Carnival Fan boy a little sad.....

[poochierebelbear]

My first cruise was December 08. I thought the food was great. I stopped eating pork and beef in February so I found the food choices in the dining room on this past sailing in April on the Ecstasy tough. Then did I really notice the menu. The mac and cheese was pretty good. I'll tell you this, they can't ever go wrong with their desserts. I tried that Bitter and Blanc (something like that) and it was superb. The chocolate melting cake is always a hit.

[selucrey]

Mac 'n cheese is a big dish for many chefs to use as a side or an accompaniment to many dishes, particularly beef.

 

We go to Disney quite often and one of their signature restaurants, Jiko, serves an oak fired filet mignon over mac 'n cheese with a red wine reduction that is outstanding.

 

I know it seems silly to have it served in a shot glass, but it has become a big side dish with many chefs.

 

I agree, we had dinner a few months ago at Emeril's Delmonico in New Orleans and mac 'n cheese was featured as a side-dish. It was good but I have to say, it was the most expensive mac 'n cheese we have ever had.:rolleyes:

[Safetyal]

I do not like mac & cheese in any shape or form

 

 

You do not like them so you say

Try them, try them and you may

try them and you may I say....

 

:D:D

 

I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist :D:D

[nolaAlive]

Here are some menus from a February Fantasy cruise. Yes, Mac and cheese was sometimes offered. Also available EVERY night are baked potatoes and assorted steamed vegetables. If you want them, they are there. Why put them on every plate if they mostly go to waste?

 

{Searchable pdf file}

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/Blog_2009/menus.pdf

 

I will be getting more menus from Carnival Spirit next week.

[LemurCat]

So if they served mac and cheese but gave it a real sophisticated name would you be OK with that?

 

You mean like "Pasta con Tartufi Bianco"? Like all the places that are adding white truffles to it are doing?:D

 

I was just going to point out that gourmet mac-and-cheese is all the rage in the culinary set right now (and no, I'm not being snarky here). The Waverly Inn in NYC has a $100 plate that uses truffles. Carnival's mac-and-cheese in the dinning room certainly isn't Kraft Dinner, as I believe it's some jazzed up recipe.

[LemurCat]

Mac and cheese? Chicken tenders?

 

McCarnival??

 

Hardly.

 

This is a by-product of the current culinary trend of taking comfort food and making it more high-brow by using better ingredients, using it as a base for a different flavor profile than the one traditionally presented, and offering a product that people are comfortable with while still getting a pretty high-end dinning experience.

 

Seriously, does no one else watch Top Chef on this forum? For the last three years there's always been a couple of chefs who specialize in home-cooking-done-high-brow.

 

I consider us all lucky the molecular gastronomy trend hasn't hit the fleet yet. I can just imagine the ten thousand threads of you folks complaining about how you don't "get" why their gazpacho is steaming even though it's cold.

[Rowan555]

I do not like mac & cheese in any shape or form, but I know from watching any of the foodie shows that, for some reason, chef's particular interpretations of mac & cheese are "the" thing. Some of the chefs come from bigger name restaurants and it's their "signature" dish.

 

I remember having chicken tenders offered as a starter way back on our first cruise in 2005.

 

Yep - I have seen $25 entrees that were basically a pretty version of mac and cheese - it's not a kiddie food or a low brow food, no matter what people might think of it. And it's such a tiny portion on the entrees on Carnival, if you don't like it, it's easy to pass it by.

 

The chicken tenders on the menu now are the same ones I've seen on the menu since our Conquest cruise in 2003. It's one appetizer, actually quite tasty with a delicious sauce, and easy to skip if you think chicken tenders are beneath you.

[LemurCat]

The chicken tenders on the menu now are the same ones I've seen on the menu since our Conquest cruise in 2003. It's one appetizer, actually quite tasty with a delicious sauce, and easy to skip if you think chicken tenders are beneath you.

