2012 Let's Eat - International First, BusinessFirst, & Business Class
Jun 4, 2012, 3:19 am
#211
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Programs: United 1k, BA Gold, LX Senator, Flying Blue Plat, IHG Plat. Ambassador, Marriott Gold, Starwood Gold
Posts: 136
And here is the Westbound menu. Note it is again identical to old Continental BF menus- the downgrade looks to be with the snack as there is no choice and it's the wrap.
Jun 4, 2012, 7:33 am
#212
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: EWR, PHL
Programs: UA1k 3MM, AA Plt, peasant on everybody else, elite something or other at a bunch of hotels.
Posts: 4,637
Jun 4, 2012, 8:56 am
#213
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SFO, LON
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, Bonvoy Tit, Hilton Dia etc etc
Posts: 2,354
Worry not, it's a warm appetizer, more like a dim sum fried spring roll. It's not the vietnamese style (with no insult intended to the vietnamese, of course) spring roll we were getting on UA.
Jun 4, 2012, 9:32 am
#214
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Programs: AA PP, Hilton/MR Gold
Posts: 743
I would be very interested to hear about the updated C catering on UA919, the daytime IAD-LHR flight, if anyone has any experiences.
Jun 4, 2012, 12:26 pm
#215
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: CVG
Programs: UA - GS; CO - Pres. Plat.; SPG; GHA - Black
Posts: 21
Thanks for the preview of my meal choices tomorrow from GVA
Jun 4, 2012, 12:56 pm
#216
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: UA
Posts: 239
I remeber UA used to offer afternoon tea service on the US bound flights from LHR before landing. Wish they would bring it back. The scones and the finger sandwiches were quite good.
Jun 5, 2012, 1:09 pm
#219
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Programs: AS MVP 100K, UA PremEx-MM
Posts: 3,335
UA65 LIS-EWR
757-200, N17133
10:25 a.m. (gate 145) – 1:25 p.m. (gate B60)
2E, 2F (Business Class)
Lunch, Snack
Boarding was pretty orderly; soon we were checking out the 16-seat BusinessFirst cabin. I’d been skeptical, but the seat, food and service were outstanding on this flight! That flight attendant pictured was a gem; friendly and hard-working.
Pre-departure sparkling wine, slightly less attractive in its plastic cup.
What’s that good-looking plane over there? Oh, it’s us!
Nice, large video screens; lots of choices on-demand.
But this is my favorite program!
Storage was better than UA’s new business class; power, the headphone jack and a USB port were between the seats.
The aisle was a bit narrow, but the seats themselves were wide and comfortable (and fully-flat, a great feature).
Menus were distributed prior to takeoff:
TO BEGIN
Warm Appetizer
Basil crayfish soup, vegetable mushroom purse and chicken skewer with chile sauce
Fresh Seasonal Greens
Roasted tomatoes, Kalamata olives, mini pear and walnuts with your choice of passion fruit dressing or balsamic vinaigrette.
