Riviera Live! March 8 from a food lover and O newbie

[kjbacon]

12 hours ago, pilgrimage said:

 

We had a similar experience with Jacques on our 12/23 cruise - we only had one opportunity (it was a full boat), and it was a late seating on debarkation evening.  Overall, everything was good, but not great.  I'm sure my expectations were too high.  The exceptions were the Sautéed Scallops over Fondant Potatoes and Morel Sauce - which I ordered in an appetizer size, but really wish I had ordered as an entree, and the Foie Gras with Pineapple (the pineapple really makes that dish).  The lump crab meat salad, while beautifully presented, tasted like tuna salad to my (probably highly uneducated) palate.  If you get another dinner at Jacques, I would really recommend the scallops.

Thank you, I’ve considered getting this and now I will be sure to. There are so many good choices on the Jacques menu.

 

10 hours ago, travelbug2225 said:

 
We are thinking about doing Odyssey menu but you said you like the French menu better. Can you please give me the comparison and why you like the French one better?  
 

We almost always prefer the old world wines like our very favorite, a Bordeaux, and the French menu is all French wines (old world). Several of the wines on the odyssey menu were a little on the sweeter side, not our preference, but that speaks about us and not the wines. Similarly, the dessert on the Oddysey menu was too sweet for our taste. The only dish that I thought was a little weak was the Veal Wellington but conversely, the Seared Scallop on Riverstone was one of the very best dishes that I have ever had. We will do both menus again. I just wish we were champagne drinkers so that we would enjoy the third menu.

[LHT28]

4 hours ago, kjbacon said:

 He loved his different take on the Rockefeller again and my salad was very good. The greens were perfect and the bacon beautifully cooked but I still would have preferred blue cheese or even a vinaigrette.

 

 

You could just ask for a different dressing ..one you prefer

they will try to accommodate small changes  like that ..it is an easy change 😉

 

[kjbacon]

23 hours ago, clairol said:

We have never had any luck at Toscana and we love Italian food. Our last cruise in Oct 2021 was no exception - food was average. However, we had very attentive service AND we got the olive oil cart! 

 

I am sorry to hear about your two disappointing meals at Jacques - especially as you were looking forward to it so much! Jacques and Red Ginger are by far our favorites. In Jacques, the foie gras, dover sole and the pot de crème trio are particular favorites (in fact, we would have a pot de crème trio sent to our suite every night - pure decadence!). And then don't even get me started on the cheese cart! Ok, now I am hungry... but only 6 months and 4 weeks until we board again.😁

Thank you but if I might, while our meals at Jacques weren’t perfect, they were not disappointing. We are going back tomorrow and are excited! If the cheese board is as good as you say, that’s a sure bet for us. We aren’t always prone to sweets.

 

I plan to continue my very detailed critique but look at the overall picture. We booked 3 more cruises this week because the food and service are that good. 

[tropicalkerry2002]

also, make sure you get some Parmesan from the wheel, drizzled with Balsamic!

Edit: just realized they may not have that due to Covid.

Edited March 16, 2022 by tropicalkerry2002

[ronrick1943]

Great food photos, thank you for taking the time.

[cruisingxpert]

1 hour ago, kjbacon said:

Thank you but if I might, while our meals at Jacques weren’t perfect, they were not disappointing. We are going back tomorrow and are excited! If the cheese board is as good as you say, that’s a sure bet for us. We aren’t always prone to sweets.

The cheese cart has a wheel of cheese on that you won't find in too many places.  It is called Tete de Moine and it is from Switzerland.  I am a lover of the french "stinky cheeses" and the cart usually has Livarot or Munster .  Even their Brie has a ton more taste than anything I can get at home.

 

I thought that O had misspelled Munster the first time I saw it because I was only familiar with Muenster(totally different cheese)

Munster – This cheese made mainly from milk from the Alsace, Lorraine and Franche-Comté regions, is referred to by some as a monster cheese (see what they did there) due to its particularly pungent smell. But the name actually comes from the small town of Munster where abbeys and monasteries have made the cheese since the middle ages. The tasty, soft cheese is left to mature in damp cellars and its rind is washed regularly with salted water which offers protection and gives it a penetrating aroma. It’s also not the healthiest of cheeses – it has a fat content of 45-50%.

 

Livarot is considered to be one of the finest cheeses by aficionados who love its soft, golden paste with little holes and springy texture. The taste is nutty, melting in the mouth, to release flavours of a salty lemon and spiciness. The texture is creamy, smooth and quite runny at room temperature.

[njhorseman]

49 minutes ago, cruisingxpert said:

 

I thought that O had misspelled Munster the first time I saw it because I was only familiar with Muenster(totally different cheese)

We also thought it was just a misspelling of "muenster" and were we shocked by the first bite ! Unfortunately for me I'm not a fan of "stinky" cheeses so I hated it.

[Jancruz]

3 hours ago, kjbacon said:

Thank you but if I might, while our meals at Jacques weren’t perfect, they were not disappointing. We are going back tomorrow and are excited! If the cheese board is as good as you say, that’s a sure bet for us. We aren’t always prone to sweets.

