1st Celebrity After 10-Year 'Never Again' - Silhouette 12/4/2023

[hcat]

27 minutes ago, At Sea At Peace said:

Sushi on 5

 

Hopped in there a couple of times and ordered small plates.  Still not very busy, but noted the HR department, full uniform, enjoying two full tables at the back of the venue. Saw this go by, had to order one.😉

 

Transferring PICS from The Lawn Club last night.  Will post later.  Will be an interesting 'take' on the venue. 

 

What was this ?  looks good to share!

 

Sounds like you are creative with photos..  We are  used to E Class set up, with the green screen..not sure Silho will be the same.??  

[At Sea At Peace]

10 hours ago, hcat said:

What was this ?  looks good to share!

 

Sounds like you are creative with photos..  We are  used to E Class set up, with the green screen.shot sure Silho will be the same.??  

 

 

It was the spicy tuna & shrimp tempora sushi roll with an eel hoisin sauce.  Really good.

 

 

[At Sea At Peace]

A couple of really cool, very private spaces.

 

The Hideaway and the Library.  View from stairs outside dining.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[At Sea At Peace]

Tuscan

 

Berkshire Pork Belly

 

 

Beef Carpaccio

 

*Awesome*

 

 

Minestrone (OK, nothing special)

 

Chicken Parmesan - Pretty good.  Too big for us.  We ate 2" of each side.  Should have done the 1/2 order size.

 

 

Short Rib Pappardelle Ragu - Very, very good.

 

 

 

 

[PTC DAWG]

You had me at beef Carpaccio

[George C]

I think it’s hard to compare haven and yacht club to a non suite celebrity cruise , although even suite experience is not what it was on celebrity. I never get tired of Le Petit Chef, might do it 3 times on next cruise.

 

[hcat]

35 minutes ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

 

It was the spicy tuna & shrimp tempora sushi roll with an eel hoisin sauce.  Really good.

 

 

definitely!

[At Sea At Peace]

14 hours ago, George C said:

I think it’s hard to compare haven and yacht club to a non suite celebrity cruise , although even suite experience is not what it was on celebrity. I never get tired of Le Petit Chef, might do it 3 times on next cruise.

 

 

Yep.  It's hard to compare NCL Haven to MSC Yacht Club just with the different Classes of ships of each as they are not the same on all of either.

 

Celebrity Retreat looks nice.  Again, much different on Silhouette than the Apex Class.  Of note, it appears the the Retreat Lounge is down on Deck 5 next to Murano.  Where is the restaurant?

 

Screenshot of new Le Petit Chef menu.  We did talk to several who, not satisfied with the limited offerings, were able to select something they wanted from Blu or Tuscan.

 

 

 

[At Sea At Peace]

The Lawn Club

 

It was a nice experience.  Loved the early gang-searing of the tenderloins and rib eyes.

 

 

Kind of being at a tailgate party at a big college or NFL game.

 

 

Didn't do the Salad Bar * * More on that Concept * * Later

 

Didn't do the Kebabs.

 

Didn't do the Flatbread Starters * * So kind of an unfair or limited review * *

 

DW had the filet mignon of course.  It doesn't look that good in the picture but the "hot plate" that they put on your table plate so that it is served on such is huge!  It was perfectly seared and 'fork tender' and she enjoyed most of it and I finished.  Both agreed it was under-seasoned pre-sear, but very well cooked and rested.

 

 

I had the marinated lamb chops.

 

I have been on a mission searching for the double cut lamb chop posted every day on the Grand Cuvee Select Dining APP page.  The 4th lamb, the 4th "nope, not it," although I was told I'd find it here.

 

So, here is what is presented ~

 

 

Not very impressive, especially when compared with the other meat pre-sear and post cook and rest.  It's cut singe, it's thin.  It's cook quite well.

 

With your eyes closed, there is no way in heck you'd guess it was lamb.  Zero 'game.'

 

Also under-seasoned pre-sear like filet.

