The Dining Traveler Blog: Travel and Food Inspiration

When I first heard about the Quantum of the Seas, the newest ship from Royal Caribbean, the one thing that intrigued me the most was the food. Before I boarded the ship, I read all about the "Dynamic Dining" experience on ship. I was doubtful that haute chef quality food can be made aboard a cruise ship. Quantum of the Seas proved me wrong.

Appetizers at Silk

When I imagined a cruise restaurant, I pictured awful buffets with poorly made pasta, meat swimming in a strange substance, and boxed mashed potatoes. Basically an Old Country Buffet at sea. I experienced the complete opposite aboard the ship. Quantum of the Seas has eighteen restaurants all with a different unique theme. It also enlisted celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Michael Schwartz, and Devin Alexander to develop delicious restaurants on board. Our dining experience highlights:

Charcuterie at Michael's Genuine Pub

Michael's Genuine Pub: Chef Michael Schwartz created a high end Gastropub on Quantum of the Seas. When you step into the restaurant, you forget that you are on ship with the dark woods, original art, and rows of beer taps on the bar. Aside from the bar classics such as a burger, you also have more original pub fare such as polenta fries and country pate. We had a selection of appetizers and the charcuterie board.

Pasta at Jamie's Italian

Jamie's Italian: The Dutchman is a huge Jamie Oliver fan. When he moved from The Netherlands, he brought a huge box of cookbooks, many of them from Jamie Oliver. Given that getting a table at his restaurants in the UK is no easy feat, we made sure to check out this restaurant on board. We were pleasantly surprised that he keeps all the same ethos of his restaurant on board: ethically sourced meat, pasta made in house, and as many local ingredients as possible. Check out my video of Jamie's Italian on my YouTube channel. Tip: There is a cover charge you have to pay for this restaurant as it is considered one of the premium dining experiences on board.

Sea Bass with Noodles at Silk

Silk: One of the things that Quantum of the Seas decided to do with its Dynamic Dining experience was to make the restaurants that are part of your general cruise package more appealing. Silk is a beautiful Asian inspired restaurant on board. When you walk in you see red velvet, silk paneling, and gorgeous red and white Chinese paper lanterns. It truly transports you to a high end restaurant in Shanghai. The menu is designed to reflect the many menus of Asia: from buns to Indian curries.

The 100 Calorie Brownie at Devinly Decadence

Devinly Decadence: One of the things I loved from the experience at Quantum of the Seas was its top deck: it has all the wellness features such as spa, pool, and gym in this area. To add to that wellness vibe, there's Devinly Decadence, the restaurant developed by Chef Devin. She's been a chef on "The Biggest Loser" and she is known for delicious yet healthy treats. After indulging in pasta at Jamie's Italian, we went there for dessert. We were in love with the tiny, guilt free desserts such as a molten chocolate cake with a fresh raspberry sauce. Guilt-free perfection!

Sushi at Izumi

Izumi: Chef Travis Kamiyama has been a sushi chef for companies such as Toyota and Ritz Carlton and now he launched Izumi on Quantum of the Seas. This restaurant is also considered one of the premium restaurants on board (cover charge required). The restaurant has a traditional sushi restaurant look to it with modern and clean lines. Guests can choose to sit at the bar and watch the sushi chefs create edible art.

The verdict: If you love good food, this is the ship for you. There are so many different selections of food on board that you can stay for a week and never get tired of the selections with eighteen dining choices and extensive menus. The buffet, Windjammer also offers an amazing selection of international foods as well that is way beyond my former perception of a cruise buffet. One of the key things Quantum of the Seas made different was the connectivity of these experiences. You can book your restaurants online and record your preferences electronically as well. When you arrive to the restaurant, there are no surprises! We had a great experience sampling all the delicious food on board. It totally ups the game of cruise dining. post signature

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