Something New Aircation: Just Another Day in Paradise | Welcome to the Test Kitchen + OOTN Ribbed Bodysuit + Satin Skirt + Jimmy Choo

Ivory Akito Ribbed Bodysuit: JLUXELABEL 15% off here

Emielle Satin Skirt: J Luxe Label

Purse: Petite Coussine Louis Vuitton

Butterfly effect earrings: C/O Ettika

Anklets: 3 different ones, C/O Ettika

Bracelet: Kendra Scott Abbie Statement in gold

Boone small cocktail ring in gold: Kendra Scott

Lipstick: MAC Velvet Teddy

The Test Kitchen at Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady.

I am not even going to lie to you all, visiting the Test Kitchen was one of the main reason for going on this cruise. I don't know about a lot of other people, but I vacation to eat, as evidenced in my blog posts and I vacation to luxuriate and see new and different cultures and countries. But the food is like 75% of the reason I go and it is even more difficult for me as a Celiac because I have to basically know if I go on vacation I may not get any gluten free options, I may not get any fun options, or I may actually just kind of starve. If I can control the outcome I try to right? I am a seasoned cruiser, this is my 13th cruise on my 5th cruise line.

I have documented every trip in detail for fellow Celiacs so they know what mistakes not to make and what "hacks" can be achieved on certain trips. In general, you can inform the cruise line of your dietary needs and they can note it on your cabin info, but it is pretty much in the air. It is up to you to know what you can and can't have. Now though, unlike 12 years ago, most people know that Gluten is Rye, Wheat, or Barley (and sometimes a few other things like Semolina and Bulgar I think). But most people in general know and if they don't they know to just go talk to the Chef.

So, I am a fan of fine dining for a number of reasons:

The curated experience

changing menus that are pre fixed

The attention to detail and plating

The experimentation

The expertise

Everything is cooked to order (just about, desserts and soups are usually prepped ahead of time, sometimes salads, but you get the point.

And, a lot of time these meals are gluten free and if they aren't it is usually minor changes that can be made to make something gluten free.

What I have to deal with with my tastes right is the price. That money that you have to spend for an experience like this. Earlier this year I went to dinner at a new restaurant that opened in Tampa and the dinner was easily more than a few hundred dollars...

Let me tell you this, eating at the Test Kitchen is that same experience, but you wont break your wallet because it is all inclusive. One thing I just thought of, I don't know how much you can keep requesting (more food). I actually just atet he meal as it was because I was full after there was no need to ask for seconds, but in general on most cruise lines as long as you are not asking for extra lobster for example, they will keep bringing you more food upon request.

I will be clear though, the Test Kitchen serves smaller plates, if you are used to eating big meals you will probably need to eat again or eat more somewhere else. You need a reservation for all of the restaurants on the ship except the Dockside and the Galley which is equivalent to the Lido Deck if you have cruised other ships. They say that they prefer you make 1 reservation for everywhere you want to eat and then if you want to re-visit a place you have to be a walk in. The Test Kitchen was never really busy so we actually were walk ins because we booked a few days before we set sail we couldn't make any reservations.

So, now that I got all of that out of the way, I can tell you about this amazing dinner.

So, the dinner itself is really secretive. They do not give you a menu only the card which is shown at the top and it just has like one word on it:

Corn

Salmon

Beetroot

Shrimp

etc

And they ask you which one do you want for each course. They don't explain what you are getting until it is right in front of you. This place is called the Test Kitchen because Seasoned Chefs and new Chefs are trying out new recipes on you. So, you may get something you don't like!!! Tonight wasn't that bad because we liked everything. For me, the corn dish was off putting because the corn was whipped so hard it resembled and had the texture of butter. It was meant to be spread on corn bread, it was basically like corn three ways, but because I was gluten-free I did not get the corn bread. According to hubs, the bread was a huge part of how that dish is perceived and received to the pallet.