Sydney First Lounge

[JohnK]

I am in the SYD QF business lounge waiting for SQ222. Do I miss the First Class Lounge? Yes. But you know the Crown Lager in borh lounges tastes exactly the same and the view is almost the same. Not too far to walk to gate 57 with boarding starting in around 20 minutes.

The agent at reception was not too impressed when I handed him the green SQ boarding pass quickly followed by the QF Platinum card. Scanned the boarding pass and was writing something down as I left. Oh well....

 

[KrugBoi]

I was in the Sydney First Lounge a couple of months ago which was great. We turned up about 8.30 for our 10am and had breakfast. Then our flight was delayed and we had lunch as well. Great food and service.

On a recent Jetstar flight down to Melbourne, we made sure we had plenty of time to enjoy 3 course lunch with all the trimmings. Exceptional value for a $39 flight!!

Here's some food cough for you- the 'best' ricotta pancakes for breakfast and calamari for anytime of the day.

 

[thewinchester]

Here's some food cough for you- the 'best' ricotta pancakes for breakfast and calamari for anytime of the day.

That looks divine KrugBoi. Add that to the list of things I'll have to experience if I ever get decent status.

 

[file51]

Images of the Crab Salad and Turkey on Potato Gratin

http://www.needfoodwilltravel.com/wp-content/gallery/lounge/FirstLounge01.jpg

http://www.needfoodwilltravel.com/wp-content/gallery/lounge/FirstLounge05.jpg

 

[serfty]

I wont forget the Duck Pate that was available until Spring Last year:

Cheers, due to ignorance I had avoided it assuming it would be something similar to a dessert style parfait .
[Duck Dessert! :shock:]

It was only when I asked and the table attendant said it was "like a pate" that I gave it a go.

It was mangificent [sic] - I was sorry to see it go.

Here's a pic for posterity:

Qantas First Lounge MEL -
Duck Liver Parfait with Pear Chutney and Sourdough Crisps

​

 

[drewbles]

Right, well, Breakfast in MEL F Lounge...

Eggs Benedict, half with ham, half with smoked ocean trout and a side of mushrooms and spinach. Quite an acceptable way to start the morning

Lunch at SYD F Lounge...

Green pork curry. Was absolutely awesome. Pork was just crumbling apart on the fork. Very tasty.

Spot the common element in both these photos

 

[anat0l]

Spot the common element in both these photos

I'm going to guess either:

1. You drank the same champagne during both meals, or
2. Both pictures allude to...*ahem*...innuendos..
   • MEL F lounge picture contains eggs
   • SYD F lounge picture is one of

     Green cough curry. Was absolutely awesome. Pork...

   • Your last doesn't help things either :mrgreen:

Do I win? :mrgreen:

 

[drewbles]

I'm going to guess either:

1. You drank the same champagne during both meals, or
2. Both pictures allude to...*ahem*...innuendos..
   • MEL F lounge picture contains eggs
   • SYD F lounge picture is one of
   • Your last doesn't help things either :mrgreen:

Do I win? :mrgreen:

errrm *blushes and hides*

anat0l wins the prize for most observant. Apparently I had a Freudian slip there. Now corrected

The bubbles was the key here, but hey, good link up between it (Let's not go anywhere with the ham and hollandaise)

 

[JohnK]

Spot the common element in both these photos

Is it the small bowl of salt?

 

[drron]

like JohnK i have a very innocent mind-my immediate thought was that the plates are the same.

 

[drewbles]

like JohnK i have a very innocent mind-my immediate thought was that the plates are the same.

I guess i'm just too corrupt

 

[djfuzz]

Finally got my first look at the SYD F lounge on the JQi hop, and was pretty impressed.

Naturally the comments about it being less 'intimate' than the MEL F lounge were spot on - especially since we had the MEL lounge mostly to ourselves the couple of times we've been, but this one was definitely well populated. The gentleman who Danger mentioned was back on the door, and very welcoming.

Managed to negotiate brief spa bookings too which were also fantastic.

Tried the Payot moisturiser in the showers - have been trying to find some to buy with not much luck (probably will end up ordering them online). Sure they're small and complimentary to use, but knowing how expensive they are, I don't know how in good conscience anyone could take one with them.

Pretty standard lunch - squid, burger, pav. But oh so tasty.

And please add me to the list of Noble One fans.

So disappointing after all that to walk onto a Jetstar plane. Small sacrifices I guess!

 

[drewbles]

And please add me to the list of Noble One fans.

So disappointing after all that to walk onto a Jetstar plane. Small sacrifices I guess!

This is why you dose-up on the Noble One along with other alcoholic libations in the F Lounge prior to boarding the JQi flight. It makes it tolerable

 

[YQY]

Champagne and Menu reccomendations

For the next month I will be flying to AKL instead of MEL on a weekly basis.

I'm looking forward to using the F Lounge in SYD. What champagnes are being served in the F Lounge (SYD) currently? The last time i was there (Nov 2009) it was Veuve A. Devaux Blanc, Moet Brut & Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin.

