Cucino del Capitano Question (Magic)

[jimbo5544]

My meal at Prime on Magic was actually on par with the last time I went to Ruths Chris and a lot less expensive. :)

 

 

We love the steakhouse and go at least once (usually twice) on each of our sailings and echo your thoughts on the value it offers.

[Micahs Grandad]

What is Italian gravy?

 

I had the best spaghetti ever in New York, ever, ever!

 

Italians will call tomato sauce gravy. Learned that watching the Sopranos.

[Trumpster]

I think its pretty funny you were expecting authentic NYC Italian dishes on a cruise ship for 15.00 a person. ;)

 

With that said, my chicken parm was cooked perfectly.

 

And I don't want to go to Brooklyn to eat Italian, but I do want to cruise again on the Magic. I imagine the view from the window and the walk to and from would be better.

 

The steak in Cucina has always been better than the steak I had in the Steakhouse. Not that the steak in the steakhouse sucked but just enjoyed the Cucina steak better.

[Trumpster]

My meal at Prime on Magic was actually on par with the last time I went to Ruths Chris and a lot less expensive. :)

 

I was very disapointed in ruth chris and the cost was way to high for what I got.

 

But prime was good but was a bit to small a venue with tables way to close together. But we enjoyed our meal and it was a good value for sure.

[SuiteTraveler]

I tried this venue on My last Magic cruise and was not impressed.

 

I'm an Italian from the Bronx, so I'm used to real Italian homemade gravy (not sauce) and pastas.

 

I found the sauce was way too sweet and the chicken parm could have been used as a door stopper: very large portion, but way overcooked.

 

The Magic's Cucina wouldn't last in Little Italy or on Arthur Avenue for more than a month.

 

I have to agree with you. The food we had at Cucina del Capitano was almost inedible. I grew up on Neapolitan cooking so I'm used to the real thing, too, and the food in this restaurant is pretty bad - even worse than Olive Garden. It's strange that cruise ships can't get Italian food right - I've always thought of great Italian food as easy to prepare since it mainly depends on fresh, high quality ingredients and simple preparation methods. The specialty Italian restaurant on NCL is equally bad.

[evandbob]

How would they move it??? (It is a rhetorical question). Point is, while it might not fit into what the northeast (and I am from this area as well) think meets the high standards, it is good and enjoyable. It's like people saying that the steakhouse is not not Ruth Chris's...of course it isn't, it's on a cruise ship but still very enjoyable. I have eaten at Cucina 5 or 6 times, found it enjoyable. Op, I think you will enjoy it, try it next see and let us know your thoughts when you return.

 

I wouldn't mention Ruth Chris as a real steakhouse, not in NYC, Chicago or Dallas.

[evandbob]

I think its pretty funny you were expecting authentic NYC Italian dishes on a cruise ship for 15.00 a person. ;)

 

With that said, my chicken parm was cooked perfectly.

 

Ryano, I was explaining that my palate for Italian was different than most people's because of my upbringing. I apply the same to NYC Italian restaurants and some of them are also unacceptable to me.

 

The Carnival menu did have a spiel about Nonni's Meatballs, and how they were just as authentic as GrandMa's, so it is Carnival promoting itself as authentic, not me expecting it.

 

There are certain foods that one should not try outside of NYC without lowering one's expectations, bagels, pizza and real Italian among them.

[evandbob]

Italians will call tomato sauce gravy. Learned that watching the Sopranos.

 

Tomato sauce is just the base. Gravy is created through the introduction of meat into the sauce.

 

Not just meatballs and sausage either. Lamb, bracchiole, pork, veal, even chicken can be added to the pot. Variations make each pot of gravy somewhat unique.

 

Thanks for asking, great question!

[jamesr3939]

We loved it. The food was outstanding and service was great. We did make a reservation the day prior, but we were on a sold out NYE cruise so I am not sure I would worry about making one to far out if it's not a special cruise.

[ryano]

Ryano, I was explaining that my palate for Italian was different than most people's because of my upbringing. I apply the same to NYC Italian restaurants and some of them are also unacceptable to me.

 

The Carnival menu did have a spiel about Nonni's Meatballs, and how they were just as authentic as GrandMa's, so it is Carnival promoting itself as authentic, not me expecting it.

 

There are certain foods that one should not try outside of NYC without lowering one's expectations, bagels, pizza and real Italian among them.

