French Onion Soup

[UnbridledEnthusiasm]

In your opinion does the French Onion Soup taste any different in  the specialty dining restaurants vs the main dining rooms?

[www3traveler]

It shouldn't.  I would guess that it is the same basic mix (recipe).

[BirdTravels]

Yes. 

 

Even between specialty restaurants, they have different recipes. 
 

Cagney

 

Le Bistro

 

[UnbridledEnthusiasm]

11 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Yes. 

 

Even between specialty restaurants, they have different recipes. 
 

Cagney

 

Le Bistro

 

Which one do you think tasted the best?

[chengkp75]

30 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Even between specialty restaurants, they have different recipes. 

While the presentation may be different between venues, I would wager that the basic soup is made in the main galley in the 35 gallon steam heated tilting kettles in the "soup station".

[ColeThornton]

29 minutes ago, UnbridledEnthusiasm said:

Which one do you think tasted the best?

 

 

I think they are equally average.  🙂

Edited September 7 by ColeThornton

[Chocolate Teapot]

During my last dinner in Le Bistro, a nearby diner informed the waiter that the onion soup was the best he had ever eaten.

 

[BirdTravels]

39 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

While the presentation may be different between venues, I would wager that the basic soup is made in the main galley in the 35 gallon steam heated tilting kettles in the "soup station".

Chief, I actually asked the executive sous chef for the restaurant and he said that the recipes were different. The restaurant’s chef actually served us our dinner (versus a random food runner), so we had a chance to chat with him. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, UnbridledEnthusiasm said:

Which one do you think tasted the best?

The soup in Cagney’s. 

[ray985]

On the Viva, I got the French Onion Soup in the MDR/Hudsons and Cagneys and they were both equally mediocre. They might have been different, but I wouldn't describe either as "good." Super disappointing. 

[Asawi]

6 minutes ago, ray985 said:

On the Viva, I got the French Onion Soup in the MDR/Hudsons and Cagneys and they were both equally mediocre. They might have been different, but I wouldn't describe either as "good." Super disappointing. 

I wasn't too impressed at Le Bistro, Gem a year ago either. Prefer the one I make myself, and I'm in no way a great chef! 

[mexico8]

I would guess that the onion soup in main DR does not have gruyere cheese and maybe the specialty restaurants do have the better {tastier} cheese?

[complawyer]

i think le bistro has the best, that doesnt necessarily mean its that good, just the better choice out of  the other venues.

 

few years back i ordered the french onion soup from the MDR, unfortunately, it was  IMO,  watery, tasteless, and only a short step up from dishwater

[david_sobe]

Hamburgers are the same throughout the ship too. In the Haven its just served on a fancy plate but its a buffet burger.  I say that as a good thing because cruise ship burgers are always good no matter if you get them at the buffet, The Local, O'Sheehans, MDR or Haven.

The French toast used to be the same all over the ship too in those triangle quarters.  But I think it changed.

The French Onion soup is fine.  It's Applebees quality.  I could never understand how people rave about soups in Le Bistro.  There used to be an Argentine steakhouse on Lincoln Rd Miami beach that had the best French Onion soup ever.  I knew a French family and they even said the soup was better than most French restaurants in France.  

French Onion soup is pretty much similar everywhere.  When you find the good stuff it hits you over the head.  Its a meal itself and not an appetizer. 

There was a cruise review on youtube and they were comparing soups around the ship and commented the soup in the MDR was the same as Le Bistro.  They posted the photos to show it but I have no personal experience in comparing them around the ship.

Edited September 7 by david_sobe

[hallux]

I could have the French Onion soup in the MDR every day, no problems.  Have it at Cagney's or Le Bistro and I have some digestive issues, worse at Le Bistro.  So, yes, there IS a difference.  Maybe it's a different cheese?  I think some mass-production kitchens will use Swiss or a cheaper cheese on top, while traditionally I think it'll have Gruyere so maybe it's that cheese I have an issue with.

 

No, the issues are not onset of Norovirus, it lasts one round and then done, and it's happened on multiple cruises after having that soup at those specialty venues.

[itsnotjustme]

I truly enjoy French onion soup.  I do find a difference. 

 

In the main dining room, it is like heated soup and they drop a piece of toast with cheese on top.  I know they do it this way as once ours came without the bread and cheese and the waiter said "they forgot to put the crouton on top".

 

Cagney's is much better than the MDR.  Clearly it is baked or broiled with the bread/cheese on top.

 

Le Bistro is best of the three.  Also cooked with the bread and cheese present. 

 

I am looking forward to enjoying a bowl of this one week from Monday at Le Bistro! 

[RocketMan275]

5 hours ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

During my last dinner in Le Bistro, a nearby diner informed the waiter that the onion soup was the best he had ever eaten.

 

Once upon a time, I travelled to Paris with an Army Colonel.  All I heard from him was how much he was looking forward to 'real' french onion soup.  Every night he would ask the waiter if they had french onion soup that night.  Each night he was disappointed.  Finally on the last night, the waiter said 'Of course, we have french onion soup.  The Colonel raved about how good it was and asked the waiter if the chef would share the recipe.  The waiter returned and said: "Sir, you can make this at home and he held up a can of Cambell's French Onion Soup.

[Hot Stop]

4 hours ago, mexico8 said:

I would guess that the onion soup in main DR does not have gruyere cheese and maybe the specialty restaurants do have the better {tastier} cheese?

I was on the Gem last month and it did have Gruyère in the MDR. I thought the soup could use more onions though. 

Edited September 7 by Hot Stop

[kamikazii]

They are 100000% different recipes. MDR one isn’t good, in my opinion. Not worth it. 
 

I personally favor Le Bistro’s soup.

[Distinctive-Destinations]

Could be the exact same recipe, just prepared in smaller batches in smaller pots for freshness. Instead of 35 gallon drum, in say a one gallon pot, for instance. 

[schmoopie17]

For those of you who don't prefer the French Onion in Le Bistro...NO SOUP FOR YOU.

 

Mrs. Schmoopie likes Lobster Bisque. I'm hoping one of the restaurants has it so I can hear her say "Yada, yada" to the bisque.

[Crown Vic]

17 hours ago, itsnotjustme said:

I truly enjoy French onion soup.  I do find a difference. 

 

In the main dining room, it is like heated soup and they drop a piece of toast with cheese on top.  I know they do it this way as once ours came without the bread and cheese and the waiter said "they forgot to put the crouton on top".

 

Cagney's is much better than the MDR.  Clearly it is baked or broiled with the bread/cheese on top.

 

Le Bistro is best of the three.  Also cooked with the bread and cheese present. 

 

I am looking forward to enjoying a bowl of this one week from Monday at Le Bistro! 

👍 👍 

[CruiseMH]

22 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Chief, I actually asked the executive sous chef for the restaurant and he said that the recipes were different. The restaurant’s chef actually served us our dinner (versus a random food runner), so we had a chance to chat with him. 

Do you think if the soup were exactly the same as in the MDR the executive sous chef would admit that in front of the passengers? Why should they then go to pay extra for the speciality restaurants ?

[MiniJeffrey]

The 4 mushroom soup is the better pick guys.

 

But on topic: I would be surprised if they were the same and I'm almost sure it's not the same soup.

[Chocolate Teapot]

1 hour ago, MiniJeffrey said:

The 4 mushroom soup is the better pick guys.

 

But on topic: I would be surprised if they were the same and I'm almost sure it's not the same soup.

I enjoyed the mushroom soup, but I am currently mourning the loss of the Creme Dubarry (cauliflower) with scallops, which has sadly gone the way of the duck on the Le Bistro menu.