MAIN COURSE
Pan-seared Lamb Steak
Potatoes au gratin, fine green beans and mixed vegetables with balsamic vinegar
Roasted Breast of Chicken
Coconut chile sauce, carrot bâtons, baby bok choy and basmati rice with lentils
San Francisco-style Cioppino
Stew of seared cod, scallops and shrimp in a savory sauce with roasted vegetables, potatoes and calamari
Ricotta and Parmesan Cheese filled Rolled Pasta
Marinara sauce, basil and grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
TO FINISH
International Cheese Selection
Grapes and crackers served with Vista Alegre LBV Port
Dessert
Ice cream with your choice of toppings or petite pastries
MID-FLIGHT SNACK
Light snacks are available at any time following the main meal service
Please help yourself or ask your flight attendant for today’s selections
PRIOR TO ARRIVAL
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Cheddar Cheeseburger
Lettuce, tomato, onion and traditional condiments of mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and a pickle garnish
FEATURED CHAMPAGNE AND WINES
Champagne
Heidsieck & Co Monople Blue Top NV 2009/2010
White Wine
Michael Lynch Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc 2010
or
Indaba Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Château Beauregard Ducasse Graves 2010
or
Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay 2010, Carneros
Red Wine
Matiz Joven 2010, Ribera del Duero
or
Grant Burge Barossa Shiraz 2008
Cosentino The Cab 2009, California
Regional Specialty
Quinta de Roiz Reserva 2004
BEVERAGE AND BAR SERVICE
Spirits
ABSOLUT Vodka
Bombay Sapphire Dry Gin
Bacardi Superior Light Rum
The Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch
Dewar’s “White Label” Blended Scotch Whisky
Crown Royal Canadian Whisky
Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey
Jim Beam Black Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Liqueurs and Cognac
Grand Marnier
Courvosier VSOP Fine Champagne Cognac
DISARANNO Amaretto
Baileys Irish Cream
Kahlúa
Beer
Budweiser
Miller Lite
Heineken
Beverages
Assorted Soft Drinks
Bottled Water
Seltzer Water
Tonic Water
Apple Juice
Cranberry-Apple Juice Cocktail
Orange Juice
Tomato Juice
Bloody Mary Mix
Coffee (Regular and Decaffeinated)
Hot Tea
After a fairly quick taxi, we took off to the northeast again, then turned for the Atlantic. Time for a cocktail (gin and tonic) and warm nuts. Although UA and CO are more and more merged, service was pre-merger CO Business First all the way, and quite impressive.
Two kinds of almonds and cashews. No walnuts, thanks!
“You had me at pretzel roll.”
Appetizers were served from the cart, a nice touch. This felt to me like what flying on a 707 or DC-8 must have back during the ‘60s. Very nice!
Of course I had to try all three. I even had seconds on the chicken skewer. The crew was charming and gracious, and encouraged us to have as much as we wanted. I switched to the Michael Lynch sauvignon blanc, a very nice choice.
Next up was a nice salad. I liked the combination of sweet pears and savory olives. I went with the vinaigrette dressing.
My friend chose the roasted chicken and gave it good marks.
I decided to live dangerously and have the cioppino (I had it one on a UA flight HKG-SFO and it made me VERY sick); it turned out to be delicious.
The fish, scallops, shrimp and squid were all nice and fresh, and the broth had a nice, slightly-spicy flavor.
Soon the cheese cart was on the move. I was pretty full so I passed (there were some leftovers on offer later in the galley, so I didn’t miss out entirely).
Now that’s the cart I was waiting for: sundaes! A nice treat, beautifully presented. My friend loves caramel so he had a large portion.
While I had hot fudge, along with nuts, whipped cream and a glass of port. Perfect.
The ice cream was perfectly softened, a nice touch.
(Part II follows.)
757-200, N17133
10:25 a.m. (gate 145) – 1:25 p.m. (gate B60)
2E, 2F (Business Class)
Lunch, Snack
Boarding was pretty orderly; soon we were checking out the 16-seat BusinessFirst cabin. I’d been skeptical, but the seat, food and service were outstanding on this flight! That flight attendant pictured was a gem; friendly and hard-working.
Pre-departure sparkling wine, slightly less attractive in its plastic cup.
What’s that good-looking plane over there? Oh, it’s us!
Nice, large video screens; lots of choices on-demand.
But this is my favorite program!
Storage was better than UA’s new business class; power, the headphone jack and a USB port were between the seats.
The aisle was a bit narrow, but the seats themselves were wide and comfortable (and fully-flat, a great feature).
Menus were distributed prior to takeoff:
TO BEGIN
Warm Appetizer
Basil crayfish soup, vegetable mushroom purse and chicken skewer with chile sauce
Fresh Seasonal Greens
Roasted tomatoes, Kalamata olives, mini pear and walnuts with your choice of passion fruit dressing or balsamic vinaigrette.
