Toa Toa Chinese

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me - goes the saying...  With already a mediocre Dim Sum experience in Orlando and a truly troubling one in Miami, it goes without saying that a third try in South Florida would either be the charm or the trifecta of shame.  Of course expectations were not high since good Dim Sum would be a stretch in an area more famous for its Cuban food.  But after heavy meal upon heavy meal aboard the Allure of the Seas, it was time to head back to the Chinese food well (even if it wasn't that great).

After another disappointing experience at Budget Car Rental (ironically using their "I'm Sorry" certificates), which took over an hour to get out of there, we headed to Toa Toa Chinese Restaurant in Sunrise.  Walking into the place, it looked legit with a packed house of happy diners and Cantonese-speaking staff.  We ordered a bunch of stuff and to our surprise, the food was actually decent. The first item to arrive was the Wonton Noodle Soup (I know, not a typical Dim Sum item, but we wanted to try it).  Although the noodles were hardly the chewy type, it was not mushy at least.  The soup was more like mild chicken soup, but okay nonetheless.  Amazingly, the wontons were good consisting of whole crunchy shrimp and tender pork. Shockingly small, the Haw Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) were passable with a shrimp filling which had a snap texture and a decent amount of seasoning which was sweet and savory. As for the Sui Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumpling), they were passable with somewhat soft pork and whole crunchy pieces of shrimp.

Moving onto the offal and such part of the meal, we had the Bible Tripe which was quite spicy.  We actually enjoyed the flavor as it was quite apparent, including the saltiness of the black beans.  Normally, this dish can be quite bland since properly prepared tripe is typically pretty flavorless.  Next, we had the Phoenix Talons (aka Chicken Feet).  These were plump and cooked nicely all the way through.  Hence the gelatin underneath was soft while the skin was equally so with a slight resistance.  Other than a few parts of broken fried skin, these were pretty textbook chicken feet.  Flavorwise, there was no absence of both savory and sweet.

We ended up with both the Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll and BBQ Pork Rice Noodle Roll.  Strangely, this was named "Paste" on the menu which didn't make much sense.  Although a touch thick, the rice noodle itself was soft and moist with a slight elasticity.  Not bad, not bad at all...  As for the shrimp, they were prepared properly being cold-water crunchy and well-seasoned.  The BBQ pork filling was both ample and lean.  It had a nice meaty flavor as well.  Despite the decent shrimp mousse filling (which had a bounce and was properly seasoned), the Stuffed Eggplant was very greasy and a bit mushy.  It could've stood to be fried a bit less while a little more filling could've gone a long way in making this better.

For the kiddies, we had to get the Lo Mei Gai (Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaves). This was the traditional large version stuffed with plenty of ingredients to go with the soft sticky rice.  The ground pork was a touch salty, yet tender.  It went a long way in providing both seasoning and moisture for the rice.  We also got the Egg Tarts, which was another kid favorite.  Only consisting of 2 tarts, they were a touch over-baked which was exemplified by the dark tart shell.  However, it was flaky and crisp that yielded to a semi-sweet silky egg custard. Although the Fried Glutinous Sesame Balls were a bit dense, they were crunchy and filled with sweet lotus paste.

Next, we had the Steamed Black Bean Spareribs.  These were legit with lots of garlic and black bean hits of flavor.  As for the spareribs themselves, there was a mix of meaty rib pieces and cartilage.  Fortunately, the fatty parts were kept to a minimum.  In terms of texture, they were marinated just enough so they were tender while maintaining some meatiness.  Arriving in a bowl swimming in diluted and thickened oyster sauce, the Bean Curd Skin Rolls were okay.  The bean curd skin itself could've been more uniformly fried, but it was still a good mix of chewy and soft.  The soft ground pork filling had a particularly bamboo-shoot slant, which I personally didn't mind.

Lastly, we added 2 more items including the Minced Beef Congee.  Although the broth itself was quite salty from the MSG, it did taste good.  Curse you tasty MSG!  It was nicely thick from the first spoonful to the last with tender chunks of ground beef (which was a bit sparse).  We ended the meal with the Special Chow Mein to make sure we got full.  As clearly exemplified in the picture, there was much more sauce and ingredients than fried noodle.  Hence, the dish was a bit too wet when mixed together.  On the other hand, it did taste balanced and the ingredients were well-prepared.  And really, most of the food was not bad considering where we were.  Definitely passable and an option if one was looking for Chinese food in South Florida. 

