New UC menu from September 3 08 LHR - MIA

As a comparison this is the BA J menu for LHR-BOS in a couple of weeks.
Menu
Starters
* Liam Tomlin's poached crayfish
and pink grapefruit salad with
cucumber noodles and ginger dressing
or
Sage Derby
and Coastal Cheddar cheese mousse
with red onion marmalade
* Fresh seasonal salad
served with vinaigrette
Main
Shaun Hill's Asian-spiced
lamb rump with roast new potatoes
and rich lamb jus
Smoked whitefish bake
with cheese sauce and potato topping
Roast butternut squash pasta
with herb Parmesan cream sauce
* Shaun Hill's poached breast
of chicken with spinach salad
and anchovy mayonnaise
Dessert
Baked New York cheese cake
with rhubarb compote
Scottish Cheddar
and Gubbeen cheese
served with garnish
A selection of fruit
Chocolates

Drinks
Complimentary bar service, including
alcoholic beverages and soft drinks,
is available throughout the flight. See
inserted wine list for today's selection.
Ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee
or tea
Selection of herbal teas
includes green tea with jasmine,
peppermint, blackcurrant
and camomile with honey
Club Kitchen
Between meals, please help yourself
to a drink or a tasty snack. Please visit
the Club Kitchen and choose from
the selection on display.
Snack salads, sandwiches,
filled rolls and wraps
Fresh fruit salads
and fruit smoothies or juices
Choice of luxury cakes
Crisps and chocolate,
including organic chocolate
If seated in the upper deck, you can
visit the Club Kitchen downstairs.

Refreshments
Snacks
Sandwich selection of egg and cress
with spinach and Mature Cheddar
with red onion marmalade and tomato
Grilled artichoke and asparagus salad
with classic vinaigrette
Sweets
Raspberry madeleine
Drinks
Ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee
or tea
Selection of herbal teas
includes green tea with jasmine,
peppermint, blackcurrant
and camomile with honey

I think I may need to get a dozen Krispy Kreme for my October flight LOL

Originally posted by jaguarpig
As a comparison this is the BA J menu for LHR-BOS in a couple of weeks.

Originally posted by jaguarpig
As a comparison this is the BA J menu for LHR-BOS in a couple of weeks.

I think we mostly know that BA wins hands down over VS on this element of the service. The Club Kitchen is very good and reminds me of when VS used to load the bar with tasty treats, now it's just diminishing crisps, plain chocolate and champagne that runs out 15% of the way through a flight ... or is then downgraded to cheapo BBR cremant (and we know the difference!).

That said, at least on VS you can have your pudding and cheese!

Good to hear VS changes the menu regularly, hopefully there will be a lovely summery menu when we take our flight, strawberries and cream would get a big thumbs up from us! I dont know why people have to make things so complicated, keep if as fresh and as simple as possible. Chicken and lentils is a weird combo, Puy lentils with lamb shank I can understand, but chicken, feta and lentils? I find that just odd. I wont even comment on the Yorkie pud offering!

I like the BA menu, but I have no clue how anyone could make a mousse out of cheese? that would be interesting to say the least?! Would love to see a photo of it [:D]

Does VS have any kind of snacky things for inflight that you can go and help yourself to? do they leave crisps and so on at the bar area?

Totally agree about keeping it simple.
At the back of the plane we had Beef & Mash or Chicken & Rice - and I know you UC snobs [;)] will look down at the offering but it was tasty.

And completely unscienfically, Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares always repeats the same mantra - simple ingredients, prepared well. Over complicate it and it's a turn off.

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by Sealink
Totally agree about keeping it simple.
At the back of the plane we had Beef & Mash or Chicken & Rice - and I know you UC snobs [;)] will look down at the offering but it was tasty.

Not at all, the best VS meal I have had was two years ago in Y, a meat and pasta dish that was amazingly good, far better than what is being offered now in UC.

I think the clear point here is VS is trying to hard to be innovative, while the combination's clearly speak of someone smoking a bowl the coming up with these creations.

here we go, my ideal menu choices.

A simple salad with a couple of different dressing choices say ranch or thousand island.

Cream of chicken soup.

Main

5 cheese Tortellini in a meat sauce (thank you AA)
Chicken Tikka Masala
Stir fried noodles with 3 peppers

Cheese course

Desert

AA signature sundae (copy it, it is the best in the air)
Cheese cake
British Trifle

There you go, rip that apart.

Originally posted by Sealink

And completely unscienfically, Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares always repeats the same mantra - simple ingredients, prepared well. Over complicate it and it's a turn off.

Another interesting point, why the heck doesn't VS team with someone like Gordon and come up with a menu..other than costing them some money to have Gordon put his name on it...and the fact that he already travels on VS (but by all accounts does not eat the food..that's telling huh) it would stop people like myself from pointing a finger at VS everytime they come up with these horrible menus and instead I could sit back and point the finger at Gordon.

BTW on the Yorkshire pudding...

In my books it should be coated in gravy and served with a side of beef.

However talking to a veggie friend, she did say it was very good..

[Darren Wheeler]

I have to say I really enjoyed the chicken, lentils and leeks. Not too stodgy and the feta really worked for me. I just comes down to personal taste.

Of course there are a couple of extra options available. Take your own from the lounge deli counter or somewhere lke the caviar shop in the terminal. If you are feeling adventurous, order a special meal.... [:)]

Well, looking at that menu I'll be making the most of the clubhouse (did someone say Clubhouse burger?) before our trip to LAX in 3 weeks, we booked the later flight in order to get good time in the CH (7 hours between connections). Helps us avoid the usual terrible food offerings on board anyway.