 

I plan to continue my very detailed critique but look at the overall picture. We booked 3 more cruises this week because the food and service are that good. 

Hate to say it but we told you so..LOL

Jancruz1

[sunlover12]

On 3/15/2022 at 4:43 AM, Twiga said:

We were on the Marina last month.  Toscana was fabulous!  We ate there twice and everything was delicious.  Paolo, the extraordinary barista in Baristas, was in charge of the cart of olive oils and balsamic vinegars.  He took time to explain each to us and make recommendations.

 The oil and vinegar cart is not on Regatta.  The waiter came around with one bottle of olive oil and one of balsamic vinegar. It seems to be only on the O class ships. That’s fine with me, I don’t need a lot of choices. Toscana is my favorite specialty restaurant. Looking forward to it one more time before we disembark. 

[basor]

Just now, sunlover12 said:

 The oil and vinegar cart is not on Regatta.  The waiter came around with one bottle of olive oil and one of balsamic vinegar. It seems to be only on the O class ships. That’s fine with me, I don’t need a lot of choices. Toscana is my favorite specialty restaurant. Looking forward to it one more time before we disembark. 

That is something new as we had the cart on Sirena, Nautica and Regatta but this was pre-COVID....need to check with those on ATW and see if it is there now

[kjbacon]

3 hours ago, cruisingxpert said:

The cheese cart has a wheel of cheese on that you won't find in too many places.  It is called Tete de Moine and it is from Switzerland.  I am a lover of the french "stinky cheeses" and the cart usually has Livarot or Munster .  Even their Brie has a ton more taste than anything I can get at home.

 

I thought that O had misspelled Munster the first time I saw it because I was only familiar with Muenster(totally different cheese)

Munster – This cheese made mainly from milk from the Alsace, Lorraine and Franche-Comté regions, is referred to by some as a monster cheese (see what they did there) due to its particularly pungent smell. But the name actually comes from the small town of Munster where abbeys and monasteries have made the cheese since the middle ages. The tasty, soft cheese is left to mature in damp cellars and its rind is washed regularly with salted water which offers protection and gives it a penetrating aroma. It’s also not the healthiest of cheeses – it has a fat content of 45-50%.

 

Livarot is considered to be one of the finest cheeses by aficionados who love its soft, golden paste with little holes and springy texture. The taste is nutty, melting in the mouth, to release flavours of a salty lemon and spiciness. The texture is creamy, smooth and quite runny at room temperature.

Oh my yes, that’s a definite for us tomorrow. Thanks so much for those mouthwatering descriptions!

[cruisingxpert]

2 minutes ago, kjbacon said:

Oh my yes, that’s a definite for us tomorrow. Thanks so much for those mouthwatering descriptions!

I love the cheese cart. Sometimes they have Epoisses as well- it's the one in the container.  The gray one is goat cheese- I'm not a fan of that one.

[kjbacon]

Meanwhile, we are docked next to the NCL Escape that went aground on Monday. The wind has been much! They are disembarking the passengers and sending them to Orlando by custom air.

 

 

[Hawaiidan]

5 hours ago, cruisingxpert said:

The cheese cart has a wheel of cheese on that you won't find in too many places.  It is called Tete de Moine and it is from Switzerland.  I am a lover of the french "stinky cheeses" and the cart usually has Livarot or Munster .  Even their Brie has a ton more taste than anything I can get at home.

 

I thought that O had misspelled Munster the first time I saw it because I was only familiar with Muenster(totally different cheese)

Munster – This cheese made mainly from milk from the Alsace, Lorraine and Franche-Comté regions, is referred to by some as a monster cheese (see what they did there) due to its particularly pungent smell. But the name actually comes from the small town of Munster where abbeys and monasteries have made the cheese since the middle ages. The tasty, soft cheese is left to mature in damp cellars and its rind is washed regularly with salted water which offers protection and gives it a penetrating aroma. It’s also not the healthiest of cheeses – it has a fat content of 45-50%.

 

Livarot is considered to be one of the finest cheeses by aficionados who love its soft, golden paste with little holes and springy texture. The taste is nutty, melting in the mouth, to release flavours of a salty lemon and spiciness. The texture is creamy, smooth and quite runny at room temperature.

Try  St Marcelene ...FR

[cruisingxpert]

3 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Try  St Marcelene ...FR

Would love to try St Marcellin but I have never seen it on Oceania.  Will look for it when I'm in France.

[basor]

4 hours ago, sunlover12 said:

 The oil and vinegar cart is not on Regatta.  The waiter came around with one bottle of olive oil and one of balsamic vinegar. It seems to be only on the O class ships. That’s fine with me, I don’t need a lot of choices. Toscana is my favorite specialty restaurant. Looking forward to it one more time before we disembark. 

I just checked with friends on the Insignia for the ATW and they confirmed that the cart filled with olive oil and different balsamic vinegars is on the Insignia and they have taken advantage of it multiple times.  Hopefully it will return to Regatta soon.

