Why is prime rib out of the Polo Grill menu on Vista?

[ATWCruiser]

Anybody know why prime rib was cut from the Polo Grill menu on Vista?  That was my favorite menu item.  Whoever is on Vista that loves their prime rib should tell them to bring it back!  I always order the queen cut when on Polo on the other ships.  They can remove the king cut as that is too big but they should keep the queen cut.  I also love their crabcake and now it is moved to Ember.  I don't understand their rationale sometimes.  If it is unpopular, they can remove it.  I get it and maybe I am in the minority.  But I think many people like the prime rib.  I am curious what the restaurant manager on Vista's explanation would be on this. 

[pinotlover]

Waiters told us Costs and tremendous waste. They can do a 4-6 Oz filet, which is all many can and/or do eat, but not that small a prime rib. You’d be shocked to see the amount of waste created, in upscale restaurants, produced by leftover meat dishes. People take 2-3 bites and pitch the rest. Even with the new Tomahawk veal steak, I’ve watched people do the same. Order the 32 chop to take only a couple bites. Some see it as their right, but the prime rib is disappearing.

Edited July 31 by pinotlover

[ATWCruiser]

I could believe the costs reason even though they are raising overall cruise prices.  But for waste, they have these in their Polo Grill menu on Vista which are pretty big in size.

 

Porterhouse (20 oz) | (32 oz)

Galician Veal Tomahawk for 2 (45 oz)
Galician Bone-In Beef Sirloin for 2 (35 oz)

 

You would think they would get rid of these as well.  And do these costs more than the queen cut prime rib?  I don't know my meat prices and that is why I am asking.

 

[Vallesan]

14 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Waiters told us Costs and tremendous waste. They can do a 4-6 Oz filet, which is all many can and/or do eat, but not that small a prime rib. You’d be shocked to see the amount of waste created, in upscale restaurants, produced by leftover meat dishes. People take 2-3 bites and pitch the rest. Even with the new Tomahawk veal steak, I’ve watched people do the same. Order the 32 chop to take only a couple bites. Some see it as their right, but the prime rib is disappearing.

Personally I can’t understand how anybody would want to order a 32oz streak for one person. Ok even if you take the bone out it’s still far too much meat especially on a cruise, when you’ve probably had breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and possibly bar nibbles or canapés or both!

 

I understand some people feel they have ‘paid’ so they need to get their ‘money’s worth’ but IMHO it’s just ‘greed’. Fine if you order a steak and eat it but to take a few bites and then waste the rest is just hideous.

[ruthnlarry]

A year ago, we had the Galician Bone-In Beef Sirloin for 2.  We thought that it was superior to Polo's Prime Rib.  If both were on the menu, we would definitely order Galician Bone-In Beef Sirloin for 2, not the Prime Rib.  During the last few years, we feel that the quality of Polo's Prime Rib has declined quite a bit.

[redraider1966]

3 hours ago, ruthnlarry said:

A year ago, we had the Galician Bone-In Beef Sirloin for 2.  We thought that it was superior to Polo's Prime Rib.  If both were on the menu, we would definitely order Galician Bone-In Beef Sirloin for 2, not the Prime Rib.  During the last few years, we feel that the quality of Polo's Prime Rib has declined quite a bit.

When it was still on the menu in Polo, DW's experience with ordering it two or three times was so bad that she gave up sending it back to the kitchen.  OTOH, we both look forward to its being at the carving station at least once night each cruise at the Terrace, where the quality is consistently good and we can each decide how big or little a slice we can manage.  We do miss Franck Geranger's original mash potatoes as a side, however.  Our only challenge is not to have already made reservations at one of the specialty restaurants that night!

[ORV]

I'm sure they made Franck's Mashed potatoes for years and surely they still have the recipe. Is it against the law to make them the same and just simply call them mashed potatoes? Or is more a Professional Courtesy thing?

[clo]

12 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Waiters told us Costs and tremendous waste. They can do a 4-6 Oz filet, which is all many can and/or do eat, but not that small a prime rib. You’d be shocked to see the amount of waste created, in upscale restaurants, produced by leftover meat dishes. People take 2-3 bites and pitch the rest. Even with the new Tomahawk veal steak, I’ve watched people do the same. Order the 32 chop to take only a couple bites. Some see it as their right, but the prime rib is disappearing.

