The cuisine on board the Seabourn Ovation is of good quality. What surprised me the most is that there is no desire to offer dishes with high-sounding titles, which throw off, but which can disappoint once the plate is on the table. The dishes are varied and consistently good. Whether at the buffet, in the restaurants or even cabin service, the quality is there.
The buffet, called The Colonnade, is open mornings and lunchtimes. In the evening, it becomes a more classic restaurant, with a different menu each evening and seating service. Part of the Colonnade room is outside, at the aft of the ship.
As in all restaurants on board, you can choose the drink of your choice. Soda, still or sparkling water, beers, white, rosé, red wines, or champagne. And the glasses never remain empty for long, the waiters are keen to refill you regularly.
The self-service dishes are traditionally distributed by zone: starters, hot dishes, desserts. With the relaxation of the health protocol, anyone can serve himself, like in the old good days again. Hand washing at the entrance is mandatory and strictly controlled! Let’s go for panorama…
Colonnade Buffet: starters
Colonnade Buffet: main courses
Colonnade Buffet: cheeses and desserts
In the evening, the buffet becomes more classic by offering different themed menus each day, with service at the table.
Sometimes there is still a thematic buffet in the evening. For example here, the “Indian Market” buffet. To my knowledge, this only happened once during the 14 day cruise.
The main restaurant is called The Restaurant… and there is a “dress code”: proper attire required, which here means no jeans, T-shirts or sneakers; rather suit and tie, jacket at a minimum. The menu is quite extensive and changes daily. Every day, the chef’s special dish offers a slightly more sophisticated recipe, among the classics of international gastronomy.
Every day, for dessert, among others, there is a different soufflé. It’s its flavor that changes. I must say that its preparation is perfect and it is undoubtedly one of the highlights of this cruise in terms of desserts. My only complaint, which I can’t make only at Seabourn because it’s more of a very American practice: systematically slaughtering this soufflé by perforating it with a spoon to flood it with the sauce of the day. What a blasphemy! But the servers quickly remembered that I was against this barbaric practice. They haven’t done that anymore, at least not with me.
The Restaurant : starters and soups
The Restaurant : main courses
The Restaurant : cheeses, desserts and mignardises
Among the other restaurants, there is the Patio, by the swimming pool. At noon it serves hamburgers, salads, and a buffet has a few daily specials. In the evening, the Patio becomes “Earth & Ocean“, a restaurant that I would describe as Mediterranean, even if it’s probably a bit simplistic. You can eat grilled octopus, all kinds of fish, or vegetarian dishes.
As an appetizer, “smoked” chicken, show included!
There is also a restaurant that seems to be the best of the best on board, The Grill by Thomas Keller. Reservation required, and limited to once per 7-day period, so that everyone can dine there. And if you do not book yourself, guest services call you to invite you to do so.
The ceremony is also voluntarily at the top, even if it quickly seems a little artificial. The dishes are good, like every other restaurant, but there is definitely something missing in the plates to make The Grill as special as it claims. As a starter, for example, large prawns are served with the same sauce as the buffet. The only difference is the size of the prawns and the silver dish that holds them. A lobster thermidor sits right in the middle of the menu, yes, but here it is… the dish is so far from the traditional recipe that you end up regretting having chosen it. A very good sole was prepared in front of us, quite laboriously. If you have once been at the Murano restaurant, on some Celebrity ships, you may be be a little disappointed with the ceremonial a little missed here. The meats are good, but we are not at the “wow” level of some steakhouses from other companies. Pity.
I saved my favorite restaurant for last: Sushi. It will be next page!
