MSC Cruises reveals two new dining concepts aboard Dubai-bound MSC Virtuosa

Two new dining concepts will debut aboard MSC Virtuosa, which is scheduled to homeport in Dubai for the 2021/22 cruise season.

The two new restaurants aboard the cruise ship will be among a total of five specialty restaurants, five main dining rooms, a 1,336-seat buffet and 21 bars and lounges.

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HOLA! Tacos & Cantina, a street food-style cafe specialising in Latin American cuisine, and Indochine Restaurant, a Franco-Vietnamese restaurant, will be among the new features of MSC Virtuosa.

“Dining onboard MSC Cruises ships is a gastronomic adventure with authentic food, globally inspired menus and culinary artistry at the heart of our offering,” said Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises.

“As a company, we are in constant pursuit of new and exceptional experiences that showcase international cuisine, taking our guests on a gourmet journey of discovery,” he added.

According to Onorato, the restaurants were developed exclusively for MSC Cruises.

HOLA! Tacos & Cantina is described as a “new fast-casual street food dining concept” that “offers a selection of Latin American and Mexican-inspired dishes and drinks to be shared and enjoyed in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.”

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It will open for lunch and dinner and will offer an array of dishes from blue corn tacos and nachos, authentic beef empanadas and tasty tamales through to tortilla soup or vegetarian tacos, all of which can be paired with a glass of agua fresca or a selection of Top 10 Tequilas and Mezcals.

At the restaurant, guests will also be able to make their own guacamole and choose a desert from theMexican Ice Cream Taco bar.

Indochine is another new concept that will offer guests, “Vietnamese classics with a French twist,” according to MSC. Its menu will include various vegetarian and vegan options, as well as a “multitude of tasty options”from Green Papaya Salads to Beef Bo Buns, and French Roasted Snails to Veggie Vietnamese Crêpes.

The selection offers healthy and balanced options, featuring careful combinations of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and hot flavors and an ample wine list features both New and Old-World options, to tempt even the most practiced of sommeliers.

MSC Virtuosa is the cruise line’s new Meraviglia-Plus call cruise ship, a sister ship to MSC Meraviglia at 181,000-gross tons and carrying more than 4,800 passengers.

The ships are based on the same platform as MSC Bellissima, which home-ported in Dubai last year, and has spent much of the 2020 pandemic in lay-up in Port Rashid in Dubai awaiting the reopening of the global cruise industry.

Five specialty dining venues:

The three other specialty restaurants should be familiar to those who have cruised with MSC before.

Butcher’s Cut, a classic American steakhouse, offers high-end cuts of beef like the dry-aged tomahawk, T-bones, and surf and turf options.

Kaito Teppanyaki is a traditional Japanese teppanyaki grill where the chefs preparing your meal are all part of the show.

Kaito Sushi Bar is the best place on board MSC Virtuosa for quality sushi, sashimi and tempura prepared by master chefs.