And a "prime rib" is a slice of a larger piece of meat. It's not cooked to order. And AFAIK from one end to the middle the degree of doneness varies. Yes, waste.

[clo]

12 hours ago, ATWCruiser said:

I could believe the costs reason even though they are raising overall cruise prices.  But for waste, they have these in their Polo Grill menu on Vista which are pretty big in size.

 

Porterhouse (20 oz) | (32 oz)

Galician Veal Tomahawk for 2 (45 oz)
Galician Bone-In Beef Sirloin for 2 (35 oz)

 

You would think they would get rid of these as well.  And do these costs more than the queen cut prime rib?  I don't know my meat prices and that is why I am asking.

 

But don't each of these get cooked to order unlike a whole prime rib?

 

[chengkp75]

9 hours ago, clo said:

But don't each of these get cooked to order unlike a whole prime rib?

 

Correct, a prime rib roast weighs about 12-16 lbs.

[Twiga]

I used to order the Princess Cut prime rib in Polo.  It wasn't on the menu, but offered as an option.  It is smaller than the Queen cut.  It was just the right size.  I am sorry to hear that prime rib has been removed from the Polo menu on Vista.  I will be on the Nautica in a few months.  I hope it is still on the menu there. 

[ATWCruiser]

To reduce waste, they could just make the portion size smaller and if somebody wants more, they can just ask for a double portion.  Like one of the posts said, they probably cook the whole prime rib. So, it only make sense taking it out if it is not that popular.  Well after trying most of the things at the Polo Grill menu, that is my favorite thing I like to order.    

[DENIE]

While I love prime rib, the sizes offered are just too much for me.  I am quite happy with the smaller filet mignon that can be cooked to order.  

[lorimay]

You should have seen the size of the porcini-crusted bone-in ribeye I had in Embers. Ribeye is the same as a slice of prime rib, just cooked (or should be cooked) individually as the slice. However, I have my suspicions that they had cooked the whole roast like a prime rib and finished the steak on the grill. It was so huge the people at the next table pointed and laughed. It was also ordered medium and came medium well or beyond (no pink left). My point is that if they offer this in Embers, they should offer prime rib elsewhere on the ship. 

[pinotlover]

Long story short, prime rib is gone on Vista and I don’t expect it on my booked Allura cruise either. At this point, the only question is “ How long will it continue being served on the other ships?”

[ORV]

One thing that some don't know is that you used to be able to get is Iberico de Belota pork chop in Polo & Jacques. That is also another thing that has quietly disappeared. 

[clo]

3 hours ago, lorimay said:

ordered medium and came medium well or beyond (no pink left)

I hope you sent it back.

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, clo said:

I hope you sent it back.

For?

 

Medium rare is the most popular selection. If all the MR is gone, it’s either gone for the evening or until the next roast is finished. 
 

How long you willing to wait for;

1. The next roast being done, or

2. Them deciding to tell you there will be no more MR?

 

They can cook most steaks to order, but as you yourself pointed out, prime rib is a different beast. My guess is they got MW because all the MR and medium was already gone.

Edited August 1 by pinotlover

[clo]

41 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

For?

 

Medium rare is the most popular selection. If all the MR is gone, it’s either gone for the evening or until the next roast is finished. 
 

How long you willing to wait for;

1. The next roast being done, or

2. Them deciding to tell you there will be no more MR?

 

They can cook most steaks to order, but as you yourself pointed out, prime rib is a different beast. My guess is they got MW because all the MR and medium was already gone.

Sorry. I could have elaborated. Were it I, I would have said "sorry, but this is way over done for me. Do you have anything MR? If not, can I order some other steak please?" I wouldn't eat a well come steak unless my life depended on it!

[Harters]

12 hours ago, clo said:

I hope you sent it back.

I would never send something back for a relatively minor matter such as cooking times being a bit off. It destroys the enjoyment of a meal together. It means I watch my partner having dinner, then they  watch me having dinner. Far, far better to put up with a slightly over/under cooked steak and enjoy our time together. I can only recall three occasions, in our 52 years together, when we've needed to send something back - such a rare occurrence that I can even recall one date (12/8/72). 

