Jump to content

airline food


Recommended Posts

hubby and i are dealing with a cold which is why no new food posts have occurred for the past week or so.

i thought i’d share my experience flying first class to/from nyc. this is going to be the last time i will bother with those modes of domestic air travel. a friend on facebook said they’re “glorified busses” and she’s not wrong.

i didn’t take a photo of the united airlines lounge at sfo but it’s ok. the food was average buffet. the only good thing amongst all these pictures turned out to be some baked beans.

IMG_9915.jpeg

IMG_9916.jpeg

IMG_9917.jpeg

IMG_9918.jpeg

IMG_9919.jpeg

Edited by Diancecht
Link to comment
Share on other sites

these are photos at jfk in the american airlines lounge and you can immediately see the difference between aa and ua.

oh, and there’s a menu too. in case you haven’t figured it out by now, i collect restaurant menus because they’re a record of where we’ve eaten.

the crab cake was 90% crab and very little filler. the pasta was a bit “thick” (not really eataly quality but not bad either). 

this lounge features showers in the back if you need a few moments before your flight to freshen up.

IMG_0528.jpeg

IMG_0529.jpeg

IMG_0527.jpeg

IMG_0530.jpeg

IMG_0531.jpeg

IMG_0532.jpeg

IMG_0534.jpeg

IMG_0535.jpeg

IMG_0536.jpeg

IMG_0537.jpeg

IMG_0538.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

as for the food on the airplanes, aa was the clear winner (which is not saying much).

i know that cheap airfare is desirable with everything that entails but it just seems to me that the airlines are denying a good source of revenue by not providing the possibility of good or “better than average” food to customers who would like to pay.

the salad had a bottle of dressing (olive oil, balsamic) that you could add as desired. the pasta was less offensive than the other entrées. 

 

IMG_0539.jpeg

IMG_0540.jpeg

IMG_0541.jpeg

IMG_0542.jpeg

IMG_0543.jpeg

IMG_0546.jpeg

IMG_0547.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some years back, fed up with well done, tough-as-owl beef "steaks", I wrote the president of United and suggested that instead of throwing money at these cuts that are inedible at 35000 feet, they serve braises which reheat beautifully.    Never noticed that they took my advice but got a handful of freebies for my effort.     Air France, our current carrier, serves these often to good effect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heh. Funny you mention braises reheating beautifully for an airline meal. On my flight back from the beatdown in Tuscaloosa, I had Delta's braised shortrib. It was a defensive play, for the exact reason you mentioned.  It was so tough I almost sent the bowl it was in flying while trying to cut it. The broccolini was also impossible to cut. Same for my seatmate. So, I defaulted to my backup "Delta Diet". Eat the dessert. Ask the FA for some pistachios and almonds. Then eat a reheated serving of my own braised shortrib (or whatever) when I get home. I keep a few selections of leftovers in my freezer for occasions just like this. Which happens pretty much every time I take a late lunch/early dinner flight home.

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can see an opportunity with Venus Clam, Saturn Lettuce.

I don't fly business often, but I think SAS far outperformed any of them in recent years. Thoughtful wine list, perfectly good scandi food, and a determination to help you take advantage of those. The scene "Anticipating Lasagna - Danes circling EWR SAS lounge buffet" is also highly recommended.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/11/2023 at 3:29 PM, Diancecht said:

we didn’t fly economy this trip. i have heard that united now offers premium economy plus with the possibility of hot meals.

that’s really what i’m after, instead of buying food from the concourse and taking it onboard with us.

We were on United Premium Economy on one of those fancy SFO-EWR flights a few months ago, and the warm breakfast wasn't too bad.

Alaska Airlines will give you a hot breakfast in first class even on a short hop up the coast (say from SFO/OAK to PDX/SEA).

Edited by StephanieL
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is like the scene in the blues brothers where they compare various dishes in different state prisons. I'll add for the record the pepper steak in United Polaris might be worse than the pepper steak in Joliet.  I had the flight attendant apologize to me as he handed me my plate. 

