10 July 2009

The best airline meals at 40,000ft

LONDON - - Maybe itÃ¢â¬â¢s the noodles-in-a-packet food served up on low-cost airlines that is making us more appreciative of the meals we get on traditional airlines.

Maybe weÃ¢â¬â¢ve been too hard on big-name airline chefs, those star-rated celebrity cooks who attach their fame and their menus to meals served by premium airlines to premium passengers.

ItÃ¢â¬â¢s always been fashionable to dismiss the dishes onboard aircraft but now The Times in the UK has sent out its reporters to discover whoÃ¢â¬â¢s seving what to whom Ã¢â¬' and whether it tastes any good.

The results according to The Tiimes? In reverse order:

6. Charter carrier Thomsonfly: "The chicken pomodoro is a slapdash tricolore, but itÃ¢â¬â¢s much better than it looks."Ã¢â¬~¨

5. Cathay Pacific: "CathayÃ¢â¬â¢s sticky Chinese rice Ã¢â¬' made by the German technicians who build BAÃ¢â¬â¢s lasagne Ã¢â¬' is superb."Ã¢â¬~¨

4. Virgin Atlantic: "ItÃ¢â¬â¢s [chicken is] suitably summery, and the GÃƒ~¼, an egg-cup-sized chocolate overdose, is awesomely moresome."Ã¢â¬~¨

3. Emirates: "Served in strange, curvy dishes that could be used to build a replica of the Sydney Opera House, the Emirates economy meal Ã¢â¬' fillet steak with whipped parmesan and cream polenta, and roasted vegetables Ã¢â¬' comes on like a restaurant entrÃƒ~©e."Ã¢â¬~¨

2. Singapore Airlines: "The delicious slow-cooked beef blade in rosemary sauce Ã¢â¬' the work of LSGÃ¢â¬â¢s Thomas Harker Ã¢â¬' goes under the knife as willingly as a double-chinned Texan widow."Ã¢â¬~¨

1. British Airways: "Layers of velvety pasta in a creamy, tangy sauce is very good, in a ready-meal way. The sod-the-diet portion of chocolate mousse cake with mandarin sauce is even better."

Check the full story here
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/food_and_travel/article6632918.ece