I was really impressed with how good the restaurants were Explora I. The cuisine was outstanding and the service was polished, with just the right amount of familiarity. There are six restaurants on Explora I:

• The Med Yacht Club,
• Sakura,
• Marble & Co,
• Fil Rouge,
• The Emporium Marketplace, and
• Anthology.

I rate Anthology as the best restaurant on board; the tasting menu is sublime. That said, the other dining venues also shine.

Anthology

By definition an anthology is a collection of selected cultural or artistic works considered to be the greatest. So it is that Anthology’s 7-Course Grand Tasting Menu tells the story of Italy’s culinary prowess.

Foodies will love the Sicilian Coast Red Prawns with Burrata Cream, Tomato Coulis & Lemon Zest; not to mention the Lobster with Oscietra Royal Caviar, Green Apple & Sweet e Sour Vinaigrette.

The Veal Loin with Albacore Tuna, Caperberries, Gremolata & Olives was mouthwatering and the Spaghetti alle Vongole was up there with the best I’ve tasted in Venice.

To dine in Anthology is to experience an ingenious display of Italian culinary creativity. It is a celebration of the finest local ingredients and time-honoured Italian traditions. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Anthology is open for dinner only. Reservations are essential. A cover charge is usually payable.

Dinner: 6:30pm – last seating at 9:00pm

Sakura

Not to be outdone, the Sakura restaurant tempts diners with a culinary journey through the Far East. Food heritage blends harmoniously with gastronomic modernity in a menu crafted by chefs at the cutting edge of oriental cuisine.

Starters include fantastic dishes like Gyosa with Cod, Tiger Prawns, Chili Mayonnaise & Baeri Caviar as well as Crispy Langoustine Rolls with Brick Foil, Pomelo Salsa & Spicy Aioli.

For main course I recommend the Beef Panang which is slow cooked for 72-hours, it is a Malay masterpiece. Dessert is equally impressive, in particular the Makrut Lime Pavlova with Mango, Passion Fruit & Mango Lime Sorbet.

Sakura is open for lunch and dinner. Reservations for dinner are recommended, but not essential.

Lunch: 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Dinner: 6:30pm – 9:30pm

The Med Yacht Club

The Med Yacht Club feels more like a waterside restaurant in Saint-Tropez than a cruise ship eatery. The vibe is sassy yet unpretentious; it strikes just the right balance. So too does the delightful menu which is peppered with dishes from Spain, the Cote d’Azur, Italy and Greece.

The Salted Galician Codfish Fritters were sweet and delicate, while the Fresh Local Mussels had the perfect hint of brininess. The Porcini Risotto was pure perfection and the Crispy Roasted Spanish Suckling Pig was melt-in-the-mouth bliss. That said, it’s well worth leaving room for dessert; perhaps a Floating Island with Pink Pralines & Bronte Pistachio.

The Med Yacht Club is open for lunch and dinner. Reservations are recommended for dinner. 

Lunch: 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Dinner: 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Marble & Co,

Marble & Co is everything you love about a steakhouse, only better. Here the classic (and arguably pedestrian) chophouse menu has been elevated to new heights. So much so that you can choose the origin of your steak. 

However, before facing such choices I should recommend a starter. It is a signature dish and not to be missed; Crushed Fingerling Potatoes & Normandy Butter topped with Calvisius Oscietra Caviar, Chives & Crème Fraîche.

For main course there is fish and lobster, including the indulgent Butter-toasted Brioche with Lobster Tail, Aji Amarillo Aïoli, Spring Onions & Mustard Cress. However, it’s the steaks that people love. Choose French, German or Swedish cuts, all of which are precisely aged for maximum taste and tenderness. There is even a signature burger; a Jersey beef patty on a Viennese Bun with Téte de Moine Cheese, Grilled Pancetta, Roasted Beefsteak Tomato, Red Onion Pickles & Olive Jam.

Marble & Co. is open for dinner only. Reservations are essential.

Dinner: 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Fil Rouge

If you enjoy traditional French cuisine Fil Rouge is sure to please. Indeed, it’s the one restaurant on board that doesn’t push the gastronomic envelope. At Fil Rouge time-honoured dishes take precedence over nouvelle cuisine.

The menu is a playbook of French favourites. Starters include duck foie gras as well as Burgundy escargots. To follow there is Lobster Thermidor, Dover Sole or meats from the rotisserie.

When it comes time for dessert there is even a soufflé collection from the Executive Pastry Chef.

Fil Rouge presents its classic French menu at dinner time. However, the venue also doubles as a breakfast room in the morning.

Breakfast: 8:00am – 10:00am

Dinner: 6:30pm – 9:30pm

The Emporium Marketplace

Imagine the perfect buffet restaurant; a place where the food was always fresh and cooked just the way you like it. That describes the Emporium Marketplace on Explorer I. 

Choose handmade pasta and the sauce you prefer. Watch as the chef cooks your fish to perfection, or let them craft you the ideal Poké bowl instead. Perhaps you’d like freshly shucked oysters? The choice is yours and it’s sure to be a good one!

Breakfast: 7:30am – 10:00am

Lunch: 12:00pm – 2:00pm

Dinner: 6:30pm – 9:30pm

The author sailed as a guest of Explora Journeys.