 

Chef, nice guy, was asked if on night 9 reservation could I get double cut, NO marinade?  He said 'they come single cut, pre-marinade and frozen so there is nothing he can do.  He was nice, knew what I wanted.  My wife discussed how that particular marinade is specifically made to neuter the 'gamey taste' of the lamb.

 

I'm not a 'no gamey taste' lamb eater.  So, the SEARCH continues (I believe it is in the Retreat restaurant or Blu and I don't have access).

 

Cream Corn a tad too soupy.  Simply drained it.

 

 

The desert were pretty good.

 

DW had the warm chocolate chip cookie (good, no pic)

 

I had the banana bread (Oooops Carrot Cake).  Very good.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by At Sea At Peace

[Cruise a holic]

We love the Lawn club grill- our favorite specialty restaurant- enjoy the salad bar and pizza appetizer.  I typically get lamb chops, baked potato and grilled veggies- Try to avoid the hot cookie with ice cream after the big meal.  My DH enjoys the filet- cooked the way he enjoys it.

[hcat]

We enjoy Lawn Club Grill.. we  share flat bread( pizza) 

 

.. I would  save my salad to eat with the main course, order steak,  seafood skewer, grilled veggies,  baked potato..and sample all of the sides. Lots of food!

 

The warm cookie is a must!

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by hcat

[Travelw]

We are boarding on Jan15th.  Hopefully menu changes promised by the CEO are implemented by then.  Menus showing on the app for our cruise are not impressive.

[At Sea At Peace]

9 hours ago, hcat said:

We enjoy Lawn Club Grill.. we  share flat bread( pizza) 

 

.. I would  save my salad to eat with the main course, order steak,  seafood skewer, grilled veggies,  baked potato..and sample all of the sides. Lots of food!

 

The warm cookie is a must!

 

 

You enjoy all of the offerings.  We're just the two of us on this and we are not big volume eaters at all.  So, for us to go from our normal diet to the The Lawn Club and even sample all of the offerings it would such a leap.

 

SALAD BAR ALTERNATIVE

 

Our thoughts on the salad bar are just opinions.  With a salad bar as expansive as Ocean cafe up top it's tough to put in a small one competitive in a specialty dining venue with similar content.

 

So, our thought would to be to pair to the concept of what is grilled and served there with a more parallel offering and style. 

 

Possibly one tin bin of mixed greens along with a cold bin of iceberg lettuce wedges (quarters or eighths) to start. 

 

Crispy fully bacon (beef and or turkey) and anchovies.

 

Then "skewers" pre-prepared ~

 

1. fresh vegetables

 

2. fresh cheeses and olives

 

3. fresh array of tomatoes etc.

 

ALL with a "choice" if you want raw as is (with dressings or dips) or optionally walked over to be minute grilled.

 

4. cold pasta salad, multi-color, multi-pasta and potato in Ramekins.

 

😋

 

 

[RichYak]

23 hours ago, At Sea At Peace said:

Short Rib Pappardelle Ragu - Very, very good.

I've had this in Tuscan Grill on both Summit and Millennium. One of my favorite dishes on any ship.

[At Sea At Peace]

Hope to update for Celebrity Select main dining last night.  Big celebration of dining crew members, lobster and beef wellington night, etc.  Having hard time with internet uploading anything so will try again later.

 

It was a lot of fun, hectic, busy but fun.  For us, as stated somewhere at the outset of the thread, Celebrity main dining quality of food and, especially, the service, has been better than all others.

 

 

[At Sea At Peace]

Well, leave you all with some pics of N9 Select main dining with lobster tail and beef wellington the most common choices.  Place was packed early.

 

The feed back on the lobster tail was 'all over the place' and the beef wellington pretty well received.  DW said the inside of the pastry was 'doughy' so of course I liked it.

 

I was trying to decide on the lobster tail or the beef wellington (being in New England in summer, fresh, live Maine Lobster is tough to beat).  As our waiter (Kadec I believe) to choose, he gave me both.  DW had the welly.

 

Beef Wellington, hers then mine.

