Vista specialty dining thoughts?

[Skyler0392]

The hubby is wanting to try some specialty restaurants for our Vista cruise in June. Does anyone have any reviews? I hate to pay the up charge if the food is just mediocre. Thanks!

[cmichael1279]

Steakhouse is great, we didn't find a thing we didn't like.

 

Friends said the sushi was incredible (I'm not a sushi fan)

 

We did the Italian and Asian places for the (free) lunch and they were very good - I'm assuming dinner is the same!

[carisma117]

JiJi’s was very good! I can’t wait to eat there again.

 

 

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[Shaded Lady]

I’m just okay with the free lunch menu at Cucina Del Capitano, but I LOVE their dinner meals.

 

 

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[SNJCruisers]

The hubby is wanting to try some specialty restaurants for our Vista cruise in June. Does anyone have any reviews? I hate to pay the up charge if the food is just mediocre. Thanks!

Your best bets would be Jiji's and Cucina del Capitano, both are only 15.00 pp for dinner, At lunchtime, both places offer cooked to order pasta or asian cuisine with different sauces, veggies, etc. The Cucina also has lasagna at lunch. Here is the dinner menu for Jiji's.https://www.carnival.com/~/media/Images/explore/dining/menus/ji-ji-asian-kitchen-dinner-menu.pdf. Here are the new menus for the Steakhouse and Cucina del capitano as well.http://cruising.news/carnival-rolling-out-new-menus-for-steakhouse-and-cucina-del-capitano/ The steakhouse is 35.00 pp and since the menu changed last year, reviews have been mixed. It's your call if you want to drop the 70.00. You can't go wrong with the 30.00 per couple on the first two venues. Either way, make your reservations on day 1 because they may go quickly, especially if you want a certain time. If you decide on the steakhouse, you get a free bottle of mediocre house white, red or rose or a 50% discount on any other bottle of wine if you go on night one and sometimes night two. If you're wine drinkers, you can purchase additional bottles that night for the same 50% discount to enjoy during the course of the week. Of course, it's a moot point if you have invested in Cheers.

[Reportress]

Between two cruises on Vista, I think we've hit most of the extra-charge restaurants.

Steakhouse: Worth it for us. We've gone both times we were on the Vista, and everything we had was delicious. I think the last time we went my husband had the risotto as a starter, the New York strip as an entree, and I had the stuffed mushrooms with the surf and turf. We were so stuffed this most recent time we didn't even have room for dessert.

Jiji's: We missed this on our first cruise, and I'm so disappointed we did. The appetizers and entrees were fantastic (potstickers and spring rolls, and the kung pao chicken and sweet and sour shrimp). I didn't care for either of the sides we ordered (broccoli and some sort of noodle), but my husband loved the noodle. The desserts and cocktails were also wonderful. I'm definitely making Jiji's a priority on our next cruise! Sidenote: I didn't care for the free lunch. The service was extremely slow (my meal didn't arrive until about 10-15 minutes after everyone else's, and the meat quality was awful compared to what it was during dinner).

Cucina: We went the first time we cruised Vista and loved it. We skipped it this most recent cruise because when they revamped the menus, they got rid of the spaghetti carbonara we were so in love with. The free lunch is pretty great, though!

Sushi: We've gone both times, and really enjoyed it. There isn't a ton of variety for the sushi itself, but everything we tried was great. We tried the ramen bowls the most recent time, and I was very pleasantly surprised.

We never tried the Seafood Shack, the snacks at Redfrog Pub or The Chef's table.

[Sizzlechest]

How different is the Jiji's lunch vs. dinner as far as offerings go?

[A&Jfamily]

How different is the Jiji's lunch vs. dinner as far as offerings go?

 

100% different. JiJi's at lunch is mongolian wok (which is mediocre IMHO). At dinner it is a sampling of appetizers, entrees, sides and deserts from various areas throughout Asia, served family style. You can pull up their menu on line. JiJi's is well worth the upcharge for its unique and different foods.

 

I will also say that steakhouse is worth it is well - though I have not tried the new menu. But, many many of the items are still the same like the cowboy steak, filet, lobster, wasabi mashed potatoes, french onion soup, lobster bisque. etc. I would say that it is like eating at Ruth's Chris for $35 pp rather than $100+.

 

Bonsai is a great place for a snack and while we don't use it for dinner, if we want something pre-martini, we will go and order a roll or two.

 

Cucina is like Jiji's - 100% different for lunch, and my least favorite. In fact, I probably prefer the bowl of pasta I concoct at lunch over dinner. We have tried it 3 times for dinner now and I just don't care for it. The food has been either bland or too salty; the only thing worth eating was the steak and they have removed that from the new menu. I tried the carbonara and it was so salty it was barely palatable. Now maybe I am spoiled because of my upbringing on high quality Italian in DC/Baltimore, but honestly, we have places where I live now that offer better food. I have not had their new menu, and will likely give it one more shot next time that is available to me, but I am not optimistic.