The Good:
- Decent service
- Decent Dim Sum
- Lots of parking

The Bad:
- Seating a touch cramped
- Dim sum portions are quite modest

150 Central Park (Allure of the Seas)

As mentioned, the dining options aboard cruise ships are becoming more diverse every year.  We saw the introduction of steakhouses and then restaurants focusing on specific cuisines.  Now, we are witnessing the elevation of cruise dining with deluxe establishments offering up food that could give restaurants on land a run for their money.  With a dedicated 6-course tasting menu, 150 Central Park aims to serve up finely prepared dishes that one could never find in the main dining room.

To drive the point home, we were not served just any butter and bread.  No, we were served bread with unsalted butter complimented by a variety of Specialty Salts including (bottom and clockwise) a Hawaiian Alaea salt rich in red volcanic clay; a Smoked Salt from Washington, an Indian salt, Kala Malak, which exhibited an egg-type aroma due to its sulfur content; Sel de Mer and Sel de Gris from France; and pink salt from Australia.  For our first course, we were presented with the a plate that included Falafel atop a tahini sauce accompanied by roasted eggplant, pickled vegetables and flatbread.  Crispy, dense and mildly spiced, the falafel gave way to the roasted eggplant as the star of the dish.  I loved the soft texture and the small amount of chili oil.  The pickled veggies helped add some needed zing to the dish.

Next up was the Curried Lentil Stew with Greek yogurt, cashews and scallions.  Possibly because I'm biased towards non-meat dishes, I found this to be quite ordinary.  The lentils were soft, yet retained a certain firmness.  There was a background spice which was accented by the cool thick yogurt. We moved onto the Pan Fried Gnudi next.  It featured hazelnuts, cipollini onions, sage, brown butter and piave vecchio.  We found the gnudi to be soft and fluffy with a light exterior sear.  The nuts were crunchy and aromatic while the sweet onions and salty cheese completed the array of flavors.

Thankfully, the next course actually featured meat being the Mahogany Black Cod with whipped parsnip, Borek Farms baby bak choy and mustard sauce.  They cod was prepared like it should be - fatty, moist and flaky.  It was sweet from the marinade and accented by the mild mustard.  We liked the browned appearance as it also added a nice caramelization.  Our last savory dish consisted of the Beef Two Ways including White Oak Pastures filet and Harris Ranch short rib with farro risotto, glazed Borek Farms baby carrots and parsley sauce. Tender, meat and flavorful, the beautiful medium-rare filet couldn't have been prepared any better.  The pulled braised short rib was tender and tart with crunchy vegetable bites.  The farro risotto was firm while the vegetables were a bit salty.

Our last course was the Milk Chocolate Cremoso atop hazelnut praline crumble with an espresso semifreddo, EVOO, sea salt and sourdough crostini.  The cremoso was rich and chocolaty where the sea salt further elevated the flavors.  The semifreddo was smooth and only semi-sweet.  This was a good example of how 150 Central Park is worth the $40 cover charge.  There is no way the main dining room could offer such food, not merely based on cost, but due to the amount of food that needs to be plated.  With a small dedicated kitchen, it is possible to offer more delicate and finely presented food.

The Good:
- More delicately crafted food
- Better quality
- More focused service

The Bad:
- It'll cost you $40.00pp
- Not kid-friendly (but you can put them in the kid's program)
- Only one menu, but they can do substitutions

Chops Grille (Allure of the Seas)

With already our first specialty restaurant in the books, we headed off to our second reservation at Chops Grille. This was on night 4 of our cruise aboard the Allure of the Seas.  Chops Grille is RCCL's specialty steakhouse located on many of their ships (and soon-to-be fleetwide).  Consistent with many steakhouses on land, Chops Grille features traditional decor and a menu featuring steaks with separate sides for sharing with the entire table.

