Curtis Stone MDR Items

[OzKiwiJJ]

It looks like Curtis Stone may be thrown overboard with his food. :eek:

Tony

 

I wish!

 

Part of the problem is that they have removed simple, classic dishes that people enjoyed and used as standbys when other menu options didn't appeal. These were also dishes that weren't fussy, weren't covered in sauces, and suited people who prefer to eat simply.

 

Then they have replaced them with items that don't really work as classics. I can only comment on the options available on the Australian-based Princess ships:

Pork belly - very rich, often very fatty, and hard to get perfect. I tried this. The meat was dried out and tough, and the skin was rubbery instead of crispy.

Osso Buco - slow cooked veal or beef. This is wintery home cooking, not what you want to eat when cruising tropical waters. DH tried it and said it was OK, but nothing special. It looked bland and boring to me.

Chicken & Leek Pot Pie - our tablemates seemed to enjoy it but did comment that it was more like a soup than a pie filling. To me, the pastry looked undercooked. It wasn't crisp and puffy.

[caribill]

We were on a TA on the Royal and then a 14 day Med on the Royal...The Curtis Stone menu was on the TA and most table mates did not like it...we were very glad that they brought back the traditional Princess menu on the Med part of the cruise....:eek:

 

Same on the CB this April/May. There on the TA, not on the British Isles, but on the BI there was a single Curtis Stone entrée some evenings.

[GUT2407]

I wish!

 

Part of the problem is that they have removed simple, classic dishes that people enjoyed and used as standbys when other menu options didn't appeal. These were also dishes that weren't fussy, weren't covered in sauces, and suited people who prefer to eat simply.

 

Then they have replaced them with items that don't really work as classics. I can only comment on the options available on the Australian-based Princess ships:

Pork belly - very rich, often very fatty, and hard to get perfect. I tried this. The meat was dried out and tough, and the skin was rubbery instead of crispy.

Osso Buco - slow cooked veal or beef. This is wintery home cooking, not what you want to eat when cruising tropical waters. DH tried it and said it was OK, but nothing special. It looked bland and boring to me.

Chicken & Leek Pot Pie - our tablemates seemed to enjoy it but did comment that it was more like a soup than a pie filling. To me, the pastry looked undercooked. It wasn't crisp and puffy.

 

 

Whereas I had the pot pie a few times, the pastry was fine, just they forgot the filling at times.

[windsor26]

I tried 2 of the items but di not eat them Horrible I did ask and get another night the 'always available salmon and the little steaks' but you had to ask when you sat down so the chef had time to organise it.

[LC1950]

Interesting to read people's reactions to the Curtis Stone 'always available' offerings. I'm definitely not a Curtis Stone fan. Here in Australia he's been very much to the fore in advertising, supermarket endorsements, etc., for quite some time so he's become overexposed and IMO not worth listening to or cooking his recipes or even visiting his restaurants (if he still has any here in Oz????).

 

I was on the same cruise OzKiwiJJ mentioned in an earlier post and yes, there were 3 Curtis Stone dishes on the always available menu. I tried the pork belly - first time it was great (LOL to my surprise), juicy succulent and very tender and the crackling was perfect. 2nd time it was the pits! I also tried the Osso Bucco offering. Couldn't eat it, far too salty. My DH tried the Chicken & Leek Pie thing and rather liked it.

 

I think it all gets down to who actually prepared your particular meal in the galley. Different cooks cook in different ways if you know what I mean? And of course the Big Kahuna of the galley should be totally on top of his/her staff at all times. And the galley facilities are huge and "he/she" can't be everywhere all the time.

 

So I reckon you get the luck of the draw. Sometimes your meal will be good, sometimes not so good and sometimes .... *sigh* ... sometimes it'll be absolutely delicious!

 

But the ice cream in the MDR is always yummy. ;)

 

LOL happy cruising everyone. :)

[GUT2407]

Interesting to read people's reactions to the Curtis Stone 'always available' offerings. I'm definitely not a Curtis Stone fan. Here in Australia he's been very much to the fore in advertising, supermarket endorsements, etc., for quite some time so he's become overexposed and IMO not worth listening to or cooking his recipes or even visiting his restaurants (if he still has any here in Oz????).

 

I was on the same cruise OzKiwiJJ mentioned in an earlier post and yes, there were 3 Curtis Stone dishes on the always available menu. I tried the pork belly - first time it was great (LOL to my surprise), juicy succulent and very tender and the crackling was perfect. 2nd time it was the pits! I also tried the Osso Bucco offering. Couldn't eat it, far too salty. My DH tried the Chicken & Leek Pie thing and rather liked it.

