Ember on Vista

[SSFrance69]

Has anyone heard if Ember be open for lunch? I believe it only says dinner on the website. I can see dining there for a nice lunch, but otherwise I'll stick to the others I've tried and liked, or the GDR, which in my opinion was excellent.

[basor]

1 hour ago, SSFrance69 said:

Has anyone heard if Ember be open for lunch? I believe it only says dinner on the website. I can see dining there for a nice lunch, but otherwise I'll stick to the others I've tried and liked, or the GDR, which in my opinion was excellent.

Ember, a signature addition to Oceania's favorite dining options, is a dining room that will be open for lunch and dinner, serving American cuisine. Dishes will include braised short ribs on polenta, grilled swordfish with asparagus, crab cakes with spicy aioli and a Cobb salad with smoked chicken

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

On 5/10/2023 at 4:16 AM, DoulaAnn said:

O has different restaurants because people have different preferences.  No one is forcing us to do anything.  I would definitely suggest people try it once to see the reality.  All the reviews I've seen from those onboard the first cruise have been very positive about Ember.

 

The first cruise is all invited guests not paying customers so of course the reviews are going to be good - I'll wait to read genuine experiences.

[halfapair]

23 hours ago, ToxM said:

The menu looks nice, and I am sure the food is lovely, but not sure it would warrant booking as a speciality? 

 

It doesn’t LOOK like a speciality menu to me. 

 

The menu is more casual than the GDR and if there were a pecking order of venues on O for me this would sit below the GDR and at around the Terrace and pizza sit down option.

 

I like both Terrace and the pizza place btw!

I hope that non-adventurous people will like it so that there will be openings in Red Ginger😉

I am on team #Jacques, and am sorry that venue is not on Vista (or Allura?). Too bad.

 

I go on vacation to see/do/eat things I can't get at home, and French food is one of those things. I can get a pork chop down the street.

[pinotlover]

47 minutes ago, halfapair said:

I hope that non-adventurous people will like it so that there will be openings in Red Ginger😉

I am on team #Jacques, and am sorry that venue is not on Vista (or Allura?). Too bad.

 

I go on vacation to see/do/eat things I can't get at home, and French food is one of those things. I can get a pork chop down the street.

I agree wholeheartedly. However, I truly believe Embers will be a hit. A restaurant serving Merican food with a fairly quick turnover will appeal to many. 
 

I organize shore excursions on many of my cruises going to exotic foreign ports. You’d be surprised at the number of people that ask if we’ll be back by 2:00 so to eat in the Terrace. They don’t want any of that furin Etalian or Vietnamese stuff, just Merican. Embers will be a huge hit with them. 
 

Embers is currently reservations only at dinner, merely replacing Jacques. I see it as having very little impact on the other venues. 

Edited May 11, 2023 by pinotlover

[Cape Hernlopen]

Dear Fellow Cruisers:

 

The menu for Embers appears ordinary but the fact that it is open for lunch and offers a sit down/service option is a strong positive.  My major reservation is on quality ingredients and preparation since they exclaim that the "fish and chips" is made with Chilian Sea Bass.  No Englishman would consider eating "fish and chips" that does not contain either cod or haddock.

Joel Barry

[basor]

An excellent review of Embers along with pictures was just posted on that other social media forum by someone currently onboard...it looks marvelous and a nice option, for those that want a more casual atmosphere but with table service.  Around our neck of the woods, their offerings would not be considered ordinary but then maybe Oregon is too ordinary.

[jonthomas]

Halibut for us Canadians and yes to cod of course.

[shepherd really]

6 minutes ago, Cape Hernlopen said:

Dear Fellow Cruisers:

 

The menu for Embers appears ordinary but the fact that it is open for lunch and offers a sit down/service option is a strong positive.  My major reservation is on quality ingredients and preparation since they exclaim that the "fish and chips" is made with Chilian Sea Bass.  No Englishman would consider eating "fish and chips" that does not contain either cod or haddock.

Joel Barry

Spiny dogfish would like a word with you.

[CruiseLibra]

3 hours ago, pinotlover said:

I agree wholeheartedly. However, I truly believe Embers will be a hit. A restaurant serving Merican food with a fairly quick turnover will appeal to many. 
 

I organize shore excursions on many of my cruises going to exotic foreign ports. You’d be surprised at the number of people that ask if we’ll be back by 2:00 so to eat in the Terrace. They don’t want any of that furin Etalian or Vietnamese stuff, just Merican. Embers will be a huge hit with them. 
 

Embers is currently reservations only at dinner, merely replacing Jacques. I see it as having very little impact on the other venues. 

The final menu was just posted on another site. There is no Mexican food on the menu. 

[jonthomas]

Excellent. I am one of the few that doesn't like Mex food, or Indian or any selfish. Yeah very picky. 

[pinotlover]

17 minutes ago, CruiseLibra said:

The final menu was just posted on another site. There is no Mexican food on the menu. 

😂😂

 

I plainly printed Merican not Mexican!🍷

[Cape Hernlopen]

Dear S.R.

 

In what language would the conversation take place?  I am not conversant in either "dog" nor in "fish" but I do speak from experience!

Joel Barry

[shepherd really]

1 minute ago, Cape Hernlopen said:

Dear S.R.

 

In what language would the conversation take place?  I am not conversant in either "dog" nor in "fish" but I do speak from experience!

Joel Barry

The export of spiny dogfish to the UK for fish and chips is a lucrative market.  It is commonly and intentionally mislabeled as rock salmon.