We started with some appies including the Oyster Duet featuring Rockefeller (spinach & Hollandaise gratin) and Kilpatrick (bacon & BBQ- Worcestershire sauce).  Of the 2, I liked the Rockefeller more as it was creamy and only mildly seasoned.  The Kilpatrick was a bit too ketchupy for me despite it not being ketchup.  The oysters were cooked properly not being chewy nor dry.  We also got a couple orders of the Forest Mushroom Soup scented with white truffle oil.  This was very good being creamy with a wealth of Earthiness from both the mushrooms and truffle oil.  One thing we would've liked to see was less salt. My mom had the Dungeness Crab and Shrimp Cake accompanied by a remoulade.  The thick cake consisted of fluffy and moist crab along with peppers which added both spice and sweetness.  It was too bad that the exterior wasn't very crisp.

We had 2 more appies including the Asian-Inspired Spicy Tuna atop crisp black sesame seed and Parmesan crisps with cucumber & avocado salsa, unagi sauce and micro greens.  We found the tuna soft with a spicy finish that lingered in our mouths.  The crunch from the cucumbers and crisps added the needed textural contrast.  Our last appie was one of our favorites being the Smoked Duck Salad. The duck itself was tender and easy to chew, but suffered from too much salt.  Hence it was more salty than smoky.  The orange went well with the duck and somewhat helped tone down the sodium.

Onto the meat (sorry for the pun) of the meal, I had the 18oz Broiled Porterhouse with Cabernet reduction.  I asked for it to be prepared medium-rare and it was mostly that with some medium spots.  I wasn't bothered by this as I've never had a porterhouse that was medium-rare throughout (due to the different steaks on each side).  The reduction had a nice wine flavour that was cooked down properly. Viv decided on the Filet Mignon which was done medium-rare as requested.  It was rested properly where the meat retained most of its juices. However, the meat was not as moist as we were expecting.

My mom decided on the Mixed Grill consisting of a lamb chop, apple-chicken sausage, veal tournedos, bacon, bubble & squeak and veal reduction.  The lamp chop was still moist and quite tender while the veal was dry.  For me, the best part was the bacon as it was crisp and nicely shaped.  In addition to the flavourful and rich veal reduction, my mom tried the Bearnaise which was thick and buttery.  My son, who is not a fan of steak, had the Free-Range Chicken Breast wrapped in crispy pancetta.  Predictably, the white meat was dry and overcooked.  However, the worst part was the lack of flavor despite the pancetta.  With another non-steak dish, my daughter opted for the Alaskan Halibut baked on a cedar plank.  Again, predictably (because halibut is easy to overcook), the fish was stiff and dry.  The herb crumb coating on top actually made it even more dry to eat.

Seeing how we couldn't decide on what sides to order, we ended up trying them all.  We liked how both the Steamed Asparagus and Sauteed Broccolini were just cooked, hence they retained their color and crunch.  The Crimini Mushrooms and Leek were creamy and rich while the Green Beans with Dijon mustard sabayon and feta cheese crumble were still vibrant and crunchy.  However, there could've been a bit more sauce as it was not impactful.  Creamy and smooth, the Double Whipped Mashed Potatoes lived up to its namesake.  With a thick crunchy breading, the Fried Onion Rings were not greasy and prepared very well.  The Roasted Potatoes with prosciutto and Parmesan were soft and really cheesy.  Also with both complimentary ingredients, the dish was quite salty.  Lastly, the Rock Salt Baked Idaho Potato was dry with a very chewy skin.

For dessert, I tried the Red Velvet Cake which was much better than I would've imagined.  It was moist and not incredibly sweet.  On the other hand, the cream cheese icing made up for that being sugary. Plated beautifully, the Chocolate Mud Pie was also surprisingly good.  It was chocolaty and rich being easy on the sugar.  The kids agreed and helped devour it.  Trying to exorcise the demons of the crappy Creme Brulee from the main dining room, my mom gave it another go at Chops.  It was a good decision since the sugar topping was hard and not too thick.  Underneath, the custard had a nice silky consistency albeit pretty sweet. This was a good finish to an enjoyable meal.  Overall, we thought that Chops was worth the cover charge because it offered up something different that was prepared better (not including the non-steak dishes) than the main dining room.

