UC Spring Menu - when does it start?

Hi all, so here's a report on the Spring menu from the VS003 today with the new UC meal service.

Firstly some observations:

- New table linen and no trays upon which food is served.
- The amuse bouche is OK - there are no CHERRY TOMATOES! Thankfully its a sun dried tomato and mozzarella concoction.
- Bread comes out of a "hat" aka the new serving basket, I like it!
- The new cocktail shaker S&P set is cool but the salt comes out like George Clooney!

First up, here's the place setting:

Here's the amuse bouche:

Here's the menu (reprinted below if you can't read it!):

Here's the prawn salad or cocktail:

And here'e my beef entree or main course:

I did not snap the cheese trolley, but it came around and was a very nice addition, more comment below.

The current menu if you can't read it:

Starters:
Cream of pea soup
Prawn cocktail

Main courses:
Grilled fillet of beef
Thai red chicken curry
Dolcette cheese and walnut tortellini

Desert:
Lemon tart
Warm sticky toffee pudding

Cheese

Graze menu (I thought this was only on long flights but am told it's on every flight):
Mini beef burger
Chicken caesar salad
Vegetarian sushi

Wines:
Lanson champagne
And I forgot to take a picture of the wine selection but there's a very nice Riesling, a Spanish Tempranillo, a Chilean Merlot, and an Argentinian Malbec.

Now my observations:

- The FSM hands out the menus and name checks every passenger - this is great, I hope it continues.
- The linen is a bit fancy but nice all the same.
- The crew interaction is noticeably more personal, and that's great.
- The cheese trolley takes forever to come around, I was in 17A and it started at 2K then down to 17K then to 1A then down to 17A, I am sure it could be expedited!

All the same, a great improvement and the crew really seemed to enjoy it.

[preiffer]

Interested in why you think it's such an improvement slinky...

The cheese thing, yes - is very annoying (especially since they always used to be able to deliver a cheese plate in seconds).
The "personal" service, you'd always get with a good crew. So, the "improvement" is that the crew are working well and interacting with customers?!
Interesting that your amuse-bouche was slightly different (mine had cherry tomatoes and mozzarella). Positive in that they change it, just a shame I hate any type of tomato (my own problem, granted!)

Linen change, and a menu that's up to the same standard as other airlines. Sorry, but where's the "great improvement"? (Not trying to sound overly negative - it's just I don't buy that it's such an amazing leap forward - especially with the removal of "freedom" from the standard meal options)


(PS - did you at least get to see the infamous cake stand on your flight? ?| )

Yes it is an improvement because the service is so much more personal than it was - I know it's blast to the past, but that's a good thing, and it's more like a served event rather than a tray event if you know what I mean. Yes it depends on the cabin crew, it always did and always will, but I enjoyed it.

Now I am such a VS fan, still, I get great recognition, fabulous crew always, and now the dining is much more one to one, I like it.

BTW there were several people asking for individual items, some folk didn't have time to dine before flying and had the mini burgers on demand, so that tells me that the "freedom" menu may be no longer but the crew were willing to do extra and ad hoc too ... i bet if you asked you would get the same P?

Sounds great. Looks like everything was delivered as promised. I bet that's a kick in the nads for those who feel vs cannot organise and deliver.

Getting rid of the tray is great. I couldn't see what it added but complicating and it cheapened the service. I did winder if I lifted the linen whether it would be an economy branded tray.

As for the delay in the cheese, so what? It gives you more time to digest the previous course and it's not like you're going anywhere.

BTW Paul - they're great for your prostate.

Oh, and I was told that I could ask for a cheese plate on demand ... so the wait wouldn't be necessary. Mind you, if 50 people asked for the same, I understand your comment Paul.

Looks amazing,hope to one day fly in Upper!

(PS - did you at least get to see the infamous cake stand on your flight? ?| )

Yes the afternoon tea stand was very much evidence, I was keen to see how it was erected but by tea time I am usually snoozing away so did not partake.

As I said before, the crew seemed to enjoy the service and it was noticeable how interactive they were, long may it continue.

[preiffer]

As for the delay in the cheese, so what? It gives you more time to digest the previous course and it's not like you're going anywhere.

BTW Paul - they're great for your prostate.

The issue with the delay is that (from what I saw on Friday) - a trolley is blocking the aisle for the entire time they're serving the course. People were coming out of the front lavatories and being "trapped" on their way back to their seat either way. Granted, a minor annoyance, I just really don't see what was wrong with the old way of delivering a plate to you - and indeed, you could ask for individual cheeses. Just seems odd that they've removed trollies wherever possible, but then introduced an unnecessary one...!

PS - If my prostate needs tomatoes to survive, then I'm screwed...!

[preiffer]

Yes it is an improvement because the service is so much more personal than it was - I know it's blast to the past, but that's a good thing, and it's more like a served event rather than a tray event if you know what I mean. Yes it depends on the cabin crew, it always did and always will, but I enjoyed it.

