O'Sheehan's on the Norwegian Getaway

O'Sheehan's, also previously known as Blue Lagoon
on older ships, is the go-to spot for pub food and snacks or a hearty comfort meal. They offer favourites such as Hearty Chicken Pot Pie, Meatloaf, as well as Buffalo Wings. Open early morning till late at night for those craving
a midnight snack, O'Sheehan's is a great place to satisfy those cravings. I mean, afterall you are
on vacation :)


Beautifully decorated with Sports Memorabilia, TV's playing the latest soccer match and
a cute little bowling alley ($5 per play) and childhood favourite arcade games, the atmosphere
is family friendly. During our visits to
O'Sheehan's, I would have to say the service
was quite slow, most likely due to the fact that
they were understaffed. However, our servers
were incredibly friendly each time, and our
food arrived piping hot.




The Warm Spinach & Artichoke Dip (3/5) served with Tortilla chips was flavourful
and loaded with romano cheese. It had the
right consistency , without being too thin or thick,
so it was easy to dip and eat. I did not taste much
artichoke however, as it was loaded with
spinach.

Their famous Buffalo Wings (4.5/5) were
each perfectly coated with just enough
sauce, while still maintaining it's crispiness.
The sauce was not too hot, which we enjoyed
and were incredibly juicy. These were great,
especially with their large selection of beers and
draughts.







 As I am writing this review....thousands of
miles away, my mouth is watering for
their Chicken Pot Pie (5/5) . I've had my
fair share of Chicken Pot Pies at local
pubs and diners here in the city, but after
trying the one from O'Sheehan's, it easily
wins the best Chicken Pot Pie Crown in
my books. Topped with a GINORMOUS
flaky and buttery pastry, the flavourful
broth underneath was loaded with a
plethora of carrots, celery, onions,
and of course large, tender pieces of chicken. 
We had this at least 5 times, and each time,
it was served piping hot! Perfect, especially
after a long day at sea.




 Another Pub favourite of mine, are
Fried Mozzarella Sticks (3.5/5).These
were just okay even though they were fried
to perfection, as the breading was a tad too
thick and the accompanying Marinara
Sauce was too runny. I did enjoy the fact
that even with the heavy breading, the
Mozzarella on the inside was nice
and squeaky.

After devouring an entire Chicken Pot
Pie by himself, and munching away
on Buffalo Wings, he announced that
he was still hungry. At the age of 15,
I guess it was that time of the growing
process! Anyways back to the food.
He decided to go with the Hot Dog (3.5/5)
which was hidden over a mountain of
fries. It also came with a mini side of Chili
which was on the saltier side. The hot dog
was juicy and the bun was nice and soft.
The fries were the highlight in my opinion.
These were super crispy and still piping
hot. They tasted so much like Mcdonald's
fries but even better in my opinion. Step it up
Mcdonald's.


Since we all still had room for dessert,
we got a Brownie Cheesecake (3/5) to share.
Topped with a dollop of whipped cream,
the Cheesecake itself was just average.
The Brownie, like I've said before
in my other posts was just not good here
on the ship. Maybe it was due to the
fact I just didn't like the sweetness of it.
The Cheesecake was slighty sweet and smooth
and it did compliment the brownie well.
I did enjoy the addition of the Marshmallows
in Caramel sauce though.


O'Sheehan's definitely exceeded my expectations this cruise and I love how they have something for everyone. Although they
were understaffed most of the time, the food was great and made our week
here very enjoyable.

Shanghai's on the Norwegian Getaway

Every night on the cruise, guests would receive a guide to the next day's activities also known as the Freestyle Daillies. I enjoy reading these before I go to sleep, so I know if there is something I should wake up bright and early to attend, such as the morning jog around the track ( No I did not attend haha). It also lists the complimentary and specialty restaurants and where they are located on board the ship. Little did I realize, Shanghai's, which used to be a specialty restaurant, which denotes a fee, was now complimentary. Of course I had to try! One thing that was odd to me, was that they opened at 5:30 pm and not lunch as well. Anyways, we
got there right at 5:25 and noticed a small lineup already and were quickly ushered to our seats. The noodle bar itself is not big, therefore it tends to fill up quite quickly.








We started off with the Pork Pot Stickers (3/5)
which could be ordered Steamed or Fried. We
went with the Fried which was nice and crispy without being too greasy. The filling was a mixture of pork and cabbage, which complimented the ginger-soy dipping sauce well. We didn't expect too much in terms of authenticity but these were ones that could be had at some dumpling spots in Toronto.









The Vegetable Spring Roll (4/5) was great, loaded with crunchy cabbage, carrots, and bean sprouts. It arrived piping hot and crispy which we enjoyed. At this time we noticed the long line of guests waiting to be seated while there were essentially not enough servers and wait staff.

The Steamed Shrimp Dumplings (1.5/5) were just not good at all. I did somewhat expect the Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gow) you would find at dim sum joints rather than these. The filling consisted of very soft and mushy shrimp, which was quite unpleasant to eat. The wrapper was thick and doughy, and the accompanying plum
sauce didn't do much justice.










