What's delicious in the MDR?

[Itchy&Scratchy]

2 hours ago, depplep said:

That's too bad. Royal still has it every night and it's my go to.

not anymore

[Itchy&Scratchy]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I would say that MDR dinners are my least favorite meals on NCL ships. 

I came here to ask if the MDR food has improved since 2018. It was an utter disaster on the Getaway and the reason we swore off NCL.

But NCL has a reasonably priced cruise on a reasonably new ship, so I am considering it again. But if the food is still inedible.... 

[depplep]

35 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

not anymore

I'm glad you pointed that out. I've seen several menu's posted on the Royal board and I guess I just assumed it was on every night. Now I am really sad. 🙁

[Biffire]

40 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I came here to ask if the MDR food has improved since 2018. It was an utter disaster on the Getaway and the reason we swore off NCL.

But NCL has a reasonably priced cruise on a reasonably new ship, so I am considering it again. But if the food is still inedible.... 

Food is subjective, I never have an issue finding something I like. I have to admit we are not picky or foodies. I have never encountered anything inedible.I did have one meal where I did not order an entree, just a few appetizers, because there were several that I really wanted to try, and they are usually pretty small.  I finally made Platinum, so with the 2 free at sea specialty dinners, and the 2 latitude dinners, I only eat in the MDR 3 times per cruise. We always make our specialty dining reservations months in advance. The down side is you do not know which nights a favorite dish might be offered in the MDR, First world problems I guess.

[AKR2011]

In general, I love the appetizers and often order a few to make a meal. At lunch,the peanut butter cheesecake is my absolute favorite! 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

15 minutes ago, Biffire said:

Food is subjective. I have to admit we are not picky or foodies.

Food is definitely subjective, but I am a glutton who will eat just about anything, but I doubt anyone would like raw baked potatoes or super dry gnocchi without any semblance of sauce. When I say - inedible, I mean it. Oversalted, cold, dry... Also, the buffet kept running out of all the dishes except for french fries. We'd never had french fries on a cruise before, but that Getaway cruise was french fries galore - the only edible item. The crepes were a definite highlight and the only food we remember with fondness (although, they were great on Jade and mediocre on Getaway).

 

We want edible. We are not picky - we are even happy with current RCI food, even when others think it uninspired and underwhelming.

 

 

39 minutes ago, depplep said:

I'm glad you pointed that out. I've seen several menu's posted on the Royal board and I guess I just assumed it was on every night.

the menus changed about a month and a half ago. You can see all the menus from our 7 day Oasis cruise in April here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2930782-oasis-april-2-9-2023-a-wonderful-cruise/

 

 

 

[complawyer]

fyi, i think you can still get escargot in le bistro. they're not as tasty as those from my front yard, but all in all, not bad (LOL)

[Guyc]

8 hours ago, depplep said:

Do they have escargot in the MDR?

I believe only Le Bistro serves Escargot now.

[MSUjohn]

i Love the MDR on a 7 night cruise i will eat there 4 times for dinner and 7 times for breakfast and lunch when it is open.

 

that said i can say i really cant remember the menu. i basically never get the permanent menu though.

the chicken cordon blue is good. OK i looked it up: beef medallions, bang bang chicken, 

 

i just wish they would bring back the croc madame (sp?) for breakfast

[depplep]

6 hours ago, Guyc said:

I believe only Le Bistro serves Escargot now.

I did see that looking the menus online. I wasn't crazy about the Le Bistro menu. Ocean Blue we will do for sure.

[depplep]

10 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

Food is definitely subjective, but I am a glutton who will eat just about anything, but I doubt anyone would like raw baked potatoes or super dry gnocchi without any semblance of sauce. When I say - inedible, I mean it. Oversalted, cold, dry... Also, the buffet kept running out of all the dishes except for french fries. We'd never had french fries on a cruise before, but that Getaway cruise was french fries galore - the only edible item. The crepes were a definite highlight and the only food we remember with fondness (although, they were great on Jade and mediocre on Getaway).

 

We want edible. We are not picky - we are even happy with current RCI food, even when others think it uninspired and underwhelming.

 

 

the menus changed about a month and a half ago. You can see all the menus from our 7 day Oasis cruise in April here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2930782-oasis-april-2-9-2023-a-wonderful-cruise/

 

 

 

Thank you for the link. Overall the menus look good, still bummed about the escargot though. 

[seemoreroyals]

We really like the huevos rancheros for breakfast at the MDR.  However, they are only available on the menu about once every 5-10 days.  Wish there was a way when you first got on the cruise to know what"s on the menu each day so we could plan accordingly.  

 

We are going on the Prima for the first time later this year and want to try Indulge Food Hall a couple times for breakfast but do not want to miss the huevos rancheros at the MDR if they happen to be on the menu.

[trivimp]

12 hours ago, AKR2011 said:

In general, I love the appetizers and often order a few to make a meal. At lunch,the peanut butter cheesecake is my absolute favorite! 

 

At lunch, we love the Monte Cristo sandwich, but they don't serve it every day... probably a good thing, because it's so rich; I'd hurt myself eating it every day.  

[graphicguy]

Chicken Piccata is good, too!

[UKstages]

i'm surprised at how many people like such few dishes. my impression is that NCL is generally praised for the quality of its food overall, including the MDRs.

