RTW4

This is a continuation of a MR that I took last month.

CX 504 HKG-NRT
This flight is one of the two or three daily non stop flights from HKG-NRT that has first class on it. Since it leaves at 9:10AM it is a brunch flight...oh but what a brunch!! Please refer to http://photos.yahoo.com/prostatehealth123 for a look at the file labelled HKG-NRT for pictures that I took on this flight.

Pre flight
I arrived at HKG early in the AM where I went to the Wing. I had to leave from a gate where the new first class lounge in THE PIER was located. I have never seen a spread like this. There were the usual breakfast meats and cheeses, but the DIM SUM were incredible. I counted 6 types of dim sum with great smoked salmon and a wonderful selection of pastries and breakfast breads. Quite nice. Had a couple of cups of tea as well.

Boarding
Our flight was half full in first class. We were travelling today in a 747-400 with the New Business class installed. This aircraft had the new AVOD and the Sudio CX system. I would have to take 20 flights on CX in first to see all of the selections that they offered. I settled on ANALYZE THAT and a selection of James Bond movies. Great system. I was in seat 4K and had alot of room for myself. The seat on CX has been discussed before. It is truly the greatest. Had a savourty before take off. The flight was very short today. It was only 3 hours and 10 minuutes.

MENU
Today we could choose between a Western and a Japaneese menu.

WESTERN MENU
APPETIZER
Chicken Roulade and Marinated Prawns with Mango Salsa

SOUP
Fennel, Potatoes and Leek Soup served with Mini Garlic Baguette

Main Courses
Braised Seabass with Preserved Olive and Vegetables
Marinated Lamb Chops with Natural Gravy and Roasted Garlic Cloves werved with Mint Sauce
Ricotta Cannelloni wiht Semi-sundried Tomato sauce

ACCOMPANIMENTS
Boulangere Potatoes, Steamed Rice, Fresh Seasonal vegetables, Braised Fresh Mushrooms with Oyster Sauce and Boiled Shanghai Pak Choy

CHEESE BOARD

FRUIT

DESSERT
Chocolate and Peat tart served with Fresh Double Cream

To be honest, the Japanese meal looked good only for the VERY adventurous with Canapes like sea tangle basket, Appetizers like halfbeak, Hot dishes like broiled stingfish with seaweed mousse and vinegared dish like jellyfish with red seaweed. SO...... I chose the Western meal and really enjoyed the seabass.

Before I knew it we were at NRT airpot. My flight was to return to HKG at 6:20 PM. So I went shopping. For a big airport like NRT, the terminal 1 shopping area is very limited. So I spent a great deal of time in the CX first class lounge. Food selections were limited, but there were these great tasting rice balls with salmon or tuna. They were great. I had 4 of them! Also the usual bar selections were available including the infamous beer machine. Very crowded lounge however. It is located next to the Admirals Club whoses food selections include only cheese and crackers.
It was time to board our 747-400 aircraft. This was not the same aircraft that delivered me to HKG. In fact, it had just arrived from TPE. It was a 747-400 with the New Business class

Instead of repeating much of the above description of the aircraft, please see the file marked CX 505 on http://photos.yahoo.com/prostatehealth123 and you will see a selection of the food offered.

MENU
SAVOURY

SOUP
Marseille Fish Soup served with Herb Bread Slices

APPETIZER
Smoked and Marinated Salmon with Lobster

MAIN COURSES
Honey Glazed Chicken Breast on Orange Ginger Soya Sauce
Grilled Fillet of Beef with Armagnac Sauce
Seafood Red Curry

ACCOMPANIMENTS
Jacket Potatoes, Egg Fried Rice, Shanghai Pak Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms, Medley of Vegetables

CHEESE

FRUIT

DESSERT
Melon Ice Cream in Musk Melon served with passionfruit sauce. I must say that this was the single BEST dessert that I have ever had on a plane. I hope that the picture does it justice.

The Japanese meal was once again a bit too adventurous for me.

I hoped that you liked this short report. I look forward to reporting on my next trip soon....

fromYYZ_flyer

Another great photo report!

Guava

RTW4, thanks for the interesting report. I have always wanted to fly CX. As surprising as it may sound, I don't believe I have ever flown them in my short life so far, at least not that I can remember.

Of all the First Class seatings I have experienced so far, I have to say SQ beats everyone else. However, I will be flying JL's new First in a few days and hopefully both CX and NH's New First class by the end of the year to really see who is the best.

As to the Japanese meals...well, if I know one thing, you are definitely not Japanese By the description you gave, I think CX offered some trully special Japanese cuisine on their flights as the items you mentionned are what I would call 'unusual'. It's amazing they are offering this high standard in such short flight. Too bad you are unfamiliar with the greatness of Japanese culture, it's almost mystical to foreigners but its cuisine is an art by itslef from the history, ingredients, sense, presentation and taste behind a single meal. IMO, it's definitely one of the few cuisines in the world that are capable of combining taste and art so well together. In my upcoming trip reports, you will notice, I hope to introduce this art form to the audience here as I will go frame by frame in my photos to discuss them in reasonable amount of details and information.

number_6

The NRT CX First class lounge was a bit sub-standard because it wasn't a first class lounge. CX only has a business lounge and it is a bit spartan even for that (though better than the CX lounges in LAX and SFO). You had enough time to have gone into Narita city which has some great shopping. My favourite is a Japanese hardware store where you can find the most amazing paint brushes and wood working tools.

number_6

CX offers a very nice Kaiseki meal, but only in F on the non-stop HKG-NRT flights (it is not on the HKG-TPE-NRT flight, for example). Best meal that I've had on an airplane, though the quality has dropped recently (perhaps understandable, it was costing over USD 100 per meal for CX to provide this; they did it to have JL F passengers switch to CX). I too have a trip booked on JL5/6 NRT-JFK which also has a special meal service (specific to that flight and better than the normal JL F service).