Toscana on Vista...Portion Control

[santrah]

We have booked our Speciality Restaurants by logging on at 5am UK time for our November cruise.   Looking at the menu there is lots of choices.  How many courses do guests usually choose and how large are the portions?  I hate food waste but there are so many options on the menu. .  Love desserts though and will need space to enjoy one!

[Redtravel]

Ask for half portions.  I prefer the pasta.  I usually get an appetizer, small salad, lasagna, and ice cream.  If you prefer main entre, you can’t go wrong with the Dover sole.

[orchestrapal]

Just in case you only have one reservation at Tuscana you can get their dessert sampler which can be shared.

It will give you an idea of what you like best for “maybe” a second visit.

[Harters]

Toscana is the only one of Oceania's restaurants that passes our "holiday restaurant" test - if it was near home would we become regulars.

 

On Vista (and previous cruises), we've always gone the traditional Italian four course route - starter, pasta, main course, dessert. We order a small portion pasta course. Their bread basket is the best on board to my mind - I don't think we ever leave any. Worth a note that they do the American thing of offering olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip your bread in. It was a surprise on our first cruise as we'd never seen it before in the UK or Italy, so gave it a try. We decline it now. 

 

FWIW, earlier in the year on Vista, one of us ordered stuffed artichokes, gnocchi with pesto, veal escalope with roast potatoes and the Toscana quartet for dessert. The other had roast vegetable salad, lobster risotto, Dover sole with potatoes and the berry tiramisu. 

 

 

[goletans]

We love the roaster garlic in the bread basket! and I always ask for a "baby" portion of one of the vegetarian pastas to follow salad. We also always start with a lovely red wine and small ghunks of parmesan (must ask for the cheese)

[AMHuntFerry]

3 hours ago, santrah said:

We have booked our Speciality Restaurants by logging on at 5am UK time for our November cruise.   Looking at the menu there is lots of choices.  How many courses do guests usually choose and how large are the portions?  I hate food waste but there are so many options on the menu. .  Love desserts though and will need space to enjoy one!

Courses 3 to 5 is usual (including dessert).

I find portions too large in general, but you can ask for appetizer sizes of the entrees.

I second getting the dessert sampler quintet.

[Harters]

14 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

dessert sampler quintet.

There must have been cutbacks. It was a quartet earlier in the year. 😀

[Mrs f.]

Just ask for half portions

[iowananny]

5 hours ago, Harters said:

There must have been cutbacks. It was a quartet earlier in the year. 😀

A quintet is five desserts while a quartet is four so there were no cutbacks.  When they go to a trio then we have to worry.  They were all very good and my husband and I shared and had plenty.  The quintet in Polo is very good too.

[Harters]

27 minutes ago, iowananny said:

A quintet is five desserts while a quartet is four so there were no cutbacks.

Sorry but I must be missing something. If AMHuntFerry reported a quintet (5) yet I reported a quartet (4),  I reckoned that meant I had one less than they did, which suggested a cutback. Maybe my four were bigger than their five, so no loss of calories? 😀

 

FWIW, O's website notes that POlo's dessert is also a quartet not a quintet. 

Edited Saturday at 03:52 PM by Harters

[AMHuntFerry]

53 minutes ago, Harters said:

Sorry but I must be missing something. If AMHuntFerry reported a quintet (5) yet I reported a quartet (4),  I reckoned that meant I had one less than they did, which suggested a cutback. Maybe my four were bigger than their five, so no loss of calories? 😀

 

FWIW, O's website notes that POlo's dessert is also a quartet not a quintet. 

These were on Regatta.

I think you got shorted!

[Harters]

19 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

think you got shorted!

Just an example of Vista's Simply Less. 😀

[LHT28]

On 9/13/2024 at 12:06 PM, santrah said:

We have booked our Speciality Restaurants by logging on at 5am UK time for our November cruise.   Looking at the menu there is lots of choices.  How many courses do guests usually choose and how large are the portions?  I hate food waste but there are so many options on the menu. .  Love desserts though and will need space to enjoy one!

