After departing Kagoshima Japan, it was time to have a quiet drink on the pool deck as I get ready for my dinner in Aqualina later. Forgot to add in my previous post that my Mojito is not the usual recipe, I prefer dark rum, preferably Ron Zacappa 23, which was not included in my drinks package so went with Bacardi 8. Which, IMHO, pairs well with citrus.
Aqualina
Dinner on night 6 was my first in Aqualina, the specialty Italian Restaurant. I was looking forward to this and it didn’t disappoint.
Bruschetta
What better way to start an Italian Dinner than with Bruschetta.
Antipasti
Carpaccio di Manzo
Carpaccio of beef tenderloin, oven-dried cherry tomatoes, crispy red skin potato.
Well presented and a good carpaccio
Zuppa
Cioppino
Fisherman’s soup with mussels, clams and shrimp
Very tasty, I liked the presentation
Pasta (Fatta in Casa / Homemade)
Gnocchi con Salsiccia
Homemade gnocchi with grilled Italian sausage, zucchini, marinara sauce + lobster tail
My waiter, Elvin, for the night decided that I needed some lobster tail with my gnocchi, added to the dish… The gnocchi was cooked al-dente and the sauce worked well with the lobster and the sausage. Dish of the night.
The Wine
| Appearance: | Bright Deep Ochre |
| Nose: | Perfumed nose of a combo of cherry, pepper and a hint of earthiness aromas |
| Palate: | Light to medium body, with dry fine / resolved tannins |
| Finish: | Medium length |
| Oz’s Rating | 4 out of 5 A very good wine that I think is nearing the end of best years. My last bottle |
Aqualina
This definitely improved my opinion of the food quality on board Azamara Quest. The service, as usual on Azamara, was great, very friendly not intrusive, and the team is always looking for a way to add to the experience. This time it was the addition of the lobster tail to my gnocchi, which was my favourite dish.
Tomorrow is a busy sea day, I have a wine and food pairing tasting followed by my first Chef’s Table. It is a hard life but someone needs to do it I guess, my lot at the moment.
