I have mixed feelings about this lounge. It goes without saying that this is an improvement on the previous facility, and the temporary arrangements, but I think it could be better.
Layout / Ambiance:
I like the layout. Given the space is a strange shape, it easily lends itself to zoning. I know that many passengers will enjoy the semi-quiet area. The result is that the restaurant and bar feel like a food court. The acoustics certainly do not help in this regard. It did feel a little crowded, even though it wasn't. This might just be the layout, or perhaps the noise / acoustics.
I haven't been alone in this lounge yet, but I do like the idea of sitting at the counter / bar and watching the chefs cooking.
The look and feel is definitely Qantas. I don't mind the 'modern' touches around the place.
Food:
The food I tasted was good. I tried both of the dishes listed in the photo above and both were good. My braised chicken was a little heavy on the liquid / water, but my guest's looked (and tasted) far superior.
The service style of the restaurant is a bit confusing, although it reminds me of Island dining in Australia - Ask politely and you shall receive... The problem is that many people (especially Australians) are conservative and quiet people, so they don't realise that it is normal / expected to ask for service in this context.
I didn't try any of the buffet options.
Bar:
As a Champagne drinker, the lack of real bubbles was disappointing. I know that this lounge is closer to a business lounge (rather than a first lounge), but Champagne would have been nice! As others have posted, a quick sojourn to the EK lounge will quell one's cravings.
The trade off is that the remainder of the wine list (mostly/all? Australian) was quite good. A little cheap (more economy/business than first), but a quietly capable list. The matching of the wine to the food was good. The softening influence of the Merlot in the Cab Merlot made this a good match for the Braised Chicken, even if one would normally lean towards white with chicken.
All the whites were available for self-pour at the table, and a hotch potch of other reds, but I had to go to the bar to try the matched red. I assume this was simply an oversight on the day, rather than policy?
Amenities:
I haven't used the showers here, as I usually showered immediately before going to Changi, but if I pass through on transit soon, I will check them out.
On Monday (10 JUN), 3 out of 6 gents toilets were out of order. The 3 operational cubicles seemed to cope with demand, but it isn't a good look to be 50% out of order.
Service:
I haven't had any need to engage the staff at length, but they were friendly enough, and seemed happy to welcome guests into their lounge.
I found the restaurant staff to be okay. There weren't any problems, just a lack of polish.
Overall, I enjoyed the new lounge. It has potential; with a little more polish and some Champagne it could be a great lounge.
As an aside... Unfortunately I did not enjoy the options to travel between Australia and Singapore on QF (old Skybed Mk 1, PE ex-SYD, or Economy). This is particularly hard for me, as I struggle to sleep without a fully flat bed, so I barely slept 20 minutes on my flight from Singapore back to Australia on Monday night. The coughpy hard product is compounded by the lack of flights from Singapore to Australia during the day (when I don't mind flying the coughpy hard product). On Monday my experience was made even worse by a very average crew. Suffice to say my next trip is on SQ.
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