New UC Menu Lon - US - June '09

quote:Originally posted by RichardMannion


Dessert:
- Walls Vienetta (but we only have 12 pieces so we are conducting a raffle)



Ah, I must post this on 'thedibb', all you spoiled Heathrow passengers with your AVOD and leather P/E seats.

At least in Upper from Gatwick we will have more of a chance of getting Vienetta [y]

Hehe [}:)][}:)][;)]

David [:w]

Anyone know what the Y menu is like? I might be requesting one next week, this UC menu looks/sounds revolting.

quote:Originally posted by 15isto2
It there anywhere in LGW I can buy a sandwich for my next UC flight?


There's an M&S Simply Food store in the arrivals hall at LGW [8D]

quote:Originally posted by 15isto2
It there anywhere in LGW I can buy a sandwich for my next UC flight?


sandwiches in WH Smiths, or Boots, or Pret..and a few others

quote:Originally posted by RichardMannion
FFS, when is it going to get any better? Predictions for the next quarters menu:

Starter:
- Tesco value chicken soup (bread rolls only available to Upper passengers, strictly one per customer)

Main:
- Bernard Manning 'Turkey' Drumsticks and Tesco value beans
- Virgin Bubble & Squeak (sponsored by Greenpeace as we're using the slops from the last week)

Vegetarian option:
- Recent research has shown that the non-vegetarian meals are more popular, so we have replaced it with an Iceland Roast Dinner platter.

Dessert:
- Walls Vienetta (but we only have 12 pieces so we are conducting a raffle)
- Tesco Value Raspberry Jelly

All served on the finest Tesco disposable paper trays.

Wine list:
Blue Nun
Freixenet 'Champagne'


When I read this I thought you posted the actual menu - my expectations are so low [B)].

The last sandwiches were just about decent, I'd go for those on board instead!

I've become somewhat used to being disapointed with Virgin's menu's but if it's the same Steak pie they had on the cycle before last (we flew in Feb09) then it was scrumptious! If not booooooooo lol!
I'm easy to please (my fave meal so far has been the chicken tikka) but pea soup [:$]
I'll be stocking up in Pret (Faaabulous tuna baguette's) and Krispy Kreme before our flight in August me thinks.

Opps looking back must of been the cycle BEFORE the last cycle they had that scrummy steak pie. Oct 08 perhaps?
Feb 09 was the delicious chicken tikka and last trip April 09 was a real let down of chicken cooked in something not so nice.

Why is the food so bog standard? There is nothing with any flair or creativity. I like steak pie as much as the next guy, but if you have paid a couple of grand for a ticket, surely a decent well thought out menu isnt too much to ask for?

Last week the food HKG-SYD UC was so bad, the FSM offered me 10000 miles in compensation when I sent back two out of the three available offerings.

Wonder if they'll keep the delicious 'low sodium' option in PE for my partner this year?

Chickpeas galore ...starter - main - and (I think) dessert, although it may have seemed like that given the amount of 'internal' turbulence I witnessed [n]

[Decker]

Much as I abhor double posting I'll excerpt my coming TR here. The * means I ate it and I'll be honest it was some of the best food I've had in UC for a while.

DINNERS
Starters
* Seasonal leaf salad with smoked salmon, spelt and balsamic dressing
Pea, mint and fennel soup with a choice of warm breads

Main Courses
* Chicken breast on pea and broad bean broth with new potatoes

Steak and mushroom pie with champ potatoes and sauted Savoy cabbage

Creamy asparagus risotto with parmesan cheese


*Cheese
Oxford blue
Tasty Lancashire
Cornish Brie

Dessert
Baked Sussex honey cheesecake with fruit compote

Strawberry and cream roulade with wild berry coulis

AFTERNOON TEA
Selection of bloomer sandwiches - smoked ham and English mustard, coronation chicken and *cheddar and gooseberry chutney

Classic sultana scone with Tiptree jam and clotted cream

Victoria sponge cake

I have the full menu (including Light Bites) which I'll post in the On Board forum at some point.

In it's full glory it doesn't look as awful as it initially did. I had also hoped that some of the sandwich choices would be without mustard or other additional ingredients but it's not to be (again).
DL

quote:Originally posted by DragonLady
In it's full glory it doesn't look as awful as it initially did. I had also hoped that some of the sandwich choices would be without mustard or other additional ingredients but it's not to be (again).
DL


I'm with you on the mustard! I think Decker mentioned the chicken had it in as well......

Just hope there's plenty on pie in August.


Any news on the light bites?

quote:Originally posted by Slipperman

Any news on the light bites?


Voila!

[Decker]

Thanks Tinks!

quote:Originally posted by Tinkerbelle
quote:Originally posted by Slipperman

Any news on the light bites?


Voila!


Thank you.

Thinking about how people react to the food onboard and the menus, I wonder if VS would score a big brownie point operating a 'book the cook' system like SQ - where a J pax can pre-order a main meal from a choice of popular favourites?

Ex-LHR SQ are catered by LSG, as are VS, so they should be capable of doing it from there, and maybe from some other stations too?

Mike

[Scrooge]

Yes they would, but they won't do it, to much money.

All I wish for is a simple meal of decent quality, frankly the menu's of late have reminded me of a local pub, when flying in J I expect a little bit more.

As I said a couple of menus ago, bring on a celebrity chef, have him do the menus, it's worked wonders for a number of airlines.

quote:Originally posted by mike-smashing
Thinking about how people react to the food onboard and the menus, I wonder if VS would score a big brownie point operating a 'book the cook' system like SQ - where a J pax can pre-order a main meal from a choice of popular favourites?

Ex-LHR SQ are catered by LSG, as are VS, so they should be capable of doing it from there, and maybe from some other stations too?


Crikey, don't let the bean counters hear you say that - they might have to invest rather than cut costs.

I found BTC on SQ to be OK, but it's still reheated stuff. Food that reheats well at home like currys and braised things do well, but stuff that is usually prepped and cooked just prior to consumption like lamb chops or steak comes out just as awful as if it was on the onboard menu.

In its defence, BTC is of course excellent for those who are a bit picky in the food dept.

The way the flagship UC offering seems to be going on VS, though, the only staff left to crew the planes will be the accountants. You'll be offered a freshly prepared selection of fiscal caution followed by a confit of running into the ground.

Cheers, H

quote:As I said a couple of menus ago, bring on a celebrity chef, have him do the menus, it's worked wonders for a number of airlines.


That doesn't always work and arguably the money should be spent on the ingredients and not a celebrity chef (who all have good agents..).

When Qantas brought on Neil Perry to do their menus, a lot of passengers were very unimpressed. Celebrity chefs aren't necessarily best placed to understand the constraints of mass-produced airline catering and cooking on board.

It's all very well coming up with a great dish in a restaurant, but if you can't produce it on a mass scale in LSG's kitchens on the ground and reheat it in the air, then it will fall flat.

quote:Originally posted by Nemmie

I'll be stocking up in Pret (Faaabulous tuna baguette's) and Krispy Kreme before our flight in August me thinks.


Sorry to say but I read yesterday that Pret was discontinuing its tuna products as its an endangered product... it was the only bagutte that tasted any different from the rest!

[Scrooge]

quote:Originally posted by Leo1977
quote:As I said a couple of menus ago, bring on a celebrity chef, have him do the menus, it's worked wonders for a number of airlines.


That doesn't always work and arguably the money should be spent on the ingredients and not a celebrity chef (who all have good agents..).

When Qantas brought on Neil Perry to do their menus, a lot of passengers were very unimpressed. Celebrity chefs aren't necessarily best placed to understand the constraints of mass-produced airline catering and cooking on board.

It's all very well coming up with a great dish in a restaurant, but if you can't produce it on a mass scale in LSG's kitchens on the ground and reheat it in the air, then it will fall flat.


I agree with what you are saying, but the way I look at it is this, VS is driven by PR, now if you get a good celebrity chef, someone who will not put their name to a s**t product, someone who happens to fly VS and someone that will tell SRB and Steve Ridgway to go f**k themselves when cuts are made to food with his name on it, well frankly it can not be any worse than is being offered right now. The swear words were put in to give a hint at who I think would be a good match btw [:w]

[Scrooge]

quote:Originally posted by mike-smashing
Thinking about how people react to the food onboard and the menus, I wonder if VS would score a big brownie point operating a 'book the cook' system like SQ - where a J pax can pre-order a main meal from a choice of popular favourites?

Ex-LHR SQ are catered by LSG, as are VS, so they should be capable of doing it from there, and maybe from some other stations too?

Mike


Yes and no, VS can't afford such a large selection, however there is no reason why the standard meals could not be selected at time off booking, it would mean it would should be easier to cater the flight and cut down on wastage.

Arrived back from Orlando this morning. I wasn't looking forward to the new menu at all as, but both my husband and I enjoyed our meals. I had the Chicken Roulade with barley and it was excellent. John had the flank steak, mainly for the potatoes, but he said the steak was pretty good and it was one of the best airline meal he has had.

Desserts were cheesecake for me which was really quite light and refreshing. John had the Chocolate Lava cake , and I saw he finished it off quickly!!!

Neither of us had starters. I was going to have cheese, but was too full.

As an aside, we were finished with the meal and most of the cabin in bed within 90 minutes from takeoff.

quote:Originally posted by Scrooge............. The swear words were put in to give a hint at who I think would be a good match btw [:w]


Or indeed the 'someone who happens to fly VS' [;)]