 

You mean the Chicken Sattay Skewers with Thai Peanut Noodles?

 

Yes, very good. I wouldn't recommend skipping them. They are well balanced and jus enough heat without killing the palate for the rest of the meal.

[tina257]

This is disturbing. These are things I would expect to find on a kids menu. :eek:

 

I second that. Yuck.

[tina257]

You mean the Chicken Sattay Skewers with Thai Peanut Noodles?

 

Yes, very good. I wouldn't recommend skipping them. They are well balanced and jus enough heat without killing the palate for the rest of the meal.

 

That's not the same thing as chicken tenders and mac and cheese. Now I'm all confused.

[LemurCat]

That's not the same thing as chicken tenders and mac and cheese. Now I'm all confused.

 

No it's not, but what do you think Chicken Sattay Skewers are?

 

And the mac-and-cheese was a small side with black olives and a three cheese blend the last time I was on board.

[nolaAlive]

No it's not, but what do you think Chicken Sattay Skewers are?

 

Delicious.

 

It you want additional sides, order them. Problem solved.

[momofzeke]

I do not like mac & cheese in any shape or form

 

You do not like them so you say

Try them, try them and you may

try them and you may I say....

 

:D:D

 

I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist :D:D

 

I do not like them on the ship

I do not like them on my lip

I do not like them on the Sea

I do not like them, don't you see?? :D

 

Actually, I lied......I love Mac & Cheese! But, I also couldn't resist. :D

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Just got off Carnival Paradise and food was just as great as was on the Liberty in January and Valor last November.

Did not see any chicken fingers, and mac and cheese was a side dish.

 

Had Lobster and Prime Rib one night, other nights was cornish hen, bbq ribs, lasagna, shrimp scallops calamari pasta, crab cakes, short ribs, lots of great choices.

 

Was OP referring to the kids menu?

[ib4cruzn]

Hardly.

 

This is a by-product of the current culinary trend of taking comfort food and making it more high-brow by using better ingredients, using it as a base for a different flavor profile than the one traditionally presented, and offering a product that people are comfortable with while still getting a pretty high-end dinning experience.

 

Seriously, does no one else watch Top Chef on this forum? For the last three years there's always been a couple of chefs who specialize in home-cooking-done-high-brow.

 

I consider us all lucky the molecular gastronomy trend hasn't hit the fleet yet. I can just imagine the ten thousand threads of you folks complaining about how you don't "get" why their gazpacho is steaming even though it's cold.

 

I guess I just ain't 'fisticated nuff fer them thar fancy eatin' foods.

 

If I have to wear pants and a shirt with a collar to eat, I don't want mac n cheese and chicken tenders on the menu.

 

Next thing they'll tell us is that Emeril is doing Happy Meals...

[LemurCat]

I guess I just ain't 'fisticated nuff fer them thar fancy eatin' foods.

 

If I have to wear pants and a shirt with a collar to eat, I don't want mac n cheese and chicken tenders on the menu.

 

And if you they called it something like "Orchietta pasta in an aged parmesan and gouda béchamel sauce" would you be duly impressed? Would that be worthy of you collared shirt? :rolleyes: Would you even bother asking what it was? Would you know it was "shells and cheese"?

 

Next thing they'll tell us is that Emeril is doing Happy Meals...

 

No, but he does do casual foods with high end ingredients. He makes a mean burger, from what I understand. You're on Carnival. You're not going to get Le Bernadin in the MDR.

[trock]

Just got home from the Carnival Valor. Had a GREAT time and will do a review a little latter. Pretty much everything on the ship was just marvelous. With one major exception.... The Dining room food from last year seems to have gone from Gourmet to Romper room.

 

Last year on the Pride the menu seemed sophisticated and exotic and this year it was like ordering lunch at the food court. Don't get me wrong nothing was bad per say but the exciting dishes from last year were now boring. So many nights it was chicken tenders, chicken noodle soup, Mac and cheese etc. Is this the new menu ? I remember last year the George whoever he was recommendations but none this year.

