Best Menu Items in the MDR...

[FrankieJayIII]

Hello all, 

 

Now that some of us have been on board in 2023; or even looking back to 2022.   What were your favorite menu items in the MDR.   It looks like there are even new menus and menu items this year from what I am seeing here on CC.    What is your favorite menu item? What is your fall back?  What is your go-to?

Please share your favorites here, menu pictures and food pictures. 

 

Because face it, sometimes we don't know what to order and have no idea what sounds good!

[CruisingWalter]

Just off the Sky Princess, first Princess cruise since 2018 and 5th cruise since the restart. I honestly forgot how good the MDR is on Princess and you really don't appreciate how good the service and food are until you sail some of the other lines for comparison. 

 

We ate in the MDR three nights and most everything we had was good. I appreciate the pared down menu so they can concentrate on making fewer dishes better vs. having an overly large menu. And for those complaining they can't order the 'every day eats' that use to be on the menu, you absolutely can, you just have to ask your server.

 

Honestly, I'd recommend anything you fancy. The souffles were still amazing for dessert. Meats and fish cooked well, sides flavorful. Servers still very helpful and honest, if something is not quite up to par on the menu in their opinion, they will tell you. We were a table of four each evening, usually all four of getting different mains and the only minor complaint was one of my salmon dishes was a touch overcooked. 

 

 

 

 

[latebloomer56]

We sailed on the Sapphire for 15 days last Oct. Wasn't thrilled with the presentation of most dishes but what I ordered I liked others around us not so much some nights but can only speak for myself. 

Happy to see the chilled soups which have always been a favorite of mine. The few souffles I got were smaller than I remembered which was great all desserts appeared smaller but less waste. I didn't have luck with only one dish I did replace it, as always no issue. I tried a pork dish one night and it was cooked perfect as most know pork Hana the easiest meat to cook correctly. I would end up with pork dishes five out of ten MDR dinners. We did have lunch several days over the two weeks and would order the potato wrapped fish daily if available. Like the small servings in the buffet, not only did everything look good it was less waste. Take a serving and if you liked it get another. The buffet was well run on the food end. Servers for drinks were very slow, but you could tell most were training so we were fine with this.

The boring dishes can be explained with everybody having supply issues think this summer will be an improvement. The crew throughout the ship were above fantastic but in the dinning venues they made my first cruise back enjoyable.

[MissP22]

I sometimes ask our waiter for his opinion but the one we have this trip says everything is good.

It's been hit or miss in the DR although the misses haven't been terrible. 

[Jeter02]

They have amazing French onion soup and fettuccine alfredo in the main dining room. The French I need soup is available daily as a favorite.

[sirclean]

"They have amazing French onion soup and fettuccine alfredo in the main dining room. The French I need soup is available daily as a favorite. "

we sailed on Thanksgiving Week on the Discovery.  I tried the French Onion soup. 

In the past, they made it once a trip and it was wonderful.  Over Thanksgiving week, when it was every day, it was not at all good.  It tasted as if it was cooked in a factory, stored in a plastic bag and stored for some time until needed. 

I may order it on the next cruise, but just a small sample.  In the past, I would have ordered 2 bowls and that may have been the most of my meal. 

But since it became every, the quality wasnt good. 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

I’m always happy with the shrimp and scallops.  The salmon is good too.  The funny thing is that I’m usually a beef eater but on a Princess cruise I tend to order the items that I listed.  

[CapnCrews]

I’ve been double dipping the beverage counter in the buffet for years thinking I’m all on to something secret and delicious everytime I got a glass of iced tea and then sweetened it with the lemonade.  
 

Then someone explained that’s just an Alrnold Palmer.  
 

I’m not a golfer so I……I didn’t know.   

Edited March 6, 2023 by CapnCrews

[Eleanor Rigby 14]

French onion soup - DH and I agree! We will continue to order it every evening in the MDR…it is delicious.

[FrankieJayIII]

1 hour ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

I’m always happy with the shrimp and scallops.  The salmon is good too.  The funny thing is that I’m usually a beef eater but on a Princess cruise I tend to order the items that I listed.  

