Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[Denali]

How as the shortbread? I still remember the awesome cherry brownie I got a couple of flights ago. So good I tried to find the supplier online.

 

[danielt25]

The shortbread was alright, nothing special.

 

[kevrosmith]

How as the shortbread? I still remember the awesome cherry brownie I got a couple of flights ago. So good I tried to find the supplier online.

The shortbread goes very well with a block of the Lindt chocolate.

 

[AviatorInsight]

New Business Class menus will be available onboard Virgin Australia long haul international and domestic flights from 7 March 2018.

Here’s what you can expect from the new menus:

• The new menus reflect Luke’s signature produce-driven style with a local, contemporary twist
• New dishes include beef wonton soup with Sichuan pepper and bok choy and for breakfast, falafel with roasted mushrooms, bacon and labne
• New Hardys and Grant Burge wines have been created in collaboration with Luke’s Group Sommelier, Mauro Bortolato, crafted specifically for enjoying at altitude
• Business Class guests will be able to snack on produce from local suppliers such as Pana chocolate,
• Gundowring ice cream and Molives hand-stuffed olives

I’ll try and get some shots, but bear in mind cabin crew don’t usually plate up the business meals for us like they do passengers so it may not be a true representation of what it looks like.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

with Luke’s Group Sommelier, Mauro Bortolato, crafted specifically for enjoying at altitude

Am I imagining, or is this the very same Sommelier that VA claim as their own? Admittedly, I can't quickly see the email, but I'm sure that's the very same name rolled out as their own "expert"!

Oh, come to think of it, I think it was in the in-flight mag.

Apart from that, bloody great! I'm all for an airline that is thinking about the change of pallet at altitude!

 

[zig]

Sweet potato and corn fritters with bacon and haloumi. There was a bit of tomato chutney on the fritter, but it could have done with a serve of chutney on the side as it was a bit dry. Over all it wasn’t bad.

 

[bullerdude]

From my better half's NTL-MEL flight today; I'm told it was pretty average.

 

[zig]

BNE - NTL morning refreshment. Smoked salmon dip with ricotta and peas. I enjoyed this, it was fresh and light. The other option was quiche.
I didn’t try the muslie and fruit.

 

[QF WP]

VA BNE/ADL Tues 13/2

Trying to remember what it was (frittata?). Service was brilliant

 

[toowongman]

VA313 MEL-BNE Saturday AM.
Corn fritters, haloumi, bacon. Not bad at all.

We had the hommus plate last week SYD-MEL, very nice. No photo as the FA stole our trays ten minutes after starting the meal, then vanished for the rest of the flight.

 

[Pleb Status]

VA470 BNE-PER 18FEB18 332 J Transcon

As my new WP quali year has just rolled over, it was nice to be 'home' again after about half a dozen 332 J flights on the Red Rat....

Enjoyed the predeparture sparkling complete with an unprompted refill, the selection of six wines and the preemptive offering of 'The Pantry'. Little things like an amenity kit, multiple hot towels and the FA laying out the cutlery further separate VA 332 J from the competition. The service by Tanya was particularly attentive on this flight.

One service improvement which I had started to notice prior to the 'break' but was very noticeable this flight was being addressed by name. In the past, I have personally found that VA staff have been very reluctant to address their J pax by name. This was particularly noticeable after coming over from QF as a P1. This has improved recently and on this flight I was welcomed by name at the gate, at the door and at my seat.

Starter - Called something fancy which I cannot recall but basically Chicken and noodle salad with Asian dressing



Main - Dukkah encrusted Salmon


Dessert - Brownie

 

[Denali]

View attachment 118521 BNE - NTL morning refreshment. Smoked salmon dip with ricotta and peas. I enjoyed this, it was fresh and light. The other option was quiche.
I didn’t try the muslie and fruit.

Someone went a bit overboard with the greenery, its like you have to forage for your food first.

 

[AviatorInsight]

VA833 MEL-SYD.

Quite a good smashed avo dip. I hadn’t had this one before.

 

[zig]

Someone went a bit overboard with the greenery, its like you have to forage for your food first.

Haha.... Yes, but the greenery was all lovely and fresh and really added to the dish

 

[Saltywings]

VA412 SYD-ADL.

Not entirely certain but I think this is part of Luke Mangan's new VA J catering that was spruiked about a few weeks ago. Dish is pork sausage (served 'deconstructed') w/kale, pine nuts, roasted portobellos and feta. It was actually quite nice & light - one criticism would be that the quantity of kale meant some water ended up pooling at the bottom of the dish, making it quite wet.

As usual, quite the closet fan of their croissants. They may be squished, but are buttery and served hot - all I need.

 

[Denali]

Deconstructed pork sausage?

That makes it seasoned mince.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Menu from Saturday onboard XFE in "the business" PER-MEL A330 - lunch time.

Apologies, neglected to take a photo of the full wine list. One of the reds was the normal St Hallett Duo Shiraz. There was also a Pinot Noir and Cab Merlot but the details escape me. Unfortunately I fell asleep after eating (must be getting old) and the menu had disappeared between then and waking up...

Anyway photos attached. I opted for the soup and duck. Soup was truly excellent. I am a sucker for tomato anything, but this was a real standout for me and a nice little kick of heat.

In truth, neither of the three main options really stood out. I went for the duck, bits of it were a little dry. Interesting flavours with the grape and red cabbage. Glad I got it, but duck certainly isn't something I would order in a restaurant so I'm not the best judge. The sweet potato puree may as well have been absent sadly, as what I presume was the verjuice simply mixed in with it and one could barely taste it. I struggled to find any puree on its own.

For dessert I had the cheese plate - was the same as any other.

Service in general was excellent, the only nitpick, if I had to, is that I asked for a red wine with the main, but was served with the starter. Really not an issue.

 

[toowongman]

VA752 OOL-MEL

Char Siu (?) Pork and noodles. Looks like a $5.95 lunch special from a Dixon St food court - however quite tasty.

 

[Saltywings]

Looks like a $5.95 lunch special from a Dixon St food court - however quite tasty.

I choose to view that as a compliment - a solid noodle dish from a good Dixon FC stall > 99% of J/Y meals IMO hahaha.

 

[Cryptarcadian]

Quick question, can I check if I've understood this correctly... a scheduled 19:30 MEL-SYD flight would not be considered a dinner flight, and would be a snack flight instead (because the cut-off is 19:29)?