Royal Caribbean launched loads of new options on Icon of the Seas, together with a walk-up sushi window.
Sushi has been an extremely fashionable eating selection on Royal Caribbean ships ever for the reason that first Izumi location opened on Oasis of the Seas in 2009. Demand for Japanese delicacies has by no means solely elevated since then, and Royal Caribbean wished to make it simpler than ever to get pleasure from it with its latest cruise ship.
Icon of the Seas started providing cruises in January 2024 and one of many revamped venues anybody that has cruised loads with Royal Caribbean will discover is the brand new look to Izumi.
Royal Caribbean moved Izumi to the Central Park neighborhood, providing a high traffic location in one of the vital sought-after areas of the cruise ship for friends seeking to dine out. Central Park has historically been a mixture of eating and leisure, and Izumi is now situated throughout the trail from Royal Caribbean’s most well-known specialty restaurant, Chops Grille.
Izumi’s rise in recognition is not based mostly on simply luck. Â Izumi Grasp Chef Travis Kamiyama has over 30 years expertise working in Japanese delicacies, and he supplied the within story of how including a brand new and handy option to get sushi got here to be on Icon.
Being given prime actual property is validation to the actual fact Izumi is a well-liked and worthwhile thought, “After 14 years of blood, sweat and tears, we made it. We landed in Central Park. Yeah, in order that’s an enormous deal.”
“I believe the consistency and changing into iconic,” he mentioned in speaking about Izumi’s recognition.
“And it was all by, you realize, friends raving about it and all of the numbers exhibiting it. And that is what it was all about. It was all purely confirmed.”
Learn extra: An inside have a look at how Royal Caribbean’s Izumi restaurant went from idea to success
Sushi and bubble cones to go
On the walk-up window, there’s two kinds of meals you possibly can order.
The sushi choices embody a selection of two rolls, plus edamame or seaweed salad. You may discover each sashimi and nigiri rolls to think about.
Rolls are served in a container so you possibly can take it anyplace on the ship. There are tables close by in Central Park, or you might take it again to your cabin to get pleasure from.
There’s additionally bubble cones, which has ice cream served in candy, eggy bubble waffles which can be crisp on the surface and cakey on the within.
They’re photogenic due to the toppings you may get with it, they usually’re form of like a milk shake meets ice cream cone.
There are 5 flavors:Â
- Cookies & Cream
- Rainbow mochi & mocha
- Seashore Umbrella
- Chocolate Thrill
- Strawberry Bliss
Chef Kamiyama says Cookies and Cream is the highest vendor to this point, with chocolate thrill and the strawberry bliss proper behind it.
In describing the bubble cone, it is extra than simply one other ice cream selection, “It’s principally a scorching waffle that is bubbly. After which we put a mushy serve of ice cream, vanilla or chocolate, which is far creamier than those you get without spending a dime. After which we have now totally different toppings on prime.”
Seven years within the making
Royal Caribbean labored on Icon of the Seas for over 7 years. It is what the cruise line calls a “white paper ship”, that means they began with a clean slate and got here up with concepts for what they wished onboard.
One of many overarching initiatives on Icon of the Seas is straightforward entry to meals with grab-and-go selections. You may discover this at eating places like Pearl Cafe or Park Cafe. Likewise, including a simple sushi choice was recognized, but it surely was not going to be straightforward, “they figured that essentially the most demanding seize and go was sushi.”
Royal Caribbean had experimented with providing pre-packaged sushi a number of years in the past with the Izumi Categorical idea. On choose ships, there was sushi out there on the Royal Promenade, however the Izumi within the Park sushi window goes nicely past that.
Chef Kamiyama indicated they wished a mix of meals that will enchantment to the cruising market and based mostly their choices on what was already promoting nicely at Izumi.
One of many largest Izumi places but
Not solely is Izumi situated in a brand new space, it is also one of many largest places Royal Caribbean has constructed but.
“To have lastly nearly 70 seats on an Icon class or the long run Oasis six, that is an enormous win for me and for the friends as nicely,” Chef Kamiyama mentioned of the dimensions of Izumi on Icon of the Seas.
For Japanese delicacies lovers, you may discover sushi, hibachi, ramen, mochi and extra.Â
The restaurant is split up between a sushi part and the teppanyaki eating, together with the adjoining sushi window.
What to strive in case you’re new to Japanese meals
If all this Izumi speak sounds such as you wish to strive it, I requested Chef Kamiyama what he would suggest to a beginner.
“You possibly can’t go incorrect with the gyoza dumpling… after which additionally the rooster karaage,” had been the primary two suggestions he had.
As for sushi, he additionally advisable the salmon lovers roll or the spicy tuna roll nearly as good selections.