Edited August 2 by Harters

[Woofa]

I am generally of the opinion that most things have more than one reason.  True, in the post Covid world we understand that money is a prime factor in just about everything.  No two ways about it but in this case, I think this is just another step in the line of changes moving towards the younger generations way of life.  In my mid fifties, I am in the middle.  I can still remember going out to eat as a child in the seventies and early eighties and having prime rib carved at the table side.  It was a great experience but, at least from what I have seen in the US, one which has mostly disappeared in the last twenty plus years.  Before writing this post, I checked the menus of five area high end steakhouses, most of which are chains you will have heard of and only one offered prime rib.  Prime rib eye steaks, of course but not the sliced rib eye I am used to.  I believe most younger than me no longer have the taste for this eating out. Around the holidays, many still cook it, if Costco sales are any indication.  For us, a few years back we switched to less fatty cuts, with smaller portions as our stomachs are no longer what they were thirty years ago.  

I believe aquamar is another piece of this puzzle and moving to Ember from Jacques as well.  Don't misunderstand, on our first cruise we enjoyed Jacques and plan to again on our upcoming cruise but honestly, I don't believe the people I know in my age category and younger would choose Jacques over Ember.  True, we have not yet had the opportunity to try Ember but I have now read enough comments to believe the quality is there for a specialty on O, even if new venue issues are not yet solved and some just do not like the change.

I am personally glad O is still in business and cruising even if the price has gone up and changes have been made.  Nothing ever remains the same forever and in truth, O may price us out soon as well.  Going to be harder and harder to find the under $400 per person per day deals.  Time will tell but I encourage everyone to think past just the idea of money making every change.  If you told me the average O cruiser was 70 I would believe it and lets face facts, most of them will not be cruising in ten years, never mind twenty years.  O has to continue to try and find a way to keep them coming back, still entice younger cruisers, and both literally and figuratively stay afloat.

[pinotlover]

None of the high end restaurants I consult for offer prime rib. As pointed out by @Woofa, it’s a thing of the past, much like Jacques menu. I probably haven’t seen lobster Thermidor on any menu ( other than Jacques) in 35-40 years. People don’t eat that much cream and butter anymore.

[ronrick1943]

We're eating less as we get older, but I still enjoy a nice cut of Prime Rib.  At home we can take the left overs home--wouldn't do that on a ship.  But no Prime Rib isn't the end of the world.

[ATWCruiser]

You can still get decent prime rib at casino buffets in the U.S. and it is popular enough that it won't be disappearing anytime soon.  Looking at the Ember menu, it is pretty small compared to the other specialty restaurants and some dishes were taken out of the specialty restaurants and placed into Ember.  If you look at the items in Ember, they could easily be placed in the other specialty restaurants.  It just seems like there is a lack of creativity in creating an entirely new specialty restaurant.  Maybe there are some issues on replacing Jacques with another french specialty restaurant but I would think that would be the logical move as French cuisine is suppose to be one of the great cuisines in the world?  In my experience, I enjoy Polo Grill as my favorite. hence my initial post on why the prime rib disappeared off the menu.  Then Toscana would be my second favorite.  Red Ginger is good too but GDR menu oftentimes have Red Ginger entrees in there so not really missing much.  I haven't had too memorable meals at Jacques.  So maybe Oceania looked at the stats and decided to let Jacques go.  But you have 2 french executive chefs but you don't have a french specialty restaurant? You would thing they could create some amazing french dishes.  That is a head-scratcher too.  Having said all of this, I haven't tried Ember yet but will be on Vista next June/July 2025 and ATW 2026 so will have plenty of chances to give it a try.  Also looking forward to trying Aquamar kitchen too. 

[Harters]

31 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

I still enjoy a nice cut of Prime Rib

I've enjoyed it previously on O ships and in land-based restaurants when we've visited the States. A rib roast isnt something often seen here in the UK. Actually can't recall ever seeing it as it'd  usually be a sirloin roast in upmarket places and a much cheaper cut in most restaurants that offer  a Sunday roast. I remember we bought a rib to roast for New Years Eve dinner a couple of years back - almost needed to take out a second mortgage to pay for it, even though it was a small one just for the two of us.

Edited August 3 by Harters