Qantas Business Class meals & menus

[Fergo747]

Hoping for much better things on SYD-LAX later this month

Keep your expectations sufficiently low and they will be met - that goes for all aspects of flying QF at the moment.

On my recent QF J flights to LHR, DFW and DEL, I can say that the food has been pretty average and certainly not worthy of the price of a J seat when compared to other carriers.

When choosing the meal I would also only choose something that works being slow cooked (e.g. lamb shank, beef cheek etc) as the couple of dishes that I stupidly chose (e.g. lamb loin, beef fillet) that weren't was like trying to eat one of my RM's.

 

[Berlin]

A real shame how trans Tasman got even further deteriorated now and it always has been one of the more mediocre ones on this route (compared with Air NZ and Emirates definitely and I'd even dare to say LAM on many of my flights- I always loved the feeling of "proper international flight" and the South American wines).

EK seems to pick up the A380 flights to Christchurch again soon. Definitely gotta go some time next year for some shower action and F class status credits

 

[Cognac]

QF76 Vancouver - Sydney, Monday August 1st

I had requested a vegan meal (it's not no longer possible to simply request a vegetarian meal). Was not given an entree, and was not given a dessert. The main was a chickpea & eggplant curry with some flatbread that wasn't too bad, but I had to follow up and ask for some fruit.

Going forward, now that I have reliably seen the "Plant-Based Dining" options on multiple international flights I'll probably forego ordering a special meal. The special meals in J have been, in my experience, pretty awful anyway. Batch-prepared and probably sitting in the fridge for a month before making it onto the flight.

 

[RooFlyer]

Breakfast HBA-MEL in J

Not bad, but very dry. Didn't finish. A Danish was promised but not delivered. I think alternative was muesli and yoghurt.

Service was good. The FA serving was a 'learner' ( she said) and lots of 'oh wow' to various things along the way .

 

[Port Power]

QF783 MEL-PER 20:35 3 August. Delayed half an hour due to strong winds in Perth.
The chicken was tender but the sauce rather tasteless, the beans nice and firm, but the rice over cooked. My bread roll was taken to heat but never returned. However, on the main menu was a chickpea and buffalo cheese salad, and the FA brought me one with a drizzle of dressing. Absolutely delicious! The red wine was Vasse Felix “Filius” 2016 and was the best red I’ve had on J all year! Yes, a $30 bottle of wine is back! I couldn’t see what the white wine was.

 

[DrJ]

The red wine was Vasse Felix “Filius” 2016 and was the best red I’ve had on J all year! Yes, a $30 bottle of wine is back!

The VF "Filius"series punches way above its weight, glad to see QF are still serving it. If you are ever in Margaret River, the winery is definitely worth a visit - great range on tastings, and the degus menu at the restaurant is excellent!

 

[kookaburra75]

QF856 PER-CBR today.
I had the prosciutto with grain salad. Which was very nice.

MrsK had the Roast Chicken and Veg (didn't take a photo) and she said it was the worst meal she had on an aircraft. It looked like "slop".
Thankfully the Cape West Howe Riesling from Mount Barker saw us through.

 

[Berlin]

x

QF856 PER-CBR today.
I had the prosciutto with grain salad. Which was very nice.
View attachment 286751
MrsK had the Roast Chicken and Veg (didn't take a photo) and she said it was the worst meal she had on an aircraft. It looked like "slop".
Thankfully the Cape West Howe Riesling from Mount Barker saw us through.

I hear all the time now that the “salads” are quite nice and I might one day even go for one, maybe on a short hop Syd-Mel. But all the way from Perth?

Salad should be a frigging starter on a route like that, as one of two or three options. This is totally ridiculous in my eyes: Even in the US you’d get way better than that (for less many, usually).

 

[Port Power]

Chicken Caesar salad is a known main course, and I would say my chickpea, beetroot and buffal mozzarella was a worthy main course. Not all salads are entrées. Therein lies the problem that on long haul domestic flights, the “salad” course is missing. Main and dessert only. Not even Neil’s green leaves as we used to be served!

 

[kermatu]

CNS-SYD 13:35 flight. Choices of black pepper beef with rice or the chicken (described this time as being in mushroom sauce). I had the beef.



It was decent enough. Beef was tender and plentiful. Very strong pepper taste but lacked kick or any other flavour so was a bit bland. But I hadn’t sampled this before so was grateful for a bit of variety.

Phil the CSM very good. Plenty of proactive wine top ups. The cabin went through a few bottles of Shiraz. He opened another just before descent but those of us drinking all declined. A few minutes later he asked if I’d like to take it with me. Why not? Been a few years since I’ve been offered a bottle and pretty sure the last couple of times I had to decline as I was travelling on internationally after. Another pretty good flight.

