Dining in the Air (2 of 2)

Wisata kuliner di pesawat? Culinary trip in the air? Why not...

A few times, I was given snack box of breads and mineral water during short haul flight. The bread was too dry. 

In a different situation, my mom went on Java train trip. When she was given snack box, she took and gave it to people who might appreciate better – train porter, shoes shine boys, or even taxi driver. After having heard her story, once I brought my snack box and gave it to taxi driver. I could see his happy face because of my oleh-oleh (souvenir).

 

KLM

Leaving la Cote d'Azur to Amsterdam by KLM, in ninety minute flight, sandwich was provided. It was cheesy Panini brown sandwich in cute packaging. Half bread sandwich is something like brown Panini with tasty cheese. The other half is white Panini with butter and something like ham or chicken ham. 

 

KLM snacks

 

Before landing in Amsterdam, we got crispy biscuit with caramel filling; Stroopkoekje. Its taste is similar to ginger biscuit but this one has a layer of caramel sauce. Lekker... 

KLM dinner (Amsterdam - Saigon)

Somewhere between Amsterdam to Ho Chi Minh City, instead of Italian pasta, I chose a set of veggie rice with chicken curry. The light curry was good and chickpeas salad was fresh. I mixed both of them, just assuming salad as pickle. The wheat bun was good and served warm. Just spread the butter and cheese to make them perfect, by the way it was 5 month old Dutch cheese. Dessert was yummy; mango pudding with orange sauce and slices of chocolate on top of it.  

During 12 hour long haul trip, we were also served breakfast. It was Omelets with Zucchini and tomato sauce. The zucchini looks like ratatouille! The wheat bun was yummy; it was served warm so that the upper part of the bread was crunchy.

 

KLM breakfast (Amsterdam - Saigon)

 

The cake was so much similar to spices cake that I like - onbietjkoek! Except this cake has sugar on top of it. Waking up in the plane and sleepy, having cup of hot tea and onbietjkoek…

Singapore Airlines (SQ)

SQ is the second airline I know distributing a list of menu to all economy class passengers during international flights (at least for Jakarta – Singapore Kong route). The menu is printed like a few page brochure with standard breakfast/lunch/dinner menus for Hong Kong – Singapore destination. Other international airlines do it verbally; “Good morning Sir/Ma’am, would you like to have Omelet with Sausage or Nasi Lemak with Chicken?” 

 

SQ menu list (insert top left). Omelet for brunch (Jakarta - Singapore)

 

I had Omelet with Hash Brown for brunch between Hong Kong to Singapore - using metal cutlery with SQ logo -:) *Some airlines minimize the use of metal cutlery for security reason. 

The next connecting flight from Singapore to Jakarta, I skipped meal as I was still full.

 

SQ inflight meal (Singapore - Hong Kong)

 

Returning to Hong Kong via Singapore, I had fish with potato and veggie and I couldn’t resist the white wine to accompany the fish. I thought it is a default that fish is equal to white wine. That is why I was wondering why I was questioned if I would like to have either white or red wine for the fish.

Dessert is most often the best part of the meals; look at this cute chocolate ice cream!

 

SQ ice cream for dessert

  

Thai Airways (TG)

 

When I was somewhere between Hong Kong to Bangkok, between dim sum with noodle and egg with veal sausage, I chose the egg selection. 

TG brunch (Hong Kong - Bangkok)

As soon as the food tray was in my table, I could tell there's cinnamon smell somewhere... The egg was cooked and shaped like quiche, so soft, warm and tasty. I put a little bit of salt and pepper and my quiche egg became perfect.

As to company my egg, I torn a little bit of the bun that from outside it looks like wheat bread, but it's sweet! It’s apparently sweet bun with raisin and cinnamon. It became tastier after I put some butter and strawberry jam, plus it was served warm.  

My conclusion, whatever food as long as they are served properly, warmed, they would taste great. 

TG Shrimp Salad

The trip with TG continued from Bangkok to Yangon… I wasn't expecting anything in this short international flight; 45 minute flying. Surprisingly, we were offered a snack box of shrimp salad. The Thai shrimp salad in this lunch box has been definitely customized for the foreigners. It tastes decently good without any spicy flavor.  

The dessert was actually sticky rice with sweet coconut milk on top. It was decent, except the sticky rice seemed be tasteless like it had been put in the fridge too long. 

 

Vietnam Air (VN)

There was one menu between Siem Reap (Cambodia) to Ha Noi (Vietnam); cold green salad, pork slices, cold bun and sweet dessert.  

 

When I wish I had warm meals in the air, I normally put the cold bun on top of the warm aluminum. Microwave ala kadarnya. Aluminum can warm up cold bun J

The dessert was not too sweet which was acceptable to me. It was served neither warm nor cold. This Vietnamese sago pearl dessert consists of sago pearl (sagu mutiara), chickpeas, and coconut sauce.

Closing

When I was a kid, if I did not finish my meals especially the steamed rice, my mom always said to finish them otherwise the rice would cry. Oh yes, it took me a few years to believe it was not true… But I learned something from it; I am responsible for the food I order. I try to finish the meals on my plate, including the inflight meal.

Most often I found the inflight meal is flavor-less. There was time when I preferred to skip the airline meal because of this reason. I prefer to eat in the airport as the taste is at least standard. But since I am committed to do this fun review since two years ago, I am responsible for the food in my tray!