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

[Kangol]

Ahhh ok. Might have been right after my one and only (lol) visit in Aug 16?? Fortunately I will rectify this anomaly this Aug.

What is new is adding the "FR" to the description. This must have been in response to some questions from patrons.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Massive eye roll about adding 'France' as a country of origin for Champagne. Seriously?

 

[NoName]

Massive eye roll about adding 'France' as a country of origin for Champagne. Seriously?

Yes I would have thought most people would realise that this is where is comes from. Then again, I’m always hearing/seeing Cellarbrations advertising their great range of “French Champagnes” so maybe not.

 

[AlwaysQF1]

Currently in SYD F and the chicken salad is excellent! No off menu Champagne today though.

 

[mitti]

Massive eye roll about adding 'France' as a country of origin for Champagne. Seriously?

Looks like they added the region and country for the Autumn menu... I would think that it is to make the champagne listing more consistent with that of the rest of the wine list where region and state is listed for the Aussie wines.

See the Autumn menu: https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/attachments/img_5764-jpg.119418/
And summer before that: https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/attachments/menu-jpg.108025/

 

[Kangol]

Looks like they added the region and country for the Autumn menu... I would think that it is to make the champagne listing more consistent with that of the rest of the wine list where region and state is listed for the Aussie wines.

See the Autumn menu: https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/attachments/img_5764-jpg.119418/
And summer before that: https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/attachments/menu-jpg.108025/

Look up the term "tautology"

 

[mitti]

Look up the term "tautology"

Thanks, I'm familiar.

I'm not saying it's a good thing that it is included or that it is indeed necessary, but it is more consistent with the way the wines are done. If anything, the addition of the region is useful information to have, which were not listed prior to the Autumn menu when they added the country of origin.

 

[Eija]

Still Autumn Menu in MEL F lounge tonight.

 

[Rugby]

Winter has arrived! Pork Gua Boa - best one we’ve had in the Flounge to date. Buckwheat, mushroom and spinach bowl - nice clean flavours and very healthy. The duck and lamb for mains - lamb was very solid, but the duck was our pick, nice & tender and the peas, cabbage and potato were excellent. Caramel pears for dessert was very good. The Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz in the decanter was a good drop and nice to have ‘The Rule’ as a back up.

No treatments available today, but very happy with the new menu.

 

[kermatu]

Winter has arrived! Pork Gua Boa - best one we’ve had in the Flounge to date. Buckwheat, mushroom and spinach bowl - nice clean flavours and very healthy. The duck and lamb for mains - lamb was very solid, but the duck was our pick, nice & tender and the peas, cabbage and potato were excellent. Caramel pears for dessert was very good. The Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz in the decanter was a good drop and nice to have ‘The Rule’ as a back up.

No treatments available today, but very happy with the new menu.

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Thanks for taking one / several for the team!

 

[serfty]

Interesting; MEL is a available after 12pm whereas SYD is 11am.

 

[serfty]

 

[serfty]

Gua Bao was the best yet with crunchy but not tough crackle...

 

[ole nimeton]

Smoked chicken salad and Beef brisket from the Melbourne menu.

The chicken salad was full of flavour and very nice but the beef dry and the chips way too salty. Was greeted promptly and shown to a table which was great but was really disappointed with the service after that - very slow, drinks ordered never came and no dessert offered. It wasn't even very busy.

 

[kermatu]

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Smoked chicken salad and Beef brisket from the Melbourne menu.

The chicken salad was full of flavour and very nice but the beef dry and the chips way too salty. Was greeted promptly and shown to a table which was great but was really disappointed with the service after that - very slow, drinks ordered never came and no dessert offered. It wasn't even very busy.

I also had the beef brisket last week (old menu version) - everything was smothered in salt. Seems to be the new Neil Perry way as almost every dish I've had this past fortnight onboard in J domestic and international has been the same.

 

[shuuy]

SYD F dinner has old menu, I think

The Wirra Wirra Sauv Blanc was pretty meh... but $17/bottle retail so as expected (and good value)

Think it’s a good sommelier or white wine drinkers can’t taste the difference.

 

[NSun]

I visited the Sydney F lounge on Sunday evening prior to QF139 - was my first time there. The winter menu was implemented.

I should note that I asked for a secret champagne. The waiter checked then said whilst there wasn't a secret champagne they noted there were other drinks and asked me what I liked. When I said I liked tawny port, I got a vintage glass. I think it was Graham's - which I've had before in EK J. It was a treat.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Interesting; MEL is a available after 12pm whereas SYD is 11am.

Timed for *after* the departure of the QF35 to SIN at 1155?

 

[kermatu]

Timed for *after* the departure of the QF35 to SIN at 1155?

Makes sense. MEL has very definite peaks and then drastic troughs unlike SYD which is pretty well patronised through to late arvo. No point switching menus for the handful of pax from 11am to I guess 11:15 latest (for an on-time departure).

Re comments above about poor service in MEL - I should note my second visit this month was much better. Great service while I was in one of the private rooms. Restaurant was busy but had wine top-up offers. Most impressive was they remembered my requests from the week before for cutlery and additional condiments on the table. They were provided in advance for each course without me needing to ask. Admittedly was only a week prior, but I was impressed.

Again didn't see the familiar faces, but do now know what happened to one staff member who used to look after me very well - Chanterelle. Saw her at the MEL domestic check-in desk. New to the role and took a while processing me (a simple Intl-Dom transfer with BP and tags already taken care of) but allowed time for a nice chat.

I know it makes no sense but you do get used to familiar faces in airport and hotel lounges and it can be quite jarring when you don't know what's happened to them!

 

[Rugby]

Photos back the front, but for mains the duck confit and barramundi were as per previous Winter menu photos and both very good. No photos of entree - but the spinach bowl and gua bao were great too. Loving the manchego on the cheese plate for afters. No decanter today, but happy with The Fowles ‘The Rule’ Shiraz 2015. Had an issue with our ride to T1, arrived a little later then planned, and just missed out on spa appointments. Nestor was on the door - which is always a good start to Flounging.

Kermatu - missed you by a day.