Specialty dining reservation times need to be fairly distributed.

[90scruzer]

Just now, clo said:

So you just don't like the taste of duck? As far as pates, is it the texture you don't care for. Although even that runs the gamut from smooth and silky to coarse.

it's not the flavor or texture.   it's the organ.   like/love the flavor (not sure which as it's been too long), but knowing just what gizzards and liver are doing, moved them off the menu for us.   fortunately, it's an option we can follow.   

[clo]

2 minutes ago, 90scruzer said:

it's not the flavor or texture.   it's the organ.   like/love the flavor (not sure which as it's been too long), but knowing just what gizzards and liver are doing, moved them off the menu for us.   fortunately, it's an option we can follow.   

I'm sorry. I have no idea what you're talking about. I've cooked (and eaten) gizzards but only saw them once in a restaurant in Brazil. And I really don't know that they DO anything once they're no longer running around. I'm sincerely confused. Help me please.

[90scruzer]

1 minute ago, clo said:

I'm sorry. I have no idea what you're talking about. I've cooked (and eaten) gizzards but only saw them once in a restaurant in Brazil. And I really don't know that they DO anything once they're no longer running around. I'm sincerely confused. Help me please.

no worries - keep on eating them.   We've just elected not to.    Kind of like smalec - fantastic stuff, but definitely something only in moderation for us.   though many probably would find it repulsive if they knew what it is -- and if you like pate on bread, personally I like the flavor of smalec on bread a lot better.  Everyone is different. YMMV.       

[clo]

4 minutes ago, 90scruzer said:

no worries - keep on eating them.   We've just elected not to.    Kind of like smalec - fantastic stuff, but definitely something only in moderation for us.   though many probably would find it repulsive if they knew what it is -- and if you like pate on bread, personally I like the flavor of smalec on bread a lot better.  Everyone is different. YMMV.       

Although most pates are made from meat and fish, there are even vegetarian ones. And I still don't get the duck thing. 

[Harters]

4 minutes ago, clo said:

there are even vegetarian ones

Although most of the pates/terrines I make at home use meat (usually pork), there's this mushroom pate that's pretty good - certainly better than the one I buy at the supermarket

 

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/mushroom-pate

[clo]

2 minutes ago, Harters said:

Although most of the pates/terrines I make at home use meat (usually pork), there's this mushroom pate that's pretty good - certainly better than the one I buy at the supermarket

 

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/mushroom-pate

That sounds really good. Really. And, yeah, most pates I've had have been pork IIRC.

[90scruzer]

6 minutes ago, Harters said:

Although most of the pates/terrines I make at home use meat (usually pork), there's this mushroom pate that's pretty good - certainly better than the one I buy at the supermarket

 

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/mushroom-pate

so if most are pork, you would probably like smalec 😄

I would eat this mushroom pate.   hadn't thought about the vegetarian side of this.   thanks for the pointer!

[Harters]

10 hours ago, 90scruzer said:

you would probably like smalec

I'd not heard of it previously but I've just done a quick Google and you're right - I'd absolutely like it. It had me at "lard". 😀

 

I think my best ever vegetarian pate was a three layer one I made at Christmas over 30 years ago. Basically three purees, set with egg, - carrots, parsnips and Brussels sprouts. Really festive looking. Unfortunately I lost the recipe years back but maybe I should try to recreate it. 

[Techno123]

On 9/14/2024 at 6:30 PM, pinotlover said:

😂 meant to say “Southern “ Europeans! 🥹
 

You did bail from the EU!!🤔

Sadly we bailed from the European Union but we are still part of the continent of Europe (fortunately) so still Europeans 😜

[Techno123]

14 hours ago, Harters said:

Although most of the pates/terrines I make at home use meat (usually pork), there's this mushroom pate that's pretty good - certainly better than the one I buy at the supermarket

 

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/mushroom-pate

I've just saved that recipe 😁

[nuevowavo]

Back to specialty reservations:

We just booked our specialties for a December Marina cruise.

Looks like they don't offer any 7:00 spots for any restaurant on any day anymore. This must be new as we had 7 pm reservations on Insignia last December.

BTW, I did the midnight thing (we're in a PH) on the first day, but today at noon there were  2-tops available in every restaurant , every time slot every day.

[islabahia]

We booked our specialty reservations on 9/13 (we are in a PH2).  As soon as the clock showed 12:01 AM I was able to book 2 top seating for all meals.  We are not fans of sharing tables.

[pinotlover]

50 minutes ago, nuevowavo said:

Back to specialty reservations:

We just booked our specialties for a December Marina cruise.

Looks like they don't offer any 7:00 spots for any restaurant on any day anymore. This must be new as we had 7 pm reservations on Insignia last December.

BTW, I did the midnight thing (we're in a PH) on the first day, but today at noon there were  2-tops available in every restaurant , every time slot every day.

