Specialty Dining Menu's on Cruise Planner Accurate?

[escentialssoycandles]

I am booked on my honeymoon cruise in December and on my planner it shows Crown Grill and Sabatini's sample menu's. Is it safe to say these menu's are accurate?

[fishywood]

The Crown Grill menu should be accurate.

 

Does the link for Sabatini's menu say Sabatini's or Sabatini's Italian Trattoria? Princess is in the process of changing most ships with Sabatini's to the new Trattoria menu. If you tell us which ship someone will likely know if (a) that ship has already changed; or (b) if your Personalizer still links to the old menu, is that ship scheduled for any drydock from which point the change may take place prior to your cruise. Note that if you are on Crown Princess or Sapphire Princess, reports are that they are still using the old menu despite having just emerged from renovations.

 

ETA: I see from your posting history you are on Crown Princess in December. All reports I have read is that as of right now Crown still has the "old" Sabatini's menu. If this is the one linked in your Cruise Personalizer, it should be still in effect in December (but watch this space, and keep checking your planner):

 

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/Onboard_Experience/Sabatinis-Menu-Sample.pdf

[escentialssoycandles]

Yes I am on Crown and I do not like the new Sabatini's menu so thinking I may just wait it out and not prebook that venue just in case.

[fishywood]

Yes I am on Crown and I do not like the new Sabatini's menu so thinking I may just wait it out and not prebook that venue just in case.

 

I can give you a direct comparison as I dined at Sabatini's on both Island Princess (old menu) and Golden Princess (new menu) in May. The new menu was outstanding. The Breaded Veal Vallet from the new menu blew away the undercooked-but-still-tough Veal Rack from the old. Both the salad and pasta courses were that much better as well. Yes there is no more lobster or steak on the new menu. But I watched the gentleman at the next table on Island take one bite and immediately call the head waiter and send the steak back. Though I must also concede that none of the desserts on the new menu are remotely as decadent as the Tiramisu completely encrusted in Norman Love Chocolate on the old.

[geoherb]

Our favorite celebratory dinner is the Ultimate Balcony Dinner. It's just a little bit more than dining at a specialty restaurant, but not that much considering the extras you get--cocktails, photo, champagne, and flowers.

[cruiserdru]

I can give you a direct comparison as I dined at Sabatini's on both Island Princess (old menu) and Golden Princess (new menu) in May. The new menu was outstanding. The Breaded Veal Vallet from the new menu blew away the undercooked-but-still-tough Veal Rack from the old. Both the salad and pasta courses were that much better as well. Yes there is no more lobster or steak on the new menu. But I watched the gentleman at the next table on Island take one bite and immediately call the head waiter and send the steak back. Though I must also concede that none of the desserts on the new menu are remotely as decadent as the Tiramisu completely encrusted in Norman Love Chocolate on the old.

 

Please tell me what a breaded veal vallet is. (I have searched all my books and cannot identify veal vallet.):confused:

 

I have never had a tough veal chop at the old Sabatini's but never had it when it was listed as a veal rack. It was something I loved to order and was devastated by the new Trattoria menu. That said, I know how ship/chef dependent any of the restaurants can be.

 

Nor can I understand why anyone would add fava beans and beets to the wonderful burrata and tomato dish they used to serve.

 

Please tell me something about the veal vallet to make me want to go to Sabatini's Trattoria on our first night.

[fishywood]

Please tell me what a breaded veal vallet is. (I have searched all my books and cannot identify veal vallet.):confused:

 

I have never had a tough veal chop at the old Sabatini's but never had it when it was listed as a veal rack. It was something I loved to order and was devastated by the new Trattoria menu. That said, I know how ship/chef dependent any of the restaurants can be.

 

Nor can I understand why anyone would add fava beans and beets to the wonderful burrata and tomato dish they used to serve.

 

Please tell me something about the veal vallet to make me want to go to Sabatini's Trattoria on our first night.

 

For reference here's the Trattoria menu:

 

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/sabatinis-trattoria/sabatinis-trattoria-main-menu.pdf

 

The Breaded Veal Vallet is essentially a Veal Cordon Bleu but a more lengthwise cut, stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes rather than ham. It was a much better cut of veal than you will ever see in the MDR. My "beef" with the veal chop on Island (yes, it is a chop even though the menu says rack) was that it was actually cut too thick to cook thoroughly--as if the chef decided the only way he would serve it is medium rare. The meat was not "flaky" (if that's the word) like veal should be; was the consistency of a rib eye steak. First (and I hope last) time it ever crossed my mind that maybe I should ask for my veal chop to be butterflied. But I just sawed away with the steak knife as best I could until I simiply got tired of it.

 

Yes some of the revised recipes look a bit artsy-fartsy compared to the heartier fare of the old menu. But the Fritto de Paranza appetizer--a melange of squid, prawns, falafel, and fried veggie sticks--absolutely knocked me out; will be hard to order just the plain fried Calamari again. And the pasta course of Papardelle with beef cheek tasted so much fresher than the cannelloni (appetizer portion) from the old menu.

 

But my final impression after comparison was that what was more needed was not a 100% revised menu but just an upgrade of the galleys in Sabatini's on the older ships. Based on my additional visit during Alfredo's-at-Sabatini's lunch on Island I don't think their oven is up to the task of thoroughly cooking pizza or baked pasta. And the bread that came with the prosciutto starter was no better than the MDR rolls. You are absolutely right about being ship/chef dependent; rebranded or not, there was just no there there at the Sabatini's on Island. Where on Golden with the new open kitchen it really felt like dining.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Our favorite celebratory dinner is the Ultimate Balcony Dinner. It's just a little bit more than dining at a specialty restaurant, but not that much considering the extras you get--cocktails, photo, champagne, and flowers.

 

 

My stepdaughter did this for her and hubby on our recent cruise on the Royal and said it was a very special treat! A wonderful Filet and Lobster dinner in addition to the courses you described.

 

For a honeymoon I would definitely splurge on this!

 

 

 

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[whatcruiseisnext]

The new menu in Sabitinis is outstanding and MUCH better than the old!

 

 

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[KevintheIrishDJ]

There is a BOGO coupon for the Crown Grill good only on Embarkation night.

[escentialssoycandles]

Our favorite celebratory dinner is the Ultimate Balcony Dinner. It's just a little bit more than dining at a specialty restaurant, but not that much considering the extras you get--cocktails, photo, champagne, and flowers.

 

That did sound amazing but we are not in a balcony :-(

[cruiserdru]

Fishywood,

 

Thanks for the info about the veal vallet and also the pappardelle.

 

If there were a Crown Grill on the Coral, I would not have been so concerned but I' m not the greatest fan of the Bayou Café and the emphasis on blackening and the constant use of peppers.

 

Love the description - artsy fartsy

 

It would appear that whoever cooked your thick veal chop either did not know how to do it or was unwilling to take the time. It might have actually been a good piece of veal.

 

Dru