How off-menu/ethnic can you order in the MDR?

[hypnotoad]

I've been reading that you can order off-menu at the MDR's and I also recently saw a documentary about cruise ships and how the crew dining rooms cater to the food preference of the crew.

We are Chinese, and I'm cruising with my parents, and was thinking it would be fun (and my parents would get a kick out of) to have a East-Asian family style dinner on one of the nights.

Like it can literally just be, bring out what the crew is having on plates and put it in the middle of the table for us. It doesn't even have to be Chinese food, just anything vaguely cooked in an East Asian style served family style, and with some white rice.

Is this a completely weird thing to ask for? Would I be making things difficult for the staff? For the record we're cool with normal cruise food, I just think it would be a fun thing to surprise my parents with.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I've been reading that you can order off-menu at the MDR's and I also recently saw a documentary about cruise ships and how the crew dining rooms cater to the food preference of the crew.

We are Chinese, and I'm cruising with my parents, and was thinking it would be fun (and my parents would get a kick out of) to have a East-Asian family style dinner on one of the nights.

Like it can literally just be, bring out what the crew is having on plates and put it in the middle of the table for us. It doesn't even have to be Chinese food, just anything vaguely cooked in an East Asian style served family style, and with some white rice.

Is this a completely weird thing to ask for? Would I be making things difficult for the staff? For the record we're cool with normal cruise food, I just think it would be a fun thing to surprise my parents with.

It's certainly been done. I've seen family style service with off menu items on at least 2 cruises (not my table, but nearby). I know one time it was primarily Indian food.

I'd suggest you have a talk with your server (also, maybe the head server) about doing it. I'm pretty sure a one time thing would be do-able.

 

[Melissa S]

They are really accommodating when they have a little notice. We always let the head server know of any requests for the week the first night of the cruise and they have always made it happen

 

[Cackyschmackers]

We got to speaking to our server about this very thing. We ended up with delicious Indian food two of the nights. What a great surprise since I had forgotten we had talked about it! He said a good number of the crew is Indian. My husband was worried that it would be too much trouble and inconvenience for them to serve it to us in the MDRs if we weren't near the galley it was being cooked in. I wasn't sure either but as I said, he surprised us a few days after we mentioned it, so I'm hoping it wasn't a difficulty on his part. He seemed pleased we enjoyed it so much.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

I am going to ask our team on our first night if we can have escargot each night as our appetizer, we LOVE it! And, since I have read about Indian food, I might ask for some vindaloo as well. We have recently started eating it pretty regularly and love it. I do not want them to agree to it if it is a whole lot of trouble. I suspect it will be more work for sure but hopefully not a big pain. I greatly admire the CMs and always tip extra.

 

[MaleficentRN]

My husband got to talking to our servers one night about how he loves spicy food. They brought him a curry to try and he enjoyed it. The next night they brought enough curry for the whole table. We really enjoyed it and it was a nice change from a menu we've had a couple of times already.

 

[lorenni]

My family lived in the Philippines when I was a child, and when we brought my parents on a cruise our servers were from the Philippines and they talked a lot about really specific shared references - beaches and restaurants, etc. One evening they filled the table with chicken adobo and ponset - fantastic stuff.

 

[dcassetta]

I am going to ask our team on our first night if we can have escargot each night as our appetizer, we LOVE it! And, since I have read about Indian food, I might ask for some vindaloo as well. We have recently started eating it pretty regularly and love it. I do not want them to agree to it if it is a whole lot of trouble. I suspect it will be more work for sure but hopefully not a big pain. I greatly admire the CMs and always tip extra.

It will not be a problem to get Indian food on your cruise, if you would like it. However, I don't think it's possible to order what you would like. If you like Indian food, speak to your sever or the head server and it will be served at your table. But they're going to serve you whatever already on their preparation for that evening. And if vindaloo is not on the menu for that night, they're not going to serve vindaloo. I have Indian at least once every cruise, and I will say I've had some of the best butter chicken ever sailing on a Disney cruise.

 

[Marc D]

I am going to ask our team on our first night if we can have escargot each night as our appetizer.

It seems escargots are easily available every evening. We ordered it early on our 12-nights BI cruise, when it was on the menu. We mentioned to our server that the DCL escargots are our favorite anywhere (not too garlicky and those mushrooms...). He found it so funny that our 7yo was excited to have them that he brought us a plate every evening after that in addition to our regular starter. We ended up having them 7 or 8 times.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

It seems escargots are easily available every evening. We ordered it early on our 12-nights BI cruise, when it was on the menu. We mentioned to our server that the DCL escargots are our favorite anywhere (not too garlicky and those mushrooms...). He found it so funny that our 7yo was excited to have them that he brought us a plate every evening after that in addition to our regular starter. We ended up having them 7 or 8 times.

We LOVE it! Our DD was 9yo when we first sailed and she ordered two portions -- she loves it also! Good to know we can enjoy it frequently.

It will not be a problem to get Indian food on your cruise, if you would like it. However, I don't think it's possible to order what you would like. If you like Indian food, speak to your sever or the head server and it will be served at your table. But they're going to serve you whatever already on their preparation for that evening. And if vindaloo is not on the menu for that night, they're not going to serve vindaloo. I have Indian at least once every cruise, and I will say I've had some of the best butter chicken ever sailing on a Disney cruise.

