This is such a great restaurant, I’ve eaten here on both of my NCL Pearl sailings. I had the calamari which was one of the best I’ve ever had. I’m so pleased this isn’t a speciality dining option:
Have just started watching your reviews and enjoy them enough that I just subscribed!.....We were on the Pearl last week and to my disappointment, only dinner was served in the Lotus Garden. (On our past Norwegian cruises, the complimentary Asian restaurant was open for lunch and dinner. Perhaps in the future if things are better and staff is easier to find, they will go back to serving lunch also) Because we ate at Teppenyaki one night, we decided not to go to Lotus Garden. Could have been a big mistake, one I can rectify when we cruise on the Pearl again in October....By the way, we were on Norwegian Sun about 20 years ago when Norwegian was testing out Freestyle cruising and the dining was a disaster. Improvements were made and now we love it. One memory from that cruise was that for some reason I could not stand the thought of food, knowing that we practically gorged on cruises and this was about our 10th cruise. So I ate little for 3 days. On the fourth day, I ate at a complimentary restaurant that had only Cooking Light meals and I was cured! I wish all ships had such a restaurant!
Y'all are really making me consider Norwegian as an option for Spring Break 2023. I was leaning toward Carnival Mardi Gras, but I'm beginning to think Norweigian Escape might be a better fit for us. Any thoughts?
If the sushi restaurant is not complimentary why would you be able to get it with your complimentary food no charge? You said it was then you added that there was an added price later so please think before you state it's complimentary even though you made like it was sushi no charge at first.
I visited this restaurant during my stay on the cruise. As someone who is Asian, I had some opinions. I ordered the seafood udon. As someone who’s eaten noodles countless times in my entire life, this was the worst noodle dish I’ve ever had. It had very little resemblance to udon, it was very dry, and had an odd flavour. I would rather have been served instant noodles than this dish. I couldn’t even take more than a few bites, and I don’t understand how anyone can possibly enjoy that dish. I decided to order the orange beef next. It was alright. I can’t say I enjoyed it very much. For dessert I ordered the chestnut and red bean triangles, along with the panda salad. The triangles were surprisingly good. The salad was at least edible. I didn’t try their other dishes or the sushi so I can’t say much about that. I can’t say I recommend this restaurant. The Summer Palace restaurant on the other hand is one I highly recommend. Not only is it decorated beautifully, their food was delicious. My experience at the Summer Palace was a whole lot better than the Lotus Garden.
Tiffany, we have a friend from Shanghai who told us that the staff in Asian restaurants in U.S. (where I live) do not eat the food that is served in the restaurant. She said I would not recognize anything they ate on meal breaks. So perhaps it is the same on the cruise-- they may be catering to their average cruise passenger, who might only be accustomed to Asian food in a restaurant in U.S. Perhaps you could have asked if you could have your food prepared for your Asian palate, which is probably how the staff eats. Wouldn't hurt to ask anyway....Was on the Pearl last week and thoroughly agree with you about the Summer Palace. After several cruises of avoiding Norwegian's main dining room, last week we ate at the Summer Palace all except one night when we went to Teppenyaki. p.s. On other cruises on Norwegian, I have lunched in the complimentary Asian restaurant. Last week on the Pearl, Lotus Garden was open only for dinner, a disappointment for me.
@@susanmotschman4396 I still don’t understand how that dish could possibly be catered for western palates. I don’t understand how anyone could enjoy the food. I feel that the restaurant makes East Asian food look bad. I understand that western people prefer to eat more Americanized Asian food, but even so I’ve had Asian American food so much better than the ones served. Also, if they’re gonna make it Asian American, they might as well put better options on the menu instead of choosing foods that they can’t do justice.
@@tiffanyzhang3627 I'm sure you are correct in all you say; however, perhaps we Americans just expect less-- we are mostly used to Cantonese, Hunan, and Szechuan (I think I butchered the spelling on that.) and anything else is a mystery to us! We don't always know when an Asian dish is not as good as or prepared as it should be. For instance, I produce pure maple syrup. But most people in the U.S. have no idea that what they buy in the store as maple syrup is mostly corn syrup with about 1 1/2% pure maple....I have just sent a video about Modurno, the Brazilian steak house on Norwegian ships, to a friend from Brazil. It will be interesting to hear what she replies about Modurno. Brazilian steakhouses in my part of U.S. (New England) are just like the one on the ship.
@@susanmotschman4396 I guess so. It just makes me a bit upset to see the East Asian restaurants quality and authenticity compared to their other restaurants. The last time I visited the chef was apparently from Malaysia or Thailand (I can’t remember which)
Thank you for that hat tip, good sir.
We loved Lotus Garden and had the chef make us our favorite sushi with cream cheese. Going back in 17 days, can’t wait!
So nice options. Looks tasty 🤤 fried rice looked great. Eel anything is soooo good totally agree. Cant get my wife to try it. Its seriously the best.
This is such a great restaurant, I’ve eaten here on both of my NCL Pearl sailings.
I had the calamari which was one of the best I’ve ever had. I’m so pleased this isn’t a speciality dining option:
Looks sooooo good. Thanks guys
Cruising is the best.
