The era of FORMAL NIGHTS is fading rapidly...

LeeNY wrote:
I can't remember seeing anything on any cruise menu that was so
obscure that it wouldn't be ordered on a regular basis. I've never
seen broiled goat on an RCCL (two cruises) or HAL (4 cruises) menu. I
doubt an item would stay on a menu very long if it wasn't ordered by
enough passengers to make it economically worthwhile. Just doesn't
make any sense to me. The menus are created to have broad appeal,
taking into consideration the audience.

I understand what you're saying, and I agree. It would be surprising
if there were items on the menu that are seldomly ordered. That's why
I don't think it happens as you've described.

Didn't notice it as much on my last HAL cruise, but there used to be
some interesting Indonesian dishes at lunchtime, in the buffet
restaurant. They probably weren't as popular as some of the more
Americanized options, but I thought it was a nice nod towards the HAL
crew on board, that their culture and cuisine was being recognized.
There may have been a goat option there. But, I would have remembered
trying it, if there was.

Lee


I do remember having goat on both NCL and Carnival in the Caribbean when
Jamaica was on the stop. Of course, it was called "mutton" in both
instances. On one was Curry Mutton and the other was roasted leg ...
both on the buffet.

And that Indonesian buffet on HAL was GREAT!!! They did it in Alaska
several years ago and that was our family's favorite meal!

Just my $.02
--
Ray Contreras
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On Oct 10, 3:38 pm, RayC wrote:

I do remember having goat on both NCL and Carnival in the Caribbean when
Jamaica was on the stop. Of course, it was called "mutton" in both
instances. On one was Curry Mutton and the other was roasted leg ...
both on the buffet.

Are you sure that what they were calling mutton wasn't actually mutton
and not goat?

Lee

LeeNY wrote:
On Oct 10, 3:00 pm, jay lunis wrote:
OTOH, if they went by 'popularity' of the dish, I would expect
fried chicken, BBQ ribs, and french fries.

Well, then, they'd be losing me as a passenger, if those were the
options in the dining room. I don't eat these things at home
(okay...rarely...but they're not a part of my regular diet), wouldn't
want them on a cruise.

First, I do not always like what I see, I just report my experience.
My examples of'popularity' was over-reaching but my point was the most
popular foods in typical restaurants contain, but are not limited to, my
examples. Wouldn't mind them in the buffet - in fact, I have seen fries
at the buffet - but, like you, not at the formal dinner.

All this, I suppose, gets us back to the demise of formal dinners.
Cruise lines face two general choices - 1) maintain the limited type
passengers who enjoy formal dinners and 'strange' food, or

You're losing me here.....

2) broaden
the more plebian type of passengers and see less desire for formal
dinners and more desire for typical restaurant foods.

......going, going, gone.

So, what you're saying is that those folks that don't want to dress up
would probably prefer to dine on ribs, fried chicken and french fries,
while those that do enjoy dressing up are the only ones that would
enjoy a typical cruise menu, including all those "strange" foods?

Or, in other words, those that prefer not to dress up (you used the oh-
so-flattering term plebe) lack any sophistication whatsoever in their
dining preferences? And, you really think that the dining room menu
appeals to only a " limited type passenger" (your words) and
coincidentally these same passengers are the only ones that enjoy
dressing up?

Hmmm, you seem to focus on examples so I will drop these.
Looong ago, the typical cruise VACATION passenger at FORMAL dinners was
the wealthy (a 'limited' number). The less wealthy took ships as the
only way across water.
When I started cruising back in the 1920's (NOTE: not literal, just
another way of saying many years ago), a significant number of
passengers were wealthy. Today, cruise lines are going to the more
plebeian ('common', i.e., middle class) passenger. Like it or not, I
have dined with auto mechanics, keyboard-entry personnel and others (and
that is with respect) as often as with lawyers and doctors.
And, in my experience, yep, they are less likely to like to dress up.

I realize these
are VERY broad generalizations,

Ya think??????

but over my decades of cruising, this is
the trend I see. And a more recent trend - bypassing the dining room
altogether and going to the informal buffet for dinner.

