If you do not like the luxurious or occasional experience, you can skip.
BUT
What to do in Paris? If you go to Paris and want another experience with slow vibe and view. I do recommended for this post
Nilubon in Paris
*** This post purpose is just to share experience, I do not get any sponsorship from any business****
Hello, readers! Welcome to my very first Food Travel post on this blog. I hope you’ll enjoy the journey as much as I did during this delightful cruise experience. First and foremost, have you ever had the pleasure of visiting Paris? If not, you should definitely consider it! If yes, have you ever had the opportunity to enjoy a cruise lunch or dinner? If so (there are a lot of “ifs” here), please share your story with me! Which boat did you choose for your cruise experience? As for me, I opted for the CALIFE after extensive research and internet browsing. In this post, I’ll share how I made my decision and the reasons behind it. I’ll provide a comprehensive review of the entire experience, complete with mouthwatering menu descriptions and pictures. I hope this will assist you in selecting your ideal cruise or simply entertain you with my experience.
Paris… Paris… the capital city of France, renowned among tourists worldwide. In the first quarter of 2023, there were over 11.6 million visitors, just 2.5 percent less than pre-COVID (source: thelocal.fr). When I think of Paris, I envision the iconic Eiffel Tower and, most importantly, its culinary delights, from exquisite food to delectable pastries. With a romantic couple, freshly married friends coming to town, I seized the opportunity to offer them a taste of the best Paris has to offer—a perfect blend of iconic landmarks (Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Statue of Liberty, and Notre Dame de Paris) and French delicacies (the cuisine!). Plus, a scenic cruise along the Seine River! What more could you ask for in a combination?
Explore what it offers
Before booking this cruise, I extensively researched the options available in Paris, as there are several of them. When considering a cruise, the primary factor we prioritize is, of course, the highlight: the food. I’m confident that all cruises on the Seine offer similar views, so there’s no need to double-check that aspect.
I must admit that a summer lunch cruise is a delightful experience, although it wasn’t my initial choice – circumstances led me to this decision. If I had complete flexibility, my first choice would have been a romantic evening dinner cruise. However, upon careful consideration, I realized that the lunch option was the best fit. It offers spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame (the one that suffered a fire a couple of years ago – it’s a somber sight, but you can clearly observe the ongoing reconstruction), and even a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty (yes, similar to the one in New York). So, basically no need to double-check if they say Cruise lunch or dinner at River Seine.
On the boat’s architecture, I selected the Calife cruise, primarily for its non-transparent roof. On a sunny day without wind, I imagine it could feel like an oven with a transparent roof. The solid roof aligns perfectly with my preferences (they have windows that you can open for some fresh air and great photo opportunities, but be cautious not to drop your phone/camera!). Both the exterior and interior architecture exude an occasional event’s classic luxury, which I found quite appealing. While other boats had nice decorations, they lacked that classic Parisian style that the Calife offers.
The Menu
Enough of the above, let’s get to the most important part of the cruise: the menu!
The Calife offers a variety of menus with different price ranges. Let’s go through them one by one:
Menus:
- Menu Royal – 109 €
- Menu Calife – 67 €
- Kids’ Menu – 45 €
** Pictures of the menu took from Calife website**
Menu Royal
I chose the Menu Royal, and I highly recommend it. It includes all beverages (still/sparkling water, wine, and a welcome drink with champagne). If you’re a fan of salmon, steak, and foie gras, this menu is a must-try. Why not indulge in French specialties when you’re cruising in Paris? However, if you’re a vegetarian, you might want to skip this menu. At 109 euros, I found this menu to be reasonably priced considering what you get.
Menu Calife
This menu is ideal for those who prefer a lighter lunch compared to the lamb and beef steak options in the Menu Royal. Most of the selections are easier to digest, such as chicken and fish. However, a disadvantage of this menu is that it doesn’t include wine or water, so you’ll need to order and pay extra for those items in this case.
Kid Menu
They do not provide an English translation menu. The menu is similar to the Calife menu but excludes dishes containing foie gras and coconut milk. For dessert, they offer Duo ice-cream and fruit salad. These options are kid-friendly but not overly simplistic. Let your kids savor some delicious food as well. However, it’s worth noting that this menu does not include drinks.
Calife also provides entertainment for kids during the cruise! (see the picture, no problem anymore if you have kids coming along with you).
What to see while you cruise?
I do not want to spoil all the view in this cruise trip, so here’s some views that I captured!
Let’s eat!!!
Welcome to the Calife with a glass of Champagne!!
Finally! We’ve reached the part I love the most. In this section, I’ll share my personal thoughts, and this review will be based on my taste buds. As we all know, the cruise doesn’t have a fully equipped kitchen like a traditional restaurant. So, I anticipate that this might present a unique challenge. I’ve had dinner on a cruise in Australia a long time ago, and it was a buffet, so keeping the food warm was easier, and the boat was quite large, suggesting they had their own kitchen facilities. Nevertheless, let’s embark on this culinary journey!
Some of these dishes are form my friends; I’ve included them for you to see the variety of meals and their visual presentation. All following dishes are part of the Menu Royal.
Drinks included in the menu royal
For drinks, you have the option to choose between sparkling and still water. Additionally, there’s one bottle of wine for every two persons, and you can select either white or red wine. In my opinion, this is one of the advantages of this menu, and I personally appreciate it a great deal.
