NEW MENU DEBUTS AT 150 CENTRAL PARK

When the biggest cruise ship in the world teams with a James Beard-award winning chef and local Florida farmers offering the freshest seasonal produce, everyone wins, and especially the diners at 150 Central Park on Oasis of the Seas.

The chef is Miami's Michael Schwartz, who brought his extraordinary culinary creations to Oasis in a headline-making partnership with Royal Caribbean last year. Schwartz's restaurants, Michael's Genuine Food and Drink and Harry's Pizzeria, are mainstays in the Miami dining scene.

As June approaches, the winter menu gives way to the summer fare Schwartz and his team have been perfecting. Cruising Squared was among the group that got a "sneak preview" of the new dishes, along with the accompanying wine parings for each.

150 Central Park is, as the name would indicate, one of the specialty restaurants on Oasis in the Central Park neighborhood on deck 8. Surrounded by over 12,000 living trees and plants, the open air expanse mimics much of the ambiance of its New York City namesake.

The venue accommodates some 80 diners, who pay a $40-per-person up-charge for a six-course meal. Add the wine pairings and the total comes to $75. It's booked just about every night, a testament to both the value and the quality. Also, the size of the portions are just right, spaced out nicely over what is a three-hour culinary experience.

As mentioned, Schwartz sources his menu from sustainable local farms in Florida. The result is both fresh and delightfully surprising in the combination of ingredients and presentation. While I'm no Food Network judge, I do know what I like. And this new "Artisan and Meadow" menu is amazing.

Here's the lineup:

First Course: Falafel, paired with Champagne

Second Course: Creamy Corn Soup,
accompanied by a strip of bacon
Wine pairing: A Riesling

Third Course: Roasted Black Cod
Wine Pairing: Unoaked Chardonnay

Fourth Course: Poulet Rouge Chicken 2 Ways
Wine Pairing: Chateau Musar, Blanc (Lebanon)

Fifth Course: Slow Roasted and Grilled
Harris Ranch Short Rib
Wine Pairing: Penfolds, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bin 406

Sixth Course: Chocolate Salted Caramel
Panna Cotta
Wine Pairing: Graham's Porto (Portugal)

Picking a favorite is just about impossible, but for me personally, the roasted black cod with its citrus marinade was simply divine. And what could be better than having Michael personally explain each course, and Eric Larkee, his sommelier, talk about the wine selections.

Michael and his staff will be fine tuning both the food and the wine over the next few weeks, so there still could be changes before the new menu makes its official debut. One thing that won't change: Diners at 150 Central Park will have a meal they will long remember.

More background on the restaurant can be found in this video from Royal Caribbean:

Here are also some related links:

Earlier coverage from the Palm Beach Post:

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/travelsmart/2011/11/01/royal-caribbean-schwartz-debut-new-restaurant-partnership/

Michael's Miami restaurants:

http://www.michaelsgenuine.com/

http://harryspizzeria.tumblr.com/

From Royal Caribbean":

ttp://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentWithGallery.do?pagename=michael_schwartz

Michael's cookbook:

http://www.amazon.com/Michaels-Genuine-Food-Down---Earth/dp/0307591379/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336925024&sr=1-1

-- Gerry, for Cruising Squared