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My Experience with Pop-up Sel de Mer

RandyinDEN

By RandyinDEN,
in Holland America Line

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sailingdutchy

sailingdutchy

Posted
Posted

For Tamarind food lovers we were on the Volendam in October and dined many times in the Pinnacle where I believe for the first time they had brought a Tamarind chef on board in Shanghai and one page of the Tamarind menu was added to the regular Pinnacle menu , so we were able to have some of each . I thought it was a great idea specially because we dined there 50 % of the time on this cruise and had more variety ! :D:D:D

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
Posted (edited)
Just got back from a 16 night Panama Canal cruise from Ft. Lauderdale through the Panama Canal and docking in San Diego. First: the cruise was good, the ship was in good shape and as always the crew was top notch.

 

I had pre-booked both nights at the pop-up Sel de Mer based on how much I loved Le Cirque and had hoped it would be just as good. I couldn't have been more wrong. This is held in the Pinnacle Grill but they redecorate it with giant pictures of Rudi doing all sorts of things with sea food. Just a little narcissistic to say the least.

 

While I am sorry for your disappointment, I appreciate your shairng this review with us. It is so helpful when we can read about expediences like this and decide for oursleves what we wish to try or to not try. How long can HAL keep disappointing guests in such ways aand think we will be accrpting of that? I t is absolutely influencingf my hes itation about booking another HAL cruise. There was a time when I was one of HAL's bigg est fans but those days are in the distant past. I am so happy we did so much crjising when we did, when the HAL product was so special, in our viewpoint. They cannot seem to find anything very spedci al t o offer these days and then ptroduce it. People will be displeased or disappointed just so many titmes and then say No more.

 

 

 

 

TThe first night was on night 8 after we had spent the day in Costa Rica. The top item on the menu was "Fresh catch of the Day". As it was explained to me, the chef would go ashore that day and find some fresh fish that had been caught that morning. The truth was that they defrosted Red Snapper that had been loaded in Ft. Lauderdale. I was told by the chef and a manager that they were all embarrassed about what was advertised and what actually is served.

 

We eventually ordered the Foie Gras which was actually Pate. Steak Tartar and Escargots were also ordered. Both were actually above average. For a main course I ordered the double lamb chops that were not that flavorful and my friend ordered the lobster. The advertised Maine Lobster turned out to be 2 small tails that are served during regular Pinnacle menu items for a Steak and Lobster combination. They are small tails, not a big Maine Lobster.

 

For dessert I ordered the Profiteroles. They are supposed to be served with warm chocolate sauce. The reality is that room temperature Hershey's syrup is poured over them. Others at the table ordered Creps Suzette and Apple Tarte Tatin, both fairly flavorless.

 

Needless to say, we did not go the second night it was offered.

 

My opinion is that there should be a Tamarind pop-up or replace Canaletto with Tamarind fleet wide. That restaurant is so much better.

 

 

Not nice to try and pass off pate for foie gras. There goes any credibilityyy right from the start. IMO

Edited by sail7seas
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DeeniEncinitas

DeeniEncinitas

Posted
Posted

WOW!!

We have 3 reservations upcoming on our month cruise South America. Sails commented on foie gras as knock off pate. I know what foie gras should be especially since we will stay in Paris and Nice in apts. in the summers. Was excited to hear about the pop up on The Maasdam. Was hoping it to be like Le Dome in Paris or Miramar in Marseille.

If it isn’t the real deal or not fresh I have no problem excusing us from the table,

And canceling our reservations.

sounds like on the K it is the real deal.

I so appreciate reading the responses from all who have enjoyed as well as was dissatisfied.

I hope cross fingers our experience will be wonderful.

Denise:)

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
Posted
WOW!!

We have 3 reservations upcoming on our month cruise South America. Sails commented on foie gras as knock off pate. I know what foie gras should be especially since we will stay in Paris and Nice in apts. in the summers. Was excited to hear about the pop up on The Maasdam. Was hoping it to be like Le Dome in Paris or Miramar in Marseille.

If it isn’t the real deal or not fresh I have no problem excusing us from the table,

And canceling our reservations.

sounds like on the K it is the real deal.

I so appreciate reading the responses from all who have enjoyed as well as was dissatisfied.

I hope cross fingers our experience will be wonderful.

