Regardless of having been on 13 Royal Caribbean cruises, I didn’t strive the Chef’s Desk till my current crusing on Attract of the Seas.
The Chef’s Desk is the last word specialty restaurant for foodies. The 6-course meal features a wine pairing and serves up scrumptious delicacies that places the Most important Eating Room to disgrace.
It’s normally fairly costly, costing round $100 per particular person. Nevertheless, my dad and I discovered an excellent Black Friday Deal on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner forward of our last-minute voyage on Attract.
The meal was $165.16 with gratuities, however we utilized our $50 onboard credit score to decrease the value much more. The overall per particular person ended up being $57.58 every!
A part of the enchantment of the Chef’s Desk is that it’s greater than only a meal. The expertise lasts over two hours and allows you to mingle with fellow passengers in an intimate setting.
Our night started within the Library on Deck 11. Our host, Alan, greeted us with champagne whereas we waited for the opposite events to reach. One couple was late, so somewhat than holding us hostage within the Library, Alan escorted the arrived events by way of the Crown Lounge to a non-public eating space on Deck 12.
The desk was elegantly set with charger plates and exquisite glassware for the wine pairings. The ambiance was subtle but snug. There wasn’t a white tablecloth, and the quirky chandelier was made completely of cutlery—forks, knives, and spoons.
To kick issues off, Alan offered every particular person with drool-worthy bread that he argued was one of the best bread onboard, beating out 150 Central Park.
Melted truffle oil butter completely accompanied the thyme and lemon bread loaf. Every chew had a burst of taste, with the herbaceous thyme balancing out the truffle’s richness. It had the proper trace of saltiness, too. Though I didn’t pattern each kind of bread on Attract of the Seas, I’d be shocked if anything on the ship surpassed it.
Then it was time for the true enjoyable as we moved into the precise programs. The primary was scallop carpaccio. The thinly sliced scallops have been marinated for twenty-four hours earlier than being served and plated with a fragile yuzu French dressing made with honey mustard and ginger.
The French dressing stood out probably the most. The scallops have been just a little bland, however when paired with the French dressing, the flavour of the in any other case gentle scallops got here out, and I assumed the sunshine, citrusy notes of the Pinot Grigio from Italy complemented the freshness of the scallops.
The second course was one in all my favorites. The roasted tomato soup had a smokey depth and was velvety easy. Topped with a drizzle of crème fraîche, I want I might have requested for a second bowl! The truth is, one in all our tablemates begged the chef for the recipe.
The crispy garlic focaccia “croutons” have been extra like a facet of bread than a conventional crouton. Nonetheless, it was excellent for dipping into the wealthy soup, and I appreciated how they weren’t left within the liquid to get soggy. Paired with the soup was a California four-blend wine, which had notes of vanilla and pineapple to assist offset the smokiness of the tomatoes.
The Maine lobster salad fell wanting my expectations. Although the contemporary, candy flavors of the wine-poached lobster have been on full show, I did not love the mix of vanilla dressing and hearts of palm.
That mentioned, I cherished enhancing the flavour of the lobster with the supplied pesto and citrus sauces. Moreover, Sauvignon Blanc is not my favourite wine, however I might see why the extra earthy wine was chosen to pair with the lobster.
Desirous to strive one thing new, I approached the branzino with an open thoughts. Whereas I’m a seafood lover, I stray away from fish in favor of shrimp, calamari, scallops, and lobster.
Nevertheless, as somebody who does not eat fish, I assumed the pores and skin simply peeled away to disclose moist and flaky meat. Nonetheless, although, I could not get previous the distinct taste of the branzino, which was too “fishy” for my style buds.
If I needed to decide two programs to eat on repeat, they’d be the roasted tomato soup and filet mignon. The filet was cooked to an ideal medium, served with creamy truffle potato purée, and drizzled with a wealthy bordelaise sauce.
I am not a fan of pink wine, so whereas I attempted the Cabernet Sauvignon, I solely took a sip. I a lot favor gentle and refreshing white wines to full-bodied reds.
The dessert jogged my memory of The World served at Wonderland. It is a chocolate lover’s heaven, with layers of wealthy chocolate mousse, silky ganache, and salted caramel ice cream encased in a darkish chocolate shell.
The ice cream added a salty distinction to the in any other case chocolate-heavy dessert and paired completely with the salted caramel espresso martini. I do not suppose anybody on the desk was dissatisfied with the dessert.
The Chef’s Desk is not low cost; nevertheless, in the event you’re a foodie searching for an unforgettable culinary journey, it is price each penny, particularly contemplating the value features a wine paring.
The intimate, multi-course eating expertise is about greater than meals; it is also concerning the artist and craftsmanship behind every dish, with the chef personally guiding you thru the method and explaining the work that went into every course.