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

[AIRwin]

I looked around too but didn’t know what you looked like Serfty .

There is a photo here:

Moderator Gathering 2021

Any moderators want to come to Ocean View Estate in QLD for a wine tasting, tour and dinner today?

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Mr_Orange]

Are you @Mr_Orange ?

Nope, I'm here .

 

[oz_boater]

Just arrived from Sydney for the 11pm flight to LA so will be here for a while

Anything I should order in particular ?

 

[arrow]

Just arrived from Sydney for the 11pm flight to LA so will be here for a while

Anything I should order in particular ?
View attachment 371658

Crispy Braised Lamb
Salt & Pepper Squid
Burger & Chips
Brand’s Laira Blockers Cabernet Sauvignon

 

[sudoer]

Couple of AFF members ordered Vee's Kra Pow earlier today - look a few posts before yours.

I'm keen to hear about the "Strange flavour chicken"

 

[anat0l]

Just arrived from Sydney for the 11pm flight to LA so will be here for a while

Anything I should order in particular ?
View attachment 371658

Here's what I had in the F Lounge when I visited it in early December, with the same Summer Menu. I was on the 2200ish overnight flight to HND and spent quite some time in the lounge.


Classic S&P squid. Hard to pass unless you don't like seafood or fried things.



Strange-flavoured chicken. Poached, white cut chicken with some raw veggies, Sichuan-style spicy-ish sauce and rice crisps. I think it's a nice entree.

Some may not like the tofu in this dish - it's meant to be a non-flavour foil for the other elements and particularly the sauce (it kind of acts like a piece of bread to soak up sauce or juice in a European dish). As someone with Asian background, I don't mind it at all. But of course it can be left alone.

If you're wondering what's with the "strange flavour", see this Wikipedia article (click here). The sauce is not quite the authentic thing but it's a fair nod.


Slow-braised beef, served Korean style with ssam (lettuce wraps), rice, pickles and gochujang (chilli paste). It was delicious but what a curious dish. The proportions of served beef, lettuce and rice were out. In the end, you eat the beef with the rice (and maybe some pickles or gochujang).


Gua bao. This was nice, if but the combination of pork belly and sweet bao with some vegetables to go with it is a nice mouthful or two.


Grilled chicken breast with chipotle hommus and chimmichuri. Basically a chicken steak with two sauces and vegetables. It was delicious if you like a fix of roast / grilled chicken; it goes well with the sauces (maybe not both at once, however). It just looks so curious.


Plant-based tonarelli (square spaghetti). The flavours are great in this, but for my taste this was very salty.


Another hard-to-pass classic: the QF F Lounge pavlova. Refreshing and delicious.



For something a little different, the honey flan with mango was also quite pleasant, and maybe a bit lighter than the pavlova.

According to the staff on the day I was there, the most popular main course option was the snapper.

 

[SYD]

The snapper was quite good the other day. Something light if you’re expecting another big meal on board.

 

[exLXCXFF]

Just arrived from Sydney for the 11pm flight to LA so will be here for a while

Anything I should order in particular ?
View attachment 371658

I still find it weird how subpar the beers on offer are. In fact, they have gone a step backwards…

 

[kpro]

The snapper was quite good the other day.

Geez that looks a world apart from the one I got. I wouldn't have recommended it based on what I received, but yours looks quite decent.

 

[SYD]

Geez that looks a world apart from the one I got. I wouldn't have recommended it based on what I received, but yours looks quite decent.

View attachment 371679

Is that after you ate som…?

 

[kpro]

Is that after you ate som…?

I wish, but sadly not.

 

[TripTrap]

Autumn breakfast menu

 

[TripTrap]

... and the dining menu

 

[henrus]

Breakfast menu has a different wine list?

I’m seeing different rose and reds.

 

[TripTrap]

Breakfast menu has a different wine list?

I’m seeing different rose and reds.

Breakfast was MEL, dining SYD. Might be that as well.

 

[henrus]

Breakfast was MEL, dining SYD. Might be that as well.

That would explain it. Slightly different wine lists in SYD/MEL then.

 

[FrustratedQP]

Can someone confirm the current champagne offering in the First Lounge please?

 

[#flying]

Can someone confirm the current champagne offering in the First Lounge please?

A couple of weeks ago Sydney had Pommery and Piper Heidsieck on offer (both NV).

 

[Daver6]

A couple of weeks ago Sydney had Pommery and Piper Heidsieck on offer (both NV).

Same options mid to late Jan. Pretty disappointing. Offerings just keep on getting cheaper and cheaper there.

 

[anat0l]

... and the dining menu
View attachment 373038

I don't have much travel lined up for Autumn, and given that I also just dropped from WP to SG, it is even less likely that I'll ever get to taste this menu.

However, my first impressions just based on reading the menu:

• That tomato soup had better have texture, otherwise it won't be worth it. Real roasted tomatoes would be nice.
• The spanner crab salad had better be with fresh crab, because all those other elements are rather bitter, except for the carrot. Anyone here actually a fan of crab?
• The plant based dining option looks really pedestrian; a bit like a stir fry 101 for a vegan. For you vegans, it'll probably be tasty enough but they could do better than that.
• The pappardelle is a classic combination. Very autumn.
• The snapper looks appetising; seems quite Italian. No mention of a sauce, so maybe there is none or it'll simply be a bit of olive oil.
• I like the look of the coughin lamb noodles; nice tasty combination and not subtle at all.
• If the beef brisket is prepared correctly, it should prove to be a rich comforting dish; basically an elevated version of steak and vegetables for a non-BBQ climate.
• The mochi cake looks interesting - I can't imagine what that looks like, but an intriguing combination of textures. I think it'll take a bit of bravery for anyone to try it, simply because of how odd it looks and sounds.
• I'd expect something a bit more than pedestrian from the strawberry tart; it's a nice flavour on paper, but I'm getting cake in a display case vibes.

Hope to hear some reports from the field soon!