 

 

 

Hiding in the background, the lobster tail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[At Sea At Peace]

Wrapping up the transfer of phones from iPhone (remember to go to settings, photos and select 'most compatible to export in non-iPhone high resolution format to a format acceptable on CC and most SM forums) and found a few more.

 

DW has a windbreaker on quite often as some parts of ship and even venue are quite cold.  🥶

 

You'll notice there appears to be a glass of wine (red or white) from the camera source plate.  That would be mine.  Therefore, no windbreaker needed.  😏

 

Pear and Apple Salad

 

 

Apple Tart with Ice Cream

 

 

Beef Carpaccio - As good as at Tuscan (a tad smaller); just ask for two.  😉

 

 

 

Key Lime Pie

 

 

 

Lunchtime Light Dish - Fried Chicken, FF's and Cole Slaw

 

 

Tomato Soup, Bisque etc. with Cheese and Croutons

 

[rinshin]

On 12/12/2023 at 1:46 PM, At Sea At Peace said:

 

You enjoy all of the offerings.  We're just the two of us on this and we are not big volume eaters at all.  So, for us to go from our normal diet to the The Lawn Club and even sample all of the offerings it would such a leap.

 

SALAD BAR ALTERNATIVE

 

Our thoughts on the salad bar are just opinions.  With a salad bar as expansive as Ocean cafe up top it's tough to put in a small one competitive in a specialty dining venue with similar content.

 

So, our thought would to be to pair to the concept of what is grilled and served there with a more parallel offering and style. 

 

Possibly one tin bin of mixed greens along with a cold bin of iceberg lettuce wedges (quarters or eighths) to start. 

 

Crispy fully bacon (beef and or turkey) and anchovies.

 

Then "skewers" pre-prepared ~

 

1. fresh vegetables

 

2. fresh cheeses and olives

 

3. fresh array of tomatoes etc.

 

ALL with a "choice" if you want raw as is (with dressings or dips) or optionally walked over to be minute grilled.

 

4. cold pasta salad, multi-color, multi-pasta and potato in Ramekins.

 

😋

 

 

 

[rinshin]

On 12/12/2023 at 4:47 AM, At Sea At Peace said:

The Lawn Club

 

It was a nice experience.  Loved the early gang-searing of the tenderloins and rib eyes.

 

 

Kind of being at a tailgate party at a big college or NFL game.

 

 

Didn't do the Salad Bar * * More on that Concept * * Later

 

Didn't do the Kebabs.

 

Didn't do the Flatbread Starters * * So kind of an unfair or limited review * *

 

DW had the filet mignon of course.  It doesn't look that good in the picture but the "hot plate" that they put on your table plate so that it is served on such is huge!  It was perfectly seared and 'fork tender' and she enjoyed most of it and I finished.  Both agreed it was under-seasoned pre-sear, but very well cooked and rested.

 

 

I had the marinated lamb chops.

 

I have been on a mission searching for the double cut lamb chop posted every day on the Grand Cuvee Select Dining APP page.  The 4th lamb, the 4th "nope, not it," although I was told I'd find it here.

 

So, here is what is presented ~

 

 

Not very impressive, especially when compared with the other meat pre-sear and post cook and rest.  It's cut singe, it's thin.  It's cook quite well.

 

With your eyes closed, there is no way in heck you'd guess it was lamb.  Zero 'game.'

 

Also under-seasoned pre-sear like filet.

 

Chef, nice guy, was asked if on night 9 reservation could I get double cut, NO marinade?  He said 'they come single cut, pre-marinade and frozen so there is nothing he can do.  He was nice, knew what I wanted.  My wife discussed how that particular marinade is specifically made to neuter the 'gamey taste' of the lamb.

 

I'm not a 'no gamey taste' lamb eater.  So, the SEARCH continues (I believe it is in the Retreat restaurant or Blu and I don't have access).

 

Cream Corn a tad too soupy.  Simply drained it.

 

 

The desert were pretty good.

