Anthem 9 night Aug 11 Food review

[CDLTEL]

Just back from 9 night anthem and a Diamond plus member. Before I review the food, some random thoughts about the ship.

Cabin layouts were outstanding and with plenty of storage.

Crew was outstanding.

Decor of the ship was tastefully done.

Layout of the ship, awful. Use of space and flow was not thought out for functional use. You never really see the sea from inside, life boats yes, until you walk back to the two70 area which is beautiful and breathtaking.

Sea Plex has the best views of the sea all around, real waste of prime area for this venue. Plus it smells of sauerkraut from the hotdog shack.

Pool area outside, way too small with NOT enough seats.

I-fly was out of this world!!!

North star, Ok- take it or leave it.

Shows were outstanding!

 

Had dinner at specialty restaurants 7 nights, prime table and Grande.

 

Jamie’s

The cured meat plank was very good.

The aranchini with peas and mint were tasteless and rice was gummy.

Baked chestnut mushrooms were raw.

Crispy squid were soggy and chewy.

Pasta

Tagliatelle Bolognese was oily and very little meat in sauce.

Penne Carbonara was dry and tastless

Tomato risotto was way under cooked, rice was crunchy, and tasted bland.

Lamb chops were ordered rare and came out well.

Eggplant parmigiana was over cooked and had no texture.

Garlic bread is Hawaiian rolls sprinkled with cheese and garlic.

 

Desserts

Cheese cake is outstanding

The restaurant is located aft near Vintages and it gives you the feel of eating in an outside café.

This concept was working well until the photographer set up next to Jamie’s and then a line formed with guest waiting next to the railing where we were eating. Killed the feel and view of the dining atmosphere.

Please bring back Portofino’s.

 

Chops

Outstanding décor but when you dine and look out the windows you look at the life boats. Food was at times served warm and not hot. When they designed chops they put the kitchen on the far end and not in the middle of the room. This causes the waiters on the far end of the dining room to walk quite a length with the food that is not covered thus cooling the food.

Forest mushroom soup was outstanding

Crispy goat cheese salad, excellent

Roasted onion soup was rich and cheesy

Pan roasted scallops were tasteless, frozen scallops tend to lose flavor.

All the beef was excellent, but the hidden gem was the rib veal chop. This had to be a 16oz rib chop that was like butter to eat.

 

Finished off with

Mud pie was a chocolate dream and the cheese cake are the two best desserts.

Great dining experience.

 

More latter………..

[champagne123]

But I LIKE the smell of sauerkraut. :(:(:( Lol. Are you just going to review the specialty restaurants?

Edited August 21, 2016 by champagne123
ffffff

[hansolosmom]

Looking forward to hearing about chef's table we are debating to do it or not. We really enjoyed it a few years ago on Grandeur

Edited August 21, 2016 by hansolosmom

[CDLTEL]

But I LIKE the smell of sauerkraut. :(:(:( Lol. Are you just going to review the specialty restaurants?

 

Yes I will try

[Merion_Mom]

Just shows how subjective food is.

 

When I ate at Chops on the Anthem, my veal chop was awful. 3/4 fat.

[dpostman]

Just shows how subjective food is.

 

When I ate at Chops on the Anthem, my veal chop was awful. 3/4 fat.

 

Yup, that's what he/she said... "This had to be a 16oz rib chop that was like butter to eat":D

 

All Kidding aside, very interested to read more food reviews.

 

We just started booking our specialty restaurants four our Anthem Cruise.

 

So far we booked Wonderland and Jamie's (My wife is a huge Italian food fan, so I pretty much have no choice..." We are considering Chef's table, but still undecided.

 

dp

Edited August 21, 2016 by dpostman

[champagne123]

Just shows how subjective food is.

 

When I ate at Chops on the Anthem, my veal chop was awful. 3/4 fat.

 

Merion Mom.....there are a bunch of us going on the Anthem in 2 months. We have all of our reservations set for the "no fee" restaurants, but decided to all have a "date night" with just our spouses. Which "specialty" restaurant would YOU recommend?

[Merion_Mom]

Yup, that's what he/she said... "This had to be a 16oz rib chop that was like butter to eat":D

 

All Kidding aside, very interested to read more food reviews.

