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We decided to forgo the main dining room for our last meal aboard the MS Veendam. Instead, we decided to check out their Italian specialty restaurant, Canaletto. We never got a chance to try this restaurant (which is essentially a cordoned off section of the Lido Buffet) on the MS Oosterdam, but we figured that we should satisfy our curiosity despite what others have said about it on the Internet. To get a sense of the menu, we decided to order one of everything.
Since we ordered all the appies, they all came at once for us to share. The first item we tried was the best being the Zuppe di Pesce. It featured a briny and sweet tomato broth that was flavourful from the seafood without a high reliance on salt. There was a bevy of ingredients including mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops and fish. This tasted exactly how it appeared which was a good thing. Next best were the Veal & Sage Polpettine bathed in a light, yet flavourful tomato sauce. It was mildly tangy while completely seasoned including the use of fresh basil. The meatballs themselves were tender and nicely prepared. They featured a seared exterior while being moist inside.
Another surprising appie was the Eggplant Caponata with crostinis. I found the tender nuggets of eggplant soft, yet at the same time, not mushy nor wet. As much as it didn’t look particularly flavourful, it was very tasty sporting a tanginess evened out by a balancing amount of sweetness (from the golden raisins) and saltiness. The crunchy and airy crostinis were the perfect textural compliment. The Salumi Plate was pretty standard and simple consisting of buttery and salty prosciutto and sweet capicollo. There were some olives to compliment. We also had the Canaletto Salad (not pictured) that featured an overly large slice of Gorgonzola.
For our entrees, we were thoroughly impressed with the Rigatoni with Italian sausage as it featured firmly al dente pasta coated with a fresh-tasting tomato sauce that was tangy to start yet exhibiting a tasty spiciness to finish. Even the sausage was on point being tender and bouncy with a nice salty meatiness. The addition of Kalamata olives added a wine-type of saltiness. A popular item with the kiddies, the Spaghetti Bolognese also sported firmly al dente pasta (which was to everyone’s liking) bathed in a meaty sauce that wasn’t didn’t have too much moisture nor oiliness. Rather, it was rich and naturally flavoured with the light tang on tomato.
Although the Parpardelle was also texturally on point, the creamy sauce didn’t deliver on the promise of citrus. With that being said, it was a solid cream sauce where it didn’t separate and was silky and well-seasoned. The large prawns were excellent exhibiting a meaty snap and being naturally sweet. Our last pasta was a hit with my son as it contained short ribs. Therefore, he almost dusted off the Potato Gnocchi all by himself. The pasta was soft with a bit of firmness, yet could’ve been softer. The rich meat braising sauce was full of depth and appealing saltiness. The dollop of mascapone made it even richer. The short rib itself was mostly tender with some chewier parts.
Moving onto the larger dishes, the Sauteed Veal Piccata with angel hair pasta was excellent. With nicely tenderized veal slices that were beautifully seared, the meat practically needed no chewing (it wasn’t mushy though). It was topped with a rich and silky sauce that once again had an appealing saltiness and natural meat juices. The angel hair pasta was buttery and tender while not mushy. Although the Bistecca was merely a steak with a porcini mushroom cream sauce (not looking all that interesting), it was solidly prepared. Tender, well-seared and seasoned, it was nicely medium-rare. The mushroom sauce added a meaty Earthiness.
With a crispy and nicely salted skin, the Grilled Lemon-Thyme White Sea Bass was yet another properly prepared dish. It was moist and flaky while completely seasoned enough by the skin. Underneath, there were tender yet firm fingerling potatoes and on the side was a tart lemon juice tossed frisee and fennel salad. Our last dish was a vegetarian offering in the Portobello Mushroom with zucchini spaghetti. I was shocked how much I enjoyed this as the mushroom was buttery and flavoured by balsamic and olive oil. On top the zucchini spaghetti was not mushy at all, rather it was crunchy while still cooked through. Loved the texture and the flavours. By the end of the meal, we were pretty stuffed, so we skipped dessert. We were pretty surprised with the food as it was generally well-prepared and tasty.
