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Can’t decide between La Cucina or Tepanyaki?

christa

By christa,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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gmbhardy

gmbhardy

Posted
Posted

If you’ve never done Teppanyaki that’s what I would pick. But once you’ve had the experience I would more be on to other options. We like La Cucina and would pick it over Cagney’s which IMO is highly overrated.

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coastcat

coastcat

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Posted (edited)

Based on my one experience with Cagney's, I'd cancel that and book both La Cucina and Teppanyaki.  

 

Hoping to get into Teppanyaki on the next cruise but right now it's only accepting reservations for parties of 2/4/6/8 (and I'm happily on my own). It booked up fast after boarding on my September cruise but fingers crossed I'll get in this time...

Edited by coastcat
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christa

christa

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Thank you for all the input.  I am seriously considering canceling Cagneys and going with Teppanyaki and La Cucina. We go to Teppanyaki style restaurants occasionally but have heard the one on board is better. 

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don't-use-real-name

don't-use-real-name

Posted
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1 minute ago, christa said:

Thank you for all the input.  I am seriously considering canceling Cagneys and going with Teppanyaki and La Cucina. We go to Teppanyaki style restaurants occasionally but have heard the one on board is better. 

 

TOO bad another option is not available on all ships - LOS LOBOS - that would be my first choice -

then Cagney's Teppanyaki Le Bistro and La Cucina * -AWAY class ships have even more options.

* La Cucina discontinued the Lasagna dish - could make 2 dinners out that

 

If you are Platinum you get two dinners (one with a bottle of vino) and with the UDP Dining Package 3

more - so on a 7 day cruise you have to find 2 dinners outside the free stuff (MDR O'Sheehans etc.).

If not Platinum skillful use of the dining options (use the package on the high ala carte priced dinners)

and then use a bit of OBC (out of pocket) for the lessor expensive dinners.

 

All in all enjoy the dinner that makes your day - in any event you will not go hungry !

 

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coastcat

coastcat

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34 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

Coastcat:  There are no online reservations for 1, 3 or 5.  Make a reservation for 2 online and when you board tell guest services that you will be a solo party.

 

There are solo reservations available, but only for some of the restaurants! I've already reserved (100 days before the cruise) for both La Cucina and Q. I also had the option to make a solo reservation at Cagney's but nah.

 

I asked an NCL rep about it, who advised me to try again after embarkation when a lot more reservation slots will open up. I didn't book ahead of time on the Bliss but had no problem booking a solo table for Le Bistro once I got there (Teppanyaki and Ocean Blue were already sold out by that evening so I'm hoping to get into one of them on Joy).

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erdoran

erdoran

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Teppanyaki you are at the mercy of who you are seated with - hubs and I had a reservation and waiting to be seated - we saw two seats open at a table with people fro our roll call so I waved to them and figured we would be seated there; instead the couple ahead of us in line asked to sit there, so we got put at a table with a family of six adults who barely said a word and when they did it was to each other.  I tried to make conversation for a bit and finally gave up.  The show was fine, but overall the evening was really dreadful.

 

Not faulting the family, they weren’t rude to us, they just pretty much didn’t want to engage with anyone other than each other, but it wasn’t a great experience.  Hubby and I finally just chatted between ourselves and ignored the others right back.  Not fun, and we’re learned our lesson - if we go to Teppanyaki again, we’ll make up our own group in advance, make a reservation together so we can sit together and not be the odd couple out.

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Deeliteful "Live from...." Rare

Deeliteful

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Didn’t have a great experience at Teppanyaki myself. Food not great, show not great, had far better on land.

Haven’t eaten at La Cucina so can’t comment on that but had great food and service at Cagneys and Le Bistro on the Breakaway In June.

 

Enjoy where ever you choose x

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StormiB

StormiB

Posted
Posted
On 10/4/2019 at 7:21 PM, coastcat said:

Based on my one experience with Cagney's, I'd cancel that and book both La Cucina and Teppanyaki.  