 

Just curious is this just the Valor or the new menu in general? Yes i would sail Carnival again but i was a little let down with the food this time as it seemed so run of the mill average food. I plan on sending a review to them via a letter and did include it in my comment card. Just wondering if this was just me, just the Valor, or what.

 

 

Just off the Miracle Saturday, and like you said, nothing was terrible, but definitely not as good as last year.. Quality and selection down...

 

BTW the rolls were left on the table.. i remember a 4 page thread on this subject lol

[njmomof2]

And if you they called it something like "Orchietta pasta in an aged parmesan and gouda béchamel sauce" would you be duly impressed? Would that be worthy of you collared shirt? :rolleyes: Would you even bother asking what it was? Would you know it was "shells and cheese"?

 

So funny you said this. We were in Disney in April and did the Deluxe Dining plan to allow us to experience most of the signature restaurants. Well, we had dinner at the restaurant in France at EPCOT. Reading the menu, told my son they had "Gratin de macaroni"...he looked at me and I said "mac & cheese". He smiled and said, great, no problem.

 

I'm a huge fan of high end mac & cheese. I love to see what chefs can do to a comfort dish to make it special and different...exotic cheeses, add ins, etc.

 

A rose by any other name...:)

[Takemetoaspa]

I was excited to see Mac N Cheese offered as a side dish. It was delicious. Yes it was small, but you could have asked for more.

Now the rolls were a little on the hard side. This disappointed me as I love bread.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

The Mac and cheese cracks me up. They started that about last Oct. (Destiny B2B cruise) and it just killed me that would be a side for an entree in the main dining room......

It was also on the Fantasy and the Glory since then......Ack and yuck......

 

just make sure you don't wear shorts on casual nights and make sure you have your tux or suit and tie on Elegant night for this fine dining. :eek:

 

Bill

[trock]

just make sure you don't wear shorts on casual nights and make sure you have your tux or suit and tie on Elegant night for this fine dining. :eek:

 

Bill

 

lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LemurCat]

It's interesting ...

 

That Mac-and-Cheese didn't crawl onto the menu itself. It ended up there for a reason. And it can come off for a reason. Did anyone mention the alleged "dumbing down" of the menu to the Maitre D and ask when and why the offending dishes were on the menu? Or is this just something that's going to be the subject of idle speculation and snide comments?

 

I personally like the Mac-and-Cheese. My sensativities aren't at all disturbed by it's presence on the menu. As I've said before, it's a very common culinary trend right now. If it's good enough for the Waverly Inn, it's good enough for me. I'd rather have a well done Mac-and-Cheese on the menu than a half-baked interpretation of some intricate French dish.

[leedixie]

Was on the Fantasy May 2nd seven day (extended due to the swine flu) and I noticed that the food was better than on my Dec 4 2008 cruise (same ship). I wouldn't say we had four star dining, but most everything was well prepared and tasty - service excellent. Funny, I don't remember mac and cheese or chicken tenders being on the menu. Guess I just skipped right over them. One caveat, this was only my second cruise. :cool:

[arpie05]

I just looked at the list of menus that you can find and mac & cheese is offered Day 1 on 2 entrees. At first I didn't remember, then when I saw that they were served with the Tilapia and the Steak, I do recall. It's the only day out of eight listed. Good grief there are more important things to complain about. Plus some people like mac & cheese. (And Chicken Strips) Maybe the selectors is a 16 year that is too old order off kids menu.

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

Even though mac & cheese is a side dish on one of the entree's, the menu iteself still offers plenty for the sophisticated. Chateaubriand, prime rib, rack of lamb, lobster, all the elegant soups they've had for sometime & their signature desserts. Still delicious. They started serving fried cheese as an appetizer - OMG the nerve :eek: and it was oh so good. Goes great with the escargot.