 

My advice would be to book the steakhouse the first night and JiJis somewhere mid week - either when you have a late shore excursion, or see if you can find your menus and pick a night that is weakest.

[SNJCruisers]

How different is the Jiji's lunch vs. dinner as far as offerings go?

 

You can pull up their menu on line

.

No need. Just go back to post #5 where I linked all of the menus including the new ones for Cucina and the Steakhouse.

[bakersdozen12]

Friends said the sushi was incredible (I'm not a sushi fan)

 

I don't eat sushi either, but the Wagyu Kakuni (short ribs) appetizer at Bonsai Sushi is to die for! Next time I go, I'm getting a couple orders of it as meal. :)

[AmBear]

I don't eat sushi either, but the Wagyu Kakuni (short ribs) appetizer at Bonsai Sushi is to die for! Next time I go, I'm getting a couple orders of it as meal. :)

Great suggestion, I hate sushi, my wife loves it, so we'll give it a try next month!:D

[jimbo5544]

No need. Just go back to post #5 where I linked all of the menus including the new ones for Cucina and the Steakhouse.

I have not seen any mixed reviews on the Steakhouse, where have you seen those?

[SNJCruisers]

I have not seen any mixed reviews on the Steakhouse, where have you seen those?

All I know is what I have read on the Carnival boards. I'm back on here in anticipation of our Horizon cruise. I am a straight shooter and have no reason to mention something that I have not read on here. I also don't look through rose colored glasses and have blinders on regarding other cruise lines and what they have to offer. I used to be like you, but I have evolved and have enjoyed sailing on the NCL Escape 3 times as well as Celebrity. Carnival has many great things going for them, but they are far from perfect. I will try to do a search and provide you with the negative reviews you're asking about.

[skiingj]

All I know is what I have read on the Carnival boards. I'm back on here in anticipation of our Horizon cruise. I am a straight shooter and have no reason to mention something that I have not read on here. I also don't look through rose colored glasses and have blinders on regarding other cruise lines and what they have to offer. I used to be like you, but I have evolved and have enjoyed sailing on the NCL Escape 3 times as well as Celebrity. Carnival has many great things going for them, but they are far from perfect. I will try to do a search and provide you with the negative reviews you're asking about.

 

Amen!

[jimbo5544]

All I know is what I have read on the Carnival boards. I'm back on here in anticipation of our Horizon cruise. I am a straight shooter and have no reason to mention something that I have not read on here. I also don't look through rose colored glasses and have blinders on regarding other cruise lines and what they have to offer. I used to be like you, but I have evolved and have enjoyed sailing on the NCL Escape 3 times as well as Celebrity. Carnival has many great things going for them, but they are far from perfect. I will try to do a search and provide you with the negative reviews you're asking about.

 

 

 

 

Did I imply you were being anything less than a straight shooter or say you misread anything? I frankly have not seen mixed reviews on the a steakhouse and find it to be one of the highlights of our cruise. Not sure what NCL or Celebrity have to do with my question or your post. Maybe it is my rose colored glasses......

 

It used to be that we could have discussions here without being labeled and stuck into cubby holes. Please disregard, no search or required.

 

 

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[SNJCruisers]

I have not seen any mixed reviews on the Steakhouse, where have you seen those?

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=55055223&postcount=1

[goofygal531]

We dining in all the specialty restaurants on the Vista except Jiji. We enjoyed them all. Bonsai offered noodle bowls that were very good. It was also fun for the kids. The waitstaff did a parade around the restaurant, it was a fun evening.

 

My personal favorite was the steakhouse. Our meal was incredible. Cucina we dine at often, wish they would change up the menu.

[SNJCruisers]

Cucina we dine at often, wish they would change up the menu.

Back in post #5 there is a link I provided to the new updated Cucina dinner menu.

[Dev123]

I thought the sushi was awesome!! We also really enjoyed all the bar foods at Red Frogs. We had JiJi's for lunch which I thought was just okay (I would like to try dinner next time to compare)

[goofygal531]

Back in post #5 there is a link I provided to the new updated Cucina dinner menu.

 

 

Thank you. I'd seen the new steakhouse menu, didn't know they also updated Cucina.

 

I thought the sushi was awesome!! We also really enjoyed all the bar foods at Red Frogs. We had JiJi's for lunch which I thought was just okay (I would like to try dinner next time to compare)

 

We love the Red Frog bar food menu! One day we got Pig & Anchor BBQ and ordered a few dishes from Red Frog with it. The conch fritters and coconut shrimp are our favorites. Well worth the $3.33 up charge.

 

The Vista held bingo and trivia in the ocean plaza. It was the perfect spot to sit and eat prior to the events. The Red Frog staff happily served the tables closest to the Pub. We sat directly outside the doors near the Taste Bar, which I always forget has healthier lunch options like salad and sandwiches. Of course I discover it after pigging out on BBQ!