I returned from my two-week Caribbean cruise with a great tan, plenty of pictures, a few souvenirs, wonderful memories and, best of all, no weight gain! Considering the delectable food always available and the fact that we had wine every night with dinner (and, often, a cocktail or two before that), I consider that a major accomplishment, if not a downright miracle. Dinner in the Manhattan Dining Room aboard Holland America Line’s ms Nieuw Amsterdam was always a multicourse affair, with a varied selection of appetizers, soups, salads, entrées and desserts to choose from, and never the same menu twice in two weeks. One evening, however, we kicked it up several notches with an amazing dinner at the Pinnacle Grill, one of the ship’s specialty restaurants.

We had enjoyed one of these special Master Chef’s Table meals on a previous cruise, so we knew the additional charge would be well worth it. (Dining, including 24-hour room service, is included in the cruise fare, with the exception of a modest surcharge in three specialty restaurants.) We could anticipate an eight-course tasting menu, created by the cruise line’s Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, served on Versace china and paired with premium wines in Riedel stemware. The experience is limited to just 12 guests and is not available on every cruise, so we reserved our spots as soon as we saw it on the schedule.

Dressed to the nines, we arrived at 5:30 at the Pinnacle Bar adjoining the restaurant to enjoy hors d’oeuvres and Veuve Clicquot with our host, Cellarmaster Ivika, before adjourning to our beautifully set table in a private dining area. There we began with an amuse-bouche of Dungeness crab salad with orange gelée followed by pan-seared goose liver with avocado and a raspberry-kaffir lime vinaigrette, accompanied by what Ivika dubbed a “Grand Royale”: Champagne with just a touch of Grand Marnier — refreshing and delightful. Each dish was presented beautifully, with artistic flourishes of sauces painted across the plate. The frappe of Maine lobster and porcini bisque was served “cappuccino style”: the foamy broth presented in a delicate tea cup — perfection!

There followed our fish course, a potato- and mustard seed-crusted cod fillet with salmon and paddlefish caviar  and a palate-cleansing lime and candied ginger granité.   The entrée, a duo of veal with black truffle, only signaled the end of the main meal, with an assortment of artisan cheeses and a fanciful plate of honeycomb, fruit compote and “chocolate seduction” concluding the feast.   The late harvest Sauvignon Blanc from Chile served with dessert was an example of the globe-encompassing wines served with the meal, including a Washington state Riesling, a premier cru Chablis from France, a Brunello from Italy and a Grahams Port from, of course, Portugal.

When we finally rose from the table, having thoroughly enjoyed getting to know our dinner companions over such a wonderful repast (it’s always interesting to share travel stories and experiences), we were surprised to learn it was 10 o’clock . . . more than four hours had flown by without our realizing the passage of time. That, as much as anything, was a testament to the fabulous evening we had enjoyed.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor