Our final restaurant to share about is unfortunately, one we were only able to experience once on this cruise. We enjoyed Extra Virgin, the Italian themed restaurant, so much that we were disappointed that there wasn't any availability to return the last evening. Note to future cruisers who might be traveling with a steak and potatoes obsessed guy - you wouldn't think it but the steak in Extra Virgin was better than at The Wake! Wish we had known that ahead of time so the guy I planned all these dinner reservations with would have been a little less insistent on having two nights at The Wake.
When it comes to visiting an Italian restaurant onboard, there's a good chance you can guess which two dishes I'll choose off the menu; calamari and anything with the word carbonara. Breakfast pasta - how is that not the most perfect dish?
Extra Virgin's option for calamari under Antipasto (appetizers) is listed as Semolina Fried Calamari with Lemon and Chili Dip. I've had calamari in several places onboard and on land. I prefer the classic presentation of sliced rings that are then breaded and fried versus keeping pieces whole and frying them. As I'm also a connoisseur of mozzarella sticks, the key to both appetizers is the ratio of breading outside to chewiness inside. Tonight's version was a delightful balance with the breading staying with the rings and not being too crispy or chewy. I was pleasantly surprised by the Lemon and Chili Dip as it was flavorful without being spicy or tart.
Dad's appetizer was the Braised Mini Meatballs - San Marzano Tomato, Smoked Mozzarella, and Pancetta. Dad saw the word Mini and asked the server about being able to order two. She cautioned against it but promised to bring another if Dad decided he still wanted more. What came was a bowl almost the entire size of the plate. They may have been mini in size but there was several of them. Our server did come back and ask if he wanted a second. He told her she was right, one was plenty! Definitely a hit with Dad as this was like having a meatball sub without the bread. The perfect way in his eyes to have meatballs - except of course on top of a pile of spaghetti!
In past Italian restaurant onboard experiences, when something like Affettati Misti (aka meat and cheese charcuterie board) is listed as a course, then it is something that just arrives when it is that time for the course. When we didn't get it automatically delivered, we chalked it up to something you'd intentionally need to request. We didn't bother to ask since we had plenty of food on the way.
Next up was the pasta course. I've heard other cruisers say that you can mix and match from the listed pasta dishes so you can get one type of pasta from one dish made with the sauce of another dish. I chose to stick with the way the dishes were listed. You can, much like Princess offers at Sabatini, request pasta dishes in a smaller portion if you want to try a little of something or a full portion if you want to use it as your main entree.
My smaller portion choice was the Potato Gnocchi - Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, Spinach, and Truffle Butter Sauce. The gnocchi was tender and the sauce was creamy and delicious. I could have definitely gone for another plate of that. I even got Mr. Picky Eater to try it after some initial hesitation. I think he was finding it hard to believe that it was potato and not scallops on my plate. He gives it a thumbs up as well.
And of course what should be a shock to no one who has read my trip reports, Bucatini Carbonara in a regular portion was my main entree. Bucatini Carbonara is described as Egg Yolk, Pecorino Romano, Black Pepper, and Pancetta. Basically pasta with eggs, cheese, and bacon. I may have quoted "Get in my belly!" from Austin Powers in my head when I saw carbonara on the menu. The past two cruises I've had rigatoni and now bucatini with the carbonara sauce. While I still prefer spaghetti since it soaks up the sauce better, having bucatini that you can slightly twirl was better than rigatoni. Both pasta options were super delicious! I'd also like to apologize again to the gentleman who tried to clear our breadsticks away as we were finishing up the pasta course. Don't take the bread supply away from an Italian with creamy sauce still on her plate! No way was I going to let the warm bread disappear after our experiences at The Wake.
Mr. Steak and Potatoes was very happy with his entrée from the regular Secondo section of the menu. Porcini-Rubbed New York Strip - Calabrian Chili Butter, Farro, and Sautéed Escarole. Despite the chili butter, Dad said he didn't find it spicy and felt it was the best steak he'd had on the entire cruise! He didn't even miss that there wasn't mashed potatoes or fries anywhere on the plate.
For dessert, or Dolci, we both chose the Affogato option. Normally, an affogato is a cup of ice cream (gelato) with espresso poured over it. The menu lists it as "prepared tableside" but since we asked for the dessert without espresso, our glasses were brought out with no tableside show. Unfortunately, it also meant no options for any other toppings that the tableside prep would have offered. Again, I'm sure if we had inquired, they would have happily brought us the options. Having just gelato was a nice change of pace. The three Gelati flavor options are Gianduiotto (aka hazelnut which Dad chose), Whiskey Crema, and the Vanilla that I chose pictured below. There are also Sorbet options of Limoncello, Raspberry Rose, and Mango Lime.
All in all, a very enjoyable evening with wonderful and prompt service by our server and her assistant. If you're sailing on Virgin Voyages, Extra Virgin is a restaurant that shouldn't be missed. Doesn't matter if you're into meat or seafood or simply could eat pasta everyday like me, no one will leave this restaurant hungry!
Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts on trying Virgin Voyages and their multiple included dining options. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to drop me a comment below. Can't wait to read/see more of my next travel experiences? Check out my postings during my cruises on DL819Cruiser on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!
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