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

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I'm not a huge NP fan but considering that's what we're stuck with, I'd be really happy if the various Rockpool brands held quarterly residencies at the lounges. A new 'inspired' menu every three months from Spice Temple, The Cut, Rockpool Bar & Grill, El Camino, Fratelli Fresh, etc would keep things varied at least.
 
sbor90 said:
I'm not a huge NP fan but considering that's what we're stuck with, I'd be really happy if the various Rockpool brands held quarterly residencies at the lounges. A new 'inspired' menu every three months from Spice Temple, The Cut, Rockpool Bar & Grill, El Camino, Fratelli Fresh, etc would keep things varied at least.
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Now THAT is a great idea! Totally love it. As long as the Bavarian is included
 
Not really menu related, but for the first time in living memory for me the MEL F lounge was chockers last Saturday morning.. dining area full (I sat at the bar). I had thought that after QF93 left for LAX it would be relatively quiet, but the A330 headed to AKL and A380 to SIN leaving within 10 minutes of each other(scheduled at least) meant the place was I reckon 90% full.

I heard some complaints about the staff but my experience was pretty positive given how slammed they were those who I interacted with were friendly and food came pretty quickly all things considered (I even got an extra fritter lol). I really had no issue with the experience bar how full it was. I guess start of a long weekend may also have had something to do with it. They even managed about a 70% full (as opposed to the usual half pours) of Rose for me :) I call that a win :D
 
RichardMEL said:
Not really menu related, but for the first time in living memory for me the MEL F lounge was chockers last Saturday morning.. dining area full (I sat at the bar). I had thought that after QF93 left for LAX it would be relatively quiet, but the A330 headed to AKL and A380 to SIN leaving within 10 minutes of each other(scheduled at least) meant the place was I reckon 90% full.

I heard some complaints about the staff but my experience was pretty positive given how slammed they were those who I interacted with were friendly and food came pretty quickly all things considered (I even got an extra fritter lol). I really had no issue with the experience bar how full it was. I guess start of a long weekend may also have had something to do with it. They even managed about a 70% full (as opposed to the usual half pours) of Rose for me :) I call that a win :D
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I grab private room 2 most visits. Never noticed any over-crowding since.;)

But yes, it is becoming a zoo more and more often these days. Was there a couple of mornings ago and as a result of a significant delay in QF93 by the time I departed (for AKL, at the same time as SIN) several people were having to share twin or quad seat spaces. Not the end of the world of course but not a first class experience.

Staff know me well so I am treated great. Though even for me on this recent visit I did have a couple of waits and needed to flag down staff a couple of times.

Worst of all the supply of Lagavulin seems to have dried up. I’m working my way through the rest of the good stuff before it is all gone.
 
@kermatu @RichardMEL , I was at MEL First that morning as well, breakfasting until around 9:30am whereupon we voluntarily relocated to a couch near the workspaces as we could see it was getting busy. I noticed one of the two rooms was in use by a young family but the other stayed vacant.
 
The latest incarnation of the bocconcini, plus the cauliflower. The menu says cauliflower and couscous, but as you might see, there is no couscous. This was definitely not a main! I had to resort to bread.

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Spent a few hours in MEL F on Saturday. I've mulled the experience over 48 hours and decided to write now with a glass of NZ Merlot to hand (I'm in the Coromandel Peninsula).

Travelling on a Saturday is good. It is generally a quieter experience in SYD and MEL outside of long weekends and school holidays and this was no different even though QF9 had a 1-hour delay. The staff in the restaurant was the usual, in my experience, polarised offering: indifferent to really engaged. I try in these summaries not to be too specific as I'm not into staff bashing but, well, you get the idea.

The food was good overall but there's interesting differences between the MEL and SYD menus, whether this was a food sourcing issue on the day is not for me to know. Two immediate items jumped out at me: no sashimi and the tamari eggplant with duck had chicken instead. The former is a life sentence offence in my estimation, the latter I consider to be a better combination. These were the small plates, for mains we had the spicy, numbing pork and slow cooked beef brisket. These mains were very good and I can't fault the kitchen here, well, not for the pork. The slow cooked beef brisket with potato puree (blended with lots of olive oil - always good to taste) passed the 'fork test', ie. the meat should break down once simple pressure is applied with your fork, but for the love of whoever your God is why does this plate have to served with kale?!? Finished with a couple of cheese plates/ Interesting thing here is the cheese brought out is the usual hard, soft and blue but the best cheese on offer in the lounge was the goat's cheese that's just out by the self serve. I went over and brought lots of it back, with generous quantities of quince paste, to enhance the kitchen offering.

The alcohol was generally a hit. I started out with the Winter Remedy, a great coughtail of warmed Bourbon, honey and citrus and very good for this time of year. I tried the Pepperjack Cabernet (Reserve, no less) with the brisket and it was awful, young and sharp and just shouldn't be served in the F lounge. I switched to the Shiraz (I'm not a Shiraz guy) and it was far, far better.

We retired to the easy chairs after this and finished with another glass of Shiraz and a 5-star coffee (with the optional mandatory shot of Baileys).

Had a different staff member come on and she was lovely with bringing our drinks to the sofas and getting the aforementioned optional mandatory shot of Baileys.

Overall a pass but there needs to be some attitude readjustment training applied. I've passed on this feedback to Mascot Central.
 
sbor90 said:
I've heard good things about the burger but I've tried it twice in Melbourne and found the bun quite oily both times.

You may laugh and think "this idiot ordered a cheeseburger and is complaining about the oil" but this was unpleasantly greasy, and surprising as I quite like Neil's other burgers at Rockpool and Burger Project.

Perhaps I've just been unlucky - I need to try it in Sydney next time. Has anyone else found the same?
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I agree with this wholeheartedly.
 

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