We are all gamely sampling the gastronomic wonders created in the kitchen. Russia has many regulations and one of them is that food must be cooked to way beyond done, which means that meat is braised, stewed or reduced in other ways to an unrecognizable form for those of us who like our beef rare. I am personally sticking with the vegetable entrees, which aren't bad, although last night's dumplings were completely tasteless. Tonight's menu features a return of cauliflower in a cheesy cream sauce, previously seen coating some pork at lunch, so Ngaire will be happy, but don't those of you on WINES be shocked when you see her tearing into platters of rack of lamb.

Last  night was the Ukrainian dinner, which meant, among other things, that the wait staff wore red outfits instead of their blue ones from Russian night.  We ate in the smaller Symphony restaurant, which is one deck up from the main restaurant and smaller, with maybe 9 or 10 tables for 6 (we turn one into an 8 by placing a chair at each end) and 4 tables for two set up in a separate area that houses the breakfast buffet in the morning. On previous cruises passengers were slotted one dinner and one lunch spot, but on our trip it is available for for daily sign up for dinner. Both restaurants serve exactly the same thing but the smaller one is quieter and more pleasant. 

Gnome toadstool salad



Borscht! Again!



Cabbage rolls with beady eyes?



Dumplings with a sour cream sauce



Beef with prune - looking a bit like dorm food from the 1970's



Ngaire claims she can cut that beef with a fork!



Rat pear for dessert, anyone?