A Guide to Specialty Dining Onboard Ovation of the Seas

Chef’s Table

The ultimate destination for culinary connaisseurs, Chef’s Table offers an exquisite five-course dinner paired with somm-selected wines. Led by the ship’s Chef de Cuisine and Master Sommelier, this intimate and interactive evening begins with a perfectly balanced scallop carpaccio with yuzu vinaigrette followed by a velvety smoked tomato soup and garlic focaccia croutons. The third course Maine lobster salad leads to roasted branzino and fresh seasonal vegetables.

Make sure to leave room for the last two courses, a succulent fillet mignon with bordelaise sauce and the signature “The World”, an incomparable sweet finale combining peanut butter ganache, Valrhona chocolate mousse and salted caramel gelato. You will surely find that at Chef’s Table the experience is not only exceptionally satisfying gastronomically, but it also seduces your other senses and makes your 2023 cruise one for the books!

Izumi Japanese Cuisine

There are cravings that simply cannot be denied. Like the need for a righteous sushi fix: the freshest of fish melting in your mouth smooth as a pat of butter, with an after-kick of wasabi for a little heat. Fortunately for all us sushi aficionados, Izumi Japanese Cuisine is second to none, with irresistible selections that range from individual pieces to chef-selected combos, and rolls to sashimi. Guest favourites include the Seared Tuna Tataki roll – a gustatory symphony of shrimp tempura and seared tuna - as well as the memorable Izumi Ryu Futomaki Roll, with its generous medley of flash-fried sashimi.

Izumi is also known for its bowls, such as the chef-recommended Tonkotsu Ramen: a fortifying tonkotsu pork broth, chashu pork or seasoned chicken, bamboo shoots, seaweed, egg and noodles. For dessert, don’t miss the Crispy Sesame Balls filled with red bean paste and garnished with strawberry sauce. They are an unforgettable treat.

Chops Grille℠

The stellar Chops Grille℠ is an American Steakhouse where hand-trimmed steaks, chilled seafood towers and other surf and turf favourites are the delicious order of the day. The Prime Bone-In Ribeye, a beautifully marbled, supremely juicy cut, is a carnivore’s fancy – when paired with your choice of steak sauce and the creamy yukon gold mashed potatoes, the dish is pure heaven. Another top selection is the succulent Rack of Lamb seasoned with thyme and rosemary. Many guests are particularly partial to the gruyere cheese potato croquettes, the perfect accompaniment to the lamb and other entrees.

Since no meal seems complete without a sweet treat, Chops Grille℠ delivers such enticements as the airy key lime meringue pie or classic New York cheesecake, served with raspberries and lemon confit. So go ahead, indulge yourself – after all you’re on holiday!

Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine

There is great truth to the statement that “We eat first with our eyes.'' The quote, attributed to Apicius, a first century Roman gourmand, encapsulates Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine, where the whimsical experience begins with a visual feast. Innovative dishes based on five natural elements – Earth, Sea, Fire, Ice and Sun – are presented with exceptional artistry, using molecular gastronomy techniques.

Your imagination shifts into overdrive as, for example, baby vegetables are made to look like they are growing out of a garden, complete with “soil”, “pebbles” and “grass.” Among the other surprises: liquid lobster, vanishing noodles, magical elixirs and unexpected flavour combinations that push the culinary envelope to a stratospheric level. And did we mention the menus, presented in elaborate gold-gilded frames? They appear blank until brushed with water, causing the offerings to slowly appear.

Nothing is conventional about the decor either. Items like heavy candelabra, velvet-tufted wing-chairs and ornate glassware capture the fantastical world of Alice in Wonderland. If Apicius happened to step into a 2023 cruise from Australia, he would quite certainly have approved of Wonderland, and its amazing visual and palate-pleasing, topsy-turvy adventure!

Jamie's Italian by Jamie Oliver

Hungry for fragrant wafts of garlic, gently simmering in olive oil and vine-ripened tomatoes slow-roasting on an open flame? For tender home-made pastas tossed in sauces redolent of Tuscany, and such mouth-watering mains as Chianti-Braised Short Rib and Lamb Chops Scottadito? You’ll find it all and much more at Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver, a destination so popular you would do well to make your reservations as soon as you book your cruise. (Actually, the same recommendation holds true for all the other restaurants! Reserve as pronto as possible!)

At Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver, you will not only savour the original creations from Britain’s most famous chef, but you’ll also be enjoying foods farmed and produced safe-guarding the planet’s well-being. From the sustainably sourced Crispy Calamari to the free-range chicken featured in the Calabrian Chicken, Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver meals do good to both body and soul.

Coastal Kitchen

Coastal Kitchen serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Combining California and Mediterranean influences, the menu offering reflects a farm-to-table approach, frequently changing to showcase seasonal fruits and vegetables. Start your day with a light feta and spinach frittata, or drop by for the signature Margherita flatbread at lunch. In the evenings, the delectable Escargots a la Bourguignonne – bathed in butter, garlic and parsley – are nothing short of a foodie fantasy. Other dinner fare might include sea bass ceviche, chicken and salmon creations, and stuffed zucchini.

If you find you’re getting hungry, it’s high time to book your cruise and make those scrumptious reservations! Happy sailing and very happy feasting!