Favorite food in the MDR

[melmar02]

Dinner time is coming up, and I am starving! I've been looking over the posted menus and those reviewers have shared, and as expected, a lot has changed since I last cruised 8ish years ago. I'm glad to see the onion tart appears to still be available.

I know food is really subjective, but what is your favorite item on the current MDR menu (or something amazing you have asked for off menu)?

[4ensic]

Their non-vegetarian Indian selections off the nonpublished menu are really good.  Ask your server what's on the menu for the next evening.  My favorite was Butter Chicken.  They aren't afraid to add spice.  And if a couple of people order they'll serve it family style. 

It's not a special order, but a compromise fleetwide.  Our headwaiter said that cruising was becoming popular among the middle class in India, but Western food was unpopular - resulting in a lot of special requests every night.  Royal countered with an unpublished menu with a vegetarian and a meat-based Indian entree and traditional side dishes nightly, with entrees varying from the different states of India.  Anyone can order if they give 24 hours notice, or you can opt in for the entire cruise.

[WAAAYTOOO]

My husbands favorite dish is the lamb shank.  I don’t eat lamb so I cannot give an opinion but he dearly loves it.

[melmar02]

16 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

My husbands favorite dish is the lamb shank.  I don’t eat lamb so I cannot give an opinion but he dearly loves it.

Good to hear - I love lamb! 

[melmar02]

54 minutes ago, 4ensic said:

Their non-vegetarian Indian selections off the nonpublished menu are really good.  Ask your server what's on the menu for the next evening.  My favorite was Butter Chicken.  They aren't afraid to add spice.  And if a couple of people order they'll serve it family style. 

It's not a special order, but a compromise fleetwide.  Our headwaiter said that cruising was becoming popular among the middle class in India, but Western food was unpopular - resulting in a lot of special requests every night.  Royal countered with an unpublished menu with a vegetarian and a meat-based Indian entree and traditional side dishes nightly, with entrees varying from the different states of India.  Anyone can order if they give 24 hours notice, or you can opt in for the entire cruise.

Good to know!

[SpeedNoodles]

Escargot - pretty much every night, LOL.

[HeWhoWaits]

Special request that you have to make on the first night but SO worth it at dinner the rest of the trip - Savory Bites.

[coneyraven]

13 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

My husbands favorite dish is the lamb shank.  I don’t eat lamb so I cannot give an opinion but he dearly loves it.

I had that on Grandeur back in October .... It was AWESOME!!!  I know why your hubs loves it.

[monctonguy]

14 hours ago, 4ensic said:

Their non-vegetarian Indian selections off the nonpublished menu are really good.  Ask your server what's on the menu for the next evening.  My favorite was Butter Chicken.  They aren't afraid to add spice.  And if a couple of people order they'll serve it family style. 

It's not a special order, but a compromise fleetwide.  Our headwaiter said that cruising was becoming popular among the middle class in India, but Western food was unpopular - resulting in a lot of special requests every night.  Royal countered with an unpublished menu with a vegetarian and a meat-based Indian entree and traditional side dishes nightly, with entrees varying from the different states of India.  Anyone can order if they give 24 hours notice, or you can opt in for the entire cruise.

Good to know.....I love their Indian dishes but always wished they had more...butter chicken is a fav.....

 

After my last cruise on NCL Sky, I appreciate even more how good Royal`s food is....minus their pizza....lol

[melmar02]

9 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said:

Escargot - pretty much every night, LOL.

We love the escargot too. I was happy to see it listed several nights!

[melmar02]

1 hour ago, HeWhoWaits said:

Special request that you have to make on the first night but SO worth it at dinner the rest of the trip - Savory Bites.

@HeWhoWaits what are Savory Bites?

[Susie]

On 12/18/2018 at 9:38 AM, melmar02 said:

@HeWhoWaits what are Savory Bites?

I was sure It was a special request. I had never seen it offer in the MDR. I only saw at a Diamond lounge or a special event like C&A party. Savory bite sample = a small square bread.