 

Hoping to get into Teppanyaki on the next cruise but right now it's only accepting reservations for parties of 2/4/6/8 (and I'm happily on my own). It booked up fast after boarding on my September cruise but fingers crossed I'll get in this time...

We were the same way and we had 3. So I just booked for 4 and updated it once I got onsite to only 3. No issues at all, no fees. Book for 2 now, and reduce once on board. 

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StormiB

StormiB

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On 10/4/2019 at 8:42 PM, erdoran said:

Teppanyaki you are at the mercy of who you are seated with - hubs and I had a reservation and waiting to be seated - we saw two seats open at a table with people fro our roll call so I waved to them and figured we would be seated there; instead the couple ahead of us in line asked to sit there, so we got put at a table with a family of six adults who barely said a word and when they did it was to each other.  I tried to make conversation for a bit and finally gave up.  The show was fine, but overall the evening was really dreadful.

 

Not faulting the family, they weren’t rude to us, they just pretty much didn’t want to engage with anyone other than each other, but it wasn’t a great experience.  Hubby and I finally just chatted between ourselves and ignored the others right back.  Not fun, and we’re learned our lesson - if we go to Teppanyaki again, we’ll make up our own group in advance, make a reservation together so we can sit together and not be the odd couple out.

Agreed on the idea of being at the mercy of who you are seated with. We had a grumpy set of younger kids next to us that grumbled and whined the entire time. The daughter actually got annoyed when her parents would not let her have more shrimp and she started crying. We had a teenager with us and even SHE thought the kids were annoying and disrespectful. Really brought our experience down, but food was decent. 

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insidecabin "Live from...." Rare

insidecabin

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On NCL we  only do Teppanyaki & Morderno if with a group, on our recent 9 night with 4+2(plat) dinners we did Cagnies&La Cucina twice, Bistro & Ocean blue once

This was getaway in europe, La Cucina was not so busy, better choice of times(pretty much walkup any day).

Ocean blue gets booked solid if we had not got a gap on the day we would have tried to double up Bistro(they can usually squeeze you in on the outside tables).

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Beer Belly

Beer Belly

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We have an upscale Japanese / Chinese restaurant one town over (Dinning Room lower level, Hibachi upper level). We usually dine downstairs in the Dinning Room, but after enjoying Tappenyaki on the Escape so much, we decided to give the Hibachi on the upper level a go. Compared to the Escape, the upscale restaurant couldn't come close to the entertainment on the Escape, food at both were outstanding, but the Escape was much more enjoyable.....didn't care much for LaCucinca, as a matter of fact, will skip it on our April cruise on the Bliss

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david_sobe

david_sobe

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Have never been impressed with La Cucina.  When it was a $10 cover charge, it was worth it for atmosphere alone.  I've had better pasta at the buffet and MDR.  We even wrote on the comment card how much better the gnocchi was in the MDR than La Cucina.  Having said that, I am really looking forward to the new Italian restaurant on Encore.

I would definitely vote Teppanyaki over La Cucina.  Besides the show, you get more bang for the buck because I believe its more expensive than La Cucina.  I know there are some steak options at La Cucina but IMHO, most of the menu is MDR quality and not worth any upcharge.  Even the bread is not great.  I preferred the bread sticks they had 10 years ago.  I get a kick out of the people that always talk about chicken parmigiana.  I think that is a MDR meal and not worth a specialty upcharge.  Its what you would get at Denny's or Olive Garden.

Some dishes in specialty restaurants are worth the upcharge.  But sadly many of them including many appetizers and sides are MDR quality.  I was watching a NCL loyalist review the other day and they correctly pointed out the "French" onion soup at Le Bistro is the same as the MDR only with cheese put on top.  This is another reason IMHO the specialty restaurants are sometimes a gimmick and way over charged for what you get.  I don't think Teppanyaki is an overcharge.  You can get fresh rich, lobster, and steak made fresh right in front of you.  I definitely agree its a true specialty restaurant.  

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