Food for First Sin - Syd (QF002) - 8 Courses?

[Maca44]

Me too. My policy is J when sleep is the priority, F when I'm going to be awake to indulge.

I agree. I fly F to LAX, but can't see the benefit of enjoying the lifestyle experience of F when your return flight is overnight. I can sleep just as well in J

 

[JohnM]

I agree. I fly F to LAX, but can't see the benefit of enjoying the lifestyle experience of F when your return flight is overnight. I can sleep just as well in J

I agree that the F experience is optimal outbound from Australia but you still have 14h on the bird out of LAX and a big time re-adjustment. It's the midnight departure that dampens it but sleeping too soon after departure can lead to waking up very early Australian time. Resting up the afternoon of departure ready to be bouncing at midnight is an option .

 

[Flying Fox]

As for pre-ordering, I always call the First Desk and request the degustation as I have been told by QF F FAs that it is not always available. If you have a favourite wine or 2 from the QF F wine list, you can also ask to have those wines on your flight. Never hurts to politely ask and say "Thanks, I really appreciate that" with a smile.

Oh darn I didn't know that you can do that !!!!

I would have loved to requested the degustation menu when flying F SYD-JNB and some of my favourite wines.

OK, sounds like I will HAVE to do F again !!!! Properly this time !!!!

 

[simongr]

I upgraded J to F flying SYD-BKK just to experience the Degustation menu as I hadn't had it before. I was thoroughly underwhelmed. The portions were too big and the crew although friendly and helpful didn't seem to understand the existence of the matching wines.

 

[Mal]

I upgraded J to F flying SYD-BKK just to experience the Degustation menu as I hadn't had it before. I was thoroughly underwhelmed. The portions were too big and the crew although friendly and helpful didn't seem to understand the existence of the matching wines.

Actually F underwhelmes me (food wise). Catering cuts really do affect what is given. No Neil Perry flavour can compensate for catering cuts IMHO.

 

[simongr]

Actually F underwhelmes me (food wise). Catering cuts really do affect what is given. No Neil Perry flavour can compensate for catering cuts IMHO.

For me NP is part of the problem not the solution...

 

[anat0l]

I upgraded J to F flying SYD-BKK just to experience the Degustation menu as I hadn't had it before. I was thoroughly underwhelmed. The portions were too big and the crew although friendly and helpful didn't seem to understand the existence of the matching wines.

Many people say the portions are too big. From a degustation point of view, definitely. Either that or your need like 3-4 hours to eat the whole thing.

Not sure what you meant by "the existence of matching wines". Did they not pour wines, or they poured the wrong wines for the wrong dish? (If the "correct" wine was poured for each dish but the wine was still of ill taste, then that's a Qantas sommelier problem...)

Actually F underwhelmes me (food wise). Catering cuts really do affect what is given. No Neil Perry flavour can compensate for catering cuts IMHO.

When was the last time you had F cabin food? Last time for me was 2009, and it was still good as ever then. I'd still rank it high on my F experiences that I've had, and comparably for J experiences. (All this is about food, but similarly in other aspects anyway).

In saying that, one of the AFFer stalwarts here has just flown QF F for the first time, and remarked that it was underwhelming. I'm curious to find out why.

 

[simongr]

Not sure what you meant by "the existence of matching wines". Did they not pour wines, or they poured the wrong wines for the wrong dish? (If the "correct" wine was poured for each dish but the wine was still of ill taste, then that's a Qantas sommelier problem...)

I said to the crew I wanted the degustation with matching wines and they said something like "oh we can just bring you whatever you want" - I know I could pressed it and said "no I really want the matched wines" but it just seemed like they weren't excited by the matching wines - I would have expected when I said I wanted the degustation that they would have said something like "would you like the matching wines with that Mr Simongr or would you prefer to choose your own?"

 

[anat0l]

I said to the crew I wanted the degustation with matching wines and they said something like "oh we can just bring you whatever you want" - I know I could pressed it and said "no I really want the matched wines" but it just seemed like they weren't excited by the matching wines - I would have expected when I said I wanted the degustation that they would have said something like "would you like the matching wines with that Mr Simongr or would you prefer to choose your own?"

The standard procedure for degustation is that it will always come with matching wines.

I've not heard of a degustation where one can select any wines they prefer, though they are probably out there. I've heard of wine-less degustations, but that's not usually the point.

I can also see a perception difference in that conversation, but that's not all that interesting.

