Let’s put it this way: if Waterside restaurant on Crystal Symphony was ashore, you wouldn’t be able to get a reservation even weeks in advance. Seriously. It’s that good.
The menus are so varied, the presentations so outstanding and the service so impeccable that it would be a hands-down choice for a memorable splurge dinner anywhere on land or sea. And Crystal’s gourmet restaurants are complimentary.
Success comes from having a dedicated crew with years of five-star culinary experience. Crystal has a tradition of winning top honors for cuisine at sea, but there’s stiff competition these days. It’s time put the new menus to the test. On a 12-night cruise aboard Symphony in the Mediterranean, there’s plenty of opportunity to experience what the kitchen can do to continually amaze.
In the main restaurant, Waterside, the menus each evening have a gala feel. Ever-tempting innovative fare is on the Contemporary Cuisine side of the menu. One evening, a wagyu beef tartare appetizer caught my eye, followed by roasted pheasant breast with a beetroot puree, balsamic jus and fresh cherries for a main course.
On the Crystal Classics side of the menu are tried and true Crystal favorites that change daily like wild mushroom tart, pasta specialties and entrees ranging from Black Angus prime rib to sauteed Tiger prawns and inventive vegetarian options. They can prepare things a la minute to your preferences on this ship that carries only 600 guests and has an almost equal number of crew.
Save room for dessert because Crystal’s pastry department prides itself on coming up with inventive presentations of even the classics. One evening, one of eight choices was “it’s peanut butter and jelly time”. That was so intriguing I just had to order it. What arrived was an artwork of a rich peanut and chocolate mousse in an artistic spiral surrounded bya fantssy landscape of other delcious nibbles. Decorative dots of currant jelly added just the right color and flavor contrast. A little goes a long way, but fortunately the portions on Crystal are just right to be satisfying without being OMG.
And there are alternative restaurants on the Symphony, all complimentary, that would cost a bundle ashore. There’s Umi Uma, the only restaurant at sea by famed Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa whose unique blend of Japanese and Peruvian influences have made his eateries world famous. It’s difficult not to choose Nobu’s signature miso-marinated black cod, but the menu is full of tempting choices and it’s a rare treat to enjoy the Nobu-style lobster stir fried with garlic, asparagus, shitake mushrooms and snow peas finished with a truffle-yuzu sauce.
Another night it’s the new Osteria d’Ovidio, named for the family of Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, executive chairman of A&K Travel Group, the new parent company of Crystal Cruises. The menus offer choices of northern or southern Italian delicacies. Decisions, decisions: Will it be a risotto with scampi, lobster in acquasale with tomato essence, salt baked sea bass with tarragon, or something from the long menu of pastas and gnocchi? Again, a meal worthy of a great ristorante in Tuscany, Milan or Rome.
Interesting changes are coming to Tastes Kitchen & Bar, the tropical-themed casual dining option with leafy green walls and million-ollar views from floor to ceiling windows. On one visit, I enjoyed the classic chinois chicken salad with shredded vegetables and won ton and their uber-popular prawns grilled with paprika garlic lemon butter. Another night, the mood was right for the California street tacos, with blackened swordfish and spicy pico de gallo dip.
In a coming update, Tastes will beccome Beefbar, inspired by Monaco restaurateur Riccardo Giraudi, who has outposts of his Beefbar in New York and Las Vegas. The menu of prime cuts at lunch and dinner will still feature many favorites from the Tastes menu including vegetarian and vegan options. And the bar will keep inventing specialty cocktails, such as a crazy lavender-infused vodka lemonade. Is this ship rocking or is it just me?
For lunch, the buffet at Marketplace is remarkably diverse for a ship this size, with completely different themed menus every day. There are so many wait staff on duty that you feel guilty having to say, thanks, I don’t really need assistance to carry this chocolate square topped with gold leaf to my table. They’re gracious and always offering if there is anything else they can do.
Always an option is the Trident Grill where they make up Reubens stacked to the stars and so large they can easily feed two, hand-crafted burgers you’d be hard pressed to beat anywhere ashore and artisanal pizzas baked to order. You can top the meal with a stop next door at Scoops, featuring a dozen flavors of decadently rich house-made ice creams. My favorite is the pistachio, loaded with fresh whole nuts. For decadence, they’ll add even more nuts or chocolate on top, or some fresh raspberries or strawberries on the side. Fatal.
And for a casual hang out, don’t get me started about the coziness of the Viennese coffee house Bistro, with its incredible arrays of pastries fresh from the oven, fruits and daily treats from the markets ashore and baristas serving up brews from Austrian coffee specialist Julius Meinl. I skipped the incredible breakfast at the Marketplace most mornings to savor a cappuccino and- -just one — of Crystal’s sinfully rich Portuguese egg custard tarts. It was always a temptation to stop in after an outing or an enrichment lecture for an afternoon pick me up.
On Crystal there’s always a table waiting for you at the pinnacle of quality and service. So bring on the competition, but Crystal is still a hands-down choice for fine dining at sea.
For a special treat, Crystal Symphony has scheduled two 14-day sailings in December 2024 along the coast of West Africa featuring menus including plant-based culinary menus developed by well-known Crystal’s culinary team in collaboration with Dalila Roglieri, Crystal’s culinary nutritionist. These sailings are dedicated to wellness with specialized programs in healthy aging, fitness, functional nutrition and body and mind detox. Details are here.
Story by Wallace Immen, The Cruisington Times
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