Starters
For the starter, I chose Foie gras with onion jam, topped with a piece of pain d’Ă©pice that had a raisin-like flavor. A basket of bread is served with the starter, and the quantity is quite generous, which is a rarity in most restaurants these days. So, I consider this a definite plus. Overall, I LOVE IT!
I combined all the elements they served, and they complemented each other beautifully. The cranberry, while I suspect it’s primarily for adding color to the plate, pairs excellently with the foie gras. The portion size of the foie gras was just right, although I wouldn’t have minded having more. On the other hand, if I were to eat more, I fear I wouldn’t be able to walk after the dessert!
Puffed pastry with Morel mushroom sauce and a topping of Foie gras, accompanied by the refreshing addition of white asparagus – this dish not only looks appealing but also tastes delicious. The crispy crunch of the pastry combined with the unique morel sauce creates an excellent pairing. When the flavors become too rich in your mouth, you can cut through it with the vegetable to refresh your taste buds. I believe it’s a fantastic idea to achieve a balanced flavor profile by incorporating different ingredients.
This one is the Gambas grilled with avocado cream, this one I did not have a taste but my friend enjoyed it so.. I think it’s refreshing with mousse of avocado. I also hesitate whether I will take this prawn as a starter or the foie gras. In the end, the favorite beat every choices.
Main course
For the main course, I ordered steak Rossini (Rare), topped with Foie gras and served with potato gratin. The sauce is amazingly good! The star of the dish is the steak; I think it is a bit chewy, but the sauce in the small pot helps me finish the steak without too much worry about the chewy part. I’m still not okay with them serving a chewy steak. As for the foie gras, it pairs well with the steak, going together very nicely. One of the best parts is the gratin; it’s mind-blowing, and I absolutely love it! For this dish I score 3.5/5 because the meat is chewy!
This is another main dish that a friend ordered, and it’s available on every menu: Menu Royal, Menu Calife, and the kids’ menu. What makes this chicken special is the fact that it’s a yellow chicken, which means the chicken is fed corn, resulting in it being super tender! It’s served with morel sauce and carrot puree. I think this dish is perfect if you want something light but still crave meat. If you’re looking for a lighter option, you can go with the seabass (which I have to confess, I forgot to take a picture of the plate…).
Dessert
Moving to the last round, sadly, this means we have come to the final dish of the entire menu. It also means that our journey along the Seine River will come to an end very soon! Anyway, I won’t dwell on the sad part. Let’s delve into the world of sweetness!
Tarte Tatin, or apple warm tart, is one of my all-time favorites. Who doesn’t like apple tart? But why do they call it Tarte Tatin instead of just apple tart? Well, I think the apple tart has a different method of preparation. In Tarte Tatin, the apples are cooked in caramel sauce and don’t get darker because of the oven. If you want to learn more about Tarte Tatin or make it at home, follow the Tarte Tatin recipe! Don’t forget to serve it with caramel ice cream or vanilla. Personally, I prefer it with vanilla ice cream.
Let’s return to the Tarte Tatin in this Menu Royal. I find everything to be delicious, and the combination of every element on the plate is delightful! The only issue is that the ice cream melts too quickly (but how can I blame the boat when the day is sunny and hot). The liquid in the small glass is Calvados liquor. A word of caution: do not pour the whole thing onto the tart! Just pour it bit by bit to your liking, as it can overpower the entire dish. I’m glad I tried the tart without it first and then added it gradually. The leftover liquor can be enjoyed as a digestive—it’s really good!
Now, everyone, and especially kids, favorite dessert! The chocolate lava cake is served with vanilla ice cream and topped with a golden berry or gooseberry. This berry may not be very familiar to most, but it’s considered a superfood. Its taste is sweet with a hint of sourness. I believe it can create a perfect balance between the sweetness elements on the plate. However, if it’s primarily for decoration, that’s also fine.
The most important thing when talking about lava cake is the chocolate lava; the center should be runny when you cut open the cake. Personally, I prefer it to be even runnier and warmer so that it complements the vanilla ice cream perfectly. If you prefer your lava cake at room temperature, then this plate is perfect for you!
Last but not least, because we’re reaching the end of our culinary journey. The final dessert I’ll guide you through on this amazing cruise is the Lemon Cheesecake Tartlet with Lemon Sorbet. Let’s wrap things up on a sweet and sour note.
If you initially thought it was vanilla ice cream before reading this phrase, don’t worry; you’re not alone. I made the same assumption, as I usually see lemon sorbet as somewhat transparent and mildly lemon-flavored, unlike this creamy white version. However, it is indeed lemon sorbet.
Furthermore, it’s served with limoncello, much like how the previous apple tart had calvados. It seems the cruise crew really wants to aid our digestion or perhaps simply indulge us further! Well, it’s a French tradition to end a meal like this with a digestive, and as I understand it, it can be quite helpful.
Now, personally, I’m not a fan of lemon in my desserts, so I can’t provide much commentary on this, but my friend enjoyed it immensely. However, she found the limoncello a tad too strong for her liking, so she left it till the end. If you happen to be a fan of limoncello, then this dessert is tailor-made for you!
Hope you enjoy the ride!
I truly hope this blog will provide you with the details you can expect and give you an idea of what to do in Paris. Most of the time, we tend to Google phrases like ‘What to do in Paris’ or ’10 things to do in Paris,’ for example. If, after reading this blog, you decide to go on this cruise, I wish you a wonderful afternoon/evening and bon appĂ©tit!