For what it's worth, when I had the QF F degustation, I simply asked for it. The wines came without a prompter. In hindsight, the only thing I should've asked for was 25% pours of each wine (in order to avoid upchucking later!)

 

[JohnM]

When was the last time you had F cabin food? Last time for me was 2009, and it was still good as ever then. I'd still rank it high on my F experiences that I've had, and comparably for J experiences. (All this is about food, but similarly in other aspects anyway).

In saying that, one of the AFFer stalwarts here has just flown QF F for the first time, and remarked that it was underwhelming. I'm curious to find out why.

Familiarity breeds contempt .

 

[simongr]

The standard procedure for degustation is that it will always come with matching wines.

I've not heard of a degustation where one can select any wines they prefer, though they are probably out there. I've heard of wine-less degustations, but that's not usually the point.

I can also see a perception difference in that conversation, but that's not all that interesting.

For what it's worth, when I had the QF F degustation, I simply asked for it. The wines came without a prompter. In hindsight, the only thing I should've asked for was 25% pours of each wine (in order to avoid upchucking later!)

Most degustations I have had have had three options:

- Matched wines
- No wines (good for pregnant people)
- Buy your own bottles of wine

I think I might have opted for option 3 at Banc as it was my first fine dining experience and we wanted to tuck into Champers.

 

[Ansett]

The degustation menu is only available Ex Australia and having had 3 times last year I highly recomend it as the food and choices where excellent it also helped the time pass and was very relaxing.

Wish they did it from other ports too.

 

[JohnM]

Most degustations I have had have had three options:

- Matched wines
- No wines (good for pregnant people)
- Buy your own bottles of wine

I think I might have opted for option 3 at Banc as it was my first fine dining experience and we wanted to tuck into Champers.

Every degustation I've had (lots) has never had a mandatory wine matching. The wine match is always separately priced and there is always optional to buy a bottle or whatever of your choice (or have none).

Some places (eg. Jackson's in PER, Vue De Monde in MEL) offer two matching wine selections: 'standard' and 'premium'. Individual members of the table can thus have a choice and it's a bit of fun to do both on a table to increase the wine tasting experience.

 

[Mal]

When was the last time you had F cabin food? Last time for me was 2009, and it was still good as ever then. I'd still rank it high on my F experiences that I've had, and comparably for J experiences. (All this is about food, but similarly in other aspects anyway).

Two weeks ago sin to syd. The menu was disorganized. The food ok but not up to standard. And yes I've flown qf f before and qf j before. Likewise with ba .

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[serfty]

Hmmmm ... I've been approaching my April QF93 FASA with some anticipation.

.. now perhaps with a little trepidation added ... good thing I'm not really into Eggs Benedict.

 

[awilcockson]

Must stop reading this thread, you guys are making me sad.

Got my first ever F flights booked in March, already disappointed that there's no degustation between Oz and HKG, now I'm getting the feeling that the food might not be up to the standard that I was expecting either ...

 

[simongr]

Must stop reading this thread, you guys are making me sad.

Got my first ever F flights booked in March, already disappointed that there's no degustation between Oz and HKG, now I'm getting the feeling that the food might not be up to the standard that I was expecting either ...

Did you enjoy the food at the AFF/QFF lunch? If so then I think you will be happy with what you get.

I tend to avoid beef in flight - especially in F as I want it to be good but the physics and chemistry and kitchen machinery just don't make it work. I think that is what put me off on the degustation - a large beef course midway...

 

[awilcockson]

I tend to avoid beef in flight - especially in F as I want it to be good but the physics and chemistry and kitchen machinery just don't make it work. I think that is what put me off on the degustation - a large beef course midway...

I wasn't kidding at the rockpool lunch when I said that one of the nicest pieces of beef I've ever eaten was in QF J. So tender and tasty I still don't know how they did it. I was kinda hoping F would be a notch up from there

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Must stop reading this thread, you guys are making me sad.

Got my first ever F flights booked in March, already disappointed that there's no degustation between Oz and HKG, now I'm getting the feeling that the food might not be up to the standard that I was expecting either ...

actually... as dismal as the food can be... I have found it had actually improved slightly on my last flight a couple of months ago.

the food was so bad on one flight that the crew were at pains to point out 'it's not this bad if you actually go to one of his restaurants on the ground'.

I really can't understand why NP doesn't get on some flights and fly around the network...

 

[simongr]

I really can't understand why NP doesn't get on some flights and fly around the network...

He does based on the restaurant reviews he gives in the latest Qantas magazine.