Looks delicious!!!
I love Asian food. It’s really surprising that It is considered a complementary restaurant, I definitely need to go on a Norwegian cruise.
great video. we are going on the Pearl in october.
Thanks for the video. Im on the Pearl in 6 weeks. Just wondering if they have Chicken Balls there?
Have just started watching your reviews and enjoy them enough that I just subscribed!.....We were on the Pearl last week and to my disappointment, only dinner was served in the Lotus Garden. (On our past Norwegian cruises, the complimentary Asian restaurant was open for lunch and dinner. Perhaps in the future if things are better and staff is easier to find, they will go back to serving lunch also) Because we ate at Teppenyaki one night, we decided not to go to Lotus Garden. Could have been a big mistake, one I can rectify when we cruise on the Pearl again in October....By the way, we were on Norwegian Sun about 20 years ago when Norwegian was testing out Freestyle cruising and the dining was a disaster. Improvements were made and now we love it. One memory from that cruise was that for some reason I could not stand the thought of food, knowing that we practically gorged on cruises and this was about our 10th cruise. So I ate little for 3 days. On the fourth day, I ate at a complimentary restaurant that had only Cooking Light meals and I was cured! I wish all ships had such a restaurant!
the food looks good
Taylor love your dress
So what was her sake drink called?
I’ve never eaten at lotus 🪷 garden but love your dining reviews
Lotus Garden: i have been to go there for one thing, the red bean pie with green tea ice cream.
no thank you i do not need a menu.
Y'all are really making me consider Norwegian as an option for Spring Break 2023. I was leaning toward Carnival Mardi Gras, but I'm beginning to think Norweigian Escape might be a better fit for us. Any thoughts?
Enjoyed the food at the Lotus Garden but the very loud music below ruined our dinner experience . They need to tone it down.
If the sushi restaurant is not complimentary why would you be able to get it with your complimentary food no charge?
You said it was then you added that there was an added price later so please think before you state it's complimentary even though you made like it was sushi no charge at first.
I visited this restaurant during my stay on the cruise. As someone who is Asian, I had some opinions. I ordered the seafood udon. As someone who’s eaten noodles countless times in my entire life, this was the worst noodle dish I’ve ever had. It had very little resemblance to udon, it was very dry, and had an odd flavour. I would rather have been served instant noodles than this dish. I couldn’t even take more than a few bites, and I don’t understand how anyone can possibly enjoy that dish. I decided to order the orange beef next. It was alright. I can’t say I enjoyed it very much. For dessert I ordered the chestnut and red bean triangles, along with the panda salad. The triangles were surprisingly good. The salad was at least edible. I didn’t try their other dishes or the sushi so I can’t say much about that. I can’t say I recommend this restaurant.
The Summer Palace restaurant on the other hand is one I highly recommend. Not only is it decorated beautifully, their food was delicious. My experience at the Summer Palace was a whole lot better than the Lotus Garden.
Tiffany, we have a friend from Shanghai who told us that the staff in Asian restaurants in U.S. (where I live) do not eat the food that is served in the restaurant. She said I would not recognize anything they ate on meal breaks. So perhaps it is the same on the cruise-- they may be catering to their average cruise passenger, who might only be accustomed to Asian food in a restaurant in U.S. Perhaps you could have asked if you could have your food prepared for your Asian palate, which is probably how the staff eats. Wouldn't hurt to ask anyway....Was on the Pearl last week and thoroughly agree with you about the Summer Palace. After several cruises of avoiding Norwegian's main dining room, last week we ate at the Summer Palace all except one night when we went to Teppenyaki. p.s. On other cruises on Norwegian, I have lunched in the complimentary Asian restaurant. Last week on the Pearl, Lotus Garden was open only for dinner, a disappointment for me.
@@susanmotschman4396 I still don’t understand how that dish could possibly be catered for western palates. I don’t understand how anyone could enjoy the food. I feel that the restaurant makes East Asian food look bad. I understand that western people prefer to eat more Americanized Asian food, but even so I’ve had Asian American food so much better than the ones served. Also, if they’re gonna make it Asian American, they might as well put better options on the menu instead of choosing foods that they can’t do justice.
@@tiffanyzhang3627 I'm sure you are correct in all you say; however, perhaps we Americans just expect less-- we are mostly used to Cantonese, Hunan, and Szechuan (I think I butchered the spelling on that.) and anything else is a mystery to us! We don't always know when an Asian dish is not as good as or prepared as it should be. For instance, I produce pure maple syrup. But most people in the U.S. have no idea that what they buy in the store as maple syrup is mostly corn syrup with about 1 1/2% pure maple....I have just sent a video about Modurno, the Brazilian steak house on Norwegian ships, to a friend from Brazil. It will be interesting to hear what she replies about Modurno. Brazilian steakhouses in my part of U.S. (New England) are just like the one on the ship.
@@susanmotschman4396 I guess so. It just makes me a bit upset to see the East Asian restaurants quality and authenticity compared to their other restaurants. The last time I visited the chef was apparently from Malaysia or Thailand (I can’t remember which)