So our second-to-last port-of-call before arriving in Montreal was Quebec City just up the St. Lawrence. Well, our luck ran out on the run of good weather as we arrived to find pouring rain. Suffice to say, the first half of our day was pretty dreary and I got completely soaked. Fortunately, they turned off the faucet and I was able to enjoy the rest of the day where it became rather warm. Lovely, now we had to pack away all of our rain gear... Oh well, it was time to eat and in Old Quebec City, we ended up at La Buche.
I decided to have the Tortiere which was not traditional as a meat pie per se. Rather, it was prepared in a modern fashion with the meat filling in a large ramekin topped by puff pastry. Hence, it was more a stew more than a pie. I found it meaty and rich with soft potato and tender chunks of beef. The flavour profile was on the saltier side, but still appealing. Viv had the Cassoulet made of sausage, ham, bacon and cheese curds coated with a béchamel sauce topped with spinach and 2 sunny side eggs. I found this super rich and meaty despite not looking like a lot. There was an overload of legit cheese curds which made it even heavier.
Elaine and my son both had the Bacon Poutine that featured fresh cut fries that were potatoey with only a light crispiness. The gravy was really tasty with a purposeful amount of saltiness accented by the sweetness of cooked down onions. Again, there was an overload of legit squeaky cheese curds. The literal cherry on top was the thick sliced and meaty bacon. Costanza had the Sugar Shack Combo that featured beans, crepe, hashbrowns, tortiere nugget, croquette and bacon. This was a lot of food where the croquette really stood out being crunchy with a tasty meat centre while the bacon was once again very good. The crepe was tender and sweet.
My daughter went for the children’s Shepherd’s Pie that sported smooth mashed potatoes topped with sweet corn niblets and shredded beef. Despite the unappealing visuals, this was probably one of the tastiest items on the table. It was flavourful from the salty beef and sweet corn. In the end, we weren't sure if this was truly representative of Quebec cuisine as this was the only place we visited while in Quebec City. Whatever the case, it did the job and several dishes were tasty.
The Good:
- Loved the rustic decor
- Decent eats
- Good service
The Bad:
- A bit pricey
- Salty
To be honest, I’ve never read Anne of Green Gables nor have I ever been motivated to do so. I do realize it is a big part of Canadiana and something that is known around the world. Maybe I should show more pride? At the very least, we were committed in visiting the National Historic Site while we were in PEI. So we did the 45 minute drive out there to look at the House as well as the grounds. Pretty neat. Somehow it reminded me of the PNE show home, but from 1908. After that, we were pretty hungry, so we went to the nearest spot being The Lost Anchor.
We let the 2 oldest boys sit at a table by themselves which also meant that they could order whatever they wanted. My son decided to start with the Pork Ribs with aioli. These were rather saucy as well as being meaty and tender (and a bit greasy). That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing as it was appealing in texture and nicely sweet and savoury. The dip was creamy, but not as flavourful as it looked. For his main, he went for the Anchor Burger which featured a well-seared patty that was lean and dry. It was definitely meaty, but not as tender as we would’ve liked to see. The side of fries were good though being lightly crispy while very potatoey.
For myself, I went for another Lobster Roll which turned out to be a sandwich. It featured mostly shredded lobster meat mixed with mayo and celery. This was okay, but without large chunks of lobster, the texture was almost like crab (except just a bit chewier). Flavourwise, I didn’t get big hits of lobster, but it was there, while there was a vanilla type finish. I thought the scallion bun was not a good match as it was too robust. Elaine had the Bully Forbes Fish and Chips that featured 2 pieces of flaky haddock coated in a crispy and light batter. Again, the fries were excellent being naturally textured while still being a fry (as in not mushy).
Viv had the Deck Hand Fish Tacos which featured smaller pieces of fried fish which were predictably even more crunchy. It was texturally on point and went well with the soft tortilla. There was an interesting twist with a lime sour cream combined with fresh tomatoes and lettuce. Okay, now don't worry, we also had the streamed Fresh PEI Mussels which were fresh and nicely briny. They were buttery and sweet featuring only their natural juices (with butter on the side). Okay, for a random restaurant close to a tourist attraction, The Lost Anchor did its job for a reasonable price. No, it wasn't anything life-changing, but we weren't expecting that either.
