Top 5 Room Service Menus
Any vacation provides a multitude of dining options -- but nothing beats a hot, fresh meal delivered (with white gloves) to your door, especially when it's slathered in black truffles. Indulge your palate at one of these hotels for some of the best meals on wheels.
Arguably New York City’s most iconic hotel, everything about the Waldorf Astoria is fancy – from the décor down to the white-glove service. The hotel was the first ever to offer room service after opening in 1931, and despite sky high prices (just a bagel will you cost you nearly $25), the food is nothing short of divine.
Oyster's Menu Pick: Oscar’s Spicy Asian Chicken Salad. (Get the recipe below!)
Besides being one of the sleekest hotels in the steamy city’s business district, the Mandarin Oriental also has some of the most delicious eats to offer up in Miami. Since it caters to travelers on the go, its room service menu does too: The hotel offers “Ready to Fly Meals” that are packed in boxes and ready to stow in your briefcase.
Nestled near Columbus Circle (and its fabulous shopping), the Dream is decidedly New York: The hotel is stylish, cramped, and within minutes of several subway lines. But its best Big Apple feature would be the room service from New York City chain, Serafina, which serves up top-notch Italian cuisine, even for breakfast, too.
Oyster’s Menu Pick: I Carciofi Al Ferro Rovente, a shrimp and artichoke secret Italian recipe.
Available 24 hours a day, room service at the Peninsula is so decadent that your meal is delivered with a candelabra, amongst other bells and whistles. Whether you’re craving breakfast at dinner time or just in the mood to mug down in private, the menu’s got something for the most discerning of palettes.
Oyster’s Menu Pick: The Wagyu Beef Burger. It’ll set you back $53, but it’s served with black truffles, truffled onions and melted brie in a sun-dried tomato bolue with truffle butter.
Like everything else in Sin City, the Cosmopolitan’s room service is available 24/7, and it caters specifically to the party crowd. A separate “Crowd Pleasers” snack plate is available for both the “Guys” and the “Girls,” but what really sets the Cosmopolitan apart is its DIY Cocktail Packages. Bottoms up!
Oyster’s Menu Pick: The Mojito Cubano Kit, which includes a seriously authentic recipe, straight from Havana.
Rachel Jacoby is the Blog Editor for Oyster.com, a partner of Travel Channel, that visits, comprehensively photographs, critiques, and rates hotels. Her work has also been featured in publications like InStyle, HGTV Magazine and the HuffingtonPost. If she’s not writing or traveling, she’s out for a run.
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 inches each
- 1 cup Asian Spice Rub (see below)
- ½ cup kosher salt
- ¼ cup ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup chopped fresh ginger
- ½ cup chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon picked ginger
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup canola oil
- ¼ cup dark sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- ¼ cup ground ginger
- ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon freshly ground white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 cups unsalted cashews
- 6 cups sliced Napa cabbage cut lengthwise, then into ½-inch thick strips
- 3 cups stemmed watercress
- 1 ½ cup orange sections (260)
- 2 ounces Manchego cheese, thinly sliced
- Pinch of shichimi togarashi, or to taste
Preheat oven 375°F.
Thoroughly combine salt, ginger, black and white pepper, red pepper, cayenne, garlic, and sugar. Reserve half the mixture in an airtight container for another use. Add cashews to remaining mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to cookie sheet and spread evenly. Place in oven and toast until nuts are golden brown and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in refrigerator in airtight container.
Combine until mixed. Store in airtight container.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Coat chicken in spice rub and place in resealable plastic bag. Put in refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes. Place chicken on baking sheet or in roasting pan and roast until cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and let cool in the fridge. When cool, cut into large (3/4-inch) cubes.
Place ginger, chives, picked ginger, garlic, ¼ cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, and egg yolk in blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. With blender running, slowly drizzle in canola oil and seasame oil until thoroughly incorporated. If dressing becomes too thick, add cold water.
In large mixing bowl, combine cabbage and watercress. Add diced chicken, cashews, and orange sections. Neatly cut cheese into ½-inch long diamonds and add to salad. Mix until evenly blended.
Add 2 cups of the dressing and toss to combine. Evenly distribute salad into 8 bowls. Sprinkle each salad with a pinch of togarashi spice (this is the spice ingredient in this salad, so be careful not to overdo it.)