The Good:
- Steaks were more or less prepared properly
- Attentive service
- Different enough than the main dining room to justify the cover charge

The Bad:
- If the entree wasn't steak, it wasn't that good
- Kids can eat there, but not particularly kid friendly

Adagio (Allure of the Seas)

Although we had purchased the Central Park Dining Package (which included Giovanni's Table, Chops Grille and 150 Central Park), the majority of our meals would still be at Adagio (the main dining room aboard the Allure of the Seas). In the past decade or so, we've seen cruise lines building bigger ships and offering more dining choices.  However, that has also meant the introduction of cover charges as well.  Love it or hate it, at the very least, there is an option for those who want to pay for possibly better or more diverse food options.

On our second night aboard the Allure of the Seas, we dined at Adagio for our first formal night. We found an interesting mix of items on the menu.  One of which was the Bay Scallop Gratin with garlic herb butter and olive bread stick.  Essentially, they replaced the escargots with baby scallops.  Hence, the flavors of the dish were very similar being buttery and rich.  With the use of baby scallops, the dish was lacking in substance though.  We also had the Shrimp Cocktail which was pretty typical with medium-sized shrimp which had a nice meaty snap.  All of us had a bowl of Lobster Bisque which was thick and brimming with lobster essence.  The bits of lobster were chewy though while the amount of sherry was minimal.  Furthermore, it suffered from the dreaded "salty bisque" phenomenon.  It would've been fine with half the amount of salt used.

Onto our mains, I tried the Shrimp Ravioli consisting of wilted spinach, creamy thyme and corn all in a lobster sauce.  The pasta was al dente and light while the sauce was salty (much like the bisque).  The bits of shrimp were good though, yet the filling was mushy and not that appealing.  Next up was the Roasted Duck with black currant sauce, sweet red cabbage and golden potato croquettes.  Surprisingly, the dish was constructed of an intact half duck (really filling).  The meat from the thigh to the breast was moist with the natural taste of duck.  Accenting the meat was the sweet currant sauce which was quite mild.  We would've liked to see the croquettes a bit more crispy though.

My dad ordered the Pan-Fried Silver Corvina Fillet with saffron-infused cauliflower, fondant potatoes, tomatoes, capers, sultana grapes and pine nut relish.  We found the fish to be overcooked where the flesh was mushy in a Tilapia-type manner.  Moreover, there were little bones strewn throughout.  On the other hand, the raisins, tomatoes and capers provided a nice balance of flavors.  Both kiddies had the Chicken Strips and Fries (with some buttered veggies added to give the appearance of some healthiness).  They were a bit dry on the inside and crispy on the outside.  The fries were the starch-coated variety.  The veggies were good though being cooked just enough.

Onto desserts, the Sky High Lemon Meringue Pie looked strangely like a lemon tart with meringue on top.  In that sense, it ate like a tart with a firm crust surrounding a sweet and zippy floury filling.  It was okay tasting, but I wasn't fond of the texture.  My mom had the Chocolate Souffle which was eggy with a crisp-textured top.  We didn't find it too sweet nor chocolatey either.  The maple sauce did add some flavor though.  Lastly, we had the Strawberry Cheesecake that was fairly decent.  It was sweet with a lack of cheesiness while the tart strawberries helped balance the flavors.  As you can probably ascertain, the food was pretty average where the duck stood out amongst all of the other dishes.  We were scheduled to return to Adagio the next night to see if anything else could create a memory or not...

So on the 3rd night, we once again filed into the main dining room on cue with all of the other hungry passengers. Funny, it reminded me of a cattle call of sorts...  Ironic I suppose.  Anyways, it was deja vu for us as we started with the started with the Antipasti and the Eggplant Parmigiana (which was an entree on this menu) much like our meal at Giovanni's.  The antipasti featured nicely grilled zucchini and ripe cantaloupe. Interestingly, the eggplant was less salty than the one at Giovanni's.  It did exhibit some nice features such as tart tomatoes and plenty of cheese.  Our favorite appie happened to be the Creamy Roasted Garlic Soup.  It was creamy as advertised with an intense roasted garlic hit.  It wasn't very salty, which allowed the natural flavor of the garlic to shine.

