Time to Catch some dinner

Our final specialty restaurant that we dined at multiple times is The Catch by Rudi. While a good amount of the menu is seafood based, there is still plenty to enjoy if you're more a fan of riding above the water than eating what lives below it. This restaurant normally costs $55 per adult and $27.50 per child aged 3-12. Or included for those who booked under the Princess Premier rate. The Catch by Rudi is known for focusing just as much on presenting the food as they do on taste. This results in some playful presentations to various dishes. The most famous example is of the Rudi's Artistic Face to Face dessert where the chocolate truffle based dish is arranged to look like a face on the plate. Click here to view a sample menu from Princess' website.

Somewhere along this cruise, Dad's account was somehow mistakenly marked as having a dairy allergy. Josue was the first to point this out to us when the Concierge Lounge crew was concerned about him choosing a finger sandwich with cheese. Once confirmed that it was a mistake, Josue assured us that he would take it off Dad's account. Fast forward to one of our dinners at The Catch by Rudi. Throughout our dining experience on the ship, the wait staff has always been on the ball with asking if we have any allergies or dietary restrictions. We were asked by our waiter at the start of this dinner and we told him no. After placing our drink and food order, I noticed that it was taking an unusually long time. I watched our waiter run back and forth checking their computer screen. Finally, he returns to our table and starts politely trying to explain how Dad couldn't have something he ordered because of his dairy allergy. It took some convincing from us to get the waiter to believe that it was a mistake. So if you're concerned about Princess taking your food allergies seriously, here's an example of how seriously they take it even when you don't have any! All kidding aside, Princess has been great with food allergies and restrictions whether it's pointing out what you can't have on the menu or offering a substitution like using gluten free pasta. As always, make sure it is noted on your account and that you mention it to your waiter so they can make any changes necessary. 

Every meal at The Catch by Rudi starts off with their take on loaves and fishes - a single breadstick style loaf, some flavored butter and olive tapenade in a glass dish shaped like a fish. The water "pitcher" that is brought to each table is shaped like a clear glass fish standing on its back fins.

One of the evenings I was joking around about the fish pitcher to Dad and one of the waitresses came over. She topped off our water glasses and then smiled as she walked away with the pitcher. Perhaps she has heard about my clumsy tendencies and knew I shouldn't have fragile things left next to the edge of the table. :)

Dad ordered the Smoked Salmon Sensation appetizer - honey brushed hot smoked salmon under a smoking cloche with green spring vegetables. The tableside presentation of this dish is such a fun experience as the waiter lifts the cloche to release the plume of smoke rising up in front of you. An appetizer with a side of facial for dinner tonight.

My appetizer of Shrimp on the Rocks - horseradish cocktail sauce. Served in a large bowl filled with ice and shaped like it's being held by an octopus' tentacles.

Calamari appetizer - seasoned panko coating, lemon aioli. I also like trying calamari everywhere I can and this one was pleasantly lightly breaded with just the right amount of chewy texture.

My lemon aioli came as a conjoined twin with something resembling a cocktail sauce but seemed more like marinara. The Italian lineage in me appreciates the attention to detail using the combo to create the colors of the Italian flag.

Sea & Shore entree - surf-n-turf filet mignon 5-6 oz., lobster tail 4 oz., red wine sauce, and steamed vegetables. This entree is included in the cover charge. Honestly, I think we had the best cooked and best tasting steaks here out of all the ones we ate onboard. There are three different upcharge options for $30 each featuring a whole 12 oz. lobster tail, a whole lobster split, or salad of a whole lobster. While each of these do include other things in the preparation, I'm not sure all of them should be priced at $30. I've never ordered any of these upcharge choices. Maybe next Princess cruise...

Served in the shell:

Removed from the shell:

My butter dipping sauce for the lobster arrived in a dish shaped like an oyster shell:

For those not into seafood - we also tried the Poivre Perfection entree - steak frites with peppercorn sauce, french fries, and frizzled onions. These fries are served in ice cream cone shaped dishes and lined with parchment paper. Y'all - these fries with their own garlic parmesan flavor profile have dethroned the fries at Crown Grill for me. How I wish I could order these fries on their own when those late night munchies hit and I need a little something to nosh on while watching Love Boat reruns on the cabin TV!

Our fish and loaves dish made a repeat appearance to serve my Chef's Classic dessert - Crepes Suzette with vanilla ice cream. Unfortunately, I have to rate this as the worst dessert on the menu. It was so saturated that the crepes were like waterlogged heavy paper towels. I could barely lift it up to eat a piece without risking dripping it all over. The taste was so overbearing that I gave up after a couple bites. 

If you still have room for dessert, the best choice I've tried is the Chantilly Lace - mini croquembouche filled with creme Chantilly and hot chocolate sauce. Here is the one Dad enjoyed on this cruise:

My order of the same dessert from another night:

Each visit, the end of our meal came with a small bowl containing a sample pile of all the little chocolate garnishes used on their desserts. I may have snuck them back to the cabin wrapped in a tissue for snacking later.