We had been to Wonderland once before on Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas, so we already had a rough idea of what to expect. Wonderland isn’t the kind of restaurant you keep going back to — it’s more of a once-per-cruise experience. The sort of place you visit at least once just to say you did. But honestly, it’s worth every bit of it.
Wonderland specialises in imaginative cuisine built around molecular gastronomy. Think food that looks nothing like what it is, presented in the most whimsical, artistic way possible. The menu is structured around five elements — Earth, Sea, Fire, Ice, and Sun — and the whole experience is designed to engage all your senses through unexpected textures and flavours.
The Hidden Menu Trick
Once you’re seated, the waiter hands you what looks like a completely blank menu. There’s a small brush on the table and a container of water. You dip the brush in, swipe it across the blank surface, and the menu appears. Super fun bit of theatre right from the start.
Since we’d done this before, we knew what to do. But if it’s your first time at Wonderland, don’t worry — the staff will guide you through everything and introduce each dish when it’s brought to the table.
One look at the menu and it was clear — nothing much has changed since our last visit. Same menu as before.
Starters
We decided to let our dedicated service staff, Erwin, surprise us with the starters and desserts while we picked the mains ourselves. Honestly, it saved us from decision fatigue — and it made every course feel like a little surprise. Would highly recommend doing the same if you go.
Tomato Water
(Pepper spherification, bread foam — served in a test tube)
Brought me straight back to secondary school chemistry lab, haha. The liquid looks completely clear, but it’s got a proper tomato flavour to it. Light and refreshing.
Crispy Crab Cone
(Cilantro, avocado mousse, obha leaf)
Think savoury ice cream cone. All the elements come together really nicely.
Liquid Lobster
(Bone marrow, caviar)
This actually tasted better than the lobster bisque from Chops Grille, haha. The lobster chunk was crunchy, rich in flavour — loved it.
Mad Hatter’s Purple Potted Shrimp
My favourite of all the starters. Dip the prawn into the sauce for a bit of kick. Crispy on the outside, crunchy prawn on the inside. Just really good.
Baby Vegetables in the Garden
Surprisingly good for a vegetarian dish. The chia seeds are made to look like soil and add a nice texture. The beetroot is sweet without being overly earthy.
The Bird’s Nest
(Smoke, blue cheese, hot sauce)
Basically a deviled egg but the presentation is lovely — actually looks like a bird’s nest.
Wonton Soup
Light broth, the filling tastes like minced chicken. The most ordinary starter of the lot — didn’t really wow us.
Citrus Seas Shhhh
(Spicy tuna, floral yuzu granita)
Erwin recommended scooping the granita aside first, pairing the parmesan crisp with the tuna, then finishing with the granita separately. Followed his advice — so refreshing and appetising.
Mains
The Rib ‘I’ Luscious Short Rib
(Bordelaise sauce)
When I saw this being served to the next table, it honestly looked like a slice of brownie with ice cream, haha. But don’t be fooled.
It’s beautifully braised — especially the top part with the fat, which is so tender and flavourful.
Snap, Crackle and Pork
(Apples, crackling)
Meat so tender, and the skin is removed and crisped up — think Thai-style pork crackling. Solid dish.
Branzino in Crispy Bread
(Tamarind spice emulsion)
The crispy bread on top adds a nice crunch. The sea bass is not fishy at all, fully deboned.
A light, clean dish — quite healthy-tasting actually.
Desserts
Forbidden Apple
(Raspberry cremeux, brown butter crumble, yogurt ice cream)
Didn’t even get to take a photo because Erwin had already sliced it in half, haha. The inside has a smooth, dense texture — somewhere between a thick ganache and a light mousse. Lacked contrasting textures and flavours, so not really my kind of thing.
Mystical Mushroom Garden
(Pistachio, white chocolate mousse, red velvet and chocolate soil, soft centred meringue, mango sorbet)
The mushroom top has this odd kueh-like texture, which was a bit strange. Overall too dense for my liking, and the meringue was super sweet.
The World
(Peanut butter ganache, Valrhona chocolate mousse, salted caramel ice cream)
Erwin poured hot caramel over the chocolate ball at the table, which melted it to reveal peanut butter ice cream and chocolate cake inside.
Great combo — this was the best dessert of the three, hands down.
Final Thoughts on Wonderland on Ovation of the Seas
All in all, we really enjoyed the meal. My husband even said he didn’t remember it being this good the last time — which made me laugh because I felt the same way.
More hits than misses. Some dishes are genuinely beautiful to look at and very photo-worthy. I loved the whole experience — it makes dining feel different and actually fun. And I’m really glad we left the starters and desserts to Erwin to decide, because that surprise element made us look forward to every single course.
So if you’re on a Royal Caribbean cruise, do consider booking Wonderland for dinner. It’s not something you’d find easily elsewhere, and it’s well worth experiencing at least once.