MAIN COURSE
Pan-seared Lamb Steak
Potatoes au gratin, fine green beans and mixed vegetables with balsamic vinegar
Roasted Breast of Chicken
Coconut chile sauce, carrot bâtons, baby bok choy and basmati rice with lentils
San Francisco-style Cioppino
Stew of seared cod, scallops and shrimp in a savory sauce with roasted vegetables, potatoes and calamari
Ricotta and Parmesan Cheese filled Rolled Pasta
Marinara sauce, basil and grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
TO FINISH
International Cheese Selection
Grapes and crackers served with Vista Alegre LBV Port
Dessert
Ice cream with your choice of toppings or petite pastries
MID-FLIGHT SNACK
Light snacks are available at any time following the main meal service
Please help yourself or ask your flight attendant for today’s selections
PRIOR TO ARRIVAL
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Cheddar Cheeseburger
Lettuce, tomato, onion and traditional condiments of mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and a pickle garnish
FEATURED CHAMPAGNE AND WINES
Champagne
Heidsieck & Co Monople Blue Top NV 2009/2010
White Wine
Michael Lynch Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc 2010
or
Indaba Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Château Beauregard Ducasse Graves 2010
or
Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay 2010, Carneros
Red Wine
Matiz Joven 2010, Ribera del Duero
or
Grant Burge Barossa Shiraz 2008
Cosentino The Cab 2009, California
Regional Specialty
Quinta de Roiz Reserva 2004
BEVERAGE AND BAR SERVICE
Spirits
ABSOLUT Vodka
Bombay Sapphire Dry Gin
Bacardi Superior Light Rum
The Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch
Dewar’s “White Label” Blended Scotch Whisky
Crown Royal Canadian Whisky
Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey
Jim Beam Black Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Liqueurs and Cognac
Grand Marnier
Courvosier VSOP Fine Champagne Cognac
DISARANNO Amaretto
Baileys Irish Cream
Kahlúa
Beer
Budweiser
Miller Lite
Heineken
Beverages
Assorted Soft Drinks
Bottled Water
Seltzer Water
Tonic Water
Apple Juice
Cranberry-Apple Juice Cocktail
Orange Juice
Tomato Juice
Bloody Mary Mix
Coffee (Regular and Decaffeinated)
Hot Tea
After a fairly quick taxi, we took off to the northeast again, then turned for the Atlantic. Time for a cocktail (gin and tonic) and warm nuts. Although UA and CO are more and more merged, service was pre-merger CO Business First all the way, and quite impressive.
Two kinds of almonds and cashews. No walnuts, thanks!
“You had me at pretzel roll.”
Appetizers were served from the cart, a nice touch. This felt to me like what flying on a 707 or DC-8 must have back during the ‘60s. Very nice!
Of course I had to try all three. I even had seconds on the chicken skewer. The crew was charming and gracious, and encouraged us to have as much as we wanted. I switched to the Michael Lynch sauvignon blanc, a very nice choice.
Next up was a nice salad. I liked the combination of sweet pears and savory olives. I went with the vinaigrette dressing.
My friend chose the roasted chicken and gave it good marks.
I decided to live dangerously and have the cioppino (I had it one on a UA flight HKG-SFO and it made me VERY sick); it turned out to be delicious.
The fish, scallops, shrimp and squid were all nice and fresh, and the broth had a nice, slightly-spicy flavor.
Soon the cheese cart was on the move. I was pretty full so I passed (there were some leftovers on offer later in the galley, so I didn’t miss out entirely).
Now that’s the cart I was waiting for: sundaes! A nice treat, beautifully presented. My friend loves caramel so he had a large portion.
While I had hot fudge, along with nuts, whipped cream and a glass of port. Perfect.
The ice cream was perfectly softened, a nice touch.
(Part II follows.)
Last edited by Kurt; Jun 25, 2012 at 9:02 am
Jun 5, 2012, 1:12 pm
#220
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Programs: AS MVP 100K, UA PremEx-MM
Posts: 3,335
(Part II)
I took a stroll to the back; “regular” economy (there was an Economy Plus section, though) looked a little bit tight, but also had video-on-demand.
The darkened after-lunch business cabin. I watched “My Week with Marilyn,” then had a nap of a few hours.