Very good point! I am happy to try anything they bring!

 

[jiminy14]

My family likes spicy food and finds that the food in the MDRs is a little under seasoned. We mentioned our love of spicy food to our server and the next night we had two different types of curry, rice, and their version of naan (grilled tortillas). Every night after that we had different versions of Indian food including curry, butter chicken, biryani, chana masala, and dal. The meats were switched up and there were even some vegetable curries for my vegetarian DD. We never made any specific requests and were happy with whatever they brought us.
Keep in mind that your server must get this special request OK'd by the head server so be considerate and give them at least a day's notice.

 

[bumbershoot]

Indian food is easy, but not on the first night. Not sure about other special foods.

 

[aggiedog]

Given the crew nationalities, I wonder if that is the sort of food that is served in the crew dining frequently anyways? It would make it easier to offer to MDR patrons, since it's already being made, or at least the ingredients are on hand.

I would LOVE a pancit and adobo night! I was in the PI as a child and had many Filipino patients in the Navy - we'd get big pans of both during the holidays for the clinic. Yum!

 

[bumbershoot]

Given the crew nationalities, I wonder if that is the sort of food that is served in the crew dining frequently anyways

That's the explanation we've gotten on Disney and Royal as to why Indian food is so easy for them to provide.

 

[barrey]

I've been reading that you can order off-menu at the MDR's...

Reposted my answer from another thread:

My experience has been that the servers are more than happy to get you whatever you need. On one of my past cruises, I happened to mention to our assistant server (who was Filipino) how much I enjoyed the time I've spent in his homeland, and how good the food always is.

A couple of nights later I was surprised with Lumpia, Chicken Adobo, Philippine-syle fried rice, and an abundance of noodles.
AWESOME.

 

[Dug720]

Just pointing out that if this starts to become a "thing" - this people ordering "ethnic food" - the ability might end up going the way of dropping things off at guest services to be signed.

IMHO it's one thing if it's an occasional surprise based on a conversation with a server, but it's quite another to go in and literally ask for it every night. And I could see them putting an end to the practice if it becomes a thing where more and more people are requesting their own food unrelated to allergies.

 

[pfp258]

Yes, I'm sure they will make their best efforts to accommodate, but I'm never quite sure why people ask for foods that aren't on the menu? Would you go to a restaurant in your town and ask for them to make you a special dinner different then what they are offering on the menu? I love Mexican food but wouldn't think to ask my server in the MDR if they could make me tacos or enchiladas. Or mmmmm I really feel like Italian so could you make lasagna for my dinner. Disney offers a wide variety of foods and places to eat on the cruise, imagine if more and more people started asking for a special dinner to be made for them. i like to be aware of others that might be cruising and my servers-do I need to have escargot every single night even if it means others won't be able to try it? Does my server (who is already overworked) have to ask the chefs (who work hard to procure food and assemble menus) to make something different because "it would be fun" and, " my parents would get a kick out of it". The simple is answer is no. And to those that will respond, well I'm paying for the cruise so I should have what I want, I say, think beyond yourself!

 

[Dug720]

Yes, I'm sure they will make their best efforts to accommodate, but I'm never quite sure why people ask for foods that aren't on the menu? Would you go to a restaurant in your town and ask for them to make you a special dinner different then what they are offering on the menu? I love Mexican food but wouldn't think to ask my server in the MDR if they could make me tacos or enchiladas. Or mmmmm I really feel like Italian so could you make lasagna for my dinner. Disney offers a wide variety of foods and places to eat on the cruise, imagine if more and more people started asking for a special dinner to be made for them. i like to be aware of others that might be cruising and my servers-do I need to have escargot every single night even if it means others won't be able to try it? Does my server (who is already overworked) have to ask the chefs (who work hard to procure food and assemble menus) to make something different because "it would be fun" and, " my parents would get a kick out of it". The simple is answer is no. And to those that will respond, well I'm paying for the cruise so I should have what I want, I say, think beyond yourself!

Not to mention if the food is coming from what is prepared for the crew, you could also be affecting them.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Just pointing out that if this starts to become a "thing" - this people ordering "ethnic food" - the ability might end up going the way of dropping things off at guest services to be signed.

IMHO it's one thing if it's an occasional surprise based on a conversation with a server, but it's quite another to go in and literally ask for it every night. And I could see them putting an end to the practice if it becomes a thing where more and more people are requesting their own food unrelated to allergies.

Yes.

 

[kathi]

My daughter and I are vegetarian and the last cruise we took our servers brought us Indian food in addition to whatever we may have ordered. It was amazing and delicious and so awesome of them to provide something extra for us to make us feel special. I think they always have Indian food in the back because a lot of the cooks are Indian. Not sure how hard it would be to get other ethnic foods, but it can't hurt to ask your head server on the first night and see what can be accomplished. (Or have your TA make a note on your reservation and just follow up with your head server on Day 1).

My dad is a WWII Vet and served in the Philippine Islands. If we have a server from the Philippines, they almost always bring him some of their traditional foods as a thanks for his service and protection of their homeland. It always touches his heart that there are young people who still remember and hold to tradition of honor and appreciation.