Typically, the 7:00 time slot was only for seven (7) day cruises where the first available dinner was 6:00 instead of 6:30. May be the occasional exception, but generally the case.

[cruiserchuck]

I made my reservations at midnight at 45 days out and was able to get 2 top seating for all meals.  

[FolsomMike]

13 minutes ago, cruiserchuck said:

I made my reservations at midnight at 45 days out and was able to get 2 top seating for all meals.  

Do you mind sharing at what times?

[durberville]

Just now, FolsomMike said:

Do you mind sharing at what times?

Yes. I had the same booking time and was ready at midnight. Managed 2 tops but two at 9pm 😬, 1 at 8:30 and the last at 8:00 which felt like a win! Haha! I wouldn’t mind the 9 pms if I thought the restaurants would still be lively - just don’t want to be eating while they are shutting down the place - so uncomfortable. 

[cruiserchuck]

I actually made them at 60 days out - concierge cabin.  For some reason I thought the time was 45 days before - luckily I logged into my account a few days before the deadline, and realized it was 60 days, not 45 days.

 

Ember and Toscana at 7:30 pm.

 

Polo at 7:00 pm - sea day

 

Red Ginger at 8:00 pm.

Edited Monday at 07:39 PM by cruiserchuck

[Thought2go]

13 hours ago, Harters said:

I'd not heard of it previously but I've just done a quick Google and you're right - I'd absolutely like it. It had me at "lard".

The recipes call it lard but it is rendered into cracklings. In the US we call it cracklings. Quite tasty snacks. If you like pork belly you would like Smalec -especially if it contains some bacon crumbles.

[mozfoz]

4 hours ago, Thought2go said:

The recipes call it lard but it is rendered into cracklings. In the US we call it cracklings. Quite tasty snacks. If you like pork belly you would like Smalec -especially if it contains some bacon crumbles.

Its not polite to hijack a posts for your personal interest. Be kind enough to start your own topic or stay on topic of the original post.  In the CC board it called etiquette.

[AMHuntFerry]

2 hours ago, mozfoz said:

Its not polite to hijack a posts for your personal interest. Be kind enough to start your own topic or stay on topic of the original post.  In the CC board it called etiquette.

Welcome to the O forum where wandering is a way of life 🙂  (as long as you're back by boarding time).

[chloemonkey]

Onboard the Marina now and although the 6:30 seating at Polo was “overbooked” their words not mine…..the couple in front of us were able to obtain seating when they asked to have a table of four and were willing to share.

Similarly, we were first seating last night at Jacques…..and the place was half EMPTY until 7:30 seating…..at which time there STILL tables available…..

 

Bottom line is that at least on THIS trip…….there does not appear to be a shortage of the earlier time slots in the specialty restaurants……

[Harters]

6 hours ago, mozfoz said:

Its not polite to hijack a posts for your personal interest

Here we are on Page 6 of an interesting chat, full of fun and useful bits of info. But almost no-one has stayed strictly on-topic to suggest a fairer way of making reservations for the specialities, as mozfoz had raised. Maybe you should start a separate topic so we can discuss the etiquette of being on-topic or not. 

[DrHemlock]

4 hours ago, Harters said:

But almost no-one has stayed strictly on-topic to suggest a fairer way of making reservations for the specialities, as mozfoz had raised.

"Fair," in this case, seems only to mean "more beneficial to me even though I paid less than those with more options."  That's not the way life works.  Speaking as a 45-day-out specialty reserver in the middle of the pack, I can't always get what we want -- but if I try sometimes (usually at midnight), I get what we need.  Does that mean the folks in penthouses and suites have an unfair advantage?  No, they have a perfectly fair advantage that maybe I could have had, too, if only I'd saved more and not had so much fun in years gone by.  

Edited yesterday at 01:14 PM by DrHemlock

[ORV]

53 minutes ago, DrHemlock said:

"Fair," in this case, seems only to mean "more beneficial to me even though I paid less than those with more options."  That's not the way life works.  Speaking as a 45-day-out specialty reserver in the middle of the pack, I can't always get what we want -- but if I try sometimes (usually at midnight), I get what we need.  Does that mean the folks in penthouses and suites have an unfair advantage?  No, they have a perfectly fair advantage that maybe I could have had, too, if only I'd saved more and not had so much fun in years gone by.  

There you go

[Harters]

1 hour ago, DrHemlock said:

That's not the way life works.

Ahha. We’re back on topic. Without re-reading the whole thread, I think you may be making the first contribution that specifically suggests that everything is fine as it is. And I think you’re probably right.  Way back upthread, at post #15, I did suggest a couple of alternatives to the current system – either opening reservations at 45 days for everyone so we all take our chances, or open it when someone books the cruise (benefitting early bookers). I’m not convinced either is better than what we have now but they were intended as a reply to the point the OP was raising that, yes, there are workable alternatives.