very impressed with the many choices of hot dogs to choose from, it was fun, and I am a person that doesn't eat hot dogs but it was so nice to have on the ship, it was fun and different and a great snack and I went there four days. The cupcake shop was excellent, the donuts were very good too. Yes, I rate these three places 5 stars....you simply don't get what I am saying.

 

First, my comment wasn't meant to be a wisecrack, rather pointing out that someone else's 5 star eating spot may not be the same as others.

 

Regarding your comment about my not knowing a lot about dining, you don't know me anymore than I know you but for sure, hot dogs and donuts are not a staple in my diet nor would I eat either on a cruise.

 

Finally, the Mr. was a huge assumption.

Edited May 19, 2014 by Oville

[Cruisegirl6]

I believe you are a man sorry if I was not correct. I will do you the favor of blocking you... you probably don't want to read my very very long review that I will be writing tomorrow. Happy cruising.

Edited May 19, 2014 by lyndamr

[ehfl]

My choices would be 150 Central Park, then Chops, then Giovanni's Table....or get the discount package and try them all. If you can only do one, then I would go with 150. You can do Chops on most any ship, and it's similar to most mid to high-end steakhouses. 150 is more of a date night venue with great food and wine pairings.

[UNV-IT!!!]

My pick would and always will be 150. Every time I've been on oasis or allure I eat at 150 a minimum of 2 times. There is an A and B menu. One will be served the first half of the cruise. The second menu will come mid week. Hence why I always eat there at least twice. Although I have done 6 nights out of 7 in 150 also.

 

As far as the menu they will accommodate you in anyway. If you dont like something they will basically make you anything within reason. A couple next to us on our last allure cruise wanted Mac and cheese. They made it for them. Granted it was like a 6 cheese crazy thing but they did it. Don't be afraid if something scares you. They will work completely around you. I don't like lobster. Just don't. Every time there's been a lobster dish, they basically let me decide anything else I want instead. I'll usually try the dish first in the off chance I'll enjoy it. Some dishes I just wouldn't personally think I would enjoy but the flavors just work.

 

It will also be your most personalized experience. You will have keep sake menus with your names on them. The treatment is above and beyond anything else on the ship. I feel most people in this thread who say gio's or chops just haven't tried 150 yet. 150 is leaps beyond the other speciality restaurants on the ship.

For those of you who have husbands who think this is "fufu". So what you guys deserved to be treated to a wonderful evening and experience new things.

 

I can also ensure you will leave very full. As stated it is a multi course dinner. And while each serving looks small. Come the third serving you start to wonder when will this end.

 

The reality is you can have chops on almost any ship. You can have gio's or Porto on almost any ship. 150 is only on allure and oasis.

 

This is about having a "wow" vacation. Have a "wow" dinner while your at it.

I'll be bringing oasis back from Europe and I've already planned to spend a few nights at 150.

[Big_G]

Unfortunately, your experience may vary from ship to ship and/or week to week. We've experienced Samba and Chops twice on Allure during separate cruises and found the experiences completely different. First Samba the meat was OK but definitely overcooked. The second time it was perfectly cooked. The first time in Chops, the filet was perfectly cooked. The second time, not so much and our table was under a speaker with the music so loud, I couldn't hear the waiter. We've done Giovanni's once for lunch and once for dinner and both were excellent.

 

 

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[jsquaredfl]

150 Central Park hands down. The food, the service and the cucumber martini are all the best on the ship in my opinion

[Cruisegirl6]

One problem for me is that I need to be both dairy free and gluten free and mentioned this when we made the reservation on the ship. We got to the restaurant and again I mentioned this to the waiter and he said the Chef will make special dishes for me and he would accommodate....when I received my soup which was potato and leek soup, it obviously had cream had to mention again that I truly can't have dairy, he went to another venue and got me lentil soup but he gave me a face after I mentioned I could not eat the soup, similar to like he wanted to roll his eyes, we all noticed it.

When the ahi tuna was served, he gave me something with chicken (which was very gamey did not eat it) he went over throughly about the ahi tuna what was in it etc....when he got to my chicken he said nothing....when the others got the crabmeat tortellini he gave me plain ziti and tomato sauce, again, gave the description of the tortellini then said to me "for you plain pasta", the pasta was nothing more than pasta with little tomato sauce he was correct about the plain part but this experience I was told by them is a special one that special dishes would be served to me from the Chef and they will prepare something for me that will give me the same experience as having dishes that were on the menu.... not even any basil or any seasoning in the zitti. I felt like he was making fun of me because every time he gave me something different he made me feel inferior by his attitude about my dietary restrictions. I was not the only one to notice this but it was ok, I am not going to complain or ruin everybody else's dining experience. The others enjoyed the experience but said the food even though was very good was not up to what they expected. Maybe we a just little more picky than most, we do not eat in fast food type establishments and do eat in fine restaurants a lot so perhaps this is why it did not wow us.

[pjack61]

We ate at GT, Chops, and 150 central Park last year on Oasis. Giovannis was above average; chops was average; 150 central Park was outstanding! At 150 we chose the wine pairing and they broke that down to a small pour or large pour...we went with the small pour...and I never saw a small pour in any of our glasses. What a great relaxing time, left stuffed and happy...all of us.

[250373]

Deleted!

Edited May 23, 2014 by 250373

[kymbakitty]

Which would you pick?

 

I have a hard time justifying spending more money on food when so much is available with the cost of admission, but I'm starting to think we might need to try one specialty restaurant for a great "date night".

 

Let me know which one you'd pick and why.

 

Thanks!

Jen

 

I think most can relate to how you feel about paying extra for food. We felt that way the first time we shelled out $50 for a dinner, then promptly went back four more times on same cruise.

 

Our last 14 day cruise, we never went to MDR for one single breakfast or dinner and only twice for salad bar lunch. We always eat in the alt restaurants and just consider it the cost of cruising.

 

We don't gamble, hardly ever buy any junk on the ship, and we rarely buy pictures anymore. We don't play bingo either. We could afford to do any/all of these things but just don't want to anymore. I don't even have room on dresser for any 8 x 10's....ha.

 

So we have changed how we feel about this and seldom go to MDR.

 

Enjoy!

[Paulette3028]

Izumi, the Japanese restaurant......in the MDR you can get steaks, Italian and other varieties of foods, but you won't find a Japanese menu night in the MDR. That is why it is worth the extra money to me to go to Izumi. We look forward to it, on our upcoming Allure cruise.