 

We just started booking our specialty restaurants four our Anthem Cruise.

 

So far we booked Wonderland and Jamie's (My wife is a huge Italian food fan, so I pretty much have no choice..." We are considering Chef's table, but still undecided.

 

dp

 

I loved Wonderland and truly enjoyed Jamie's.

[CDLTEL]

What part of north west nj?

[Merion_Mom]

Merion Mom.....there are a bunch of us going on the Anthem in 2 months. We have all of our reservations set for the "no fee" restaurants, but decided to all have a "date night" with just our spouses. Which "specialty" restaurant would YOU recommend?

 

It REALLY depends on your taste. Is money an issue? Wonderland is the most expensive except for Chef's Table, but it is also the most unlike anything that you are likely to experience at home.

 

Jamie's is good, very good, but it's "just Italian", so if that is something that you do frequently at home, keep that in mind.

 

Izumi gets mixed reviews (I didn't eat there, but Abe does and loves it, but he's from Nebraska. :D) and they don't have the hibachi tables.

 

Chops *can* be good, but I would stick with the tried-and-true filet mignon.

 

Honestly, I really enjoyed the rotational dining in the four complimentary restaurants. I also thought that the Windjammer puts on a good dinner.

 

Oh, Solarium Bistro. I LOVED it because I like to graze. After one dinner of ordering an entree (mediocre), I went back and waved away the waiter and told him that I was just going to feed myself from the appetizer "bar" and salad bar and dessert bar. Oh my, after trying unsuccessfully to get me to order something, he waited on me hand and foot anyway! Constantly refilling my water, taking away the empties, offering to get me anything instead of me getting it.

 

I like that. :D

 

You should like Greek food, though - the appetizers lean heavily in that direction. Not everything, mind you, but a lot.

[Royalcruiser11]

But I LIKE the smell of sauerkraut. :(:(:( Lol. Are you just going to review the specialty restaurants?

 

We also just got off the Aug 11 anthem 9- night.... We only dined at the complementary classic dining rotation. Here are my reviews of each, keep in mind...we all have different food tastes:-)

 

Silk..Panasian....very good, even if you are not really into Asian food. My husband isn't and really enjoyed it. The Hibachi steak was his favorite. I am not a meat eater so stuck with seafood or veggie dishes, which were good.

 

American Icon Grill...very good selection classic of meat and other dishes. My son LOVED the New York Strip steak.

 

Chic...also very good variety of dishes and good food.

 

Grande...this is where you can get your unlimited lobster tails if that is what you are looking for. Very good.

 

Each restaurant has a classic menu with options that are always available (shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, New York strip steak, grilled chicken) and a specials menu that changes daily. Only complaint is that sometimes soup is served less than hot.

[dpostman]

I loved Wonderland and truly enjoyed Jamie's.

 

Thanks. My DW will be very pleased to hear that.

 

dp

[champagne123]

What part of north west nj?

 

Morris County. You?

[champagne123]

It REALLY depends on your taste. Is money an issue? Wonderland is the most expensive except for Chef's Table, but it is also the most unlike anything that you are likely to experience at home.

 

Jamie's is good, very good, but it's "just Italian", so if that is something that you do frequently at home, keep that in mind.

 

Izumi gets mixed reviews (I didn't eat there, but Abe does and loves it, but he's from Nebraska. :D) and they don't have the hibachi tables.

 

Chops *can* be good, but I would stick with the tried-and-true filet mignon.

 

Honestly, I really enjoyed the rotational dining in the four complimentary restaurants. I also thought that the Windjammer puts on a good dinner.

 

Oh, Solarium Bistro. I LOVED it because I like to graze. After one dinner of ordering an entree (mediocre), I went back and waved away the waiter and told him that I was just going to feed myself from the appetizer "bar" and salad bar and dessert bar. Oh my, after trying unsuccessfully to get me to order something, he waited on me hand and foot anyway! Constantly refilling my water, taking away the empties, offering to get me anything instead of me getting it.

 

I like that. :D

 

You should like Greek food, though - the appetizers lean heavily in that direction. Not everything, mind you, but a lot.