Heading into our mains, I ordered the Filetto di Maiale Arrosto con Salvia (slow roasted pork tenderloin wrapped in prosciutto and sage with Provolone potato bake, broccoli, carrots and a truffle reduction). Despite the impressive sounding title, the pork was ultimately dry and pretty bland.  That was somewhat of a surprise since there was prosciutto and other flavoring elements including a curiously ineffective truffle reduction.  My mom went for the Garlic Tiger Shrimp which were very much like scampi.  They were garlicky with a meaty texture.  The accompanying vegetables were still firm and vibrant.  Viv decided on the Chicken Marsala (sauteed Chicken Scaloppine, Marsala-mushroom sauce, buttery mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables) and it pretty good.  Being moist and tender, the chicken was much less flavorful than its appearance would suggest.

My dad went for the one of the dishes available every night being the Broiled Fillet of Atlantic Salmon.  As expected the fish was completely overcooked and dry.  On the flip side, it was seasoned nicely and accompanied by crisp veggies.  We also sampled another constant on the menu which was the Aged Hand-Cut Manhattan Strip Steak.  Despite being prepared medium-rare as requested, the steak was curiously dry and mealy.  It was as if the moisture was missing.  Hence, it was not really all that enjoyable to eat.  My daughter decided to not order off the kid's menu and went for the Lasagna al Forno instead.  I do believe she's related to me!  It wasn't half-bad with well-constructed layers which held together after each bite.  The half and half of cream and beef bolognaise sauces created a balance of sorts.

For dessert I decided to try the Dessert Sampler featuring flourless chocolate cake, vanilla cheesecake and elderberry mousse with strawberry jelly.  I found the cake to be rich and chocolaty with a slight bitterness accented by a mild sweetness.  The cheesecake was somewhat sweet with a smooth texture while the mousse was not too sweet exhibiting some tartness.  My mom had the BBB Creme Brulee which was a complete fail.  The sugar topping was non-existent and in fact, was not even torched properly.  Therefore, it was just overly sweet runny Bailey's-flavored custard.  This was a pathetic attempt at a creme brulee. Viv decided on the Tiramisu and had a weird jello texture.  Rather than creamy marscapone, it was stiff and bland.  As you can ascertain, the desserts on night 3 were terrible, period.

After dining at Chops Grille on night 4, we returned to Adagio for our 2nd formal night (aka lobster night).  I started with the Royal Seafood Salad consisting of crab, shrimp and lobster on a jicama slaw and citrus drizzle. I didn't mind this as it was sweet and fresh tasting.  It wasn't overdressed and I liked the crunchy elements as a textural contrast. I also had the Roasted Poblano Pepper and Corn Soup with cilantro oil drizzle.  I really liked this as it was spicy and smooth with the sweet pop of corn.  It was natural tasting and wasn't the victim of overseasoning.  It was somewhat like a spicy version of a cream of corn (no, not like the canned version).  Viv opted to try the Double Duck Consume with aged port and julienned vegetable melange.  This was also quite good as it was not over-salted.  It was sweet and reminded us of BBQ Duck in a consume.

Viv also had the Duck & Port Wine Terrine made with smoked duck and accompanied by prosciutto, mixed baby lettuce, shaved Anjou pear, brioche and red currant port syrup.  Naturally, the terrine was "livery" with a hit of port.  The color was an off-putting grey but it was smooth enough to spread on the soft brioche.  Our daughter ended up ordering off the regular menu again and ended up with the Creamed Wild Mushrooms served with flaky puff pastry.  This was a pretty straightforward appie that featured nicely sauteed mushrooms with a creamy and rich sauce.  The puff pastry was indeed flaky and crispy.  Although officially listed as an entree, the Snow Crab Salad should've been an appetizer.  It was merely a few small portions of snow crab legs atop lettuce and tomatoes.  We found the crab to be rather salty and somewhat spongy.