The Good:
- Comfy digs
- Friendly service
- Reasonably-priced
The Bad:
- Food is hit and miss
Alright, this is the night most cruisers generally look out for - gala night. Yes, it is time to dress up, take pictures and dine on the most decadent menu of the cruise. There are exceptions though, namely NCL and Carnival where formal dining is purely optional and lobster requires an extra charge. For us, Holland America maintains some tradition especially considering their core customers who are of an older demographic. We made our way to the main dining room eager to nom hard on some lobster tails.
Before the large crustacean, we had smaller ones in the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail to start and it was pretty much the same at the other nights. That meant the shrimp had a cold-water meaty snap that was a joy to eat. The accompanying brandy cocktail sauce was interesting being creamy, but I would’ve liked the classic cocktail sauce with a zing instead. The Foie Gras with apple tart tartin was nicely prepared with a properly seared piece of foie. It was buttery and soft without any sinewy portions. The tart underneath was full of sweet apples that still had a slight tartness. Rounding out the flavors was a deeply sweet cassis reduction.
Almost all of us, including the 2 older boys had the Surf and Turf featuring a lobster tail and Filet Mignon steak. This dish was expertly prepared with buttery springy lobster that was doused in butter. The steak was fork tender requiring not much effort to cut or chew. It was flavored by the meaty and impactful jus (as the meat itself was predictably mild-tasting). Costanza (who is indifferent towards lobster) had the Basil Encrusted Veal Rack which was also excellent. Tender and barely cooked through, the meat was succulent and moist with a herbaceous crust. Even the mash potatoes were on point being buttery and yummy with bacon.
For kicks, I tried the Sweet & Sour Roast Duck with rice noodles. I found the skin to be nicely seared, but the meat was rather dry and mealy. The noodles were woefully overcooked as it was hard and chewy. I thought they were not flavourful either. Surprisingly, the sweet & sour sauce was rather tasty. My daugher decided on the Pan Seared Arctic Char with parsnip puree, arugula oil and roasted Italian vegetables. This was also well-executed featuring well-seasoned crispy skin where the fish was flaky and moist. Flavors were rather subtle which fit the dish. However, I would've liked to see some more salt used.
For dessert, the Warm Flourless Chocolate Cake was a big hit with the kiddies because it was made with their favorite ingredient. However, I found it rather dense and brownie-like (even with the molten center). With that being said, it did taste chocolatey and was an excellent brownie (if it was a brownie). The award for worst dessert went to the Berry Angel Food Cake because it was downright terrible. It looked impressive, but the texture was akin to a hard marshmallow. It was far too sweet as well. To make things worse, the triple berry compote merely added even more sugar that wasn't needed.
Viv had the Passion Fruit Cheesecake which was okay texturally being creamy and light. But the flavors were a bit off, almost seemingly salty. I did like the passion fruit hit as it was tangy and sweet. The best dessert of all was surprisingly the sugar-free Tiramisu. It was creamy, full of flavour including the espresso while being mildly sweet. No one seemed to notice the absence of real sugar, so I guess they succeeded in making an appealing sugar-free offering. Interestingly, this was the "gala dinner", but only a few items stuck out as really appealing (fortunately, the lobster was one of them). Maybe they knew everyone would be ordering that dish...
One of the perks of being a return customer on Holland America is an invitation to the Mariner's lunch. Normally, lunch service is not available in the main dining room. However, for one day only, this lunch serves to honor their most loyal guests. Well this was only our second Holland America cruise (not really our age group), so there were many others who were much more "loyal". No matter, we merely enjoyed having a nice meal in the main dining room over the hustle and bustle of the buffet.
The menu for the Mariner lunch was pretty simple with 2 choices for appetizer, 3 choices for entree and one dessert. To begin, I tried the New England Corn Chowder which was creamy, yet not heavy. It wasn’t particularly smooth, but that was fine due to the corn. It was sweet with a balancing amount of saltiness from the bacon. The other choice of appetizer was the Quebecois Goat Cheese with Roasted Red Beets and Honey Crisp Apples. The beets were tender with a bite while very Earthy. The cheese was gamy and impactful with a rich creaminess. The shaved prosciutto on the side added a saltiness to the otherwise sweet dish.
