Photograph: Virginia Gil for Time OutYellowfin tacos Aquamar Kitchen
I requested canapés be sent up to the room to enjoy before dinner. (I know, overkill after a full breakfast, lunch and several Aperol spritzes.) I liked the idea of having a quick appetizer on the balcony and the chocolate-covered strawberries tempted me to order. Still, the rest of the snacks provided weren’t memorable. Also, what was I thinking, ordering more to eat before dinner? Unlimited food on demand is how cruises zap your brain of self-control.
I kept it together long enough to enjoy dinner at the Polo Grill, a truly stunning, lowly-lit American steakhouse serving all the standards—prime meats, lobster in various preparations and lamb, among other options. Here’s where I tucked into my second filet mignon of the trip. Lucky me.
Generally speaking, the portions served on Vista are small enough for passengers to enjoy an appetizer, entrée and dessert and not feel like they might collapse from overeating. It’s a nice contrast to American standards, where getting to sample various dishes is limited to tapas restaurants and happy hours, and those annoying small plate menus that drive your boyfriends/husbands nuts. On the flip side, the drink pours were very generous—the staff knows when not to hold back.
Oceania Cruises sailings are seven days or longer, so you won’t have to cram so many meals every day as I did to get the complete dining experience. Other onboard restaurants you’ll want to try include Toscana for Italian, Red Ginger for Asian and Ember for New American. There’s also a culinary center on board where you can flex your culinary skills or learn to make something new. It’s three times larger than those found on Marina and Riviera ships and it has a test kitchen with 24 individual cooking stations and a second space that can be utilized for lectures or dinners.
Photograph: Virginia Gil for Time OutBreakfast with a view at Terrace Café
The cruise line’s culinary program has received quite a few accolades. Recently, its Senior Culinary Director, Chef Alexis Quaretti, was inducted into the prestigious echelons of the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, which already includes Oceania Cruises’ Vice President of Culinary EricBarale, who served as Quaretti’s godfather into the program.
So much about cruising is the food, and most of the time, it’s quantity over quality. Even the booze is bottom-shelf stuff you’re probably too drunk to notice. Still, travelers deserve better and with cruise prices on the rise, you should get your money’s worth at mealtimes. You might be too tired for the onboard activities, too hungover to try another world-class wine or too sunburned to care about the multiple pools. But you’ll never go without eating on a ship, even if you’re not hungry (I sure didn’t), and you shouldn’t have to lower your standards on the high seas.
Source link : https://www.timeout.com/usa/news/oceania-cruises-vista-might-be-serving-the-best-food-at-sea-right-now-102723
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Publish date : 2023-10-27 03:00:00
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