The other day I wrote an article about Steakhouses at Sea and talked about what a guest can expect when dining in the Pinnacle Grill on one of Holland America Line’s cruise ships.
From superior service and succulent beef to delicious appetizers and tantalizing desserts, the Pinnacle Grill is the top restaurant to dine in while on a Holland America cruise. However, there is one night during a cruise when things get a little bit different… it’s called “An Evening at Le Cirque.”
If “Le Cirque” sounds familiar to you, it should. The famed New York City restaurant was created in 1974 by restauranteur Sirio Maccioni and quickly became the place where New Yorkers dined elbow-to-elbow with celebrities while enjoying artful cuisine and whimsical décor.
A few years ago, Holland America teamed up with Maccioni to recreate the Le Cirque experience onboard their ships, transforming the Pinnacle Grill into the legendary restaurant complete with the monkey-themed china, Le Cirque menu items, and the famous crème brûlée.
I’ve had the pleasure of taking in An Evening at Le Cirque several times on the Eurodam, Veendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, and the Zuiderdam and it’s yet another thing on my recommended list if you’re taking a Holland America Line cruise.
You will need to make a reservation for An Evening at Le Cirque. This can be done either online when you check-in for your cruise, or once onboard. Since this is a one-time event during your cruise vacation, I recommended making a reservation as early as possible. Like dining in the Pinnacle Grill, there is a per-person charge for Le Cirque.
The first thing that will catch your eye upon sitting down, is the china I mentioned earlier:
Your server will then welcome you to Le Cirque and will introduce you to the sommelier and his/her assistant who will be taking care you your every need. He/she will also go over the menu and make recommendations.
Once you order, a starter will be presented with compliments of the chef. Every time I’ve dined, it’s always been the Fois Gras with a Raspberry Mousse:
You’ll have the opportunity to choose from a variety of appetizers, including:
The Lobster Salad Le Cirque:
The Le Cirque Trio:
Or even a Chilled Yogurt Soup with Shrimp:
For your main course, a few options are available, including a perfectly done Chateaubriand:
If you’re in the mood for lamb, you can try some lamb chops:
There is usually a pasta, chicken and seafood option available as well.
When it comes to dessert, you can opt for the previously mentioned crème brûlée, or maybe the Napoleon:
Or just some simple sorbet to end the night:
As always, before you’re done, your server will bring over some petit fours to enjoy with a coffee or after-dinner cocktail.
The Le Cirque experience doesn’t end there! When you return to your stateroom, one last reminder of your evening will be waiting for you – a nice little keepsake decorative box holding some Le Cirque chocolates!
Here’s a short video I took of the tableside presentation of the Chateaubriand being carved while I was on the Nieuw Amsterdam.