Time for Dinner

Sorry Pete there were no frogs' legs on the menu this week.

There seems to be food available most of the time…..as early as 4:00 AM a continental breakfast can be obtained. By 6 AM there are two restaurants serving buffet breakfasts. Breakfast can be gotten in the formal Britannica Restaurant--- Deck 3 at 8:30. There is open seating for those breakfast, but it still has the white coat and silver tray service with the menus in a leather case. Very formal.

Lunch can also be gotten from the self service buffets on Deck 7. Hot dogs, hamburgers, Asian food, almost anything you want to eat….including wonderful fruit and amazing desserts. The semi-self serve restaurants with cafeteria lines are the The Lotus, The Carvery, and two more. We usually ate breakfast in the Britannica Restaurant and grabbed a small lunch from the buffet lines.

They served a tea time at 3:30 every afternoon. You could do the semi-formal tea time on Deck 7 in the King's Court restaurants or do a formal sit down serve high tea in the Queen's Ballroom. We never did the tea because we ate the bigger breakfast, did a later lunch and had to be ready for the formal dining room.

Too much food and unbelievably awesome….and wicked good.

Dinner: Dinner is in the Britannica restaurant. We have table 275….a table for 2. We were to be at a table for 6, but that apparently changed with the room change. The table comes complete with cloth table cloth and napkin which the waiter places in your lap after seating you. Waiters are in black suits, white shirts and black neck fasteners with the white towel on the arm. One of the beverage waiters checks to see if you want wine. Then bread is offered. The water is never empty.

The waiters are amazing….such incredibly hard workers. Our waiter, John and his partner for the section, Ronaldo, and their assistants Michael and Dennis are very, very good. They work straight for 9 or 10 months and at least twelve to sixteen hour days with no time off. Ronaldo has worked for Cunard for 20 years and John for 14 years. They are both from the Phillipines. It is remarkable to see their young under waiters carrying a tray with 15 plates and covers stacked high. They no longer carry them above the shoulder due to the injury risks.

Below are the choices that Neil and I made for dinner each evening. Dinner always ended with coffee and a petit fores (sp). It may look like huge amounts of food, but the serving sizes were small just like the gourmet restaurants on land. Dinner always consisted of an appetizer, a salad, and entree and accommpaniments, dessert, coffee/tea, and a sweet.

Monday evening dinner:

Neil: salad:. Soba Noodles with Sesame Oil. entre: Rack of pork w/wild mushroom ragout, Broccoli,Truffle mashed potatoes. dessert: Cookies & ice cream (vanilla & chocolate/vanilla mix) & chocolate yoghurt w/cherry sauce, sweet: toffee crisp and crystallized ginger

Nancy: salad: Oak Leaf and Boston Salad w/mustares in vinegarette. entre: Stuffed portabella mushrooms & mozzarella w/ roasted provencal vegetables in tomato sauce. dessert: Warm apple strudel with brandy sauce and ice cream, Sweet: toffeecrisp and crystallized ginger

Tuesday evening dinner:

Neil: app: Seafood sampler: Scallops, salmon mousse w/caviar, Tartare of salmon. salad: Boston Lettuce salad with pears and slices of duck; Rack of Lamb with Eggplant, Potatoes Anna. dessert: Vanilla Napoleon; Chocolate sweet in puff pastry cup. sweet

Nancy: app: Cheddar Cheese soup & rye bread croutons. salad: Lolo Rosso with apples and caramelized walnuts w/ vinegarette. entre: Surf and turf of beef fillet and garlic shrimp with roasted parsnip mash and tarragon jus. dessert: Summer berry parfait with vanilla and honey….. (vanilla shaped like a pyramid); Chocolate sweet

Wednesday Dinner

Neil: app: Cream of mixed Mushroom and parmesan crouton soup. salad: Iceberg lettuce salad with mustard vinegrette dressing. entre: Grilled, sliced sirloin steak with stilton onion tart and burgundy glaze, vegetables. dessert: Carmel Cheesecake with strawberry--super great.

Nancy: app: French Onion Soup with Gruyere Croute. salad: Iceberg lettuce salad with mustard vinegrette dressing; Conichiglie Pasta Arrabbiata w/fresh tomatoes and red chili flakes. dessert: Frangipane Apple Tart

Thursday evening dinner

Neil: app: Seafood Chowder. salad: Mixed Young Lettuce, Crisp Vegetables, Raspberry Sherry Vinaigrette. entre: Singapore Noodles with Spicy Shrimps, Snow Peas and Spring Onions. dessert: Strawberry Shortcake

Nancy: app: Dutch Style Golden Fried Chicken Croquette. salad: Mixed Young Lettuce, Crisp Vegetables, Raspberry Sherry Vinaigrette. entre: Pan Seared Barramundi (a South African fish), Sweet Potato and Salsa Verde. dessert: Jamaican Rum Cake with Caramelised Banana and Coconut Ice Cream

Friday Evening Dinner

Neil: aqpp: Cream of Asparagus, Rye Croutons. salad: Mixed Greens with Aged Balsamic Dressing, Bacon and Golden Croutons. entree: Roasted Sea Bass, Citrus Glazed Fennel, Truffled Crème Fraiche. dessert: Strawberry, Vanilla, and Chocolate Chip Ice Creams, Kiwi Sauce

Nancy: app: Chilled Gazpacho Soup. salad: Mixed Greens with Aged Balsamic Dressing, Bacon and Golden Croutons. entree: Oven Roasted Corn Fed Chicken Breast with Shallot Lemon Sauce, Cauliflower Polonaise, Sauteed Potatoes. dessert: Hot Vanilla Souffle with Cherries and Kirsch

Saturday Evening Dinner June 12, 2010

Neil: app: Crab and Baby Shrimp Thermidor in a Parmesan Brioche. salad: Spinach and Orange Salad, Carmelised Parmesan Pecans; entre: Broiled Lobster Tail, Sesame-crusted Jumbo Shrimp, Parmesan Tomato Pilaf, Newberg Sauce. dessert: Coconut and Pineapple Mousse, Passion Fruit Sauce. Neil was given two lobster tails and offered more.

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Nancy: app: Marinated Jumbo Shrimps on Russian Salad with Sundried Tomato Oil. salad: Spinach and Orange Salad, Carmelised Parmesan Pecans. entre: Fillet of Beef Wellington, Perigourdine Sauce. dessert: Baked Alaska with Flambeed Morello Cherries

Evening Meal Sunday June 13, 2010

Neil: app: Potato and Leek Soup with Parmesan Croutons. salad: Mixed Lettuce, Touts, Red Wine Vinaigrette. entre: Lemon Sole Normandie, Buttered Vegetables. dessert: Iced Grand Marnier Parfait, White Chocolate Sauce.

Nancy: app: Potato and Leek Soup with Parmesan Croutons. salad: Mixed Lettuce, Mange Touts, Red Wine Vinaigrette. entre: Traditional Roast Chicken, Sage and Apple Stuffing, Rosemary Jus. dessert: Chocolate Souffle with Whiskey Custard Sauce.