 

[LadyC]

QF402 MEL-SYD 6am flight. The offering was this pumpkin omelette or a granola. The omelette was served on a base of cubed potatoes with some minuscule pieces of mushroom and bacon mixed in. There was a passionfruit yoghurt and rhubarb muffin. Luckily the pumpkin was easy to pick out.

 

[RooFlyer]

QF402 MEL-SYD 6am flight. The offering was this pumpkin omelette or a granola. The omelette was served on a base of cubed potatoes with some minuscule pieces of mushroom and bacon mixed in. There was a passionfruit yoghurt and rhubarb muffin. Luckily the pumpkin was View attachment 286850easy to pick out.

Same as mine 6am ex HBA ( Post 4284), except pumpkin-free

 

[LadyC]

QF143 SYD-AKL. Lunch offering on this service with a chicken and quinoa salad, beef in black bean sauce with Asian greens and jasmine rice or a sauteed pork medallion. I went with the pork medallion which was quite tender. Also served a raspberry ganache cake (?) and obligatory lindt chocolate ball. Drinks service reasonable.

 

[kookaburra75]

x

I hear all the time now that the “salads” are quite nice and I might one day even go for one, maybe on a short hop Syd-Mel. But all the way from Perth?

Salad should be a frigging starter on a route like that, as one of two or three options. This is totally ridiculous in my eyes: Even in the US you’d get way better than that (for less many, usually).

The PER-CBR direct is only four hours, and we left at 1pm. So, I was ok with just the one main meal. On the proper long-haul, I agree a starter/salad and a main should be the minimum.

 

[Quickstatus]

probably sitting in the fridge for a month

Apparently not, and then tastebuds at FL390 is not exactly in best condition

QF783

Did you see what was printed on the Dnata serving card under the fruit bowl?

……..

Question for wine afficianados:
If tastebuds/smell don’t work well at FL390, is it possible to discern the difference between a cheap and premium wine/champagne offering

 

[Port Power]

Apparently not, and then tastebuds at FL390 is not exactly in best condition


Did you see what was printed on the Dnata serving card under the fruit bowl?

……..

Question for wine afficianados:
If tastebuds/smell don’t work well at FL390, is it possible to discern the difference between a cheap and premium wine/champagne offering

I don’t care! I can read the label and see if Qantas is being cheap and stingy.

(Yes, taste over price always comes first, but there is a principle at stake here.)

 

[LadyC]

QF146 return flight AKL-SYD. Only two mains offered (apparently this is standard from AKL). A butter chicken and rice or braised beef blade with mash and veg. Plus a little fig and ginger pudding cupcake with caramel on top. Don't forget the Lindt ball! The beef was nice.

 

[Berlin]

I don’t care! I can read the label and see if Qantas is being cheap and stingy.

(Yes, taste over price always comes first, but there is a principle at stake here.)

Agree. I had a few times now where I thought "That's not a bad one!"only to then look it up afterwards and it's on special at Dan Murphy's for $14.99 or something like that. And if I ever then made the mistake to indeed buy it, I realised very quickly that it has such a low price tag for a reason. And that's just not good enough for an expensive Business class flight in my eyes.

Champagne, however, is different as I can never be fooled, even up in the air: Trying to pass some cheap bubbles as 'champagne' never works for me, as much as wineries around the world try to peddle those as the next best thing. They are not. And even amongst actual champagne, you usually can tell the good ones from the bad ones- and that not always reflects price btw. but rather the grape quality and sub region of the Champagne, distribution of the different varieties and of course wether it's a Brut or a Vintage champagne.

 

[Quickstatus]

there is a principle at stake here.

I see, in other words it’s about getting your money’s worth.. Not necessarily about whether it makes any difference or not tastewise .Granted, the more expensive the label, generally the better one feels

I definitely don’t get my moneys worth as I rarely drink alcohol and especially in flight.

…..

actual champagne, you usually can tell the good ones from the bad

Is this an acquired skill or can an alcoholic naive drinker like me also tell the difference at FL390

If I do drink, I prefer the lighter varieties like a Pinot or Reisling. Will it even taste the same at FL390

 

[get me outta here]

@muppet, was there any food in the AA flagship lounge? It’s years since I was there.

QF 12 - LAX - SYD First Class (couldn't find where to post these so here should do )

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Chicken starter - ok but not great:

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Lamb - really good

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Mousse

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Bonus update on LAX:
- Lounge agents suggest Qantas LAX First Lounge may open by 8 August.
- Checkin opened at 5:30pm for earlier QF flights and had no problem checking my bags for QF12.
- See queue for the LAX oneworld Business Lounge below at 8pm, no champagne, food just various slops, no hot water in showers - I went to AA Flagship Lounge in T4, quiet, better alcohol (Piper Heidsieck, premium spirits)
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