The Asian-inspired Tamarind Restaurant on Holland America’s Signature and Pinnacle class ships has been one of our favorite specialty restaurants at sea. Since the Tamarind was first introduced on the Eurodam, the restaurant has been known for terrific food and fantastic service.
When we sailed on the 14-Day Premiere Voyage of the Nieuw Statendam in December, we were surprised at a number of changes to the Tamarind menu.
One of the biggest changes is the addition of a new a la carte dining venue — Nami Sushi — within in the Tamarind restaurant space on Deck 10. With this change, sushi is no longer included as an appetizer or an entree in the Tamarind menu.
Guests dining at the Tamarind restaurant pay a flat $25 per person charge. With the new menu, they can still order sushi with their Tamarind meal, as long as they are willing to pay the a la carte prices for the sushi in addition to the $25 Tamarind dining charge.
A Look at the New Tamarind Menu
The new Tamarind menu starts with the appetizers. While some items have the same name as the previous menu — such as the Satay Sampler and the Shrimp Tempura — all dishes on the new menu have been updated in preparation and / or presentation.
There’s a number of new appetizers on the menu. The Lobster and Shrimp Gyoza app is pictured above.
The Thai Citrus Scallops, served lightly seared with shallots and cilantro, is our favorite new appetizer at the Tamarind.
Missing from the new Tamarind appetizer menu: the fried soft shell crab appetizer. Interestingly, it is on the Nami Sushi menu for a cost of $6.50.
New Tamarind Entrees
Pictured above is the list of entrees on the new Tamarind menu. We tried the Wok-Seared Lobster and Shrimp. It was served stir-fried in a sticky sweet chili sauce, with the pieces of lobster still in their shell. This dish was messy and difficult to eat. (We’ve heard that this dish has been updated to eliminate the shells, but we have not tried it again.)
There are several outstanding new entrees on the Tamarind menu. The Cashew Barramundi in Red Thai Curry is my favorite — light fish with a flavorful curry that’s packed with fresh vegetables.
A friend of ours raved about the Crispy Duck with a Ginger-Chili Glaze.
The Fire Prawns with Thai Chili Jam, served with asparagus and shishito peppers is shown at the bottom of the photo above. Also shown above are three different side dishes: the Dungeness Crab Fried Rice, the Sake-Braised Oyster and Shiitake Mushrooms, and steamed brown rice.
New Tamarind Dessert Menu
The new Tamarind Dessert Menu is missing our long-time favorite: the Tamarind Chocolate. We did try the new Matcha Cake with chocolate-ginger mousse, finding the matcha green tea taste overpowering the chocolate.
Pictured above is the Mango Posset, which is mango sorbet on top of a coconut macaroon. It’s light and tasty.
The Yuzu Cheesecake with white chocolate, pictured above, has an artful presentation.
What Hasn’t Changed in the Tamarind
One of the things that make the Tamarind a special dining experience is the restaurant staff. Manager Panka and Hostess Dee are exceptional, gracious hosts. The female waiters are terrific. And the restaurant location on Deck 10 overlooking the Seaview Pool (and the ocean when the Nieuw Statendam is at sea) is stunning.
Have you tried the new Tamarind menu on the Nieuw Statendam? What are your favorites?
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