Hong Kong - EK lounge may be best F&B bet for QF J/WP/SG these days

[GoldCanyon340]

The problem is that the Quality of the F&B at the CX lounges has perceptably gone downhill significantly in the last few months.

I had an item in Pier F last time through that was pretty much inedible. And no, before anyone asks, it wasn't the mojito.

 

[boomy]

I should qualify that by making something clear.

It's the F&B that is better than CX F, not the decor.

The problem is that the Quality of the F&B at the CX lounges has perceptably gone downhill significantly in the last few months.

While the quality at Pier did go down since the Peninsula days the menu is still very decent. Been there few times this year and food quality was fine. Will be interesting to see how it compares to EK lounge. So far all EK lounges I’ve been to outside DXB were ok but food quality wasn’t on par with Pier F. I do like the fact EK serve Veuve as I prefer it to Perrier-Jouet at Pier although quality wise they are similar.

 

[serfty]

@boomy Some aren't that happy with the latest Sodexo cutbacks over on the FT CX forum: HKG Pier dining what a let down! - FlyerTalk Forums

FWIW, the Aussue Cab Sav the EK lounge had went down a treat - one of the best Airline provided wines I have had in a while. I wish I had noted it down.

 

[serfty]

Also: The Shocking Decline Of Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong Lounge Food...

The airline has changed the catering contract for its Hong Kong lounges for the third time in less than five years. This time: they’ve gone too far. What was once an “a-ha” moment for travellers is now a set of beautiful spaces serving food which would fail to please most college students either by taste, portion size or presentation. Here’s the backstory…

 

[serfty]

Here's the Wing First menu presented at approx. 3pm Last Sunday:



I ordered the salmon as the only strait up protein. It was ok but tiny - about 2" by 1½" by ¾".

 

[serfty]

This is the main part of meal I had in th aEK lounge 90 minutes later:

 

[serfty]

Here's the Pier First menu (same mains as wing + Burgers also appetisers):



I just had the beef shin as an appetiser as I was pretty full from EK, this had a nice taste and was good quality:

 

[GoldCanyon340]

View attachment 163266

My goodness., this is cost cutting in a league way above QF! This serving of salmon is so small I'd have to deploy the Bao strategy from SYD F and MEL F and order four of them.

 

[RooFlyer]

Also: The Shocking Decline Of Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong Lounge Food...

Ouch!

 

[boomy]

Can’t please everyone. Personally I’m satisfied with current food quality at Pier F lounge. Dish size doesn’t bother me as one can order as many as they like. In fact I had the beef shin the other day, loved it and order another portion. It was delivered promptly with a smile. I’ll always take quality over quantity which is the reason I’m not a fan of all-you-can-eat buffets.

I remember very well the beginning of pier F under Peninsula, F&B quality was over the top and the lounge was quickly crowned the best in OW leaving QF F lounges in the dust. F&B did go downhill since but we must remember this is not one of those fancy first-class-only lounges where quality is expected to be top notch.

F&B in QF F lounges is also not at all what it used to be yet I still think overall quality is better than EK lounges in Australia. I’ll be interested to test the HKG lounge.

 

[serfty]

F&B in QF F lounges is also not at all what it used to be ... I’ll be interested to test the HKG lounge.

Interestingly in March I found the (buffet) F&B available at LAX T4 Flagship Lounge better than the (a la carte) at the Qantas First lounge.

 

[boomy]

Interestingly in March I found the (buffet) F&B available at LAX T4 Flagship Lounge better than the (a la carte) at the Qantas First lounge.

I’m sure there are exceptions and you’re the US lounges expert so I’ll take your word for it.
Just to clarify I think EK lounges buffets (outside DXB) are quite nice, compared to other J lounges. I was talking more in general about buffets compared to a la carts but don’t want to go too much OT.

 

[Kangol]

Interestingly in March I found the (buffet) F&B available at LAX T4 Flagship Lounge better than the (a la carte) at the Qantas First lounge.

This has been the case for at least a year now - AA have really lifted their game at the LAX F/L and at the same time, QF have dropped in the LAX F lounge.
AA champagne is terrible so that's the only good thing that QF still have.

 

[patrickk]

My goodness., this is cost cutting in a league way above QF! This serving of salmon is so small I'd have to deploy the Bao strategy from SYD F and MEL F and order four of them.

You can order more than one you know which is what I usually do in qantas as well.

 

[Borisdog]

Well this is a bit of a worry for me.

I'll be making my first trip to HK in 30 years come October, on my way to Toronto with CX J with Mrs BD. We'll be overnighting before the flight.
It's a 1030 AM flight and , by that time, I'll be P1/OWE.
On the way back we've got the 7ish PM QF98 J back to Bris. We'll have heaps of time before this flight also. As an aside - how early can we check in for that in order to maximise lounge crawling possibilities?

Which lounges?

 

[GoldCanyon340]

On the way back we've got the 7ish PM QF98 J back to Bris. We'll have heaps of time before this flight also. As an aside - how early can we check in for that in order to maximise lounge crawling possibilities?

Downtown check in is your friend. Available for all QF departures.

MTR > Privileges and Complimentary Service

www.mtr.com.hk

 

[jase05]

How does the Bridge rate against the other Cathay lounges? No mention of it here so far.

Thanks to a delayed flight I’m in there currently. First time in here and it’s decent enough. Lots of open seating areas and I love the oak throughout and the decor. The Northern wing has a decent bar and the bakery has pizzas, pastries and sandwiches and there is buffet that appeared to have a decent selection.
Plenty of lounges and a TV room. Only poked my head in quickly at the Southern wing and there was a business area with a smaller buffet but the pastries and muffins looked good.
Only had about 35 minutes to spare but thought it was a fairly decent lounge TBH

 

[Borisdog]

Downtown check in is your friend. Available for all QF departures.

Thanks GC340, looks like a goer.

 

[boomy]

Currently sitting in the EK lounge. As Serfty said the food is good, definitely a step above QF lounge. Is it better than Pier F? Hard to compare different concepts buffet vs a-la-carte but if this was my only lounge choice in HKG I wouldn’t be unhappy with that.

Alcohol variety is as good as J lounge gets although they downgraded champagne from Veuve to Moët, one of my least favourites.

One thing that puts me off is the decor, there’s no nicer way to say it, it’s revolting! The amount of brown and beige here makes Air China lunges look state of the art modern. For that reason when I fly QF next week and have choice of lounges I’ll go strait to Pier.

 

[FL360]

That's the standard theme of the middle East....

off is the decor