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Live Blog II. Celebrity Silhouette - the Food. 1st Sept to Norway

GastroGnome

By GastroGnome,
in Celebrity Cruises

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GastroGnome

GastroGnome

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I know there is another live blog from the ship (DH as it happens) but this is about the food, and nothing but the food.

 

I have watched DH live blog our trips I always thought "I could do that". Well... here we go. Food is my passion (and my downfall...) I love to read other's live blogs and always want to know more about the food. So I'm giving it a go. I hope it is interesting to someone!

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GastroGnome

GastroGnome

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I know there is another live blog from the ship (DH as it happens) but this is about the food, and nothing but the food.

 

I have watched DH live blog our trips I always thought "I could do that". Well... here we go. Food is my passion (and my downfall...) I love to read other's live blogs and always want to know more about the food. So I'm giving it a go. I hope it is interesting to someone!

The embarkation lunch menu in luminae hasn't changed in the 4+ years it's been in existence. Comfortable in one way...a bit uninspiring in others. Dd did try the sashimi for the first time which is rather the point of cruise food.

 

They have changed the wine menu layout which is great. You no longer have to look down the list trying to remember what your package amount is. There is one list for classic, one for premium and one for over. And so far....every wine I have chosen has been in stock. Which is genuinely the first time!

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Forums mobile app

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GastroGnome

GastroGnome

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OK.. I won't post from my phone again. I'm new to this so bear with the odd technical error. I'll figure out to how upload photographs too...

 

A sea day. A chance to cruise (pun intended) from eating place to eating place. We ventured into the OceanView for lunch which was predictably crowded. It was "USA Buffet" day. In fairness I am probably not sufficiently familiar with US cuisine to make educated comment. I cook the dishes - and love the food. But probably do it my way. Certainly my Mac n'Cheese doesn't taste like that - and the purpose of squeeze cheese continues to elude me! The Asian and Indian stations are always high quality and in my view represent one of the better options. DD loves the pizza - which I do agree. The pretzel station was a new one on me, I hadn't seen that before and the salted pretzel just what you would want it to be - fresh, chewy, fragrant, salty.

 

I'm always slightly bemused by the puddings. Everything seems to be set with gelatine. Beautifully made - but always set. Perhaps if keeps it looking good on the buffet line. But no space for pudding if I plan on cream tea....

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TeeRick

TeeRick

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Thanks GastroGnome. I will follow this and it will be interesting to hear your thoughts. I already agree with you about Luminae. I genuinely like the experience of dining there but really hope they will change the menu for breakfast and lunch. Needs a fresh approach. But they do have the best burger on the ship at lunch so I hope they keep that! It seems to be more varied at dinner and you have the option of mix and match with the MDR menu.

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GastroGnome

GastroGnome

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Off to try LPC for Chic night tonight. I have very mixed feelings about this one. The technology is impressive; but for me food is about company and conversation. And I'm slightly wary of a fixed menu with each element represented in exactly the same way regardless of the unique qualities of components. But we will see. With unlimited speciality dining I'm hoping for at least a night in Tuscan and a night in the Grill. The Porch looks fun; but I had mixed reports from DS who was on the Silly a few months ago.

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jagoffee

jagoffee

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Off to try LPC for Chic night tonight. I have very mixed feelings about this one. The technology is impressive; but for me food is about company and conversation. And I'm slightly wary of a fixed menu with each element represented in exactly the same way regardless of the unique qualities of components. But we will see. With unlimited speciality dining I'm hoping for at least a night in Tuscan and a night in the Grill. The Porch looks fun; but I had mixed reports from DS who was on the Silly a few months ago.

 

Since you have the unlimited speciality package I recommend the Porch for lunch as it is a perfect setting.

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ghstudio "Live from...." Rare

ghstudio

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Try to eat at the Porch, at least for lunch, and have the seafood tower (BTW, if you want more of any of the items in the tower, just ask).

 

We are just off the eclipse and I couldn't bring myself to going to LPC @ $55 a person, even once. The videos are cute if you order what's on the videos. If not, then why should my DW who doesn't eat steak, pay $55 which is more than even Murano. Doesn't make sense. (note: We probably could have gotten a discount, but I didn't even bother to try...just not interested). You can see the video on YouTube...and save $55. Looking forward to your experience.

