M/S Paul Gauguin Radisson Seven Seas Cruises
The Paul Gauguin is a gem. With a passenger complement of only 320, I was pleasantly surprised that the ship offers three top-notch, on-board restaurants. With a standard itinerary of only seven days, I really wish I had been able to enjoy each of them more often. Considering the beauty of the destination, its distance (eight hours from Los Angeles) and the quality of all the on-board dining venues, I would recommend booking the Paul Gauguin for a two week, back-to-back cruise.
Dining on board the Paul Gauguin is inspired and the source of that inspiration is Jean-Pierre Vigato. He is a two-star Michelin chef and owner of the exclusive Apicius restaurant in Paris. Typical of a new generation of great chefs, Chef Vigato delights in "mixing it up." While adhering to traditional French cuisine, he draws from a delicious table of Asian and other ethnic flavors to create simple, but new and innovative dishes.
Every day brings a selection of his signature dishes to L'Etoile, the ship's main open seating restaurant. Tomato gratin with pimiento confit, warm terrine of leeks with vinaigrette and Sevruga caviar on a charlotte of potatoes with lemon coulis are a few of his lite and savory appetizers. Main courses include medallions of lamb in crepinette with creamy haricot beans, baked fillet of fresh sea bass, and roast fillet of fresh tuna.
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Pastry Chef David Socrate
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La Veranda, the primary alternative restaurant, offers two complete Vigato menus, which are alternated every other night. The restaurant seats 80 for dinner and reservations are required. Each dinner is presented as a tasting menu and moves from delicious mainstays like foie gras to such novelties as grilled fish with aromatic herbs to lobster ravioli "dim sum."
L'Etoile's sophisticated elegance is reflected in classic furnishings and fluted shell lighting, while La Veranda's curved railings and deco design recall the pre-war ambiance of the Cote d'Azur and the Great Gatsby.
Le Grill is a bistro style, outdoor alternative adjacent to the pool. Reservations are required for dinner and the menu offers a variety of freshly prepared fish, poultry and steak. The dress code in all the dining venues is strictly "country club" casual and I did not even have to pack a tie, let alone a tuxedo.
 Excellent wines from France, California, and other wine-producing regions are available on a complimentary basis. The ships wine cellar also offers a comprehensive selection of premium wines for purchase.
Tobias Schreiber, the young and energetic Executive Chef, oversaw the entire culinary experience in all three restaurants. His enthusiasm was evident in the extremely high morale and camaraderie of the galley staff.
Frederic Godineau was the chef responsible for recreating the Apicius menus each evening in La Veranda. He trained for several weeks with Jean-Pierre Vigato in Paris and has managed to bring the French restaurant alive on board the Paul Gauguin.
My only complaint was the week was just not long enough to fully appreciate The Paul Gauguin and French Polynesia.
For more information about the Paul Gauguin, log on to Radisson Seven Sea's Cruises web site at www.rssc.com.
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