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

[Pushka]

Current F Lounge Menu

Just checked my NZ TR from March last year and the Champagne was listed on the Breakfast menu:

 

[blackcat20]

Just checked my NZ TR from March last year and the Champagne was listed on the Breakfast menu:

View attachment 85668

They had a better selection back then too....

 

[kermatu]

Chicken with strange sauce. Was very tasty and had quite a kick. Chicken was a bit too cold but otherwise was really nice.

 

[kermatu]

the snapper in broth. Was Good but not spectacular. Lacked a bit of flavour and kick, though to be fair having just had the chicken starter which was spicy, my taste buds may have been tainted!

 

[RichardMEL]

As others have said Champagne has left the printed menu for a few editions now. Maybe even since the Autumn menu?

Anyway my experiences at MEL suggest the staff are a bit annoyed because I've seen more than one person query this and so they have to roll out "Yes it's available"

I think it's a not very subtle effort to make it not obvious given the time of day etc. Along with the half pours (in Melbourne) suggest a cost cutting effort to me.

Anyway staff more than happy to provide when asked.

 

[Groundhog]

I have noticed this on a couple of posts and was wondering what the hell it is. I will be in MEL on Friday night so will report back (if another member hasnt already done so)

 

[kermatu]

I have noticed this on a couple of posts and was wondering what the hell it is. I will be in MEL on Friday night so will report back (if another member hasnt already done so)
View attachment 85750

I have. See above. Spicy, sesame, nutty. Very nice.

 

[Chalkie]

Strange flavour = guàiwèi in Mandarin; ; literally: "strange/exotic taste". Ingredients typically include sesame, Szechuan pepper, soy, rice vinegar, sugar and sometimes xuxiang seasoning. Delicious!

 

[kermatu]

Sampled more dishes in an unanticipated extra visit. Rebecca in the restaurant looked after me well. These two dishes are what made me make the comment above that this menu is terrific.

pork loin - very tasty dish. Pork was moist and perfectly cooked. Fennel nice and the polenta was almost creamy.

 

[kermatu]

And even better was the lamb with chickpeas. Spicy and extremely tasty. Really good combination.

both a bit odd for summer menus but I'm not complaining.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Along with the half pours (in Melbourne) suggest a cost cutting effort to me.

I've had the half pour in SYD too (noted upthread) but IME it depends on who is pouring. The sommelier, a lovely chap, is never stingy with the wine and was very generous with the rose Champagne on my last visit. He is also good to talk with about the differing wines and food matching.

 

[kermatu]

I had some good chats with the staff in SYD this morning, and received some decent pours, but the alcohol selection has gone drastically downhill in a hurry. Whiskies for example - no longer offering Ardbeg, Glenkichie or Lagavulin - 'best' they had was the new Chivas Ultis (very average - I'm disappointed they are flogging it in the Dom J lounges, let alone the F lounge), and JW Black label (nice but hardly premium). Penny pinching at its worst.

 

[kermatu]

Sadly only a short morning visit so couldn't enjoy the menu again. Still, managed to snare the last available spa spot in the morning and got to have an old favourite:

 

[bismarck]

Tried the lamb dish today. Delicious. Sadly, only managed one pour of the basket press before the decanter ran out. Stonewell Shiraz is a tough step down.

 

[QFFHntrGthr]

"Free Range Organic Eggs

• Soft egg & toast soldiers
• Eggs Florentine
• Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon or leg ham
• Whole egg omelette with leg ham, tomato & cheddar
• Egg white omelette with roasted capsicum, ricotta & chives
• Signature Breakfast; two eggs poached, scrambled or fried with bacon, pork chipolatas, hash brown and roast tomato
• Light Breakfast; two eggs poached, scrambled or fried with wilted spinach, field mushrooms & roast tomato
• Eggs Only Breakfast; two eggs poached, scrambled or fried on toast"

I have a question for the brain trust (not sure if it has previously been asked):- Will the chef be willing to mix and match from the menu? For example, in the eggs menu, I'd rather have the egg white omelette with ham and cheese accompanied with pork chipolatas, roast tomato and wilted spinach, a dish which is strictly not on the menu but the components appear as parts of various dishes.
I'd guess asking for the yoghurt sans the mango and palm sugar will be less of an imposition and more likely to be doable?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Colster]

Nevertheless had any trouble mixing and matching as I saw fit... takes a bit more time if it's something weird though.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

"Free Range Organic Eggs

• Soft egg & toast soldiers
• Eggs Florentine
• Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon or leg ham
• Whole egg omelette with leg ham, tomato & cheddar
• Egg white omelette with roasted capsicum, ricotta & chives
• Signature Breakfast; two eggs poached, scrambled or fried with bacon, pork chipolatas, hash brown and roast tomato
• Light Breakfast; two eggs poached, scrambled or fried with wilted spinach, field mushrooms & roast tomato
• Eggs Only Breakfast; two eggs poached, scrambled or fried on toast"

I have a question for the brain trust (not sure if it has previously been asked):- Will the chef be willing to mix and match from the menu? For example, in the eggs menu, I'd rather have the egg white omelette with ham and cheese accompanied with pork chipolatas, roast tomato and wilted spinach, a dish which is strictly not on the menu but the components appear as parts of various dishes.
I'd guess asking for the yoghurt sans the mango and palm sugar will be less of an imposition and more likely to be doable?

Thanks in advance.

shouldnt be a problem. Ask nicely and generally you receive. When steak used to be on the lunch menu I always asked for it without the Paris butter and with a fried egg, no chips. Staff always willing to oblige.

 

[QFFHntrGthr]

Thanks guys, that's really good to know there's some flexibility to the menu. So much to savour, so little room to place it all. This opens up a whole possibility of half or small serves to create ones own degustation experience. Naturally, I'd only ask very nicely when the lounge is not busy. Taste without waste.

 

[Rugby]

Enjoying a very good Flounge experience today. We had day spa treatments offered and allocated at F check in, rather than upon entry to the Flounge, which is a first for us (we're flying J). We had the chicken with cucumber, chilli, bean sprouts & strange flavour dressing and the compulsory salt & pepper squid - the chicken was fine, but not memorable, the S&P very good.

Forgot mains photos. We had the snapper with rice noodles, galangal & chicken broth. From the Market Inspirations the Thai chilli beef with organic egg & jasmine rice. Both very good dishes, lots of flavour, not very hot.

No decanter out today, Basket Press apparently ran out yesterday The Peter Lehmann 'Stonewell' Shiraz 2012 is an excellent big Barossa Red. Also enjoyed the Vickery Riesling 2016 - dry and nice depth of flavour. The wine list this season is definitely a cut above previous ones IMHO.

 

[kermatu]

Enjoying a very good Flounge experience today. We had day spa treatments offered and allocated at F check in, rather than upon entry to the Flounge, which is a first for us (we're flying J).

Out of interest what time did you check-in?