What you've described has not been my experience at all.

Don't doubt it . . . one of the great things about experiences. But in my
last 2-3 cruises, I have seen FAR fewer people wearing formal attire,
far more
at the evening buffet, and far fewer at the formal dinner.
No knock on those at the buffet, no knock on those who like the formal
dinner. No insinuations on anyone's taste. And I would like to see some
responses from others on whether or not my experience is common.

Lots of old goats on HAL(I'm one)haha
"Sue and Kevin Mullen" wrote in message
...


jay lunis wrote:
Sue and Kevin Mullen wrote:

What cruise line was this on? I don't remember ever seeing Goat on
the menu.

Either RCCL or Holland America - unsure.

We have been on both and I don't recall seeing goat on the menu. Of
course it may of been there and I don't remember seeing it.

sue

"jay lunis" wrote in message
...
Well, I can't remember exact dishes, but one I do remember is Broiled
Goat. I asked our server how many people order Broiled Goat and was told
something close to 'Don't know . . . I have been here 4 months and no one
at my tables has ordered it.' The supervisor over the waiters (I forget
his title) said it war 'infrequent' to see Broiled Goat ordered.

On what cruise line did you find the Broiled Goat?

"jay lunis" wrote in message
...
That certainly makes sense to me and you are possibly right. Furthermore,
I have no idea how often menus are changed. Weekly? Annually?
I understand the attempt at 'broad appeal' and catering to the
international flavor of the crew.
And, personally, I do enjoy access to foods not usually found on the IHOP
menu.
And I am aware many ships have a fall-back (every night) menu that
includes a steak and (usually) baked chicken.
I would, however, think a multi-billion dollars business would have some
general idea of the popularity of a dish before it hits the menu.

I've never seen broiled goat on a menu. But if I did I would order it in a
minute. As George previously said, I like to try things I have never had
before. My guess is goat is very tasty. After all, there are more goats in
the world than cows.

--
Greg

Boomer wrote:
"jay lunis" wrote in message
...

Well, I can't remember exact dishes, but one I do remember is Broiled

Goat. I asked our server how many people order Broiled Goat and was told
something close to 'Don't know . . . I have been here 4 months and no one
at my tables has ordered it.' The supervisor over the waiters (I forget
his title) said it war 'infrequent' to see Broiled Goat ordered.


On what cruise line did you find the Broiled Goat?

The more references that I see to the broiled goat, the more I think the
OP must have meant broiled goat cheese salad. That sounds more like the
reality to me.

Ermalee

"LeeNY" wrote in message
ps.com...
On Oct 10, 3:38 pm, RayC wrote:

I do remember having goat on both NCL and Carnival in the Caribbean when
Jamaica was on the stop. Of course, it was called "mutton" in both
instances. On one was Curry Mutton and the other was roasted leg ...
both on the buffet.

Are you sure that what they were calling mutton wasn't actually mutton
and not goat?

Lee

I believe that mutton is adult sheep.

--
Greg

The nice thng is that they have several offerngs for each course, plus a
few standard always-offered dishes like steak, salmon, chicken and
caesar salad. And you can, say, order two appetizers if the soup and/or
salad doesn't appeal to you. My pcky-eater DH ordered the fetuccine
alfredo at least half the nights, with thngs like steak or prawns on
other nights.

Personally, I made it a goal to take this opportunity to try some new
and unusual dishes, and even trried the escargot, which wasn't bad!

Diva

On Oct 10, 6:17 pm, "Gregory C. Read"
wrote:
"LeeNY" wrote in message

ps.com... On Oct 10, 3:38 pm, RayC wrote:

I do remember having goat on both NCL and Carnival in the Caribbean when
Jamaica was on the stop. Of course, it was called "mutton" in both
instances. On one was Curry Mutton and the other was roasted leg ...
both on the buffet.

Are you sure that what they were calling mutton wasn't actually mutton
and not goat?

Lee

I believe that mutton is adult sheep.

That's right. Which is why I asked what I did.

Lee


--
Greg