 

Understood :) I will be very honest in that I dont really know authentic Italian food but I do have to say that IMHO, Cucina De Capitano was nowhere close to being "inedible" as another OP said and was much better than Olive Garden for less money. :) Olive Garden quality was about all i was expecting and was pleasantly surprised. I had the meatballs as an app and thought they were good! :o

 

I was checking your signature to see if you might have been on a Royal ship that had Giovannis Table and what your opinion of their Italian is but I dont see that you have. Giovannis cost more than Cucina though

Edited June 23, 2016 by ryano

[evandbob]

Understood :) I will be very honest in that I dont really know authentic Italian food but I do have to say that IMHO, Cucina De Capitano was nowhere close to being "inedible" as another OP said and was much better than Olive Garden for less money. :) Olive Garden quality was about all i was expecting and was pleasantly surprised. I had the meatballs as an app and thought they were good! :o

 

I was checking your signature to see if you might have been on a Royal ship that had Giovannis Table and what your opinion of their Italian is but I dont see that you have. Giovannis cost more than Cucina though

 

Sabatini's on Princess was a much better experience than the Cucina on Carnival and should have been with the setting and added cost, but I thought Carnival's Cucina was on a par with NCL's Italian, both need improvement. JMO, YMMV.

Edited June 23, 2016 by evandbob

[Micahs Grandad]

I have to agree with you. The food we had at Cucina del Capitano was almost inedible. I grew up on Neapolitan cooking so I'm used to the real thing, too, and the food in this restaurant is pretty bad - even worse than Olive Garden. It's strange that cruise ships can't get Italian food right - I've always thought of great Italian food as easy to prepare since it mainly depends on fresh, high quality ingredients and simple preparation methods. The specialty Italian restaurant on NCL is equally bad.

 

Worse than Olive Garden is awful. I am from Brooklyn and know good Italian food and never ever go to Olive Garden.

[Micahs Grandad]

Tomato sauce is just the base. Gravy is created through the introduction of meat into the sauce.

 

Not just meatballs and sausage either. Lamb, bracchiole, pork, veal, even chicken can be added to the pot. Variations make each pot of gravy somewhat unique.

 

Thanks for asking, great question!

 

Thank you for teaching me something new:)

[jimbo5544]

I wouldn't mention Ruth Chris as a real steakhouse, not in NYC, Chicago or Dallas.

 

You can substitute the name for any that you like. Actually, to be honest, I think Ruth Chris's is overrated. We have been to many in NYC on the top list and enjoyed them all (including Peter Luger's, S & L, St Anselm, Sparks etc.). Fortunate enough to travel and hit some others (esp when business is paying) like Shulas, Deirdorf and Hart, Manny's, Charleys....dang now I am hungry

[evandbob]

You can substitute the name for any that you like. Actually, to be honest, I think Ruth Chris's is overrated. We have been to many in NYC on the top list and enjoyed them all (including Peter Luger's, S & L, St Anselm, Sparks etc.). Fortunate enough to travel and hit some others (esp when business is paying) like Shulas, Deirdorf and Hart, Manny's, Charleys....dang now I am hungry

 

Glad we can agree on Ruth Chris being over rated. And on the last subject - it's not even close to dinner time and I'm getting hungry too. HAGD!

Edited June 23, 2016 by evandbob

[KPfromCT]

I was very disapointed in ruth chris and the cost was way to high for what I got.

 

But prime was good but was a bit to small a venue with tables way to close together. But we enjoyed our meal and it was a good value for sure.

 

I couldn't agree more!!! We thought Farenheit 555 blew Ruth Chris's out of the water. It was AMAZING!!!!!:D

[KPfromCT]

We LOVED Cucina on the Breeze.

We were a group of 8 and I am pretty sure they brought out EVERY SINGLE APPETIZER on their menu, family style.

Food was DELICIOUS!!!!!

 

I had the linguine with Nona's meatballs and it was the BOMB.

 

Somehow managed to save a little bit of room for the Sicilian cannoli.

 

Well worth the upcharge. Looking forward to it again!!!:D:D

[jimbo5544]

Glad we can agree on Ruth Chris being over rated. And on the last subject - it's not even close to dinner time and I'm getting hungry too. HAGD!

 

 

Not to mention my last trip to Ruth Chris, even though I was forewarned I touched the 6000 degree plate and burned two fingers....

[jimbo5544]

We LOVED Cucina on the Breeze.

 

We were a group of 8 and I am pretty sure they brought out EVERY SINGLE APPETIZER on their menu, family style.

 

Food was DELICIOUS!!!!!

 

 

 

I had the linguine with Nona's meatballs and it was the BOMB.

 

 

 

Somehow managed to save a little bit of room for the Sicilian cannoli.

 

 

 

Well worth the upcharge. Looking forward to it again!!!:D:D

 

 

We're you not on the Oasis recently?

[ryano]

We're you not on the Oasis recently?