Denise:)

 

 

 

I hope you have a wonderful experennce and also that you will come back and share some commens t about it with us.

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
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Well, We wiill be trying it - as I have always been happy with the PG on the Prinsendam in the past.

 

So, hopefully Sel de Mer will be decent. Have it booked for our next cruise and we shall soon see.

 

Frankly, I'd be happy just having some of the appetizers ;)

 

Fingers crossed - but we are going to give it a try (yn)

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rkacruiser

rkacruiser

Posted
Posted
Well, We wiill be trying it - as I have always been happy with the PG on the Prinsendam in the past.

 

So, hopefully Sel de Mer will be decent. Have it booked for our next cruise and we shall soon see.

 

Frankly, I'd be happy just having some of the appetizers ;)

 

Fingers crossed - but we are going to give it a try (yn)

 

If offered on my soon to sail Zaandam cruise, I want to give it a try as well!

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1ANGELCAT

1ANGELCAT

Posted
Posted
Well, We wiill be trying it - as I have always been happy with the PG on the Prinsendam in the past.

 

 

 

So, hopefully Sel de Mer will be decent. Have it booked for our next cruise and we shall soon see.

 

 

 

Frankly, I'd be happy just having some of the appetizers ;)

 

 

 

Fingers crossed - but we are going to give it a try (yn)

 

 

 

Jacqui, I did the pop up on the Westerdam crossing and it was outstanding.

My Mariner discount was $42.00 off the $49.00.

Way to much food. Escargot.lobster, a tree of chocolate covered strawberries , a plate of chocolates and Rudi’s soufflé for dessert.

I would do it again.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
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Jacqui, I did the pop up on the Westerdam crossing and it was outstanding.

My Mariner discount was $42.00 off the $49.00.

Way to much food. Escargot.lobster, a tree of chocolate covered strawberries , a plate of chocolates and Rudi’s soufflé for dessert.

I would do it again.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

A little too sweet and rich for my taste. :)

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ithaca gal

ithaca gal

Posted
Posted
Jacqui, I did the pop up on the Westerdam crossing and it was outstanding.

My Mariner discount was $42.00 off the $49.00.

Way to much food. Escargot.lobster, a tree of chocolate covered strawberries , a plate of chocolates and Rudi’s soufflé for dessert.

I would do it again.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

How did you get a discount of over 80% in that restaurant?

 

How did you get a

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RocketMan275

RocketMan275

Posted
Posted
Just for clarification--is the Sel de Mer meal in the Pinnacle a set meal or do you have menu choices?

 

You have choices and the price is $49PP.

https://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Resp.action?requestPage=Innovations_Dining_RudisSeldeMer&showHeader=true&showFooter=true

 

Now, the Sel De Mer on Koingsdam is different. The price there is depends on what you order. Here's the menu for that:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Resp.action?requestPage=Innovations_Dining&showHeader=true&showFooter=true

 

You'll have to look on those pages to find the link to the menus.

 

We've book the Sel de Mer for our next cruise and I suspect we'll be ordering the lobster.

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
Posted
Jacqui, I did the pop up on the Westerdam crossing and it was outstanding.

My Mariner discount was $42.00 off the $49.00.

Way to much food. Escargot.lobster, a tree of chocolate covered strawberries , a plate of chocolates and Rudi’s soufflé for dessert.

I would do it again.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Thanks very much for the encouraging words :)

 

Not sure. Maybe 5 Star is a higher discount.

I was quite surprised.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Hmm, now that's interesting. I'd like a 5* discount. I can't eat all those PG dinners we're entitled to (6 each) on the P'dam. I like the PG but...

 

Thanks again :)

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PSR

PSR

Posted
Posted
Just for clarification--is the Sel de Mer meal in the Pinnacle a set meal or do you have menu choices?

 

The pop-up restaurant in the PG has a set price, but a menu with choices, so the menu is not set. Most of the menu is seafood, but they do have a steak and I believe maybe some lamb chops for non-seafood diners. My husband had the steak and enjoyed it, I had the fish of the day (mahi-mahi) if I remember correctly. It was delicious. The sauce on my Crepes Suzette was way too sweet, however. We were on the Oosterdam on a Mexican Riviera cruise. We would do the Sel de Mer again. Nice change of pace from PG.

 

Oops, someone beat me to the answer; thanks for posting the menu link for others.

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