Holland America Line is refreshing its Morimoto by Sea menu this fall, adding several new dishes while keeping some of the favorites that have become staples of Chef Morimoto’s partnership with the cruise line.
The updated menu will begin rolling out across the fleet this month and is expected to be available on all 11 Holland America ships by mid-November. It will be offered both at the dedicated Morimoto by Sea restaurant aboard Nieuw Amsterdam and through the pop-up experience offered elsewhere in the fleet.
What’s New on the Morimoto by Sea Menu
One of the more interesting additions is a new Shokupan Bread Service, Chef Morimoto’s take on Japanese milk bread.
New appetizers include Popcorn Shrimp with Morimoto-style gochujang, Vegetable Wontons with Asian sesame garlic chili sauce and Lobster Miso Soup with white miso broth.
Several existing favorites are staying on the menu, including Pork Gyoza, Taco Two Ways and Sticky Ribs.
The entrée section is getting some of the biggest changes.
New options include Tan Tan Noodles served in a red curry broth with miso-infused ground chicken, Miso Lamb Chop with kombu-braised daikon and gochujang-infused lamb jus, and Butter-Poached Lobster Tail with warm yuzu butter.
Japanese Curry and Morimoto Buri-Bop are also returning.
The sushi selection is being updated as well, with a new version of the Morimoto Sushi Mori, a chef-selected assortment inspired by the sushi served during the Morimoto by Sea pop-up experience.
The History of Morimoto by Sea on Holland America
Morimoto by Sea started primarily as a pop-up concept, but Holland America has expanded Chef Morimoto’s presence onboard.
Nieuw Amsterdam now has the fleet’s only dedicated Morimoto by Sea restaurant, while the pop-up experience continues across the rest of the fleet in venues such as Tamarind and Pinnacle Grill.
That setup has always made Morimoto by Sea a little different from Holland America’s other specialty restaurants. Depending on the ship, the exact venue and atmosphere can change, even though the menu and concept remain largely the same.
I’ve experienced the pop-up several times, including aboard Zuiderdam and Rotterdam, and the biggest takeaway has been that the setting can make a noticeable difference.
My Rotterdam dinner, held inside Tamarind, was particularly good and felt like a natural fit for the Morimoto menu. Other experiences have been a little more uneven, which is one reason I’m interested to see how this refreshed menu works across different ships.
I’ll get plenty of chances to find out later this year, as I’ll be spending more than eight consecutive weeks aboard Holland America ships beginning in November, including Nieuw Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Volendam.
That should give me a chance to experience the new menu in several different settings, from the dedicated restaurant aboard Nieuw Amsterdam to the pop-up versions elsewhere.
For now, though, the menu itself looks like a solid refresh.