Well, if they can keep it up, then I agree - the crew on my Friday flight were also really interactive, friendly, happy, and it was good to see. If the new service delivers that consistently, then great news.


...it'll be just like going back to c.2005 ^)

Thanks for the pics Slinky, were you on the VS003? Were you able to order the graze items?

This pdf, here, is confusing me, most flights listed as Dine and Graze, but then the Graze option isn't ticked? So what is the difference between and Dine and Graze flight, and a Dine and Graze and Graze flight?

For example, VS005 is Dine and Graze only, does that mean you get lunch and can have light snacks,
and the VS019 is Dine and Graze, and Graze, so can you have lunch, and get more of a selection of "light bites"?

Thanks for the photos Slinky, it warming my tastebuds for my trip to Las Vegas in 53 days.

and the VS019 is Dine and Graze, and Graze, so can you have lunch, and get more of a selection of "light bites"?

And then a full on afternoon tea service too!!

With the amount of food and different services on board now its becoming pretty much like this to be honest haha: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XlDUTpCIOE

Thanks Slinky - that looks like a big improvement, table looks great and good to hear the CC are enjoying it too. I'll be interested to know if the restricted Graze menu is the only option if you choose not to eat the main meal at the time it is originally served.

[preiffer]

Thanks Slinky - that looks like a big improvement, table looks great and good to hear the CC are enjoying it too. I'll be interested to know if the restricted Graze menu is the only option if you choose not to eat the main meal at the time it is originally served.

From Greg's post on FB this morning, it seems that's the case. n(

[preiffer]

Actually - final confirmation from Greg here: http://www.facebook.com/virginatlantic/ ... 9488622679

You can no longer get meals when you want - only the graze snacks.

I did not snap the cheese trolley, but it came around and was a very nice addition,

I flew all the way from Sydney to London on VS201 yesterday and managed to snap both the cheese trolley and afternoon tea trolley in action. The latter only came out on the SYD-HKG leg as that is a day flight. They worked well and the time taken to do the rounds on those long flights did not matter at all. The crew were very happy to explain that the whole meal service was new and let them have any feedback.

You can't see much of the detail, but sandwiches are on the left (obscured by the napkins) then the tall cakestand in the middle with the cupcakes, then tea/coffee on the right. Scones, clotted cream and jam are on the lower shelf of the trolley. When serving they put a new thin card round doily down on your table first; then the plate, tea etc. are placed on this. Its simple and inexpensive, but quite stylish in the execution.
I was still fairly full from my lunch so I just had a smoked salmon sandwich and a chicken ceasar sandwich. (In my defence I had had a big breakfast in Sydney and a bite in the ANZ clubhouse at Kingsford Smith even before I boarded)

Very interesting, thanks for the updates folks. I have always found trolley service to be a drag in higher cabins, as I have the tendency to eat my food at the speed of light, and can expect to be all done while most people around me are still chowing on their main courses. It's good that they seem willing to show some flexibility around this. The more general point around trolleys blocking aisles is well made, it's the most annoying thing with service on the UA/CO Business flights.

I don't get the rationale for canning the Freedom concept, unless they feel the more interactive meal service is putting a lot more strain on crew during the regular service and they want to make it easy for them later in the flight. Aside from that I don't see that it costs them to do a dine when you like model. Not that pacing out crew activity might not be an issue, I'm just curious what is driving this in general.

Brilliant, thanks Martin and slinky09 for the posts and pics of the new meal service, was keen to see it in action y) You only had sandwiches in the afternoon tea - if you get sandwiches and cakes is it served in your own little cake stand as per the promo pictures? Also noticing from your pics and slinky's pics, is wine now served in tumblers rather than wine glasses? That's how it looks from these pics and also the promo pics on VS website.

Slinky and Martin - thanks for the pics. It really has helped bring the new UC service to life.....is it me Slinky or is the menu similar to one which has been running since early November, the soup is different for sure....but the mains look the same and the desserts well, sticky toffee pudding was well and truly been enjoyed by me in February ?|

Jon y)

Sounds really good - I like everything on the menu (and I am a very fussy eater!). I am now looking forward to my flight to MIA next Monday even more! Thanks for posting the info and photos - makes it all the more interesting!

All drinks apart from champagne are now served in the new tumblers .
Looks like the new individu cake stands were not loaded for the syd flight as these are now served to each passenger with the sandwiches cakes and scones on.
Main reason for ending the freedom service was that the vast majority of people ate at the same time so made sense just to do a meal service.
The graze items are available for pax who don't want to eat during the main meal service and can be cooked and ready within 20 mins.

Wine in a tumbler...? I'm sure there is some logic behind it...

[buns]

Wine in a tumbler...? I'm sure there is some logic behind it...

I suspect that will be the Port - like the new style tumblers y)

buns

[Darren Wheeler]

For tumbler, think stemless wineglass.

[honey lamb]

Wine in a tumbler...? I'm sure there is some logic behind it...

Singapore Airlines also serve wine in a tumbler - or more accurately, a stemless wine glass. A lot of airlines have wine glasses which are stemless.