Current Qantas First Lounge Menu (SYD/MEL) and relevant topics

[ms1]

Ramen broth was a bit flavourless but the pork was fork tender. Beef brisket needs a sauce as although its tender I found it dry. Club sandwich and S&P squid good as usual but the lamb bao was just ok. Chocolate cake and pavlova for dessert were both excellent.

 

[kermatu]

Breakfast menu (MEL).



Old favourite with a few extras nice as always.



Not that surprising for a breakfast menu but I don’t think much if anything has changed over the past couple of seasons.

Underwhelming wine list. Thankfully the whiskies — while dwindling in number — are still very good.

 

[BD1959]

View attachment 192896

Reminds me of a "greasy spoon" I used to go to near Euston Station!!

Regards,

BD

 

[therudies86]

Breakfast menu (MEL).




Underwhelming wine list. Thankfully the whiskies — while dwindling in number — are still very good.

Agree on the quality of the wine list - it really has pulled back over the last few years. I used to look forward to making time to spend in the F Lounge so I could embrace the experience (wine, food, spa, etc), but now it is just like a standard lounge with food a bit better than QC club.

Then again, maybe that's their plan .....

 

[kermatu]

One and (likely/hopefully) only sample of the all day menu in SYD. Most underwhelming food and beverage menu I've encountered. Struggled to find anything of interest for the first time.

Chicken tartine was OK but had a slightly odd aftertaste:



Duck was totally devoid of taste/spice/flavour. Was ironically a generous serve:



Wines abysmal -- even the decanter wine (a 2014 shiraz).

Worst of all the whiskies have been dumbed down even further. It's basically bourbon or JW black (all of which I don't mind but hardly premium). Even the Mars Iwai is gone. When I queried the staff the nice attendant said "The supplier has stopped importing, so no choice". When I pointed out MEL still has Oban, Talisker, Glenkinchie, Dalwhinnie, Cragganmore and others... "Um, oh." Pathetic.

Still, views can't be beat.



And nice welcome and chat with Gregory, and good service throughout. But a disappointing visit.

 

[serfty]

MEL this afternoon.

Duck and Barra photos ... the off list '14 shiraz (Leogate?) was ok



The duck was "well cooked" - may have been casseroled rather than stir fried (or both) ... Plenty of it.

Barra was overcooked.

 

[serfty]

Back again ...

Gua bao with lamb ... bring back the pork!

Bun was a soggy lump of glutonous stomach filler ... I basically ate just the filling which was like a rather spicy Chilli lamb casserole thing.

 

[serfty]

Chicken tartine was OK but had a slightly odd aftertaste:

That would be the watercress sauce.

Not only a pool on the side but is also used to help stick the puff pastry slab to plate.

An interesting dish, overall leaving a nice context on my palate. Certainly one of the more discerningly unsweet dishes I have had.

The pastry was very light but dry, needing every bit of the sonewhat sour sauce to facilitate consumption.

Complicated to eat but in the end I enjoyed it, washed down with the Mumm Rosé which itself being 'sec' was rather complimentary.

 

[serfty]

I tried the brisket ... a decent slab but aside from a couple of few fatty bits, the meat itself was dry, coarse and tasteless.

Steamed vegy ok with a bit of salt and the sauce was great (shiny bit on top) but I left most of the rest and decamped to the EK lounge.

Now do not get me wrong, I have appreciated the Qantas First lounges since they first opened in 2007; they have had their deep highs and shallow lows, but lows are becoming the norm.

 

[Rugby]

Flounge crisis - they’ve taken Perrier Jouet off the menu I’m on the Pommery

 

[blackcat20]

Flounge crisis - they’ve taken Perrier Jouet off the menu I’m on the Pommery
View attachment 196715

Nooooooooo. The PJ was the only saviour of a rather poor champagne menu

 

[Kangol]

Disappointing.
There have been only a small handful of improvements over the years, the introduction of the gua bao being one.
The rest have been downgrades. This is for both SYD and MEL.

Might just have to hit the coughtails instead.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Omg it is indeed true. No more PJ at the Flounge this morning. Had to make do with the Mumm Rosé.
AJ was sat at an adjacent table wasn’t sure if I should ask about my CL membership, LTP when I’m a corpse or Domestic Priority Boarding?

 

[serfty]

Barra was overcooked.

Back again!

This time the Barra was perfectly cooked and was amazing!





What a difference from last time! Every part complimented each other ... I'm not a fan of chilli with fish but this was present but understated and made a terrific combo.

 

[serfty]

I ended up asking for a spoon to finish the remaining broth lile juices.

Encouraged I revisited the duck stir fry.

Much "fresher" than last time ... the choy sum etc. were less cooked and while the meat still had the aura of being pre cooked, this was much better than last time. The flavours were there and combined nicely with the texture.

 

[serfty]

This visit,the lounge seems much quieter than my last couple of visits. Maybe those cooking had more time.

Here's the All day menu, I expect there'll be a summer one out soon.

 

[Rugby]

This visit ,the lounge seems much quieter than my last couple of visits. Maybe those cooking had more time.

Here's the All day menu, I expect there'll be a summer one out soon.

View attachment 198350

Now only two champagne options in MEL

 

[Hvr]

This visit,the lounge seems much quieter than my last couple of visits. Maybe those cooking had more time.

It was absolutely packed this morning when I came through. Had to wait for a table and the service was slow and sloppy.

E.g. the sourdough toast was presented without butter or cutlery. When they arrived I was then asked if I wanted a topping. I explained that I'd asked for Vegemite. It arrived quickly but very poor service.

 

[JessicaTam]

I wonder how long Sofitel have to go on their contract?

 

[calmelb]

I wonder how long Sofitel have to go on their contract?

They only run the service right? Not anything else? (Though the service in MEL is at times very poor. 20 minutes for a glass of bubbles that ended up being warm because they forgot about it for example)