 

Thank you! I think we are leaning towards Jaimie's, as we love Giovanni's. One of the couples with us, wants to try Wonderland. I am not adventurous with food at all. I won't even try escargot, no matter how hard people try to get me to eat it. :eek:

[champagne123]

We also just got off the Aug 11 anthem 9- night.... We only dined at the complementary classic dining rotation. Here are my reviews of each, keep in mind...we all have different food tastes:-)

 

Silk..Panasian....very good, even if you are not really into Asian food. My husband isn't and really enjoyed it. The Hibachi steak was his favorite. I am not a meat eater so stuck with seafood or veggie dishes, which were good.

 

American Icon Grill...very good selection classic of meat and other dishes. My son LOVED the New York Strip steak.

 

Chic...also very good variety of dishes and good food.

 

Grande...this is where you can get your unlimited lobster tails if that is what you are looking for. Very good.

 

Each restaurant has a classic menu with options that are always available (shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, New York strip steak, grilled chicken) and a specials menu that changes daily. Only complaint is that sometimes soup is served less than hot.

 

Thank you for all of the great info. I have one question, if you don't mind. I have not read the answer anywhere. In Silk...do they prepare the dishes on a flat top in front of the patrons, like they do in most Asian Restaurants?:)

[CDLTEL]

Morris County. You?

 

Yes, Morris County.

[CDLTEL]

Thank you for all of the great info. I have one question, if you don't mind. I have not read the answer anywhere. In Silk...do they prepare the dishes on a flat top in front of the patrons, like they do in most Asian Restaurants?:)

 

No, they do not.

[champagne123]

Yes, Morris County.

Wow....small world!!!

 

 

No, they do not.

Thank you!

[CDLTEL]

Part two:

Please note that this is my perception of the food and my expectation of fine dining. My first cruise with RCCL was on the Nordic Prince and have seen the changes of food and service throughout the years.

Regrettably, the art of dining and service is being lost in future generations.

Plus, when RCCL is charging a prime price, you expect a higher level of expectation.

 

Wonderland

This is where RCCL went after the true gastronomy for people that truly know and enjoy food.

Food that is artfully prepared. If you were to have this experience in NYC be prepared to pay over $300 per person.

The only issue with Wonderland is that it is too noisy inside from all the music and activity. There are no doors or sealed windows at all in the restaurant. All of the sounds filter into this amazing venue. You are trying to have conversation and you are interrupted by “last chance to buy 2 for one watches”.

Really! Even the waiters roll their eyes. Again, bad design.

The best part, the food.

 

Sun

Liquid manzanilla olive was outstanding as you got a burst of intense liquid olive.

Chilled sweet pea soup was like eating a garden of silky smooth fresh peas with a dusting of powered bacon.

Baby vegetables in the garden presentation was outstanding, but not much flavor.

 

Ice

Ocean citrus was a very upscale spicy tuna and flavor combination was an explosion in your mouth.

Crispy crab cones were ok, but watch out for the wasabi.

Sashimi of red and white tuna was the best Shushi you could eat on the ship.

Fire

The best two of this section:

Duck liver fritter was a mouthful of beautiful duck liver.

Vanishing noodles was a treat of truffle noodles that would vanish when the server pours a double consume of chicken broth over. You will never have regular chicken soup again.

Sea

Liquid lobster is intense piece of lobster, bite size served in a spoon, that was rolled over apiece of bone marrow and poached in butter. It is then served with a coating of lobster bisque topped with beluga caviar. If you ever had Maine lobsters, you will feel you have eaten one in just one bite.

 

For the main course:

Terroir of beef is a slow roasted huge beef rib with the tender dekel meat still attached. This is part of the rib that is located below the ribeye. It was tender from the slow roasting and topped with a bordelaise sauce. Would recommend for the beef eaters.

 

Pork belly was a bit fatty, it is pork belly, but it was prepared with great seasoning and the citrus mojo sauce cut the richness of the pork.

 

The best of the fish was the branzino in crispy bread. The rice mixed in with spices made this dish worthy.

 

To end the meal,

The key lime pops were made into a semi fredo. So it was cold but creamy and outstanding key lime pie taste.

Baked Alaska was ok

 

More latter……………