 

I think it all gets down to who actually prepared your particular meal in the galley. Different cooks cook in different ways if you know what I mean? And of course the Big Kahuna of the galley should be totally on top of his/her staff at all times. And the galley facilities are huge and "he/she" can't be everywhere all the time.

 

So I reckon you get the luck of the draw. Sometimes your meal will be good, sometimes not so good and sometimes .... *sigh* ... sometimes it'll be absolutely delicious!

 

But the ice cream in the MDR is always yummy. ;)

 

LOL happy cruising everyone. :)

 

 

Most ice cream is yummy.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I was on the same cruise OzKiwiJJ mentioned in an earlier post and yes, there were 3 Curtis Stone dishes on the always available menu. I tried the pork belly - first time it was great (LOL to my surprise), juicy succulent and very tender and the crackling was perfect. 2nd time it was the pits! I also tried the Osso Bucco offering. Couldn't eat it, far too salty. My DH tried the Chicken & Leek Pie thing and rather liked it.

 

I think it all gets down to who actually prepared your particular meal in the galley. Different cooks cook in different ways if you know what I mean? And of course the Big Kahuna of the galley should be totally on top of his/her staff at all times. And the galley facilities are huge and "he/she" can't be everywhere all the time.

 

 

I obviously had the pork belly on the wrong day. :( But, realistically, if a dish can't be cooked consistently it shouldn't on a cruise ship menu.

 

To me, the Curtis Stone dishes are basic home cooking, and I can cook at least two of them better - I'm still not the best at cooking pork belly but most of my last attempt left Curtis's for dead (one tiny section didn't crisp as well as I would have liked).

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

I can not recall the last time we all agreed so much about a subject,

 

Princess please take note, are you big enough to accept you might have

 

made a mistake,

 

Now turning to Share I thought the new look, layout was nice all they need to do

 

is change it to Alfredos, and expand the menu.:D

 

yours Shogun

[OzKiwiJJ]

The problem is they are probably locked in with Curtis Stone for a fixed amount of time, and it may cost them a fortune to break out of that.

[Eagle_and_hawk]

We ordered a couple of items on the menu when we were on the Coral this past February.

We always share a bite of our food and both thought it was OK.

I am more of a meat & three, and usually find the more spices or ingredients, the less likely I will want it again.

 

The dishes were somewhat bland, which I was a little suprised as expected a lot of ingredients & different flavors.

I am glad we tried them, however I don't see us going to Share when we sail on a ship that has it.

 

I did find a couple of pictures:

 

Curtis Stone Mahi-Mahi

curried plantains, cauliflower crisps, passion fruit mustard

 

B83 by Cool Runnings, on Flickr

 

Curtis Stone Grilled Flank Steak

Citrus black beans, aromatic rice, avocado mojo vinaigrette

 

d34 by Cool Runnings, on Flickr

 

 

[GUT2407]

The problem is they are probably locked in with Curtis Stone for a fixed amount of time, and it may cost them a fortune to break out of that.

 

I expect you are right.

[floridalover5623]

The problem is they are probably locked in with Curtis Stone for a fixed amount of time, and it may cost them a fortune to break out of that.

 

That may very well be the case but it's still no reason to remove the old standards which many people really enjoyed.

[SwissDave]

On Emerald in April and I enjoyed the chicken pie in the MDR a couple of times. Went to SHARE twice, it was so good the first time we had to go again, and enjoyed it immensely both times.

Did Salty Duck once which was very good.

 

Did Crown Grill once and it was not the same as in the past. No plans to go back unless someone else is paying.

 

Sabatini's was broken when they changed it to a la carte. I can't remember a cruise in the last 5 years where it has been anywhere near busy and they were pushing it hard with half price offers, a specials board, and constant 'selling' around the ship to try to get people to go.

[OzKiwiJJ]

We ordered a couple of items on the menu when we were on the Coral this past February.

 

The dishes were somewhat bland, which I was a little suprised as expected a lot of ingredients & different flavors.

 

 

Thanks for posting those pics, Eagle_and _Hawk.

 

I wish I had pics of the Aussie ship dishes, there is one thing they all have in common. They are all very boring in presentation and, by the sound of things, in flavour.

 

Brown, white, a touch of golden brown if you're lucky. No pop of colour or flavour to liven up the dish. They look like something from the 1950's. They look like nursery food. "Don't add anything green, or anything that isn't bland in flavour, Nanny, the children won't eat it".

 

I think Curtis Stone has been listening to too many of his Coles budget meals ads. NB For those who live outside of Australia, Coles is one of our major supermarket chains.

[BM64]

On the CB last month three Curtis Stone dishes rotated on the menu and some nights none were on the menu. There was a seafood stew, which Dh and I both had on the first night and it was just ok. Dh's had a variety of shrimp, scallops and mussels and mine basically had some scallops in it. There was also the pork belly which Dh also tried and really liked. The chicken and leek pie was the third dish but we didn't try that one.

