Okay, so what's the best thing you've eaten in a HA cruise... and the worst?

[MisterBill99]

One weird meal was grilled trout with spaghetti. Spaghetti?????? with trout???. I ordered the trout (it was delicious) and told them to hold the spaghetti and give me veggies instead..

I had that dish, and the spaghetti was actually pretty good! What they really should have used was spaghetti squash.

[MisterBill99]

To be honest, duck doesn't normally include a choice of " cuisson". It is always pink but never red inside. Asian style is mostly well done. I doubt a chef would honour your request for (medium) rare duck, at least here in Europe. That duck on your picture has perfect cuisson.

Duck breast is a different animal than normal duck (pardon the pun). It is best served medium rare. And here is an article from the UK talking about duck breast served that way. So I would beg to differ about finding a chef over there who would cook it that way.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11746299/Dont-serve-your-duck-pink-Thats-quackers-say-top-chefs.html

 

Also, the HAL menus have an asterisk next to duck breast dishes, as they do for steak and lamb, warning about the hazards of eating under-cooked food. If they have the asterisk there, they should be able to prepare it that way.

 

I had this argument with F&B people on Celebrity and Royal. On Anthem of the Seas, and the result was a plate of 3 perfectly cooked duck breasts during our final dinner. Fortunately I was sitting with other people and was able to share since they also sent out a platter of 6 lamb chops, most of which were cooked perfectly medium rare. They'd had problems doing either correctly during the cruise and I had spoken to the F&B manager and executive chef.

 

Had the HAL galley tour been more than a disappointingly quick walk through the kitchen with no chance to stop and talk, I would have discussed it with someone there as well.

[AmberTeka]

Best - the gnocchi with baby onions (not seen it in a while) and pizzas from the new NYC deli on Koningsdam ...nearly forgot the fries with peanut sauce from the Dutch Cafe ....

 

Worst - Grits ... What on earth are those things ??? I was expecting something like polenta but they were weird and even my husband wouldn't touch them and he eats anything !

 

Grits are milled corn. You eat them at breakfast. Put butter on them. Salt and Pepper. Eat with eggs. Some put cheese in them and eat with Fish. ( Florida). Rest of the south.,..it is a bacon,..sausage,..ham.,.biscuits.,...milk .gravy.,....grits sort of thing. They should not be runny. They should not be lumpy.

Maybe have to be Southern to enjoy them.

I love them.

[AmberTeka]

I love this thread. I am making a list of good things to eat. Every response has been interesting to read.

 

My HAL Favorites. Both on the Westerdam

 

The Hot Fudge Sundaes for dessert. My husband had a Sundae for dessert every night of the cruise. And he is not a sweet eater usually.

The four cheese macaroni and cheese was delicious. I have never tasted Mac and cheese that good again.

 

I think Carnival's Steak House is the best at sea. But the Pinnacle Grill was very good.

 

Actually, I thought almost all of the food was very good.

They are better cooks than I will ever be.

 

I also enjoyed the Ice Cream Station. I liked having it served. I liked getting to pick toppings.

I liked the Pizza. Margareta (?) Pizza. I liked the taco bar.

The pastries and cinnamon rolls on Lido were very good.

The pastries at the Coffee Shop were very good.

I was a happy sailor the entire time we were aboard.

I look forward to doing it again........next week.

[iancal]

The best was a veal dish with mushroom sauce in the MDR. It was perfect. Among the best meals that I have enjoyed in any mass market cruise line MDR.

 

The worst, we still laugh about it,was a steak ordered med rare in the MDR. When it arrived it was so thin that you could have slipped it under our cabin door, stone cold, and very much over cooked. It was so tough that I could not cut it. Got a replacement....it arrived 15 minutes later and was much the same. The waiter offered to bring something else yet again. We bailed....by that time it was getting late and I felt that my luck was diminishing.

[slidergirl]

Grits are milled corn. You eat them at breakfast. Put butter on them. Salt and Pepper. Eat with eggs. Some put cheese in them and eat with Fish. ( Florida). Rest of the south.,..it is a bacon,..sausage,..ham.,.biscuits.,...milk .gravy.,....grits sort of thing. They should not be runny. They should not be lumpy.

Maybe have to be Southern to enjoy them.

I love them.

 

This Northerner LOVES grits. First time I had them was at a hotel breakfast buffet in Calgary, of all places. Then, a trip South turned me on to The Waffle House. Grits heaven for me. Ventured out to dinner grits - shrimp & grits. I actually keep a box of grits here at home to make when I get the "itch". Polenta is also milled corn, but they are processed a little differently. Polenta can be made two ways that I've experienced - loose like grits and very firm and sliced and heated/fried/baked. Best polenta I've had - Roscioli in Rome. The sliced rounds with some excellent marinara sauce to lightly cover (Never smother). It was served as a side dish. But, if you are vegetarian, it makes a good entree.

[Linaeve]

It's been a while so things may have changed but...

 

I LOVED the salmon on the ship, ate way more than I should have. My husband loved the club sandwich from room service. We both loved the steaks (rib-eye and porterhouse) in the PG along with their chocolate lava cake.