Any recommendations on the daytime menu?

 

[anat0l]

Re: Champagne and Menu reccomendations

For the next month I will be flying to AKL instead of MEL on a weekly basis.

I'm looking forward to using the F Lounge in SYD. What champagnes are being served in the F Lounge (SYD) currently? The last time i was there (Nov 2009) it was Veuve A. Devaux Blanc, Moet Brut & Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin.

Any recommendations on the daytime menu?

The last time I was there (Mar 2010) the choices were the same as what you list, except instead of Moet & Chandon they have Taittinger Brut (not Comtes de Champagne, which is reserved for F on-board). The selection has been consistent with my visits to F lounges stretching back to Oct 2009; not sure why you saw Moet & Chandon make an appearance. (Not that I'm pining - Moet & Chandon isn't the best drop around, although certainly not the worst.)

All Day Menu - your personal taste of course affects any decision. I typically check the Plate of the Day first, as it can be a good try (although at times the daily plate can be rather pedestrian). Some items never go away; I have a weakness for salt & pepper squid (this is not connected to the F Lounge - I really do have a weakness for it), and the F Lounge serves it up quite nicely with nuoc cham, which is a slightly sour, non-spicy chilli-like sauce. The signature beef burger is quite nice. I like the side of greens which are tossed with lemon-infused oil. If you choose a fruit plate, you will get quite a colourful array more interesting than an artist's palette. The other sweet dessert selections should never confuse (as you can easily guess what they are, and have probably eaten them in one form or another in your life). The cheese plate of the day is a consistent and reliable choice. By this time, however, you just might be too full....

Here's the All Day Menu last time I was in the SYD F Lounge (this is the regular page, not the Daily Specials page):

All Day Dining - Available from Midday

Mushroom bruschetta with creme fraiche and chives

Buffalo mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes with 20 year old balsamic

Buckwheat soba with poached prawns, raw vegetables and sesame dressing

Spice crusted quail with quinoa, pomegranate and hazelnut salad

Salt and pepper squid with nuoc cham


Malaysian style duck laksa

Grilled daily fish selection with broccolini and romesco

Chilli pork and wok fried snake beans with jasmine rice

Slow cooked lamb ragu with orecchiette, oregano and parmesan

Rangers Valley 300 day grain fed beef, minute style with Cafe de Paris butter and chips


Our Signature Sandwiches

Club organic chicken, slow roasted tomatoes, schulz bacon and aioli

Beef burger with schulz bacon, gruyere, zuni pickle and tomato chilli relish


Side Dishes - to complement your meal

Bowl of chips

Wild rocket and parmesan salad

Our signature mixed leaf salad

Steamed greens with colonna lemon oil


Cheese and Dessert

Seasonal fruit plate

Passionfruit curd tart with double cream

Chocolate brownie with strawberry ice cream, strawberry salad and hot fudge sauce

Ice creams and sorbets


Cheese hand selected by Will Studd
Mauri Taleggio, Boerenkass and Stilton with accompaniments

 

[JohnK]

Speaking of champagnes in the SYD F lounge. One day I thought I would try all 3 champagnes on offer. I think it was Veuve Devaux, Moet and Chandon and Veuve Cliquot. They all tasted very much the same.

My mission next time is to try 3 different champagnes and see if I can spot the difference. Somehow the results will be exactly the same as last time.

 

[simongr]

I still love the Verve deveaux - I think the Tattinger tastes like acid by comparison.

 

[drewbles]

I still love the Verve deveaux - I think the Tattinger tastes like acid by comparison.

I'll put it on my list to try as i'm relatively familiar with the Veuve Clicquot and the Taittinger, but not tried the other (like I need an excuse to try Champagne!)

 

[notzac]

Veuve A Devaux is a nice drop, but to my palate it doesn't have the same finesse as the Taittinger. I'd rate it above Veuve Clicquot though

 

[anat0l]

For me, Taittinger has a nice subtle flavour to it; just the right amount of sweetness for me.

Devaux is sweeter than Taittinger IMO. In saying that, it is a fine champagne and was my choice before when Taittinger wasn't on the list (i.e. Moet & Chandon was in its place). Devaux has a kind of sweetness that makes it good purely for drinking but I find I would need to balance it off otherwise the sweetness lingers around and leaves a slightly sick feeling after a while.

Now on the other hand the Bollinger I had on BA in November is also sweet (probably in between Devaux and Taittinger), but it is so subtle and delicate. I loved it; BA seem to adopt Bollinger as choice drop at the moment in F (with Ayala, Blue Top or Charles Heidsieck in J).

Moet and Chandon just seems to be bitter for me; not much character to any other run of the mill white wine (sans the carbonation). Ditto for CX's choice for J drop, Deutz. Of course, all of this has to be considered in light of whether one is served the best vintage of that brand (e.g. Taittinger Comtes de Champagne or Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires), a lesser vintage or non-vintage. NV Champagne can be pretty ordinary (e.g. VS's choice of drop, Lanson NV).