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GastroGnome

GastroGnome

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LPC last night was interesting. It was an experience and I'm glad to have done it; but probably would not do so again. Apparently on Edge there are a number of different menus but on Silli there is only the one which is - to be frank -somewhat underwhelming.

 

Probably the first thing to say is that this is not suitable if you have a photosensitive medical condition. Right at the start there are bright white rings on the plates at just the wrong flick rate. I had to make a very hasty exit to get darkened glasses. But once the display begins its fine.

 

The food was perfectly good. I could be picky and say the Bouillbasse tasted of tomato puree rather than fresh tomatoes. And the green lipped muscle was tough - although in fairness they tend to be anyway. The Lobster was very well cooked. Small -but we had four courses. Personally I would have put a touch of black pepper in the sauce - but it was creamy, well emulsified and went well with the delicate lobster. Decorated with the smallest baby samphire I have ever seen - but the larger version would have overwhelmed the sauce. The filet Mignon was well prepared. Three at our table wanted rare and one well done - all were correct although two pieces would have benefited from better trimming. The Veg were very raw. I know crunchy veg are fashionable but a touch longer would have been welcome. The vanilla ice cream pudding was perfectly pleasant - the little chocolate foot prints where mini chef had slipped in the chocolate sauce were a great touch. But it all felt a bit underwhelming. The animation was the star of the show - but the food no let down.

 

Would I do it again? No. But am I glad I did it once? Yes

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GastroGnome

GastroGnome

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We're day one in Bergen. And with all things foodie... head for the nearest market.

 

The fish market in Bergen isn't actually what I would have called a fish market - but massively worth a visit anyway. I was expecting marble slabs, local catches. Restaurants and locals haggling for produce. It was more a pop up multi operator restaurant - but what fun! 20 odd stalls selling fresh sea food - shell fish and monk fish mainly - prepared to eat street food style or in the temporary seating areas allocated to each booth. Interspersed between them were a couple of stalls with fresh fruit, and some selling transportable Norwegian food - tinned herring, gjetost, dried meats.

 

The array of shellfish was beautiful. Live spider crabs and large lobster in tanks. King crab. prawns, both the langoustine type and smaller brown shrimp. Huge black monkfish displayed entire, mouths open. Sea Urchins - really big ones. Once a pest but now a delicacy. Huge scallops - each with the shell pinned shut so they don't try to jump.

 

One feature which didn't sit too well for me was the prevalence of whale meat. Norway has a permit to kill Minke whales for consumption and it is marketed as hip and trendy. I actually have no issue with the humane slaughter of more or less anything for meat as long as you do the decent thing and use every part of the animal. And were this the Faroes where whale meat is so much part of the culture I would have no issue. But in Bergen? I did try it. It does taste nice - less bloody or metallic than I expected, actually not dissimilar to a slightly gamey but very good dry aged steak. But we didn't buy any.

 

Whilst I'm on the subject of slightly odd things... gjetost. Norwegian brown cheese. A real acquired taste. Plastic cheese texture, stinky cheese flavour (think a young Epoiusse or older camembert) and dulce de leche. Not something that appeals to me in anything more than an aesthetic sense - I know what it should taste like and I appreciate that it does. I don't choose to eat it for fun. But DH and DD had not tried it. An opportunity I could not pass up. DD hated it - DH actually ate it. But I'm not sure that he liked it!

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lisiamc

lisiamc

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We're day one in Bergen. (...)

 

Whilst I'm on the subject of slightly odd things... gjetost. Norwegian brown cheese. A real acquired taste. Plastic cheese texture, stinky cheese flavour (think a young Epoiusse or older camembert) and dulce de leche. Not something that appeals to me in anything more than an aesthetic sense - I know what it should taste like and I appreciate that it does. I don't choose to eat it for fun. But DH and DD had not tried it. An opportunity I could not pass up. DD hated it - DH actually ate it. But I'm not sure that he liked it!

 

 

I love gjetost! It’s great for dessert, especially with a waffle. It could be genetic - my father’s side of the family came from Norway a couple of generations ago. :D

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cltnccruisers

cltnccruisers

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We were on Silhouette in March for the first time and loved it. The food in the MDR was mostly good to excellent and was sometimes good for a laugh. I couldn't stop myself one night when I got the portabello mushrooms. Two little 'shrooms on a giant white plate. I couldn't decide if it looked more like a Charlie Brown head or a happy face.

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