Another dish that we did not enjoy, was the
Spicy Seafood Udon Noodles (2/5). The noodles
 were chewy and very doughy, unlike normal
udon noodles. The soup was just spicy from
the chili oil, and had no seafood taste at all.
 It was topped off with some shrimp and crab
meat as well as nappa cabbage. I can't see them
charging the original price of $5.50 for this,
especially when you could spend that amount
on many other things on the cruise.



My sister tends to be the pickiest when it comes
to food in my family. She'll eat it if it tastes the way she likes it and she could eat it all. Before she could devour all of it in a mere minute or two, I had to grab a bite of the Beef Chow Fun (3/5). Again, my expectations were a bit too high, as I expected the dish to taste and look like the Beef Chow Fun you could get at Chinese Restaurants. Although it didn't look, or taste like
the Beef Chow Fun I was expecting, it was pretty good in my books. The noodles were thinner, but were not chewy and cooked perfectly. There were slivers of thin sliced beef, shitake mushrooms and egg which complimented
the dish very well. It had more of a sweet soy sauce taste to it, rather than being salty.




I was actually really looking forward to the Glass Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables (2/5)  because they go well with everything, including steamed oysters! Mmmm yum.....
Well, another disappointment, as the glass noodles were just too hard and barely cooked.
There was nothing 'rich' about the broth like
advertised on the menu. I enjoyed the chicken and the shitake mushrooms though.


Out of the three fried rice choices, we went
with the Combination Fried Rice (3/5), which
was loaded with a adequate amount of shrimp,
diced BBQ Pork, peas, scallions and carrots.
This was well executed, as the rice was soft with
a slight chew, and surprisingly there was a significant
 amount of wok heat evident.


The dishes we've tried at Shanghai's were just
 okay, especially for a non authentic joint. I do
 recommend it, if you want to try something
different and the portions aren't that big either
so it was great to try a little bit of everything.
I do suggest coming early to, because they don't
take reservations and being a small restaurant
on board, it tends to fill up very quickly.

Tropicana on the Norwegian Getaway

The beautiful Norwegian Getaway in St. Maarten.

I recently came back from a wonderful week long cruise vacation on the beautiful Norwegian Getaway! Of course going on vacation wouldn't stop me from taking pictures of the good eats I had along the way! I have already starting posting pics of the food I greatly indulged on my instagram (tiffanyeats_) if you haven't checked that out already!




The Norwegian Getaway is one of the newest and largest ships from Norwegian Cruise Line,
launched in early 2014. Having cruised with NCL twice prior to this trip, on the Spirit in 2008 and the Jewel in 2012, we knew that we were not going to be disappointed as the past trips were full of fun. The Getaway offers a bunch of specialty restaurants on board, such as Food Network Star Geoffrey Zakarian's Ocean Blue, and the famous Carlo's Bakery.  Tropicana, is one of the main dining rooms that can be found aboard the Getaway. My family and I dined here, as well as at Taste, and Savor, the other two complimentary main dining rooms. The overall decor here at Tropicana is beautiful, with a small
stage in the middle for dancers while the band
played throughout the night. The waiters and
staff were incredibly friendly and the
service was great as our food was never rushed or was too slow.



The menu features a variety of starters,
entrees and desserts, as well as a chef's suggestion and some featured dishes
that would be seen on the menu throughout the week.  My sister loved the Caesar Salad (4/5), which featured some crisp and garlicky croutons and anchovies. It was nicely dressed without being too salty.

Another dish that she loved, and ordered almost every night was the Norwegian Smoked Salmon Tartare (3/5). In her favour, this was on the menu everyday, and no surprise she had it every single night. I didn't enjoy this as much as I like to eat it without the Smokiness from the salmon. However the avocado provided a nice creamy texture while the diced cucumber
added some crunch. You can taste hints of the Lemon Mustard Dressing but it was too overpowering. The toast was a bit too hard for my liking.

The Shrimp Ceviche (2.5/5) was pretty bland even with the ample amount citrus juice. I usually eat it raw, but the shrimps were nice and plump. Some more red onions would've added a bit more impact to the dish, but coming out of a large kitchen that caters to 4 main restaurants and almost more than 2000 people, it was decent. The Wild Lump Cakes (3/5) on the other hand, surprised us as it was loaded with so much crab meat, we were wondering if they used any filler at all. This was not imitation crab meat either which ensured that the crab meat inside was fluffy and sweet. Unfortunately, the outside wasn't as crispy as we would've liked it to be, but this was a well executed dish in my opinion. I really enjoyed the slaw as it was a perfect compliment to the crab cake and it helped add some moisture and tanginess, as the crab cake alone would've been too dry.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Oh the Vegetable & Pork Spring Roll. How I've missed you since those days we were sailing together on the Atlantic Ocean. How we've met and couldn't be torn apart. The way you made me feel when I laid my eyes on your existence on the menu. The joys you've brought to me when I found out you were making an appearance again! I honestly cannot express my love for the Vegetable & Pork Spring Roll (4.5/5) in any other way. This was on the menu every night  back in 2012, and for just one night this featured. The peppery filling, made with cabbage, julienned carrots and small niblets of pork, is such a perfect combination. The sweet chili sauce adds a kick of spice that compliments it so well. The papaya salad helps cool things off. Back then I would've given it 5/5, but unfortunately the wrapper wasn't that crispy this time around and was somewhat doughy. Sigh...maybe next time It'll still be here...