 

And to piggyback off of Jimbo, did you try Chops on Oasis KP? The first time we tried Chops was in 2011 on Radiance of the Seas. it was absolutely incredible. Our last two times on Freedom of the Seas, Chops was just "meh". Ive had much better meals and service at chain steakhouses like Longhorn :cool:

 

Im looking at Oasis for 2018 just so I can say Ive been there, done that. Not willing to waste money at Chops though anymore

Edited June 23, 2016 by ryano

[jimbo5544]

And to piggyback off of Jimbo, did you try Chops on Oasis KP? The first time we tried Chops was in 2011 on Radiance of the Seas. it was absolutely incredible. Our last two times on Freedom of the Seas, Chops was just "meh". Ive had much better meals and service at chain steakhouses like Longhorn :cool:

 

Im looking at Oasis for 2018 just so I can say Ive been there, done that. Not willing to waste money at Chops though anymore

 

 

We did Chops on Oasis and thought much the same thing. Add to that I picked the wine (without my reading glasses and chose a $220 bottle of wine...by accident). Should have known when the waiter said "and excellent choice"....

[SuiteTraveler]

Worse than Olive Garden is awful. I am from Brooklyn and know good Italian food and never ever go to Olive Garden.

 

I got stuck going to Olive Garden for a business lunch. Ugh! Believe me, I'd never go there if I had a choice. Olive Garden is amazingly bad.

 

ryano,

I want to encourage you to take a trip to Italy and try the real thing! Food in Italy is AMAZING! There are actually 20 different cuisines for the 20 different regions of Italy which did not unite into one country until 1861. The different regions were like different countries each with their own cuisine and they have stayed distinct over the years. So really, there is no such thing as Italian food. The food is more correctly identified by region and then by city. My specialty is the food of Campagna and I learned mostly Neapolitan recipes which are 100% about the highest quality ingredients. I studied with my mother who learned in Naples in the 1950's and later on went back on my own and studied in some restaurants - two young ladies at a restaurant took me back to their kitchen taught me how to make lemoncello and orangecello just because they loved that I was so friendly and enthusiastic about their food and spoke to them in Italian a little. They gave me a tour of their garden and taught me their marinara recipe. I also was honored to have a great opportunity to study with a highly awarded Milanese chef from the Lombardy region a few years ago. This is where Ossobuco is from and also he made the most amazing and flavorful lasagna that did not include noodles with a béchamel sauce - not tomato.

 

This website is a great resource for understanding the cuisines of Italy and what to order where:

http://www.rusticocooking.com/regions.htm

[SuiteTraveler]

And to piggyback off of Jimbo, did you try Chops on Oasis KP? The first time we tried Chops was in 2011 on Radiance of the Seas. it was absolutely incredible. Our last two times on Freedom of the Seas, Chops was just "meh". Ive had much better meals and service at chain steakhouses like Longhorn :cool:

 

Im looking at Oasis for 2018 just so I can say Ive been there, done that. Not willing to waste money at Chops though anymore

 

We went to Chops on Allure last year. The food was merely good, but the service was outstanding. We also went to Izumi - it was an off night and I found out they will make anything you want if they have the ingredients and are not busy - not just the stuff on the menu!

[coevan]

Ruth's Chris, BTW

 

I managed Olive Gardens in my youth, when the girls made fresh pasta at the front door. No, it's not Italian fine dining. There must be a reason they are on wait list every night for several hours. Many Italian restaurants would kill for their volume. Some of my stores were doing 1000 covers a night.

[evandbob]

I got stuck going to Olive Garden for a business lunch. Ugh! Believe me, I'd never go there if I had a choice. Olive Garden is amazingly bad.

 

ryano,

I want to encourage you to take a trip to Italy and try the real thing! Food in Italy is AMAZING! There are actually 20 different cuisines for the 20 different regions of Italy which did not unite into one country until 1861. The different regions were like different countries each with their own cuisine and they have stayed distinct over the years. So really, there is no such thing as Italian food. The food is more correctly identified by region and then by city. My specialty is the food of Campagna and I learned mostly Neapolitan recipes which are 100% about the highest quality ingredients. I studied with my mother who learned in Naples in the 1950's and later on went back on my own and studied in some restaurants - two young ladies at a restaurant took me back to their kitchen taught me how to make lemoncello and orangecello just because they loved that I was so friendly and enthusiastic about their food and spoke to them in Italian a little. They gave me a tour of their garden and taught me their marinara recipe. I also was honored to have a great opportunity to study with a highly awarded Milanese chef from the Lombardy region a few years ago. This is where Ossobuco is from and also he made the most amazing and flavorful lasagna that did not include noodles with a béchamel sauce - not tomato.

 

This website is a great resource for understanding the cuisines of Italy and what to order where:

http://www.rusticocooking.com/regions.htm

 

So true......my explanation was parochial, as I experienced home made southern Italian cooking, which is way different than the northern cuisine. Done right, it is all a heart healthy diet.