 

DW had the warm chocolate chip cookie (good, no pic)

 

I had the banana bread (Oooops Carrot Cake).  Very good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 12/12/2023 at 4:47 AM, At Sea At Peace said:

The Lawn Club

 

It was a nice experience.  Loved the early gang-searing of the tenderloins and rib eyes.

 

 

Kind of being at a tailgate party at a big college or NFL game.

 

 

Didn't do the Salad Bar * * More on that Concept * * Later

 

Didn't do the Kebabs.

 

Didn't do the Flatbread Starters * * So kind of an unfair or limited review * *

 

DW had the filet mignon of course.  It doesn't look that good in the picture but the "hot plate" that they put on your table plate so that it is served on such is huge!  It was perfectly seared and 'fork tender' and she enjoyed most of it and I finished.  Both agreed it was under-seasoned pre-sear, but very well cooked and rested.

 

 

I had the marinated lamb chops.

 

I have been on a mission searching for the double cut lamb chop posted every day on the Grand Cuvee Select Dining APP page.  The 4th lamb, the 4th "nope, not it," although I was told I'd find it here.

 

So, here is what is presented ~

 

 

Not very impressive, especially when compared with the other meat pre-sear and post cook and rest.  It's cut singe, it's thin.  It's cook quite well.

 

With your eyes closed, there is no way in heck you'd guess it was lamb.  Zero 'game.'

 

Also under-seasoned pre-sear like filet.

 

Chef, nice guy, was asked if on night 9 reservation could I get double cut, NO marinade?  He said 'they come single cut, pre-marinade and frozen so there is nothing he can do.  He was nice, knew what I wanted.  My wife discussed how that particular marinade is specifically made to neuter the 'gamey taste' of the lamb.

 

I'm not a 'no gamey taste' lamb eater.  So, the SEARCH continues (I believe it is in the Retreat restaurant or Blu and I don't have access).

 

Cream Corn a tad too soupy.  Simply drained it.

 

 

The desert were pretty good.

 

DW had the warm chocolate chip cookie (good, no pic)

 

I had the banana bread (Oooops Carrot Cake).  Very good.

 

 

 

 

 

It appears that all the sides are carbs.  Only vegetable available is available with their salad bar?  
 

Are any specialty dining areas open for lunch?  I only see dinner times with the app.  And, I wonder why people are reporting not full tables when app is showing no available seating for some?  Is this by design to keep it smaller due to lack of staff, ingredients, etc?  Seems odd. 

Edited January 15 by rinshin

[At Sea At Peace]

1 hour ago, rinshin said:

 

It appears that all the sides are carbs.  Only vegetable available is available with their salad bar?  
 

Are any specialty dining areas open for lunch?  I only see dinner times with the app.  And, I wonder why people are reporting not full tables when app is showing no available seating for some?  Is this by design to keep it smaller due to lack of staff, ingredients, etc?  Seems odd. 

 

Yep, pretty much the sides are carb heavy.  A concern for me.  Wife had the baked potato; she has a different chemistry and metabolism and frequently enjoys such without consequences.  I had (ordered) the cream corn, it was not a hit, very, very milky and watery and I drained it into a water glass, then still didn't eat it. 

 

I guess I could have eaten the Mediterranean vegetables off the top of the flatbread starter?

 

I also missed the marinated vegetable kabob as an alternative that I was told about from another passenger when talking about the experience in the following days.

 

Alternately, I would have been interested in trying seared red and/or green cabbage 'steaks' thinly sliced, marinated slightly in a balsamic.  Just me.

[At Sea At Peace]

1 hour ago, rinshin said:

.  And, I wonder why people are reporting not full tables when app is showing no available seating for some?  Is this by design to keep it smaller due to lack of staff, ingredients, etc?  Seems odd. 

 

We have no idea.  The oddest part of the specialty dining was the emptiness of the venues while others weren't able to make a reservation on the APP.  A definite, unanswered head-scratcher.

 

[hcat]

On 12/11/2023 at 5:03 PM, At Sea At Peace said:

 

 

It was the spicy tuna & shrimp tempora sushi roll with an eel hoisin sauce.  Really good.

 

 

yum!