You caan order as many as you like   sometimes I order 2 appitzers instead of the main

 or a smaller portion of the main course

JUST ASK   the waiters  do not read minds

[santrah]

Thank you for your comments in answering my question along with your recommendations!  The menu looks great.  I envisage ordering an appetiser , a smaller pasta dish then a meat based main...hopefully I'll have room for quartet of deserts.  My husband has a bigger appetite and I'll ask the writer to slow down the service.  I've made one  reservation and I'll try for another whilst on board.  I've booked Polo Grill and Red Ginger too but not Ember. 

[LHT28]

5 minutes ago, santrah said:

Thank you for your comments in answering my question along with your recommendations!  The menu looks great.  I envisage ordering an appetiser , a smaller pasta dish then a meat based main...hopefully I'll have room for quartet of deserts.  My husband has a bigger appetite and I'll ask the writer to slow down the service.  I've made one  reservation and I'll try for another whilst on board.  I've booked Polo Grill and Red Ginger too but not Ember. 

Book Ember   prior to boarding 

We enjoyed it  but had trouble getting a 2nd reservation

Contrary to some opinions  it IS a popular restaurant

 

No need to ask the waiter to slow down they will server each course  to match your tablemates

If you orfer less you may just be waiting  for the next course  to arrive

Enjoy

 

 

[santrah]

The Priesmans had the Quartet of desserts.  It didn't look 'plated' that well.  

[mauibabes]

@santrah

Especially in Red Ginger we will often order a specific main dish but also do typical “Family” style with a few plates to share among our table mates. Must have the Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass but there will always be the Rack of Lamb and Teriyaki Beef (Filet) and other delectables on the table. Absolutely must have the Watermelon and Duck Salad. DW is not an Asian food eater but will definitely order them.  
Ember takes a lot of raps but we had some excellent meals there so 👍 with LHT28 and a desert or two are wonderful. CC posts are valuable but I prefer to form my own options, test what looks good to me and move on. After all, if is My World, My Way.

Just Enjoy,

Mauibabes

[LHT28]

they are small  so not sure  how they would plate them otherwise

[Harters]

13 minutes ago, santrah said:

Red Ginger too but not Ember. 

Try and book Ember. It's really good. To be honest, we've had disappointing meals at Red Ginger on both Vista and Marina and have said we won't bother making a reservation there when we're on Vista again next year. 

[santrah]

Plated Quintet of desserts in Toscana on a different Oceania Ship. Look more inviting!

[LHT28]

as long as they taste good  I would not care how they were plated  LOL

 JMO

[Flatbush Flyer]

On 9/13/2024 at 10:55 AM, Harters said:

Toscana is the only one of Oceania's restaurants that passes our "holiday restaurant" test - if it was near home would we become regulars.

 

On Vista (and previous cruises), we've always gone the traditional Italian four course route - starter, pasta, main course, dessert. We order a small portion pasta course. Their bread basket is the best on board to my mind - I don't think we ever leave any. Worth a note that they do the American thing of offering olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip your bread in. It was a surprise on our first cruise as we'd never seen it before in the UK or Italy, so gave it a try. We decline it now. 

 

FWIW, earlier in the year on Vista, one of us ordered stuffed artichokes, gnocchi with pesto, veal escalope with roast potatoes and the Toscana quartet for dessert. The other had roast vegetable salad, lobster risotto, Dover sole with potatoes and the berry tiramisu. 

 

 

As a Siciliano-Americano who has had a lifelong love affair with Carciofi Ripieni, let me tell you that, though tasty, O’s stuffed artichokes are far from the real deal. Here’s a real stuffed artichoke (including hot Sicilian sausage).

[goletans]

1 hour ago, Harters said:

Try and book Ember. It's really good. To be honest, we've had disappointing meals at Red Ginger on both Vista and Marina and have said we won't bother making a reservation there when we're on Vista again next year. 

DITTO

[Kay S]

I assume you can forego dessert altogether?  I would prefer just a coffee.

[EJL2023]

Just now, Kay S said:

I assume you can forego dessert altogether?  I would prefer just a coffee.

I believe with the changes on 10/1, dessert is mandatory.  😉