I fly international business class a bunch and really mostly care about hard product. Can I sleep in your lie flat, do you have an arrival lounge I can shower in, and can you get me through security quickly.  Flying to Europe I try not to eat on plane - especially the flight over. Asia a different story and the local carriers always much better than US carriers but still not actually good.

 

I had an utterly hideous experience on BA yesterday.  They tried to unload a 787 from a remote stand with one bus.  I was in Row 22 (which is J on that flight l, the premium loads are so high) and it took me 30 minutes to get off the bus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Husband has solved the problem of food and jet lag by chowing down in the (AF) lounge before a long flight (SF-Paris), and immediately going to sleep on the plane, avoiding on board food until middle of the night snacking (fruit, sandwiches, ice cream).   Granted business class, but an improvement over staying up for a questionable meal service.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, voyager said:

Husband has solved the problem of food and jet lag by chowing down in the (AF) lounge before a long flight (SF-Paris), and immediately going to sleep on the plane, avoiding on board food until middle of the night snacking (fruit, sandwiches, ice cream).   Granted business class, but an improvement over staying up for a questionable meal service.

I envy anyone who can go to sleep soundly on a plane.  If I'm lucky, I get a couple of hours of fitful sleep in.  And then there was the 15-hour flight from NY to Johannesburg where I didn't sleep at all.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, StephanieL said:

I envy anyone who can go to sleep soundly on a plane.  If I'm lucky, I get a couple of hours of fitful sleep in.  And then there was the 15-hour flight from NY to Johannesburg where I didn't sleep at all.....

I have no idea who they build airline seats for.    I always feel like Goldilocks  but never find the “just right”.   May as well go to the movies.    I usually watch 4 +shorts during a 10 hour flight.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Anthony Bonner said:

This is like the scene in the blues brothers where they compare various dishes in different state prisons.

Unlike the rest of you I've never been to State prison or flown Business (only First, rarely) but the solution to your airline/prison-supplied food woes arises from a suggestion made to me three decades ago by Ihsan and Valerie, the former owners of Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge, MA. (The business passed earlier this year to their long-time manager and is in terrific hands.)

Don't eat it.

Get to Boston first, if you're not already t/here, and get to FK (or amble to Essex Market FK, now spun off from the original), buy a salami (+1 for your girl in the army), then nibble on it through your ride. There's no way you can make dining elbow-to-elbow with your neighbor an elegant eating experience, so stop trying.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, relbbaddoof said:

or amble to Essex Market FK, now spun off from the original), buy a salami (+1 for your girl in the army), then nibble on it through your ride.

At Essex Market, they do have those nice, smaller salamis from Fra' Mani...but no Broadbent, unfortunately 😋 .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MitchW said:

At Essex Market, they do have those nice, smaller salamis from Fra' Mani...but no Broadbent, unfortunately 😋 .

Yes, I know the Essex FK well (or used to -- haven't been there since before times). The mothershop in Cambridge carried a country ham or two in the past, but the NY one never did, probably because they had less space, especially in the old location.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not a salami from Essex Market, but close.    After the airlines started filling the middle (of three) seats, husband and I used to book "aisles across" seats.   Once we stopped at Russo's Market in Reading, PA, before flying out of Philly.     We had them build us a huge antepasto platter with all the usual suspects.    After the meal carts had passed, we brought out our feast and passed it back and forth across the aisle.    One of our best airline meals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, relbbaddoof said:

Yes, I know the Essex FK well (or used to -- haven't been there since before times). The mothershop in Cambridge carried a country ham or two in the past, but the NY one never did, probably because they had less space, especially in the old location.

Yes - they do have a couple of different cured hams from Spain, France and Italy, but none from country ham country.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When Russo first opened, I was wandering around taking photos of their vast assortment when I realized I was surrounded by what appeared to be a mafia hit squad.    The leader asked what I was doing and I explained that I was documenting their incredible assortment, that I was from SF and that we had nothing that compared.    He considered for a moment then backed off, explaining that they didn’t allow photos in an attempt to thwart their competitors.    At least he didn’t bust my phone or my arm.

Edited by voyager
  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...