Amsterdam ocean
Crystal canopies and caviar: a culinary voyage on Regent Seven Seas Grandeur
GRA Compass Rose | Regent Seven Seas Grandeur
Consistently among the few top names in ultra-luxury cruising, Regent Seven Seas’ ‘Spotlight on Cuisine’ itinerary from Amsterdam to Scotland, Wales and Northern France dishes up a feast for the senses
The welcoming smiles flow as easily as the champagne as we board Regent Seven Seas Grandeur, its stunning polished marble atrium – a taste of the 300,000 pounds of marble on board – sparkling in the afternoon light. As we head to the buffet restaurant for lunch, we marvel at some of the ship’s 503 chandeliers and pieces of art from its multi-million-dollar collection, which includes three Picassos and a one-of-a-kind Fabergé egg.
Arriving at Le Veranda on Deck 11, we discover this is not your ordinary cruise ship buffet restaurant. Every table has a white linen tablecloth with high end German made Schonwald dinnerware and quality Sambonet silver plate flatware, and the food is far from ordinary, with an appetising choice of several hot dishes including prime rib from the carving station, freshly steamed vegetables and creative, elevated desserts. The attentive, well-trained staff, some of the 548 crew aboard, circulate regularly and offer beverage choices of complimentary wine, beer or cocktails – including non-alcoholic versions.
Dining at Compass Rose
While we’re delighted with our first buffet meal, we’re astonished as we enter the main dining room, Compass Rose, for dinner that evening. At the entrance lies a simulated cascading waterfall made of laser-cut metal and hand-blown glass, while inside the large, elegant room resembles an enchanted forest. There’s a canopy of interwoven crystal arches and wood-edged illuminated trees, the trunks and branches encrusted with dazzling jewels, and, on the floor, an abstract leaf pattern in marble. It’s a spectacular space during the day, but at night we are positively in awe as ‘stars’ appear to twinkle in the forest canopy, and the sides of the room turn into an optical illusion of infinity thanks to clever lighting.
Our impression that the menu at Compass Rose is the most extensive we’ve ever seen on a cruise ship, meanwhile, is not an illusion. In addition to a wide choice of daily specials, it has an ‘Always Available’ list of more than a dozen favourites ranging from Black Angus filet mignon to whole dover sole with many sauces and choices of side dishes. One guest tells us he orders Lobster Tail every evening for dinner. The Rossini style tenderloin with seared foie gras is the best piece of beef we’ve enjoyed on any cruise.
We arrange a tour of the sparkling clean, stainless steel kitchen galley and meet Senior Executive Chef Dino Schwager, who tells us that ‘Destination Dishes’ that reflect the region, on the menu in Compass Rose, are an important part of this Spotlight cruise – although the Fish and Chips (freshly caught where possible) and Irish stew served on separate evenings during the voyage seem strangely pedestrian choices for a cruise line of Regent’s elk, and we are surprised the chefs do not feature a Scotland culinary tradition we are keen to try – Haggis.
Specialty restaurants
To our disappointment, the well-promoted celebrity chef, Christopher Gross, a U.S. James Beard Award winner, does not make an appearance until near the end of the cruise, but it gives us a chance to sample Grandeur’s three specialty restaurants. The entrance to Pacific Rim, the Asian restaurant on Deck 5, makes an impression with a stunning full size bronze Bonsai cherry tree with pink petals of Murano glass. We enjoy several imaginative items from an extensive menu here, including Peking duck and watermelon salad, Canadian lobster tempura, pork and shrimp dim sum and flavourful miso black cod – our optional chopsticks are put to good use.
The other two specialty restaurants are close to each other on Deck 10. Typical of a good steakhouse, Prime 7 offers large portions of high quality beef, pork, lamb and veal in addition to surf and turf or a whole lobster. Chartreuse evokes memories of a fine Parisian restaurant with appetisers of steak tartare and caviar and terrine de fois gras au sauternes topped with three rings (chef Gross later tells us this is his favourite dish on the cruise). Entrées include fillet of halibut and seared Barbary duck breast. The complimentary wine is mostly from France.
Cooking classes at sea
One afternoon we pass the ship’s extensive library and head to the bright and well-equipped Culinary Arts Kitchen on Deck 11 to meet its cheerful and knowledgeable Chief Instructor, Chef John Stephano. The extra-cost classes ($US89) for 18 students are held each day, twice on sea days. “Because most of our guests are well travelled and sophisticated,” he tells us, “my classes try to teach something new – a deep dive into the area, to the region.” He says he wants guests to understand the history of a cuisine. “If we can impart the richness and culture of the past, then guests have a better understanding of how the food affects their palate. Most people consume food. We want guests to taste it.” Chef Stephano had planned to take guests on a shopping and cooking expedition in Invergordon, Scotland, but the trip is unfortunately cancelled when it is discovered that the preferred butcher shop is closed on Sundays.
A guest chef appearance
Guest chef Christopher Gross finally gets a chance to shine on the second last day of the cruise. On stage with overhead TV cameras focusing on the food, he carefully prepares a complex Parnassienne au Chocolate, a chocolate mousse tower covered by a dark chocolate lattice. It becomes a popular dessert option at Compass Rose that evening.
Complementing the marvelous cuisine we enjoy each day of the12-day voyage are well-organised tours to Scottish castles, battlefields, archaeological sites and distilleries, and when we reluctantly disembark, it is with a far greater knowledge of the history and culture of this unique and rich part of the planet.
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