We were advised to meet at the International Cafe at 6:55pm, where we met Maitre d' Generoso Mazzone, treasure among Princess Maitre d's. We met the others in our group of twelve people and were fitted with white lab coats for our visit to the galley during dinner hours. Led by Generoso, we entered the Deck 6 galley located between Botticelli Dining Room at the back of the ship, and DaVinci Dining Room mid-ship.
At 7:15pm or so, it was far less chaotic that I had imagined it would be, but, in retrospect, that's why we visited that galley and not the one on Deck 5 serving the Michelangelo Dining Room. The Botticelli and DaVinci Dining Rooms are fixed dining at 6:00pm and 5:30pm respectively, so the galley was in a bit of a lull when we entered.
Our first stop was a beautifully decorated table right in the galley where we were introduced to Executive Chef Giuseppe Pollara and served:
Lobster Margarita with Avocado and Mango
Tuna Tartar with Condiments
Fontina Cheese Quiche with Truffle and Sun Blushed Cherry Tomato
Bliss New Potatoes with Sour Cream and Caviar
(and champagne!)
Next we removed our lab coats and entered the Michelangelo Dining Room, where a beautiful table had been readied for us. The meal continued....
Asparagus Risotto with Lobster Tails and Claws
(with Chardonnay)
Lemon Sorbet with Lemoncello Marinated Strawberry (and over which copious amounts of Grey Goose Vodka was poured...I felt I had died and gone to heaven by this point)
Then the entree:
Roast Veal Shank and Beef Tenderloin, carved table side, market vegetables and potato mushrooms. Chef prepared. Peppercorn sauce table side. (Served with the best merlot I've ever had)
Cheese course:
Baked Camembert with Pine Nuts, Port Wine Reduction and Walnut Bread
Then, the dessert:
A Princess Fantasy Delight of Lemoncello flavored sponge cake arranged with a delicate sabayon coating (served with dessert wine)
Coffee with Chef Giuseppe's homemade Bonbons
Are you feeling full yet? ;-)
We could have stopped after the risotto and it would have been a huge meal. But altogether it was a most amazing evening, and it left us stuffed and slightly drunk. Before we left we were given a beautiful Princess cookbook and a long stemmed rose, and a photo of our group with Chef Giuseppe and Generoso.
Incredible. The whole thing was just incredible.
But the evening wasn't over yet. We left the dining room to find band Accent playing in the Piazza, and Martha and I ended up dancing. We then went to Kory Simon's show in the Explorers Lounge, which we enjoyed immensely for the fourth time (and Martha enjoyed even more for the first time).
It was an unmatchable evening!
Photo 1: Betsy, G and Martha, all scrubbed and ready for their vast tour
Photo 2: Deck 6 galley
Photo 3: lobster margaritas
Photo 4: Maitre d' Generoso and Chef Giuseppe
Photo 5: tuna tartar
Photo 6: Bliss new potatoes with caviar