The Maasdam cruise ship of the Holland America Line has several different dining venues, ranging from the casual Lido Buffet and poolside Terrace Grill to the elegant Pinnacle Grill. The ship also has special dining events, including "A Night at Le Cirque" and a Cellar Master's wine pairing dinner.
This photo gallery includes pictures of all the dining venues and some of the interesting dishes served on a "Voyage of the Vikings" transatlantic cruise itinerary between Boston and Amsterdam.
The Maasdam is filled with fresh flowers like these outside the Rotterdam Dining Room.
Dungeness Crab Cakes at the Pinnacle Grill
The sweet chili mustard sauce made these Dungeness crab cakes even more tasty.
Beefsteak Tomato Salad at the Pinnacle Grill
These tomatoes were vine-ripened and came with purple onions and a blue cheese dressing. Delicious salad for the summertime.
Le Cirque Amuse at the Pinnacle Grill
This small taste of foie gras was just the beginning of a memorable Le Cirque dinner at the Pinnacle Grill.
Le Cirque Rack of Lamb at the Pinnacle Grill
This rack of lamb was accompanied by artichokes, goat cheese, and arugula. It was delicious!
Le Cirque Black Cod at the Pinnacle Grill
This black cod was in a very nice red wine beurre rouge and was cooked perfectly.
Table Setting at the Pinnacle Grill
Don't you just love this Bvlgari china and Riedel stemware? This table setting is used at the Cellarmaster's Dinner in the Pinnacle Grill.
Cellarmaster's Dinner Foie Gras and Pastrami with Carrot and Ginger Marmalade
I'm not much of a foie gras fan, but this rouleaux with pastrami and the delicious carrot and ginger marmalade was very good.
Cellarmaster's Dinner Grilled Asparagus with Smoked Salmon and Wasabi Cream
Cellarmaster's Dinner Dark Chocolate Extravaganza Dessert
I love dark chocolate, and this dessert was sublime! It is a dark chocolate mousse, dark chocolate Bavarian cream, and dark chocolate brownie, with a mixed berry compote on the side. Heavenly!
Chocolate Chip and Raisin Bread Pudding at the Culinary Center
The hot bread pudding on the Maasdam is a passenger favorite, so the chefs showed us how to make this tasty one at the Culinary Center cooking demonstration.
Making Baked Alaska at the Culinary Center
Delicious Baked Alaska is on the Pinnacle Grill menu and was prepared by the chef at one of the cooking demonstrations.
Making Le Cirque Lobster Salad at the Culinary Center
The Maasdam had a cooking demonstration on every sea day, and we got to get the recipe and sample the results! This lobster salad is served at the Le Cirque dinner in the Pinnacle Grill.
Canaletto
Canaletto is a casual Italian restaurant on the Maasdam that occupies a small corner of the Lido buffet space. This photo was taken during the daytime to show the table layout. In the evening, it's much more elegant and very cozy. Plus, the food is terrific!
Canaletto Veal Scaloppini
The Veal Milanese main course at Canaletto on the Maasdam consists of breaded veal scaloppini, accompanied by Porcini mushrooms, spaghetti, and vegetables. Very tasty!
Canaletto Trio of Tiramisu
Most everyone seems to love the Italian dessert tiramisu. This trio at Canaletto comes in three flavors--espresso, amaretto, and lemon.
Terrace Grill
The casual Terrace Grill is located next to the indoor/outdoor pool and serves hamburgers, hot dogs, tacos, and sandwiches every day. On one day each cruise, the pool grill serves up Indonesian specialties, and other days the ship has a crab fest, fish market, or Dutch pea soup by the pool.