Dinner on the Odyssey

Before I met a group of Boston bloggers at the dock, I met my husband in the Boston Harbor Hotel, the place we stayed the night of our wedding, where I got ready beforehand, and a place that always gives me butterflies ever since. We always feel celebratory in the hotel, so we toasted the weekend and our upcoming 5th anniversary with Prosecco.

When 6:00 rolled around, I went outside to find Rachel, who had planned the event as part of Boston Food Bloggers. I should note that the dinner was complimentary, courtesy of the group that owns the Odyssey. Our group waited around for everyone to arrive and then slowly boarded the Odyssey.

The tables were nicely set, and we all got to sit together which was nice. The cruise was a wine lover’s dinner, and the featured wines were from Westport Rivers, a local winery I have visited many times.

I of course went for the Westport Rivers RJR Brut, a bubbly sipper with lots of great acidity and that toasty nose that I love in a sparkling wine. The menu and server kept referring to sparkling wine as Champagne, which annoys me because it’s inaccurate, but I let it slide.

Each diner chose three courses from a set menu which was small but filled with delicious-sounding choices. I had a hard time deciding, but eventually had the shrimp and corn chowder for my appetizer. It had a nice little kick to it, along with sweet shrimp and corn in a creamy base. I cleaned my bowl; this soup was seriously good.

For my main course I went with the Maple-Glazed Chipotle Chicken Breast which was perfectly cooked, tender, and flavored with a smoky tomato cream. I was pleasantly surprised to see just how perfectly cooked and hot the food was, considering the Odyssey is serving such a large number of people. Banquet style food can be bland, cold, and overcooked, and this was just the opposite.

Before dessert we all wandered up to one of the outdoor decks to get some air, stretch our legs, and get ready for our final course, dessert.

I decided on the Odyssey Signature Decadent Chocolate Torte which was wrapped in a rich chocolate ganache. I definitely enjoyed this cake. It was moist, not too sweet, and had a fudge-like texture, another win from the Odyssey kitchen.

All in all, I had a great evening dining with blogger friends on the Odyssey. The service could have been a little better, and I think by the time we docked we all felt a little antsy to get off the boat, but it was a different, fun way to spend a Friday evening.