Dinner Cruise out of Oahu

[tgray99]

My husband & I are about to celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary and he has it in his head to take me on a dinner cruise to celebrate. Are there any dinner cruises that aren't banquet food or buffets? I basically want a foodie dinner cruise. Do these even exist? Help!

Thanks Chowhounds!

[KaimukiMan]

by comparison here is a buffet for an approximately $90 dinner cruise of New York harbor (currently suspended for obvious reasons)

FRESH SALADS
Garden-Fresh Salad Station A delicious assortment of mixed Greens, ripe Tomatoes and crisp Cucumbers, dried Cranberries, Garbanzo Beans, Sunflower Seeds, shredded Cheese, Croutons and bits of real Bacon, served with a choice of a Balsamic vinaigrette and a Ranch-style dressing
Chef’s Daily Salad Selection Fresh and creative salad from our chef

CARVING STATION
Garlic Encrusted Sirloin Roasted Whole with natural Juices and served with a traditional Au Jus and a chilled Horseradish Cream
Herb Marinated Pork Loin Pork Loin carved to order and served with chef’s seasonal sauce

ENTREES
Lemon-Basil Chicken Boneless breast of Chicken lightly breaded and baked in a Lemon-Garlic-Basil Sauce, served with a mix of sautéed Peppers and Onions, then finished with a splash of White Wine
Tilapia Fillet with Lobster Cream Fresh Tilapia fillet baked and topped with a rich Lobster-Sherry Cream Sauce
Salmon Mediterranean Fresh Wild Alaskan Salmon Fillet sautéed and drizzled with Citrus, White Wine and Dill, served with our a fresh Vegetable Chutney, roasted Garlic and Mediterranean Herbs
Pasta Primavera Imported Pasta with sautéed Broccoli, fresh Pea Pods, Mushrooms and bright Red Peppers and your choice of Marinara or Chef’s homemade Pasta Sauce

ACCOMPANIMENTS
Garlic Smashed Potatoes Mashed Baby Red Potatoes, blended with roasted Garlic and light Cream
Local Harvest Vegetables Seasonal medley of locally-sourced Vegetables, hand-cut and lightly steamed
Fresh Steamed Green Beans Whole Green Beans lightly seasoned and steamed

DESSERTS
Sweet Dessert Duo
Chocolate Mousse Truffle Moist layers of rich Chocolate Mousse and Cake, enrobed in a decadent Chocolate Ganache, topped with a delicate drizzle of White Chocolate
Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Rich New York-style Cheesecake topped with layers of moist Cake,
Vanilla Bean Mousse and a White Chocolate Ganache, finished with a Raspberry drizzle

http://spiritofnewyork.com/New-York/d...>

[manomin]

Do try any of the Robert's Hawaii Cruises. The exec. corp. chef is one of the original founding chefs of the HRC movement. He came in last year and has done some really amazing things with the menus and offerings. Naturally he is focused on as much local product as possible.

[tgray99]

You wouldn't happen to have a link would you?

[manomin]

Just look up Robert's Hawaii.

[tgray99]

I found it. The menu looks amazing!! Thanks for your help!

[manomin]

Well if you go I hope you like it! Report back! It's great to have such a high caliber chef taking the reins on a very important aspect of our visitor industry. I seem to recall they have more than one cruise ship option.

[scottca075]

Ummm, curious what Robert's Dinner Cruise, "looked amazing" to you? The menu I found looked rather pedestrian, steak with mashed potatoes, lobster with butter?

At $135 a person, I think I'd do a sunset cocktail catamaran sail and then have dinner on shore someplace with more variety and more imagination.

And who is this "executive chef"? I couldn't find his name.

[tgray99]

Pretty sure you looked at the wrong site. This is the Roberts Dinner Cruise Site (http://www.robertshawaii.com/dining-e...)

Here's the menu for the Alii Kai:

Island Salad Bar
The Alii Kai Salad (V
)Papaya Seed, Paniolo Ranch & Asian Sesame Ginger Dressings (V)
Island Pineapple Cole Slaw (GF, V)
Kim Chee Won Bok Salad (GF, V)
Chirashi: Mixed Seafood Sushi
Marinated Vegetable Namasu (V)
Maui Gold Fresh Pineapple Chunks (V)
Hawaiian Potato Rolls (V)

Entrees
Steamed Rice (GF, V)
Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes (GF, V)
Steamed Fresh Vegetable Potpourri (GF, V)
Roasted Teriyaki Chicken with Diced Pineapple
Hawaiian Kalua Pork with Bok Choy and Maui Onions (GF)
Garnished with Lomi Lomi Salmon
Fresh Silver Salmon with Lemon Basil Beurre Blanc (GF)
Garnished with Tomato, Basil, Olive & Fresh Palm Heart Bruschetta

Dessert
Guava-Mango Shortcake (V)

Vegetarian Entree (Available as a pre-order only)
Baked Ziti Marinara with Three Cheeses (V).

[KaimukiMan]

thats the menu i saw too. I'm kinda with Scott on this one... where is the amazing menu that was discussed? This is the same thing I can get at a couple of Honolulu's less reputable buffets. It reads well, but if you have seen it on a steam table a lot is lost in the translation. It's not terrible, but it sure isn't anything special. And come on... silver salmon? couldn't they at least provide island fish?

[scottca075]

I looked up the OTHER Roberts Dinner Cruise.
http://www.robertshawaii.com/dining-experience/atlantis-dinner-cruise.php

Dinner Includes:

Taro Rolls – served with Toasted Macadamia Nut Butter
Chocolate Mousse Cake with White Chocolate Navatek Logo
Rotating Seasonal Appetizer
Maine Lobster Kahala – with Lemon and Drawn Butter
Roasted Filet of Tenderloin Beef – served with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Carrots, and Zucchini
Navatek Royal Salad – Locally Grown Green Lettuce topped with Diced Fresh Tomatoes and Cucumber served on a Won Ton Crisp placed on a bed of Red Leaf Lettuce, garnished with Shoestring Beets and Carrots, and served with Papaya Seed and Sesame Dressing

But neither menu sounds impressive, the menu on the catamaran sounds like a $12 plate lunch from Rainbow Drive-in, and I'd rather go to Rainbow.

My advice stands, do a Na Hoku II 90 minute sunset cruise and then go to a better place to eat.

http://www.nahokuii.com/

[tgray99]

As opposed to all the other dinner cruise menus I've seen online (overcooked steaks & lobster), I prefer this one, thanks. At least I can't get this meal at any banquet on the mainland.

[scottca075]

I stll wouldn't call it a "foodie cruise". You can get all those dishes for probably half the cost and better quiality at a dozen places.