Food glorious food!!!

I sometimes think when we cruise we immerse ourselves so much into ship life that sometimes we miss out. A classic example of this is overnight stays in ports of call. I hear time and time again people say that when on an overnight they plan everything around meal times. Now whether this is because people are afraid to venture too far away from the safe haven of their ship, or whether its just down to plain downright tightness of the wallet in respect that they feel they have already paid for their food  so why pay more to go ashore to eat?

I will tell you why? Because you are missing an ideal opportunity to experience new tastes. Now I am not suggesting that you down Witchety Grubs in Australia or Snake Hearts in Vietnam but how about experiencing how the locals wine and dine on special occasions? I have chosen the top five restaurants that I have visited whilst cruising. Let me know what you think?

La Estancia, Buenos Aires, Argentina

This restaurant is over 50 years old and the fact that it is still here after the turbulent past within Argentina is a testament to the outstanding quality of both its staff and food. I visited here over 22 years ago when I was working on a cruise ship and from its recent reviews I don’t think it has changed much.

The walls inside the restaurant depict  gauchos herding their cattle that are reminiscent of the many  large cattle farms that still exist in Argentina today.

The menu is as you can imagine meat based with little or no proviso for vegetarians. The best menu item to go for is a Parillada which is a platter with a whole selection of items such as suckling pig, baby goat, chicken, veal and the obligatory Argentinian beef!

My memories of this place are that it is a fun place to be with a great atmosphere and fantastic food and here is a younger version of me enjoying my fellow ship mates company.

Churrascaria Palace, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Brazil like Argentina has some excellent restaurants and many of these are Churrasco orientated. This is the way that Brazilians cook and serve their food. The Churrascaria Palace is just off  C0pacabana Beach and a short taxi ride from the main cruise terminal.

The Churrascaria Palace has a fantastic buffet and salad bar that you begin your meal with, however don’t fill your plate too high as you are about to face the onslaught!!

Don’t be fooled by the smiling faces of the waiters as their only job is to fill you so full of food that you cannot walk! And the only way to stop them is red or green!

Depending on which way up you have the counter depends on when you stop eating. Green means go and red means stop as I am about to explode in to a million pieces!!

Half Moon Bay, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Words are hard to conjure about this iconic playground. Half Moon Bay has been home to royalty with the Queen and Prince Charles regular visitors as well as rock star royalty with David Bowie and Mick Jagger treading the hallowed ground.

I remember getting off the ship with my boyfriend (now husband) and asking the taxi driver where was nice to go for lunch as budget was not an issue, and he recommended this place. When we arrived at the gate we were informed it was for guests only but a $20 bribe to the man on the gate got us in! Not sure that this would happen now.

I remember sitting in the bar and ordering a Yellow Bird cocktail while Bruce, my hubby, opted for a Corona.

Now you may ask what did we eat and I am embarrassed to say we had chicken and fries!! Our bill came to about $250 but I guess the bottle of Dom Perignon we had to wash our meal down did not help the price.

A week here in low season will set you back between £3000 right up to £22000 for a 6 bedroomed villa – you do get your own butler though!!

Da Ivo, Venice, Italy

I was in Italy in March visiting the shipyard in Monfalcone where Royal and Regal Princess were being built as a guest of Princess Cruises and we were taken to this restaurant the first night we were there.

The walk to the restaurant was like a web of meandering streets and all I can say is it is a good job we had our port guide with us to show us the way. Da Ivo can be entered from the street or the canal.

Although simple in style inside or rustic as one of my US friends called it,  Da Ivo reminded me of an age gone by as waiters in  black dinner jackets and bow ties  quickly helped the ladies of the group with their coats and escorted us to our seats in a chivalrous manner. What followed was a feast of epic proportions as one delicious course followed another.

It actually got to a point where I thought I would be unable to move from behind the trestle table where I was sitting. If you are ever in Venice overnight make sure you book a table here to experience true Italian hospitality.

The Tamarind, Mombasa, Kenya

In the early seventies there were no decent restaurants and this is when a Kenyan born entrepreneur decided to build the Tamarind. Set high above the old town of Mombasa the Tamarind has enviable views across the creek as Dhows sail up and down the river front.

Built in Arabian style the adventure begins as soon as you arrive and you are shown into a small courtyard for canapés and cocktails. The menu is extensive with African, Asian and Western food available however the speciality is the sea food.

The sign of a good restaurant to me is if you can remember what you ate! I had Prawns Piri Piri followed by Lobster Thermidor and Coconut Ice cream for dessert , all washed down with a bottle of Chablis Premier Cru that was cooled in a cauldron of ice.

Annabelle’s Famous Keg & Chowder House, Ketchikan, Alaska

Annabelle’s is located in the beautiful town of Ketchikan, Alaska and is famous for its Halibut and Salmon.During spawning season you can see the Salmon swimming up river to their spawning sites.

The restaurant itself was established in 1927 and is located in the Gilmore Hotel.

Inside the decor is very traditional with lots of wood but what I love the most about this place is the menu – here are some items you can order:-

STEAMED CLAMS
A full pound of clams sautéed in an herb garlic white wine sauce. Served with hot drawn butter and warm bread.

BLACKENED HALIBUT WRAP
Blackened halibut, cheddar cheese, bacon, romaine, tomatoes, jasmine rice& ranch dressing wrapped in a tomato tortilla.

ANNABELLE’S OWN CLAM CHOWDER
This recipe goes back to the 20’s.

And my favourite……

PEANUT BUTTER PIE
Served with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate.

All of these places take me back to key points in my life and I have fond memories of all of them, so next time you are overnight somewhere don’t stay on the ship get out there and in the words of Mark Twain – Explore, Dream, Discover!!!