[moki'smommy]

I had never heard of Curtis Stone before I booked on Princess, so my attitude was "He's one of those big name hot zing chefs." Now it is, "Really?" The stuff definitely looks better than it tastes. Texture is a huge problem--tough steak, fish that is like mush at our table.

 

As to Princess either getting rid of him or taking his stuff off the menu...it all depends on what the contract says. But I doubt that the contract prohibits placing other, popular standards on the menu along with his stuff.

 

Most nights there was something that looked good on the menu. Glad to know that salmon is one of those "always available" items..I've never gone hungry on a cruise ship, but recently several lines have made dinner less of something to look forward to.

[stoneharborlady]

Most ice cream is yummy.

 

Yeah, I like ice cream too, but it isnt dinner.

[timtrek]

hi all

 

i can not recall the last time we all agreed so much about a subject,

 

princess please take note, are you big enough to accept you might have

 

made a mistake,

 

now turning to share i thought the new look, layout was nice all they need to do

 

is change it to alfredos, and expand the menu.

 

yours shogun

 

plus 1 :D

Edited July 17, 2016 by timtrek

[stoneharborlady]

Hi All

 

I can not recall the last time we all agreed so much about a subject,

 

Princess please take note, are you big enough to accept you might have

 

made a mistake,

 

Now turning to Share I thought the new look, layout was nice all they need to do

 

is change it to Alfredos, and expand the menu.:D

 

yours Shogun

 

 

And according to many who have seen it, turn down the lights!!!

[JimmyVWine]

I haven't had the chance to try Curtis Stone's offerings on Princess yet but will in the near future. However, i have had some experience with him and his cooking in the past and I never thought that it would be a good fit. First, Curtis Stone is more of a Home Shopping Network celebrity than he is a true culinary master. I have been to a private dinner where he and his staff took over a restaurant's kitchen (like a James Beard House dinner), and I wasn't very impressed. Second, (and this isn't specific to Curtis Stone), to the extent that someone is an accomplished chef whose cooking depends on ever-changing menu items based on market availability, fresh ingredients and a la minute preparation, trying to replicate that with static dishes made from frozen ingredients prepared for a thousand people at a time undercuts whatever skill and creativity that the chef had to begin with. Desserts are a different story as they can easily be made ahead, and I think Princess is doing well with Norman Love. But with savory dishes, a chef's reputation is built on one-dish-at-a-time attention and precision. Trying to convert that to MDR dining is almost always going to result in a serious downgrade from what made the chef famous in the first place.

 

And I agree with the comment above that the addition of CS dishes on the MDR menus as replacements for Always Available items is antithetical to the whole point of the Always Available concept. Those dishes are supposed to be standard, reliable, non-fussy, options that sit in the bullpen to be called on if the night's menu strays too far from one's comfort zone. Once one loses sight of that premise, there is trouble on the horizon.

Edited July 17, 2016 by JimmyVWine

[floridalover5623]

And according to many who have seen it, turn down the lights!!!

 

The lighting was similar to sitting in a cafeteria. We didn't eat there - I was turned off by the choices I sampled in the DR & the price with - no seconds if you wanted any.

[PescadoAmarillo]

I also enjoyed the Curtis stone items. The presentation was modern aswell.

This was how the dining room, always available Curtis Stone mahimahi was presented on the Emerald Princess. I found everything about it (especially the presentation...all white with a few flecks of chopped parsley) to be unremarkable.

[Coral]

I had never heard of Curtis Stone before I booked on Princess' date=' so my attitude was "He's one of those big name hot zing chefs." Now it is, "Really?" The stuff definitely looks better than it tastes. Texture is a huge problem--tough steak, fish that is like mush at our table.

.[/quote']

 

I live in the Midwest and he did a stint for a Midwest grocery store chain a few years ago (Hy-Vee). It was a summer stint where he provided a lot of recipes for outdoors and barbecuing. He had a catchy logo which I don't remember but it dealt with "family, friends and good food." The recipes were actually pretty good. Not gourmet but ones that could be easily adjustable to outdoor gatherings.

Edited July 17, 2016 by Coral

[Ron the Rev]

This was how the dining room, always available Curtis Stone mahimahi was presented on the Emerald Princess. I found everything about it (especially the presentation...all white with a few flecks of chopped parsley) to be unremarkable.

 

Mahimahi fish is a tight grained fish, very bland at the best of times and easily over cooked to death. Probably good to use as suhsi but not for a main course. In the MDR just say pass.:eek:

[esstheman]

t Tried the seafood stew on my first night aboard, and thought it was the best thing I had in the MDR the whole cruise. The pork belly dish I thought was bland. The other item they offered was the pot pie, which didn't interest me.