For my main, I had the Herb Crusted Strip Loin of Beef with red wine jus. The slices of beef were super tender while still retaining an appealing meat texture. The jus was tasty with an appetizing rich flavour but I wish there was more of it. The sauteed forest mushrooms were beautifully Earthy with deep umaminess. The other meat entree choice was the Baked Maple Glazed Arctic Char which was a little overdone, but good otherwise. It was mildly seasoned where the sweetness of the maple was restrained. The skin was somewhat crispy, but it probably soften on its way to our table (these are prepared in mass quantities, so they may not be served hot off the grill).
For dessert, we all had the Butterscotch Bake Well Tart with mixed berries which was very rich and buttery. It wasn’t too sweet (despite the presence of Vermont maple syrup), but the whole thing was not my cup of tea due to the heaviness. Well there you have it, our second ever Mariner's Lunch. As you can clearly see, it wasn't anything particularly mind-blowing and the choices were limited. Yet at the same time, it was nice to have a relaxed meal that recognized cruise line loyalty complete with complimentary champagne and a small gift at the end (HAL coasters).
Our 5th day on the MS Veendam found us docking in Charlottetown, PEI. We had booked a car so we could drive out to do the most touristy thing on the island - visit Anne of Green Gables. Heck, I never even read the book! Well, it was quaint and I guess it was on our bucket list. After that, we headed over to Cavendish Beach to catch a glimpse of the red clay. From there we hightailed it back to the ship. We could definitely do a return visit to PEI for an entire week! But for now, we prepared ourselves for dinner #4 at the main dining room
As an homage to where we were, we all started with the PEI Mussels. Well, the kitchen didn't pay any homage to PEI as all of mussels were underdone. Many were barely open or not open at all, not because they were not fresh, but they were just not cooked. Hence, I only got 3 open to eat. The positive was that they were buttery and briny tasting, the negative was that I had not much of an appy. I thought the cream broth was too thick for the dish while it was mildly flavoured. My daughter decided to try the Double Baked Potato Soup with bacon. Well this was a rich and somewhat salty concoction. It was thick and cheesy where one could only have a few spoonfuls.
For our entree, almost everyone had the Angry Striped Bass which featured a fairly crispy skin and flaky meat. It was a bit more done that I would’ve liked, but it wasn’t overly so. The fish had a fresh taste and texture while highlighted by the sweet chili sauce that had a kick. The garlicky clams added an appealing brininess while the seemingly plain Jane macaroni was actually quite tasty and al dente. My daughter had the Turkey Roast and it was a classic dish that was prepared right. With brined meat, it was tender and succulent. Of course it was well-seasoned as well where the rich meaty giblet gravy added even more flavour. I wish there was more of it though. Served on the side was a sweet apple pecan stuffing which was nicely textured with a bite.
Costanza’s son had the Ziti Pesto with green onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, olive oil and Parmesan cheese. The dish was visually appealing and was ultimately pretty good with firmly al dente pasta tossed in an aromatic and well-seasoned pesto. It was herby with a good amount of salt and cheese. My son had the Tri-Tip with roasted shallot vinaigrette that featured tender slices of medium rare beef in a flavourful, yet subtle sauce. It wasn't too acidic, which didn't detract from the savoriness of the dish. The polenta underneath was soft, yet not mushy at the same time.
Since a plate of angry bass wouldn't satisfy us, Costanza and I split the Broiled New York Striploin as well. Sure, this was on the everyday Holland America Line Signatures menu, but we didn't need anything wild, just something predictable (which is why they have this menu). It was prepared medium-rare as requested and was tender and well-rested. The green peppercorn sauce was mild, yet flavorful enough to season the steak. The adults decided to try the Creme Brulee with Grand Marnier-scented custard. This was pretty textbook as the custard was creamy and sweet while the sugar topping was torched enough to be crunchy, but a bit more color would've been better.
For dessert, my daughter had the Chocolate Avalanche Cake that was moist and richly chocolatey. As much as it appeared to be super sweet, it really wasn't. Rather, it had dark chocolate undertones. We especially loved the berry sauce that came with it as it provided a sweet and tangy counterbalance. The other kiddies had the sugar free Chocoloate Mousse, which was a bit surprising. I guess they didn't see the sugar free part... Since it was missing the sugar, the mousse itself was more stiff and less fluffy. Naturally, the natural sweetness wasn't really apparent. No matter, they ate it anyways. Like the previous night, this meal was okay, but wasn't particularly memorable either.