I like this response bc I was checking out the menus from a prior cruise with similar ports... and they seemed to have some beef items that I would want- prime rib.   But all the other menu items that I would want are seafood related... many of the fishes, scallops, shrimp with different preparations.   I might get a beef wellington on one of the nights; but as like a back up entree to some of the other itmes.   I am a HUGE fan of beef that is of good quality and preparation but restaurants usually MISS the mark for me and I don't want to be disappointed.   The menus I saw on the Princess Alaska cruise- some of them are ALASKA based items/fish/seafood... which a special marking to identify them as such.   I might tend to lean those ways because of the cruise i am on.   

[cruzinfamilyof4]

On Carnival there is normally an Indian dish on the dinner menu. I love Indian food, I can’t get it near where I live so I order it every night. (On Carnival) I’ve noticed it’s hardly ever on the Princess menus. Is it something I can special request by any chance? 

[MissP22]

8 hours ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

 The salmon is good too.  The funny thing is that I’m usually a beef eater but on a Princess cruise I tend to order the items that I listed.  

The salmon on the Enchanted in the DR has been hit or miss lately.

Mostly dried out and a little over cooked. 

[RNRcruisers]

I would say my favorite on Caribbean P last month was the coq au vin - delicious. Last year on Regal the ossobuco was fabulous. I had never had it before and was looking forward to having it this year. Unfortunately wasn't offered.

[Sea Green]

The fettucine alfredo and the souffle desserts 

[Rudy888]

A number of evenings they had a seafood bowl, shrimp scallops, clams and a white fish. Light but good. I also like their lamb shank and the rack of lamb was good. It was on the menue 2 times over 20 days.

[that]

13 hours ago, MissP22 said:

The salmon on the Enchanted in the DR has been hit or miss lately.

Mostly dried out and a little over cooked. 

Did you send it back?

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, that said:

Did you send it back?

No.It would have to be really , really bad for me to do that.

[Kineticoh20]

Lamb shank mmmmmm

 

[FrankieJayIII]

someone told me that the sea bass is excellent 

[awinte2]

We just sailed on NCL Prima the end of  February with their new Same Menu All  Week In MDR. We absolutely got tired of it by the 3rd day. We sail Princess and NCL only and now going with Princess this May to Alaska and looking forward to their MDR which we always liked so much we never went to Restaurant you had to pay for.  I believe NCL is going this route so more people will go to the alternative restaurants that cost extra. NCL also went the route of offering special cuts of beef at additional cost in the MDR.  

Understand the cruise lines are trying to save money and only hope Princess does not go the same route, 

[talkorpi]

19 minutes ago, awinte2 said:

We just sailed on NCL Prima the end of  February with their new Same Menu All  Week In MDR. We absolutely got tired of it by the 3rd day. We sail Princess and NCL only and now going with Princess this May to Alaska and looking forward to their MDR which we always liked so much we never went to Restaurant you had to pay for.  I believe NCL is going this route so more people will go to the alternative restaurants that cost extra. NCL also went the route of offering special cuts of beef at additional cost in the MDR.  

Understand the cruise lines are trying to save money and only hope Princess does not go the same route, 

 

Sounds about right for NCL these days 😞

[mtnesterz]

On 3/5/2023 at 3:40 AM, CruisingWalter said:

The souffles were still amazing for dessert.

Usually not a dessert guy, but amazingly good is right.

Edited March 28, 2023 by mtnesterz

[pathi]

My last cruise they served Lamb Shank 1 evening. It was so good I was sorely tempted to pick up the bone and chew it. lol

[erienetuser]

7 minutes ago, pathi said:

It was so good I was sorely tempted to pick up the bone and chew it. lol

 

That's not proper etiquette? Shoot.

[sammyjoanne]

Im afraid I have to pooh pooh the french onion soup and give it a thumbs down. Just couldnt get on with the texture. Glad I gave it a go though. Alfredo was great and liked the chicken dishes.