Dining Reservations

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

@HUNKY as you will recall that Manfredi’s dinner was in the private dining room with a total of 12 or 14 of us.  Like your other half, both of us were disappointed in our meals that evening but given the party size didn’t want to send anything back.  
 

 

 

Here is an opinion....  I am not one that enjoys sending something back, because if you are at a larger table, and not just with your spouse, it can be seen as rude, or arrogant, or something the like... I know people that would rather leave the restaurant and go to bed without dinner than send something back because it was not acceptable or what they expected.

 

BUT, if you don't send back a medium steak that was ordered medium rare, then the Chef(s) will not realize that they cooked something incorrectly.  I agree with you Clay that thin steaks are very hard to cook to a rare or medium rare temperature, but then they should not be cutting them that thin, and there should not be inconsistencies with the thickness of the steak.  This is both a quality of the prep and a quality of the cooking issue.

 

If this is not highlighted, then this grill chef is never going to know that they did not meet the guests expectations.  Also, the prep cooks that are cutting the steaks need to know where they messed up.  Or, if the steaks arrive to the ship already cut, then they have a quality issue with the supplier.

 

I personally think that a Grill Chef is a real skill.  They have to be able to know the heat of their grill, the cut of the meat, the time on the grill, the resting time, and the time to your table to get the temperature of the meat exactly right.  If there is an issue with the thickness of the steak and the thickness is inconsistent with the same cut, then tit is really difficult to get this right.

 

I think that we must raise attention when something like this is amiss, and I do believe that we can do it quietly and politely and in doing so we are helping Viking and the Chef(s) put out a better product.

 

I know I focused on the steak, but this is for everything that comes out of a Viking kitchen.

 

Just an opinion about Chef's Table... My husband and I LOVE tasting menus and we have been known to spend a lot of money locally at home on blind tasting menus that there is no menu and you are at the mercy of the Chef for each course.  We Love this.  Chef's Table is a unique product, and do I think that it belongs on Viking?  Yes and No.  For us we love it, but we also note that on ocean cruises we have been on, there have always been many tables available.  This translates to me that many Viking guests either do not like the menu, or the focus of the menu is off for them.  We hope the Chef's Table lives on as it is, and although I understand that someone does not like seafood, I would not want to see that focus taken away.  Tasting menus are just not everyone's cup of tea.

 

In reality, we don't try to get reservations at Manfredi's as we don't love Italian food, and pretty simply, the Manfredi's menu really does not appeal to us.  We like a couple of things, but we would eat at the Chef's Table every night even duplicating menus over eating at Manfredi's.  

 

To each their own taste.

 

This is just opinion and not to offend anyone or their tastes.

[FetaCheese]

On Star last month, Manfredis had the best "Grill Man", Joseph.  He prepared my Viking Bistecca correctly to my order preference, a couple of times.  I complimented him each time when I saw him, as he works the Pool Grill during the day.

 

An experienced "Broiler Chef" (another title) is necessary for a top tier restaurant to remain so.

[Clay Clayton]

On 2/6/2024 at 5:57 AM, CDNPolar said:

 

Here is an opinion....  I am not one that enjoys sending something back, because if you are at a larger table, and not just with your spouse, it can be seen as rude, or arrogant, or something the like... I know people that would rather leave the restaurant and go to bed without dinner than send something back because it was not acceptable or what they expected.

 

BUT, if you don't send back a medium steak that was ordered medium rare, then the Chef(s) will not realize that they cooked something incorrectly.  I agree with you Clay that thin steaks are very hard to cook to a rare or medium rare temperature, but then they should not be cutting them that thin, and there should not be inconsistencies with the thickness of the steak.  This is both a quality of the prep and a quality of the cooking issue.

 

If this is not highlighted, then this grill chef is never going to know that they did not meet the guests expectations.  Also, the prep cooks that are cutting the steaks need to know where they messed up.  Or, if the steaks arrive to the ship already cut, then they have a quality issue with the supplier.

 

I personally think that a Grill Chef is a real skill.  They have to be able to know the heat of their grill, the cut of the meat, the time on the grill, the resting time, and the time to your table to get the temperature of the meat exactly right.  If there is an issue with the thickness of the steak and the thickness is inconsistent with the same cut, then tit is really difficult to get this right.

 

I think that we must raise attention when something like this is amiss, and I do believe that we can do it quietly and politely and in doing so we are helping Viking and the Chef(s) put out a better product.

 

I know I focused on the steak, but this is for everything that comes out of a Viking kitchen.

 

Just an opinion about Chef's Table... My husband and I LOVE tasting menus and we have been known to spend a lot of money locally at home on blind tasting menus that there is no menu and you are at the mercy of the Chef for each course.  We Love this.  Chef's Table is a unique product, and do I think that it belongs on Viking?  Yes and No.  For us we love it, but we also note that on ocean cruises we have been on, there have always been many tables available.  This translates to me that many Viking guests either do not like the menu, or the focus of the menu is off for them.  We hope the Chef's Table lives on as it is, and although I understand that someone does not like seafood, I would not want to see that focus taken away.  Tasting menus are just not everyone's cup of tea.

 

In reality, we don't try to get reservations at Manfredi's as we don't love Italian food, and pretty simply, the Manfredi's menu really does not appeal to us.  We like a couple of things, but we would eat at the Chef's Table every night even duplicating menus over eating at Manfredi's.  

 

To each their own taste.

 

This is just opinion and not to offend anyone or their tastes.

Agree with you and in retrospect sorry we didn’t send our Sweet & Salty overcooked scallops back….but hopefully the Maitre d’ gave the feedback to Chef. 
 

So far it has been difficult to get reservations in both alternate venues.  As always, Chef’s Table has been easier as long as one is flexible, Manfredi’s less so unless your flexibility is after 8:15. 
 

Interestingly, there always seem to be empty tables-perhaps staffing issues have reduced the number of available reservations 🤔

[CDNPolar]

5 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Agree with you and in retrospect sorry we didn’t send our Sweet & Salty overcooked scallops back….but hopefully the Maitre d’ gave the feedback to Chef. 
 

So far it has been difficult to get reservations in both alternate venues.  As always, Chef’s Table has been easier as long as one is flexible, Manfredi’s less so unless your flexibility is after 8:15. 
 

Interestingly, there always seem to be empty tables-perhaps staffing issues have reduced the number of available reservations 🤔

 

Yes, not just on the ship, but you can walk into a restaurant and they seem to have lots of tables open, but cannot seat you and that is typically because they don't have enough staff to cover the tables.  I am not aware that Viking are lacking the serving staff, but it could be.

 

Clay - I am sure you have, but have you tried booking on the Voyager App?  We have always had better luck with the app over Guest Services or the Restaurant directly.

[Clay Clayton]

12 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Yes, not just on the ship, but you can walk into a restaurant and they seem to have lots of tables open, but cannot seat you and that is typically because they don't have enough staff to cover the tables.  I am not aware that Viking are lacking the serving staff, but it could be.

 

Clay - I am sure you have, but have you tried booking on the Voyager App?  We have always had better luck with the app over Guest Services or the Restaurant directly.

We have and have in the past I would agree with you but that isn’t the case on this cruise.