[WayneLaR]

1 hour ago, jonthomas said:

Halibut for us Canadians and yes to cod of course.

Sorry, Jon, have to disagree with you there.  It's haddock or bust around the maritime provinces. 

[PirateShark]

I'm Team Cod!  Looking forward to getting the real stuff in the UK come August.  If I have to do Haddock, I won't complain either.

[jonthomas]

Yup in the maritimes, but not a fave in Ontario. Cod and halibut are my faves.

[halfapair]

2 hours ago, jonthomas said:

Halibut for us Canadians and yes to cod of course.

Same for us in Washington State - love me some halibut fn'c!

[LHT28]

52 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

Yup in the maritimes, but not a fave in Ontario. Cod and halibut are my faves.

That is YOUR fav but not everyones

 

 We will take Halibut or haddock  not  a fan of Cod  but then it depends on where the cod is sourced 

Tonight it is Perch  & chips 😃

 

 

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

Last time I saw spiny dogfish/rock salmon used for fish & chips here in the British Isles was in the mid 70''s......most fish & chip shops will serve cod and/or haddock as the premium option, and pollock (or callig, as we call it here in the Isle of Man) or whiting as the standard fish.  As for sea bass??? 🤔🤔

[chloemonkey]

2 hours ago, basor said:

An excellent review of Embers along with pictures was just posted on that other social media forum by someone currently onboard...it looks marvelous and a nice option, for those that want a more casual atmosphere but with table service.  Around our neck of the woods, their offerings would not be considered ordinary but then maybe Oregon is too ordinary.

But isn't that what Terrace Cafe is for?  I know it's not table service....but seriously.....I am beginning to think that some of those pundits that espouse the idea that the "old timer" Oceania customers will soon be a thing of the past....as you hear more and more "I don't want to dress up"...."I want a quicker meal service".....just seems as though people are moving in a different direction....or maybe those "old timers" are moving onto other true luxury lines?  I will try Vista once.....but as we are not fans of Red Ginger.....and were fans of Jacques.....I am afraid that we will find it lacking somehow.....I mean one of the things that I SO looked forward to was escargot.....We ate at Jacques SIX times on our last cruise.....Polo five times....Toscano five times.....Red Ginger once.....

[basor]

Just now, chloemonkey said:

But isn't that what Terrace Cafe is for?  I know it's not table service....but seriously.....I am beginning to think that some of those pundits that espouse the idea that the "old timer" Oceania customers will soon be a thing of the past....as you hear more and more "I don't want to dress up"...."I want a quicker meal service".....just seems as though people are moving in a different direction....or maybe those "old timers" are moving onto other true luxury lines?  I will try Vista once.....but as we are not fans of Red Ginger.....and were fans of Jacques.....I am afraid that we will find it lacking somehow.....I mean one of the things that I SO looked forward to was escargot.....We ate at Jacques SIX times on our last cruise.....Polo five times....Toscano five times.....Red Ginger once.....

I was indicating that it provides an additional option and does not take away from options (I understand about Jacques - our favorite besides Red Ginger).  We certainly will look forward to another option on a night when we are tired from a day ashore.  As stated, we each have our favorites and are not happy when it is our "favorite" is gone but, for us, losing our favorite restaurant will not be a reason to not sail on Vista unless we find that the overall experience is very lacking.  Also, most people do not have the option to eat in the specialty restaurants as often as you so that may not impact the rest of us as it does you.

[jackdeb]

Chloe, I couldn’t agree more! Those are our favourites in that order. The pictures and menu of Ember look interesting, but more like a stepped up 

Applebees. Definitely not part of ‘ The finest cuisine at sea’ . The idea of being rushed out in an hour and a half does well, and doesn’t make for fine dining.

[basor]

9 minutes ago, jackdeb said:

Chloe, I couldn’t agree more! Those are our favourites in that order. The pictures and menu of Ember look interesting, but more like a stepped up 

Applebees. Definitely not part of ‘ The finest cuisine at sea’ . The idea of being rushed out in an hour and a half does well, and doesn’t make for fine dining.

I will wait to hear the reviews of people actually onboard Vista and not third hand comments.  I did not see anyone remarking on them being "rushed" out of Embers and not enjoying their meal at what ever pace they chose.  I do not find crab cakes, lobster mac and cheese (from Jacques menu) and other items offered at our Applebees (but we do not eat there often) but I certainly enjoyed them on O in their specialty venues.  There are still other specialty restaurants and the GDR onboard for those that want that experience and now some new options for those that want something different on those nights when other activities, returning late and tired from shore or do not have a specialty restaurant reservation are looking to dine.  It also will take some of the pressure off Terrace at lunch and dinner when people complain about it being crowded...why the angst - lots of options is a good thing.

[LHT28]

We are not foodies   but we do like other things about Oceania  that keeps  us coming back

 Jacques is too fancy for our tastes

Plant based  foods  too yuppie for us  😄

I like Polo DH  is not a Fan

I like RG  for the most part

DH could eat in Toscana  every night  if he could

GDR  usually has something good  we will like

 

We have never gone hungry   so I am sure  we will survive with Ember  & other venues

We try to avoid the Terrace  for Breakfast & dinner 

 

If you are not a fan of a certain venue  then just do not go there  others that like  that venue will thank you

If they find  some restaurants  are empty they might just make changes to that  menu

 

I do not have to cook the food or do the dishes  so  I am happy  with whatever

YMMV