Onto the mains, we all had the Fisherman's Plate consisting of a broiled lobster tail, garlic shrimp and veggies.  Despite appearing impressive, sadly, the lobster tail was overcooked and chewy.  As much as the shrimp exhibited a buttery snap, they were super salty.  In addition to the lobster, we tried the Three Cheese Tortellini for kicks.  We found the pasta to be far too soft, but the filling was cheesy as was the marscapone sauce.  The addition of mushrooms helped break up the monotony.  And really for good measure, we shared an order of the Slow-Roasted Prime Rib served with potato croquettes, semi-dried Roma tomatoes, green beans and horseradish au jus.  The prime rib was well-seasoned being buttery soft.  It was more medium than medium-rare as requested.  The sauce was meaty and had depth and only the slightest hint of horseradish.

Moving onto dessert, I decided on the Chocolate Sensation made of espresso sponge, chocolate truffle mousse, almond icing and chocolate glaze.  This was decent with a silky texture and not incredibly sweet.  I didn't get a huge hit of espresso, but the chocolate was definitely there.  My dad tried the Sugar-Free Coconut & Lychee Gateaux which was predictably light in texture and taste.  I thought that the lychee could've been more pronounced though.  Lastly, my mom had the Grand Marnier Souffle.  As you can see from the picture, it didn't really rise and/or it settled.  Whatever the case, it was fine though being soft with a sweet vanilla sauce.

We skipped night 6 in favor of 150 Central Park only to return on the last night for dinner.  It was only Viv, myself and the kids as it was my parents turn at 150 Central Park.  Viv started with the Chilled Pineapple and Lychee Soup.  I don't know about you, but I'm not a huge fan of fruity soups because they tend to eat like a tropical drink.  In this case, it was no different as it was sweet, yet refreshing. The addition of coconut made it taste like a pina colada.  For myself, I had the Eggplant and Kalamata Olive Tartar with roasted red pepper hummus.  I found the texture of the eggplant to be just right neither being too firm or mushy.  There was a nice tartness to it while the red pepper hummus was smooth and flavourful.  Both of us also had the Pan Seared Sea Scallops and Chorizo with cauliflower puree and crispy pancetta & herb crumble.  Buttery soft and retaining a bite, the scallops were nicely accented by the crunchy topping and creamy puree.  This was well-prepared.

Onto our mains, I opted for the Rosemary Lamb Shank with green beans, caramelized pearl onions, roasted pumpkin and Cabernet jus.  This was a substantial portion where the meat was gelatinous and moist.  The sauce had depth while bordering on salty.  The buttery and fluffy mashed potatoes helped soak up all the jus.  Viv went for the impressive-sounding Fish, Seafood and Mash, but it was really just a plate of fried seafood.  Consisting of cod fillet, sea scallops, shrimp, minted peas, mashed potatoes and a remoulade, this would've been something one would find at any "seafood" joint.  With that being said, the fish was flaky, albeit soggy and not crispy at all.  While the shrimp was okay, we found the scallops to be overcooked and hard.

As for my daughter, she skipped the kid's meal (good girl!) and had the Roasted Turkey with apple bread dressing, cider gravy, roasted red bliss, brussel sprouts, carrots and cranberry sauce.  Despite its dry appearance, the slices of turkey were relatively moist.  The gravy was on point with plenty of meat flavour and essence.  We also got an extra entree being the Rigatoni Pasta in a prosciutto-Chardonnay sauce topped with grated Piave cheese.  The rigatoni was quite soft and not close to being al dente.  As for the sauce, it was creamy and cheesy.  The overall flavour profile was just plain salt as it overwhelmed everything else.  I loved the crispy prosciutto on top though.

For dessert, we only had 2 starting with the Frozen Strawberry Souffle.  As the description stated, it was refreshing and frozen.  Naturally, it really wasn't a souffle.  Rather, it was more like really cold strawberry mousse.  Lastly, we shared the Key Lime Pie which was pretty good.  It was tart and only semi-sweet with a nice silky texture.  The crust exhibited a light crunch which contrasted well with the pie.  This was a good end to an up and down overall experience at the main dining room aboard the Allure of the Seas.  We could appreciate the challenges of producing so many plates of food for a ship this large, yet some of the items were just not prepared properly.  With that being said, nothing was inedible and there were a few gems.  Comparing to the most recent cruise before Allure, I have to say the food aboard the Oosterdam was better.

The Good:
- There is no extra charge to eat here
- The service we got was pretty attentive

The Bad:
- Inconsistent food execution
- Seating can be a bit tight