Edited March 16, 2022 by basor

[Aloha 1]

On 3/15/2022 at 2:24 PM, kjbacon said:

Breakfast was very good again today with the egg special of the day, Huevos Rancheros and a side of fresh fruit.

I LOVE the Huevos on Oceania. I thought the Regent version was just OK.

[chloemonkey]

7 hours ago, Jancruz said:

Hate to say it but we told you so..LOL

Jancruz1

We too are in the same "boat!".....loved some of the food offerings.....likes some....and have already booked 3 additional cruises on Oceania!  And we loved JUNI as well as his passion about the wine presentations at Le Reserve were SO appreciated!  

[ronrick1943]

5 hours ago, cruisingxpert said:

I love the cheese cart. Sometimes they have Epoisses as well- it's the one in the container.  The gray one is goat cheese- I'm not a fan of that one.

Besides the chicken, the cheese cart is outstanding-what a great photo.

[kjbacon]

Puerto Plata was not our favorite port. You can see how the lane to get in is quite narrow and where the Escape ran aground.

 

There is a container shipyard right at the dock so it’s very loud with plenty of fumes. There is a brand new area just off the pier that is literally jaw dropping gorgeous with a few shops, bars, and a swimming pool. If you are good with that, you are all set but if not, sign up for an excursion. When you walk out of that compound, you are in another world and not one that I would recommend with barbed wire, overly aggressive locals, and utter chaos!

 

We had dinner in Red Ginger last night and it was fabulous again. Love the ambiance with choosing my own chopsticks, the warm cloth to cleanse my hands, and do notice the assortment of beautiful plates.

 

 

 

Our first courses were the chef’s choice sushi, crispy potato roll, and caramelized prawns.

 

 

 

We struggled to choose our main courses because there’s so many good choices. The server suggested that they bring smaller portions of more so we said sure but the 3 dishes were all large. They were so delicious and we didn’t want to hurt anyones feelings 😻 so we polished it all off. We had Red Snapper in Banana Leaf, Seven Spice Lamb Chops, and Lobster Pad Thai.

 

 

 

As we often do, we finished our wine for dessert. Red Ginger delivered two flawless meals and being from Philly, I’m not just a snob about French food, I’m a serious snob about Asian food!

 

Today is already our last day 🥲 we are at sea and our dance card is full with finishing our art scavenger hunt (which I highly recommend), reconnecting with new friends, more fine meals, one last happy hour, packing, and saying our fond farewells. Tonight, Jacques.

Edited March 17, 2022 by kjbacon

[kjbacon]

10 hours ago, Aloha 1 said:

I LOVE the Huevos on Oceania. I thought the Regent version was just OK.

I agree! Somehow, I wonder if our paths have crossed.

 

8 hours ago, chloemonkey said:

We too are in the same "boat!".....loved some of the food offerings.....likes some....and have already booked 3 additional cruises on Oceania!  And we loved JUNI as well as his passion about the wine presentations at Le Reserve were SO appreciated!  

Juni is an absolute gem. His knowledge is impressive. His enthusiasm and pure joy are contagious.

 

14 hours ago, cruisingxpert said:

I love the cheese cart. Sometimes they have Epoisses as well- it's the one in the container.  The gray one is goat cheese- I'm not a fan of that one.

Wow, gorgeous!

[kjbacon]

Cruisingxpert, I was trying to say that your cheese cart picture is magnificent and I can’t wait to taste them all!

[kjbacon]

We had our last lunch in the Grand Dining Room with new friends and it was a lovely time. Each dish we had was terrific and our service was wonderful. Thank you Juni, Rudi, and Abigail!

 

We started with Chicken Liver Pate’ and a Mediterranean Tuna Tartare. The side on the pâté’ was a surprisingly delicious pickled eggplant. I can’t load the tuna picture no matter how hard I try!

 

We followed with a Panzanella Salad and a Tuscan Bean Soup. Unfortunately, the company was so good that we forgot to take a picture of the soup 😁

 

We both had Spaghetti and Clams for our main.

 

Desserts were blood orange sorbet and pistachio cake. Lunch tomorrow? A salad, hold the dressing!

 

 

A luxurious nap followed and we are getting ready to go to a matinee show, a real treat for us because we our on such an early routine. We love shows but rarely see them on a ship.

[Aloha 1]

9 hours ago, kjbacon said:

I agree! Somehow, I wonder if our paths have crossed.

Only on this Forum. We didn't board Explorer until 2/21 but we've been on Riviera several times. Before you sadly disembark and finish your live report, did you have have dinner at The Terrace one night?

[Pizzasteve]

10 hours ago, kjbacon said:

I agree! Somehow, I wonder if our paths have crossed.

 

Juni is an absolute gem. His knowledge is impressive. His enthusiasm and pure joy are contagious.

 

I think the breakfast dish to get on Regent is the Poached Eggs on Rustic Avacado Toast, make sure to get two eggs.   It was wonderful in main dining as the bread/avacado combination was wonderful.  They also had a very good breakfast chickpea pancake with tomato and spinach salad on top.