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We decided to forgo the main dining room for our last meal aboard the MS Veendam. Instead, we decided to check out their Italian specialty restaurant, Canaletto. We never got a chance to try this restaurant (which is essentially a cordoned off section of the Lido Buffet) on the MS Oosterdam, but we figured that we should satisfy our curiosity despite what others have said about it on the Internet. To get a sense of the menu, we decided to order one of everything.
Since we ordered all the appies, they all came at once for us to share. The first item we tried was the best being the Zuppe di Pesce. It featured a briny and sweet tomato broth that was flavourful from the seafood without a high reliance on salt. There was a bevy of ingredients including mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops and fish. This tasted exactly how it appeared which was a good thing. Next best were the Veal & Sage Polpettine bathed in a light, yet flavourful tomato sauce. It was mildly tangy while completely seasoned including the use of fresh basil. The meatballs themselves were tender and nicely prepared. They featured a seared exterior while being moist inside.
Another surprising appie was the Eggplant Caponata with crostinis. I found the tender nuggets of eggplant soft, yet at the same time, not mushy nor wet. As much as it didn’t look particularly flavourful, it was very tasty sporting a tanginess evened out by a balancing amount of sweetness (from the golden raisins) and saltiness. The crunchy and airy crostinis were the perfect textural compliment. The Salumi Plate was pretty standard and simple consisting of buttery and salty prosciutto and sweet capicollo. There were some olives to compliment. We also had the Canaletto Salad (not pictured) that featured an overly large slice of Gorgonzola.
For our entrees, we were thoroughly impressed with the Rigatoni with Italian sausage as it featured firmly al dente pasta coated with a fresh-tasting tomato sauce that was tangy to start yet exhibiting a tasty spiciness to finish. Even the sausage was on point being tender and bouncy with a nice salty meatiness. The addition of Kalamata olives added a wine-type of saltiness. A popular item with the kiddies, the Spaghetti Bolognese also sported firmly al dente pasta (which was to everyone’s liking) bathed in a meaty sauce that wasn’t didn’t have too much moisture nor oiliness. Rather, it was rich and naturally flavoured with the light tang on tomato.
Although the Parpardelle was also texturally on point, the creamy sauce didn’t deliver on the promise of citrus. With that being said, it was a solid cream sauce where it didn’t separate and was silky and well-seasoned. The large prawns were excellent exhibiting a meaty snap and being naturally sweet. Our last pasta was a hit with my son as it contained short ribs. Therefore, he almost dusted off the Potato Gnocchi all by himself. The pasta was soft with a bit of firmness, yet could’ve been softer. The rich meat braising sauce was full of depth and appealing saltiness. The dollop of mascapone made it even richer. The short rib itself was mostly tender with some chewier parts.
Moving onto the larger dishes, the Sauteed Veal Piccata with angel hair pasta was excellent. With nicely tenderized veal slices that were beautifully seared, the meat practically needed no chewing (it wasn’t mushy though). It was topped with a rich and silky sauce that once again had an appealing saltiness and natural meat juices. The angel hair pasta was buttery and tender while not mushy. Although the Bistecca was merely a steak with a porcini mushroom cream sauce (not looking all that interesting), it was solidly prepared. Tender, well-seared and seasoned, it was nicely medium-rare. The mushroom sauce added a meaty Earthiness.
With a crispy and nicely salted skin, the Grilled Lemon-Thyme White Sea Bass was yet another properly prepared dish. It was moist and flaky while completely seasoned enough by the skin. Underneath, there were tender yet firm fingerling potatoes and on the side was a tart lemon juice tossed frisee and fennel salad. Our last dish was a vegetarian offering in the Portobello Mushroom with zucchini spaghetti. I was shocked how much I enjoyed this as the mushroom was buttery and flavoured by balsamic and olive oil. On top the zucchini spaghetti was not mushy at all, rather it was crunchy while still cooked through. Loved the texture and the flavours. By the end of the meal, we were pretty stuffed, so we skipped dessert. We were pretty surprised with the food as it was generally well-prepared and tasty.