 

many people have pointed out that food is subjective... true, but that's really about how you respond to an individual dish and the flavor palette. in general, the food in the MDRs is well prepared, served hot (or cold) as the dish requires and attractively presented. it's like good catering food... mass prepared and generally pleasing to most palates. special requests are almost always honored. and if you don't like the dish, don't eat it. order another! (it'll be out in a minute or two... it's not cooked to order). rinse. lather. repeat.

 

the only problem i have with NCL food (throughout the entire ship) is that it's often under seasoned or not seasoned at all.

Edited May 11, 2023 by UKstages

[lepidoptera]

I think generally their appetizers are good to very good. My last cruise I often had appetizers for dinner, due to not having any mains that I could or would eat. I generally love the soups and their salads are usually very good-beet salad with pumpkin seeds is very good. I do like their beef with pasta mains-I have had very good goulash and ragu. 

 

Their lunch menus are very good. My favorites are probably the bay scallop gratin, the tomato soup, and the monte cristo. 

 

Also I think NCL is very accommodating- I’ve asked for things like my dessert to come with out ice cream or a sandwich/burger without cheese (I’m lactose intolerance) and they have accommodated that. When I was on RCL this fall they would not allow anything like that. I ended up having to order ahead of time and very often they would just bring me out something different from what I ordered-like instead of the cake without ice cream they would serve the vegan dessert. 

[MoCruiseFan]

Whar's delicious in the MDR?

The food..

[curlstravel]

Sometimes I think we eat so often in the specialty restaurants that we expect the regular dining rooms to have equally good main courses.  I have to remind myself when looking at the menu that it’s the regular restaurant and not the upcharge one I am usually very satisfied with whatever I order. There are always two or three things that stand out as my favorites that I always go to. I need to start trying some of the other items because they may be good as well.
 

 

[dachengdao]

23 hours ago, depplep said:

Do they have escargot in the MDR?

I've never seen it there, but DH loves Le Bistro for the escargot app.

[dachengdao]

20 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I came here to ask if the MDR food has improved since 2018. It was an utter disaster on the Getaway and the reason we swore off NCL.

But NCL has a reasonably priced cruise on a reasonably new ship, so I am considering it again. But if the food is still inedible.... 

We will be on the Getaway in December, but just came off the Gem last month. We liked the MDR for lunch and preferred the buffet for dinner (when we weren't in a specialty restaurant). The best thing in the MDR for me was the wedge salad. And the hushpuppies. DH loved their roast tomato bisque, even more than Cagney's lobster bisque. 

[fmrlkr]

The tomato bisques was a favorite, really we liked ALL the soups.  We were surprized by how much we liked the turkey scallopini with mashed potatoes and leeks.  Yum!  The bruchetta was ordered multiple times.  The applepie with cardomom was our favorite dessert.

[Monica887]

21 hours ago, Biffire said:

Food is subjective, I never have an issue finding something I like. I have to admit we are not picky or foodies. I have never encountered anything inedible.I did have one meal where I did not order an entree, just a few appetizers, because there were several that I really wanted to try, and they are usually pretty small.  I finally made Platinum, so with the 2 free at sea specialty dinners, and the 2 latitude dinners, I only eat in the MDR 3 times per cruise. We always make our specialty dining reservations months in advance. The down side is you do not know which nights a favorite dish might be offered in the MDR, First world problems I guess.

Yes! I'm a vegetarian so options are sometimes limited for me. I used to go the first day, look over all the MDR menus and then choose my specialty nights around what sounded good in the MDR. But now that you really have to book in advance, it's too risky to wait until on board. 

[dachengdao]

3 hours ago, Monica887 said:

Yes! I'm a vegetarian so options are sometimes limited for me.

I'm an omnivore, but am trying to eat more healthy to lose weight and lower blood pressure. I found many vegetarian-friendly items in the buffet. There was a section with an array of beans and legume dishes. So many options in the salad bar as well. Just got off the Gem last month and didn't gain any weight.  First time this ever happened, and believe me when I tell you I didn't starve myself. 

[Monica887]

Just now, dachengdao said:

I'm an omnivore, but am trying to eat more healthy to lose weight and lower blood pressure. I found many vegetarian-friendly items in the buffet. There was a section with an array of beans and legume dishes. So many options in the salad bar as well. Just got off the Gem last month and didn't gain any weight.  First time this ever happened, and believe me when I tell you I didn't starve myself. 

I certainly don't starve. But since there's usually only one veg choice each night, if it's not something that I don't care for, I'm stuck. I do like the buffet for lunch but prefer to sit for dinner. 

 

 

[dachengdao]

37 minutes ago, Monica887 said:

I certainly don't starve. But since there's usually only one veg choice each night, if it's not something that I don't care for, I'm stuck. I do like the buffet for lunch but prefer to sit for dinner. 

 

 

We preferred the MDR for lunch and buffet for dinner (when we didn't go to a specialty restaurant) because the buffet had so many more options then. There were many veggie dishes available, cooked and raw. Plus a pasta station, which would be good to customize your order (and an omelette station as well if you eat eggs). I saw a crepe station too, which I guess they can make savory veggie crepes for you.

 

We avoided the buffet in the past b/c it was too chaotic and we had our hands full managing two young children. We would take our kids to the kids' buffet section since there was more empty seating there, then drop them off at Splash Academy so we could have a sit down meal.  Last month was the first cruise without the kids (they're grown now) and we were surprised how good the buffet experience was now versus then.