Snacks (chips, cookies, biscotti, bananas) were available in the galley. I was not expecting this on a short (8-hour) transatlantic flight, but it was a nice touch.
AV controller.
And the menu screen. With my snack I watched “Albert Nobbs,” a strange little movie with Glenn Close, but one I ended up enjoying a lot.
About 75 minutes out of Newark, the pre-arrival snack was served. I’m not a huge fan of cheeseburgers, but this was nicely presented and tasted great.
Fruit plate; pineapple, oranges, red grapes and green melon, all pretty fresh and sweet.
A full complement of condiments was on the tray, also.
This chocolate was the rather skimpy dessert; other than that the meal service was top-notch.
Soon, we were on approach to drizzly Newark; we arrived about 20 minutes early. All in all a very nice transatlantic flight. Good job, PMCO!
I took a stroll to the back; “regular” economy (there was an Economy Plus section, though) looked a little bit tight, but also had video-on-demand.
The darkened after-lunch business cabin. I watched “My Week with Marilyn,” then had a nap of a few hours.
Snacks (chips, cookies, biscotti, bananas) were available in the galley. I was not expecting this on a short (8-hour) transatlantic flight, but it was a nice touch.
AV controller.
And the menu screen. With my snack I watched “Albert Nobbs,” a strange little movie with Glenn Close, but one I ended up enjoying a lot.
About 75 minutes out of Newark, the pre-arrival snack was served. I’m not a huge fan of cheeseburgers, but this was nicely presented and tasted great.
Fruit plate; pineapple, oranges, red grapes and green melon, all pretty fresh and sweet.
A full complement of condiments was on the tray, also.
This chocolate was the rather skimpy dessert; other than that the meal service was top-notch.
Soon, we were on approach to drizzly Newark; we arrived about 20 minutes early. All in all a very nice transatlantic flight. Good job, PMCO!
Jun 5, 2012, 1:14 pm
#221
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Alexandria, VA - DCA
Programs: BA Gold, American Airlines, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 5,075
Great pics and detail Kurt... many thanks for this post! ^
Jun 5, 2012, 1:15 pm
#222
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA 1K 25 years/2MM, Honors LT Diamond, AVIS & Hertz Prez Club
Posts: 4,751
Jun 5, 2012, 1:18 pm
#223
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Programs: AS MVP 100K, UA PremEx-MM
Posts: 3,335
I'm glad I got to experience "classic" BusinessFirst before it gets mixed in and diluted with the other products out there. I can see why it had such a good reputation. It is much better than "classic" United Business, and nearly on par with "classic" United First.
Jun 5, 2012, 1:22 pm
#224
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Programs: AS MVP 100K, UA PremEx-MM
Posts: 3,335
This is true; the only thing really wrong with the old UA spring roll was the absence of some sort of meat. Every Vietnamese joint I've been to puts some nice, fat shrimp in theirs.
Jun 5, 2012, 1:32 pm
#225
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Programs: AS MVP 100K, UA PremEx-MM
Posts: 3,335
Here are a couple of other random shots from Lisbon before we boarded our flight to Newark, including a bit of a surprise
May 2, 2012 marked the 15th anniversary of CO (UA) serving Portugal. Free swag! In this case it was a small box of chocolates from UA, and a small luggage lock from the airport authority. These must have been the station manager or maybe some corporate sales people or such.
Why, you’re welcome, UA.
The UA check-in area; I’m sure it’s shared with other airlines as UA only has one departure a day.
And here’s our UA 757, N17133, ready to take us back to the U.S.
Boa viagem!
May 2, 2012 marked the 15th anniversary of CO (UA) serving Portugal. Free swag! In this case it was a small box of chocolates from UA, and a small luggage lock from the airport authority. These must have been the station manager or maybe some corporate sales people or such.
Why, you’re welcome, UA.
The UA check-in area; I’m sure it’s shared with other airlines as UA only has one departure a day.
And here’s our UA 757, N17133, ready to take us back to the U.S.
Boa viagem!