“What A Mess Dessert” – Why I Loved This Quirky Speciality Restaurant

Note: This post is sponsored by Marella Cruises. All thoughts and opinions are my own based on my 8+ Cruises with Marella. My cruises with Marella were not press trips and I paid full price for them.

When I sailed on Marella Voyager, I was spoilt for choice when it came to places to eat.

As well as the many places that served food included in the cruise fare, there are some speciality restaurants that come at an extra charge.

Normally, I don’t go to the speciality restaurants – unless I have onboard credit to use, or my booking includes some speciality restaurants as part of a booking promotion.

I wasn’t planning to spend extra on Marella Voyager, after all, there are countless choices of places to eat that don’t cost extra.

…that was until I spotted the “Silver Fork” restaurant. I was very intrigued by the menu!

What is The Silver Fork?

The Silver Fork restaurant advertises that it serves “The best of British Cuisine”.

Well, I recognised all the things on the menu as British classics – but what was served was very different from the traditional dishes I was expecting.

All the food was absolutely delicious. And the waiting staff were friendly and attentive, they really went out of their way to make sure we had the best evening possible.

Silver Fork sits on Deck 5, and it’s a firm foodie favourite, celebrating the best of British cuisine. We’ve upped the wow-factor in two refined menus – a three-course à la carte menu, and a seven-course tasting menu. If you opt for à la carte, you’ll have the likes of lightly fried cockles and coronation chicken starters, mains including tender salmon and our chef’s twist on pie and mash, and for dessert, you’ve got sticky toffee pudding or Eton mess.

Marella

Why It May Be Easy to Miss

The location isn’t obvious. It’s down on deck five near the reception and I didn’t have any cause to go there.

Most of the time I was up on the top deck in the sunshine, or in the bars, the cafe, the theatre and main restaurants.

Unless you were visiting Reception, or checking food options on the App, it could be easy to miss – but it is well worth a visit.

How Much Does It Cost?

When I sailed, there was a cover charge of £39 per person, although all prices are subject to change.

Considering that speciality restaurants can cost over $100 per person on an American cruise line, plus a service charge on top, I think that is very good value.

Don’t forget that Marella include a range of drinks within their cruise fares, so it didn’t cost any more for us to enjoy wine with our meal.

What’s on the Menu?

There are two menu choices, the different options were served on different nights of the cruise. Either:

• A seven-course tasting menu
• A three-course à la carte menu.

You can find out what menus is available via Navigate – the cruise ship app.

I believe they also serve an afternoon tea option, but I didn’t try that. It would be worth keeping an eye on the app or the daily schedule to find out when this is happening.

Silver Fork also hosts The Great Musical Afternoon Tea. This weekly event brings the West End to Marella Cruises, with dishes inspired by famous musicals – like the ‘Vietnamese Melody’ beef tenderloin yakitori and the ‘On My Own’ Petit choux. There are six teas to choose from, as well as a cocktail of your choice. Plus, the whole place is decorated with show posters and memorabilia.

Marella

I chose to try the three-course à la carte menu – and I wasn’t disappointed!

What I Ate….

For the starter course, I chose the Scotch Egg and Mum chose the Coronation Chicken. It was delicious, but not quite what I had expected…

For comparison, for those who aren’t British, this is more what I was expecting!

The meal was served with warm bread, and there was even a little snack between courses!

For the main, I chose ham, eggs and chips. Mum went for the signature Beef Wellington.

I Chose “What A Mess” For Dessert…

Mum and I decided to have the sharing pudding, called “What a mess”.

This was described as a meringue and berry pudding, served table-side for two.

We weren’t sure what we would get – something like a pavlova with cream and berries was our best bet. It was nothing like that…

It was a chocolate ball, a bit like an oversized Easter Egg, I had to drop it onto the plate to have it split open to reveal the berry and meringue filling.

Bits flew across the table, on to the tablecloth, and over the chair next door!

What I Enjoyed About The Silver Fork Restaurant

• The Atmosphere
  • It was more peaceful than the food hall or main dining room, with only a few diners in the restaurant.
• The Food Quality
  • Everything I tried was delicious, it certainly was an unusual take on classic British favourites.
• The Service – Our waiters were amazing.
  • They were super friendly, attentive, and really made the evening memorable for us.
• The Lovely Sea Views
  • We were sat by a large window, with uninterrupted sea views.

If you happen to be sailing on Marella Voyager, a visit to Silver Fork is sure to be a very memorable and enjoyable experience!

Before you go

Find out why I chose Marella when booking a cruise for me and my Mum here:

5 Reasons Why I Booked a Marella Cruise For Me and My Mum

Marella include a range of including drinks in their fares – soft drinks, wines, beer and cocktails. Find out more about that here:

Marella Cruises All Inclusive Drinks List