[HeWhoWaits]

3 hours ago, coneyraven said:

I had that on Grandeur back in October .... It was AWESOME!!!  I know why your hubs loves it.

I, too, was looking forward to the lamb shank on Grandeur in October and was VERY disappointed in the quality of what was placed before me. Overcooked and too full of fat.

[HeWhoWaits]

2 hours ago, melmar02 said:

@HeWhoWaits what are Savory Bites?

Savory bites are a bread item that used to be available on the tray of bread that came around for diners to select each night. They are no longer considered a "normal" offering and are only available by special request. As @Susie noted, they are small rolls (one big bite or two smaller bites) which have poppy seeds on them.

[WannaCruise]

On 12/17/2018 at 11:48 PM, SpeedNoodles said:

Escargot - pretty much every night, LOL.

Same here.  And save some rolls for dipping

Garlic shrimp is also very good.

[melmar02]

2 hours ago, WannaCruise said:

Same here.  And save done rolls for dipping

 

YES!! That garlicky butter is so good!

[bcarney]

On 12/17/2018 at 6:20 PM, 4ensic said:

Their non-vegetarian Indian selections off the nonpublished menu are really good.  Ask your server what's on the menu for the next evening.  My favorite was Butter Chicken.  They aren't afraid to add spice.  And if a couple of people order they'll serve it family style. 

It's not a special order, but a compromise fleetwide.  Our headwaiter said that cruising was becoming popular among the middle class in India, but Western food was unpopular - resulting in a lot of special requests every night.  Royal countered with an unpublished menu with a vegetarian and a meat-based Indian entree and traditional side dishes nightly, with entrees varying from the different states of India.  Anyone can order if they give 24 hours notice, or you can opt in for the entire cruise.

One night I had butter chicken at the Windjammer and it was the best I've ever had. Not kidding.

@4ensic on my last cruise there was a lot a crew from the Philippines, so I asked for that style of food one evening.  They brought out adobo chicken, and also a dish made from tripe. It was nice and sticky from the collagen, and a tiny bit spicy.  I didn't catch the name of it - I don't suppose you'd have any idea what it was?

[Kurtp13]

On 12/17/2018 at 6:20 PM, 4ensic said:

Royal countered with an unpublished menu with a vegetarian and a meat-based Indian entree and traditional side dishes nightly, with entrees varying from the different states of India.  Anyone can order if they give 24 hours notice, or you can opt in for the entire cruise.

I did this on the last cruise on Allure and loved it.   But how would this work with My Time Dining?   I don't expect to have the same servers every night.  

[coneyraven]

All Mine ....

[Pima1988]

Sorry, but I have to go with the wedge salad and the lamb shank.  I  like Caesar salad, but the wedge is so much better.  On the Anthem last year I asked for this on the 1st night in the MDR (it was not on the menu).  By the end of the cruise our waiter immediately would ask me if I wanted the wedge salad.  They do offer it 1 night in the MDR, I believe it is formal night.  

The lamb shank is so tender and flavorful.  If you like lamb, you will love their lamb shank.  If you have never eaten lamb, this is a dish you should try to see if you like lamb.  Worse case scenario you don't like it, than request another dish that you know you will like.  That is the beauty of dining on RCCL, they have no problem bringing out another dish if you were unhappy with your original order.

 

[4ensic]

13 hours ago, bcarney said:

One night I had butter chicken at the Windjammer and it was the best I've ever had. Not kidding.

@4ensic on my last cruise there was a lot a crew from the Philippines, so I asked for that style of food one evening.  They brought out adobo chicken, and also a dish made from tripe. It was nice and sticky from the collagen, and a tiny bit spicy.  I didn't catch the name of it - I don't suppose you'd have any idea what it was?

If it also had huge bones (oxtail) and peanut sauce, it was kare-kare.  Tripe alone sounds like callos if it was in a tomato sauce.  Callos is influenced by the Spanish, kare-kare is more Malay/Asian.  Eating oxtail in a formal dining room is like having spaghetti in a white shirt - challenging.

[4ensic]

12 hours ago, Kurtp13 said:

I did this on the last cruise on Allure and loved it.   But how would this work with My Time Dining?   I don't expect to have the same servers every night.  

If you order the night before they'll know to add another portion.  Tell the server the next day you've made the request previously.  Thankfully the entrees can be held and don't have to be cooked individually.

[melski94]

On 12/19/2018 at 9:00 PM, Kurtp13 said:

  But how would this work with My Time Dining?   I don't expect to have the same servers every night.  

If you have a reservation at the same time each night, then you will more than likely be seated at the same table with the same wait staff.  We've always had the same wait staff for the week with MTD.

[coneyraven]

2 hours ago, melski94 said:

If you have a reservation at the same time each night, then you will more than likely be seated at the same table with the same wait staff.  We've always had the same wait staff for the week with MTD.

Yep ---- Back in October, we had MTD --- would show up at different times, but we requested the team we had the first night ..... They were more than accommodating.  Love it. ...

[bcarney]

On 12/20/2018 at 10:39 AM, 4ensic said:

If it also had huge bones (oxtail) and peanut sauce, it was kare-kare.  Tripe alone sounds like callos if it was in a tomato sauce.  Callos is influenced by the Spanish, kare-kare is more Malay/Asian.  Eating oxtail in a formal dining room is like having spaghetti in a white shirt - challenging.

Thank you!  I did a Bing image search, and it sure looked like callos.  I really enjoyed it, and look forward to having it again someday. 

[bhageerah]

Ok savory bites definitely get my vote, I also have to add two more items, I know its simple but the Caesar salad, as well as the BBB creme brûlée!  My favorites, that I have to get the first meal that we have!

[JasonL]

Coconut shrimp when they have it! And plenty of "bird seed bread" as my family calls it, while you're waiting for your appetizers.

[JennyB]

On 12/20/2018 at 9:27 AM, coneyraven said:

All Mine ....

now THAT would be a recipe i'd like to have...that big ol' dollop of buttery goodness...amen.

[ChessE4]

As mentioned, the lamb shank is good in the MDR, and pork medallions when they are offered.  We also love the lobster.  I always love the escargot as an appetizer.  All you really taste is the garlic butter sauce...

[ericgoodwin]

The lamb shank is amazing 

[Pima1988]

I agree with everyone that the lamb shank is amazing. 

It is one of my favorites, but I would say unless you are use to eating different lamb cuts than don't order it.  I think many people assume that it is like a lamb chop.  Light and delicate.  Lamb shank is like what you see when you watch Fred and Barney on the Flintstones.  

I make lamb shank at home, and it takes hours of slow cooking to  develop all the flavors and get it done properly.  It is not easy to make a tough cut to fall apart with just using a fork.  Plus....omg Bone Marrow, something you don't get with a chop.

On the flip side I could pass on the escargot everyday and twice on Sunday.  The bread and butter OH YEAH...the slugs (snails without a shell) not so much.

 

 

[tiny260]

50 minutes ago, Pima1988 said:

the slugs (snails without a shell) not so much.

They had gone away from snails on a few sailing I was on and switched in tiny scallops instead, they were really good, but I like escargot. 

[WAAAYTOOO]

1 hour ago, tiny260 said:

They had gone away from snails on a few sailing I was on and switched in tiny scallops instead, they were really good, but I like escargot. 

The world-wide shortage must be back !

[JRA]

On 6/6/2019 at 2:44 PM, tiny260 said:

They had gone away from snails on a few sailing I was on and switched in tiny scallops instead, they were really good, but I like escargot. 

I'm hoping they will return as its a dish i've never had and would like to try.  My wife and son on the other hand might not enjoy 

 

 

 

[FManke]

My wife's most memorable thing served in the MDR was a bread served in the bread basket. If I remember it was some kind of pumpernickel with raisins and I think some kind nut. She still talks about it now. 

They didn't have the lamb shank, the nights we ate in the MDR. I'll try and plan around it next time. I did have lambchops, twice. Once in Chops and again in the MDR. Excellent both times.