Do they do Mojito Royale in the CH? (Mojito with champange instead of the soda water if you don't know what that is).

Originally posted by daywalker
Do they do Mojito Royale in the CH? (Mojito with champange instead of the soda water if you don't know what that is).

Sounds like a hangover and a half to me... [:D]

Even if they don't make it as standard, am sure one of their errrr 'Mixologists' will knock one up for you... [;)]

Have a great trip [:)]

Boo

Originally posted by Boo Boo

Originally posted by daywalker
Do they do Mojito Royale in the CH? (Mojito with champange instead of the soda water if you don't know what that is).

Sounds like a hangover and a half to me... [:D]

Even if they don't make it as standard, am sure one of their errrr 'Mixologists' will knock one up for you... [;)]

Have a great trip [:)]

Boo

Thanks Boo [y]

I like the BA menu, but I have no clue how anyone could make a mousse out of cheese? that would be interesting to say the least?! Would love to see a photo of it

I will post a picture for you when we get back.

Originally posted by mdvipond

He used to be a rude, angry, bitter little man. But then Neil came along, and everything changed...

Funny what a genuine friend can do for a person, Doctor! [V][V][V]

Originally posted by mdvipond

decent amenity packs

[:w] AMENI.......ahhh, b**ger it.

GJ

Originally posted by Boo Boo

Some of Virgin's good old amenity kits haven't completely gone - they are just hiding at the bottom of my wardrobe... [:D]

You're all toying with me on purpose, aren't you...

GJ

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes
You're all toying with me on purpose, aren't you...

But it is fun... [:X]

Boo

Now what's the deal with Salmon! Every dang time I go to the U.K. everybody is trying to stuff me full of that slimy nasty Salmon. Get some Cat Fish or Sea Bass Batter it up and deep fry it. NOW WE'RE TALKING FISH. I just don't know of anyone who Say's ÒHoney, tonight we're eating Salmon until we swim up-streamÓ Who are these people that eat Salmon? You smoke a ham, not a fish. Every time I eat salmon I feel like I just kissed my grandfather after a full pipe.
Sorry back to topic.
You can't tell me that airlines wouldn't have 100% satisfaction rating for food, if they contract out to lets say 'Outback' or ÒLong HornÓ God forbid even Burger King sounds better than a chicken stuffed with spinach and beans. Please. I would take KFC any day. (Something addictive in that chicken ya know). Get me a Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza. No corn please. And hey, Open up a box of Krispy Kreams. Yea Baby! Give me that Choc covered Cream Filled. How about some Bar-B-Que. or a Bloom'n Onion. Come-on.
Sorry all this talk, I've got to go take a Maalox.

I don't know - you Americans and your health food fads...

Originally posted by mdvipond
I don't know - you Americans and your health food fads...

Yes, alarming how dedicated we all are to pristine comestibles.

Although, I will say, a cursory review of the v-Flyer photo galleries reveals a decidedly portly UK contingent (not saying all...[:w]).

Perhaps we should have an honor system-based v-Flyer weight loss challenge? But erii may definitely NOT cater the weigh-ins [ii]

GJ

[Scrooge]

Good idea, Preiffer could stand to lose another 20 - 30 lbs, then he could truly star in a Bob Geldof aid video [:0]

Originally posted by Scrooge
Good idea, Preiffer could stand to lose another 20 - 30 lbs, then he could truly star in a Bob Geldof aid video [:0]

Quite. He's a portly model, to be sure.

GJ

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes

Originally posted by Scrooge
Good idea, Preiffer could stand to lose another 20 - 30 lbs, then he could truly star in a Bob Geldof aid video [:0]

Quite. He's a portly model, to be sure.

GJ

Yes, I think my dealers nicknamed him Twiggy when he was in last time [:0]

[HighFlyer]

LOL Sorry Erii, but I'm in the camp of Smoked Salmon and Chicken stuffed with Spinach. [:D] You raise a fair point about fish, but do you remember when battered fish and chips was an option onboard in Upper? I'm guessing not as it was terrible. There is something about batter that doesnt seem to make it ideal airline food. I am assuming Salmon features a lot as VS aim to have a 'healthy heart' option onboard so Salmon fits quite well.

It would be an interesting V-Flyer challenge to see if we could create a menu that at least all V-Flyers are happy with. Somehow I dont thikn its going to happen [:D]

Thanks,
Sarah

Salmon is great for you (providing you don't eat too much of it and try to avoid the stuff with too many chemicals in it): a lean fish with 'good' fats.

I think it is a lot better raw than cooked: preferably sashimi or sushi, but smoked can be nice too.

Is there ACTUALLY chicken in KFC? I thought that the reason why they stopped calling it 'Kentucky Fried Chicken' was because it was dubious whether it actually contained much chicken... [:w]

Boo

mmmhh!!!!

smoked salmon and scrambled eggs.[:w][:w]

Chips don't work on board either, these pathetic soggy offerings were on BA a couple of years ago,the fish was excellent but sure batter would have spoiled it.

So far I have tried....

- the steak & mushroom pie which was very tasty however the pastry was a little too flaky

- the chocolate & toffee pudding was delicious, initially the portion size looks quite small however it is very rich (but you can always ask for another one if you feel you can manage it [;)])


I haven't had the opportunity to try the Yorkshire pudding as there have been none left at the end of the flight. [:(]

On the whole, feedback from our guests regarding the new menu has been positive so far. [y]