Thomas Keller menu

[MARIANH]

MarianH - I wonder if you might know whether the TK 'posher' food is to be served in the MDR, or perhaps in the Signatures restaurant in future, which I can only assume is restaurant 2 at present in the current ships - don't know where else it could be.

 

Casual eating and staff dressing down a bit in the Colonnade sounds fine to me, assuming the food is tasty.

 

I am sure the new concept is causing a lot of stress and hard work for the galley staff, and to some extent for servers, and it will take some time to get right. At least you 'guinea pigs' did not have to try it if you did not wish to.

 

I asked a few officers about future intentions and the responses were inconsistent and speculative.

 

What seems to be agreed is that there will be a dedicated TK restaurant on the new ship.

 

So far as current ships are concerned, I suspect the final decision will be informed by the results from the current experiment. Some thought the outcome would be turning over R2 fully to TK or perhaps on just a few nights. Others thought TK could be offered as an additional option on a few nights in the MDR.

 

All agreed that the TK family dining menu would not be appropriate for the MDR and was more fitted for the Colonnade as a theme night (in line with the current arrangements) or the R2.

 

My advice for what it is worth is that all pax should participate at least once in the current experiment and be prepared to be disappointed ( as we were) or indeed impressed if Seabourn can up their game and deliver an improved product.

 

It would be beneficial if Thomas K could spend a night or two onboard to judge for himself if Seabourn"s interpretation of his dishes is acceptable. But perhaps it is a little early for that.

 

I can confirm that certainly galley staff are finding the experiment challenging and stressful. The less so perhaps for servers who seemed to me to be rather bewildered by it all. What would have been helpful on our cruise was a description of the dishes by the servers as currently happens for the tasting menu in R2. But on our cruise the apparent understaffing of servers would not have made this practicable. They were at times having to run between tables!

 

On one evening when we tried the TK menu in the MDR we were refused the sweet course as "it is not available after 10 pm, Sir". Not impressed as we had started the meal at 8pm and waited an inordinate time for the first two courses to be delivered.Perhaps the galley staff had wilted under the pressure.

 

BTW, I throughly recommend trying the TK Napa burger. It truly was rather special IMHO.

 

Hope the above is helpful.

 

And finally, I just have a worry that Seabourn may be considering offering the TK menu as available for an extra charge. Surely they wouldn"t would they?

[lincslady]

Thanks for that good long explanation. I certainly hope that your last paragraph does not happen! People are also worried about this new 'cabana' idea, which might be for an extra charge. We all hate the discrimination which happens on other lines.

 

As I only ever have a burger on SB, I will look forward to trying this Napa one - I guess a bit more flavoury that the current one, which is slightly bland though enjoyable.

 

A shame that the wait staff were in short supply - we have so far been lucky in that respect, and not had long waits for food as other say they have sometimes. Sounds as if they have not yet had the tasting and help with describing dishes which normally happens.

 

They have a few more months to really get to grips with TK, so here's hoping it will be good by the spring.

[jenidallas]

 

having just experienced tk on odyssey, i have to say that you are incorrect.

 

It was only the family dining in the collonade where servers dressed down.

 

Yes and?

 

We were talking about the dress of the waiters in the Colonnade. Individuals were upset that waiters were dressed below fine dining standards. I pointed out that they were mimicking Ad Hoc (and indeed, even the printed menus were virtually identical to the Ad Hoc menus on land).

 

What am I missing that makes my commentary about the service in the Colonnade inaccurate?

Edited December 6, 2015 by jenidallas

[MARIANH]

 

What am I missing that makes my commentary about the service in the Colonnade inaccurate?[/quote

 

Mea Culpa. Like Emperor Norton, I clearly misunderstood that your comments referred only to "family dining " in the Colonnade. Should have gone to Specsavers ( possibly only Brits will understand this.).

 

Apropos "family dining " in the Colonnade, service was frenetic with servers running between tables. Is this de rigueur in TK's land based establishments ?

Edited December 6, 2015 by MARIANH

[jenidallas]

 

Apropos "family dining " in the Colonnade, service was frenetic with servers running between tables. Is this de rigueur in TK's land based establishments ?

 

It's definitely not, even at the "less than" French Laundry/Per Se establishments.

 

I'm glad Seabourn has plenty of time to work the kinks out before the true debut.

[wripro]

Too bad some are not willing to wait for them to work out the kinks.

[MARIANH]

Too bad some are not willing to wait for them to work out the kinks.

 

JFI, Who are these "some" that you refer to?

 

If you read the comments of the few who have actually experienced the current TK product on Seabourn, then you will find there is acknowledgement that this is work in progress. And for example, I recommended that all pax should try the TK menu at least once. In this way , perhaps Seabourn can have the benefit of customer feedback to inform their future decisions about introducing this alternative dining option.

[marchanxiety]

Reading all these posts made us curious, so we have booked Ad Hoc in Yountville for Jan. 6. We'll let you know what we think. We have another Keller restaurant booked the night before (Bouchon). No possibility of French Laundry. Oh, well.

[jenidallas]

Reading all these posts made us curious, so we have booked Ad Hoc in Yountville for Jan. 6. We'll let you know what we think. We have another Keller restaurant booked the night before (Bouchon). No possibility of French Laundry. Oh, well.

 

Bouchon is nice and predictable. With Ad Hoc, each day's menu is usually posted by mid-day.

 

http://cdn.thomaskeller.com/sites/default/files/media/dec_7.pdf

 

I occasionally will cancel and book elsewhere if the offering that night is not to my taste.

 

If you are in Napa across a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, it's great to reserve a pick up lunch from Addendum to enjoy at one of the vineyards with picnic tables - always good on a day when you have back-to-back appointments. A couple of my favorite tasting rooms are in Yountville so this usually works out for me and the fried chicken is a nice treat.

[Nigella]

Reading all these posts made us curious, so we have booked Ad Hoc in Yountville for Jan. 6. We'll let you know what we think. We have another Keller restaurant booked the night before (Bouchon). No possibility of French Laundry. Oh, well.

 

We're at Bouchon the night before you. It's a Monday and apparently they have "Ad Hoc's Famous Buttermilk Fried Chicken" available that night. I'd like to try that, assuming that I'm not Keller-ed out after disembarking Odyssey the same day ;)

[wripro]

JFI, Who are these "some" that you refer to?

 

If you read the comments of the few who have actually experienced the current TK product on Seabourn, then you will find there is acknowledgement that this is work in progress. And for example, I recommended that all pax should try the TK menu at least once. In this way , perhaps Seabourn can have the benefit of customer feedback to inform their future decisions about introducing this alternative dining option.

 

I was not referring to you. But read through this entire thread and you will see a lot of whinging.

[marchanxiety]

I mistyped! We will be at Bouchon on Wednesday the 6th, and Ad Hoc on Thursday the 7th--it's not open on Wednesday! I will keep Jennidallas' suggestion in mind. I really want to try that chicken.