Wow the steak. Just wow. This was incredible.
Never did I expect I would enjoy this so much. It was honestly that good. Who needs to pay extra to dine at the steakhouse when you can have steaks just as good here? Nah, I'm just joking, but this was really good. Luckily the Striploin Steak (4.5/5) was on the menu each night, so of course I had to order it 5/7 nights we were on the cruise. I think this was almost 10oz and was prepared beautifully. I always got it medium-rare which I prefer and it was the most tender and juiciest steak I've ever had! The Cajun butter to go with it, melted perfectly on top and the Black Pepper Fingerling Potatoes were addictive. Something about the season on them was
 just so good. The Onion Rings were like ones
you could find in the grocery aisle at your
local supermarket. I would highly recommend
ordering the steak at the Main Dining Rooms
even just for one night.

The Vegetarian Lasagna Roll (2/5) was a huge disappointment, as the noodles were undercooked to the point that it still tasted very doughy. The spinach and portabello mushroom filling was undercooked as well, resulting in chewy and bland taste. The Pomodoro sauce however was nice and zesty which I loved. The Mozzarella cheese sure was melted, but it added on to the unpleasant texture of the noodles. I would have to say this was the most disappointing dish I have had throughout this cruise.

Onto the Bahamian Fish & Crab Cake (3/5). This made me think prior to ordering whether it would be just like the Crab Cake I had a few nights ago. Well, ding ding ding, I was right. This tasted exactly like that with the heavy amount of crab meat except flattened out a little. The salsa, however was a tad spicy and sweet and it made all the flavours come together. The sweet potato fries were cold.

The Thai Chicken Green Curry (3.5/5) was surprisingly tasty. There were alot of big and tender pieces of chicken and the jasmine rice was cooked perfectly without being too chewy. The curry was executed well, as there were hints of coconut milk and a slight kick from the spice.
Unfortunately it was a bit cold when it arrived to our table, and this often is the case for mass-prepared food items. It was also a tad bit too salty. 

On the first night, we ordered the Pappardelle Duck Ragu (3.5/5) which again was a bit too heavy on the salt. However, the noodles were dense, and the duck was tender. The mushrooms added a nice crunch which we enjoyed, but the sauce was a bit runny for our liking. The portions are on the bigger side, which is I guess an upgrade for those who love to eat, but then again we all love to try a bit of everything!

Speaking of trying a bit of everything, my brother, was the only member of my family who ordered a different starter, entree and dessert everyday. He is I guess, quite adventurous when it comes to food. On first night, he opted for the Grilled Mahi Mahi (3/5). I had to ask him early for a bite before he devoured it all to himself because he was so hungry. The fish was flaky, and cooked perfectly. The fried plantains were nice and crisp, and the pineapple salsa had the right amount of sweet and sour flavours. The beans and rice were chewy which he did not enjoy.

Onto the best part of the meal, in my opinion,  DESSERT! One of the items appearing on the everyday dessert menu, was the Warm Chocolate Volcano (5/5) with Stracciatella Gelato and Strawberry Compote. This was simply amazing! The volcano, which was essentially a lava cake, erupted with a warm chocolate filling with the touch of a spoon. The Stracciatella Gelato complimented this perfectly as the cake would've been too sweet without it. It was creamy but started to melt really fast. The addition of the Strawberry Compote was nice as it added some tartness. Like the steak, I had this I believe 5/7 nights of the cruise. As I am writing this, I just wish I could've brought some back!

 
Another well executed dessert, was the
Tiramisu (4/5). The coffee taste was strong,
but not too overpowering, while the cake was nice and dense. We did not enjoy the Mexican Chocolate Brownie (2/5) as it was really dry, and it wasn't that sweet which was okay. The flavour was a bit different from brownies you would find at the grocery stores such as two-bite brownies. We happened to notice this when tasting any dessert that had brownies throughout the cruise.

Overall our dinners at Tropicana were great. The  atmosphere was wonderful, without being too loud even with the band playing. Never did we feel rushed to order or to leave and the service was just amazing. One of our servers, Froilan, was super friendly and was our favourite at Tropicana. The food really amazed me, especially coming from a large kitchen catering to many other dining rooms and patrons on board. What I love about NCL, is that there are no arranged seating times for when you eat, therefore you could walk into any restaurant, make reservations and get seating right away or soon. This allows you to eat whenever you want, wherever you want!