 

I HATED the scrambled eggs, they were wet and undercooked. However, one of the last times we ate breakfast in the Lido I saw someone ask for eggs thrown back on the grill, they cooked them longer for her and looked better, I might try that next time. However, I tend to enjoy breakfast via room service and enjoy it with coffee on the verandah.

[ANSalberg]

As an appetizer; SNAILS! They cook them 2 different ways and they are YUMMMMMMY

OH -and the Bread pudding WITH the vanilla sauce; to DIE for its so good!

 

Bad.............................................???????????????? ;) Anne from Colorado

[rkacruiser]

As an appetizer; SNAILS! They cook them 2 different ways and they are YUMMMMMMY

OH -and the Bread pudding WITH the vanilla sauce; to DIE for its so good!

 

Bad.............................................???????????????? ;) Anne from Colorado

 

Oh, yes! I agree!

 

I have to be careful. I like a little bread pudding with my vanilla sauce.

[Stpatsirish]

Pinnacle Soufflé and Tamarind Chocolate - both desserts of course!

[Lido deck main]

There's rarely on the menu a Chocolate Purse dessert, sometimes goes by a German or Austrian sounding name, and for that reason we almost missed it, but I think that is a quite amazing dessert.

 

The lamb is usually a sure bet whereas the beef can be hit or miss.

The "fresh catch" fish is usually excellent - last cruise the macadamia crusted barramundi stole the show.

 

My halibut in PG was not good - tasteless and dry but I'd had so much other wonderful food including the scampi prawn it is paired with, I just left the halibut on my plate. Next time I'm going for filet or lamb chops.

 

Worst desserts... there's a lot to pick from but watermelon pie comes to mind, also the pina colada creme brulee... the waiter warned me very few people eat it but I gave it a try, 2 bites and asked for a sorbet instead.

 

Fun and informative thread! Thanks, m--

Is that chocolate dessert you a mentioned Sachertorte, I think that is fabulous too

[RuthC]

Is that chocolate dessert you a mentioned Sachertorte, I think that is fabulous too

No, that's not the name of what is the chocolate purse.

I thought it was a Dutch name for the dessert, and the word "chocolate" (in Dutch, or whatever) is definitely in there. Absolutely the best dessert I have ever had in my life (and I've had more than my share of desserts. ;p)

[Old As Dirt Mom]

No, that's not the name of what is the chocolate purse.

I thought it was a Dutch name for the dessert, and the word "chocolate" (in Dutch, or whatever) is definitely in there. Absolutely the best dessert I have ever had in my life (and I've had more than my share of desserts. ;p)

 

I believe the words are "schokolade taschen". I've not yet enjoyed that dessert on a HAL cruise. I have something to live for;p

[RuthC]

I believe the words are "schokolade taschen".

Could be; I'm not sure. But I do know that "schokolade", when said out loud, would make me hear "chocolate". It was exactly that reason I knew what was on the menu the first time I had it. :')

[habenicd]

Aboard the Statendam back in 2005 on the way to Hawaii from San Diego. A Kona coffee encrusted filet mignon in the Pinnacle Grill. To this day, among the top three steaks I have ever eaten on land or at sea.

[RedneckBob]

Grits are milled corn. You eat them at breakfast. Put butter on them. Salt and Pepper. Eat with eggs. Some put cheese in them and eat with Fish. ( Florida). Rest of the south.,..it is a bacon,..sausage,..ham.,.biscuits.,...milk .gravy.,....grits sort of thing. They should not be runny. They should not be lumpy.

Maybe have to be Southern to enjoy them.

I love them.

 

You tell them Girl !

[RedneckBob]

Best thing I have eaten on a HAL cruise: Meatloaf

 

Worst thing I have eaten on a HAL cruise: Meatloaf that I could not cut with a knife nor could the Assist Chef figure out what it was.

[Mary229]

The tenderloin is good. Last cruise (24 days) we had Crème brûlée at least 12 nights. I love the meringue cookies on the Lido

[Winters in NZ]

HAL...please keep baking those delicious breakfast raisin buns which I savor each cruise, so that the tradition continues aboard the Veendam next month.

[Susie51]

Best-bread pudding with vanilla sauce. worst: buffet desserts.

[luxurysailer]

Best: the cold fruit soups. I have ordered these for dessert.

Worst: some kind of fake blue cheese salad dressing

[LAL27]

From K'dam at the end of January - our first cruise and we were pretty pleased with just about everything.

BEST:

Grand Dutch Cafe - the best coffee and amazing apple pie

Tamarind - elegant and all delicious

CAC - we had the Basil menu, was not positive I'd like much but I loved everything plus it was fun!

Lido - my husband had an asian noodle bowl with kimchee that he said was excellent

Gelato - especially the espresso flavor

MDR - chilled blueberry soup

WORST:

NY Deli - pizza

MDR - CB hash (with salsa throughout?) and a ham/egg skillet (with salsa, sour cream, guacamole and tortilla chips?) . . . we love mexican food but this was not good