I'm going to start this one off. I've flown SYD-AUH, AUH-LHR, and will shortly be doing AUH-JFK.

The first flight SYD-AUH I had a very nice onboard chef, but it was her 4th flight (first to Australia) and you could tell she was still new. For instance I ordered two appetisers the Arabic Mezze and the Chicken Roulade, but only got the Arabic Mezze. My fillet was delicious with veal jus and roasted potatoes and asparagus. She also took breakfast orders and as I wanted to be nice I ordered my breakfast a bit before the pre-arrival rush. I ordered the eggs/sausage/rosti and some of the bakery items. I also asked if I could have some of the fruit off another menu item, but it also did not come. The eggs were good, but the presentation wasn't as good as before.

One thing I did notice, and I hope it won't be a trend is that the first class flight attendants just disappear for the majority of the flight and leave the onboard chef the only person you can find if you want something. I didn't think this was very fair, and I had an issue with my inseat power and she couldn't find anyone to help me. She is a qualified chef from a hotel and she shouldn't have to be finding the flight attendants for that kind of job.

I asked her how they do the grill meals, and apparently the food is not frozen but just vacuum packed and refrigerated. THen she puts it into a special device that can cook it at various levels of doneness (except for the fish due to health concerns). She said this job is easier than her job working as a chef in a hotel, and is enjoying it.

The menu for the SYD-AUH is below:

THE GRILLE Beverages

Champagnes:

Bollinger La Grande Annee 2000
Canard-Duchene La Grande Cuvee Charles VII Rose NV ( not a fan)

White Wine

Chassagne Montrachet Le Divin 2007 (good wine, but I still like my chablis!)
Pinto Grigio Putine 2008
Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Red Wine

Chateau Camensac Haut-Medoc 2005
Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Morgenhof Estate Merlot 2006
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir 2009
George Wyndham Founder's Reserve Shiraz 2009

Dessert Wine

Gramps Botrytis Semillon 2008

SYD-AUH "THE GRILLE Fine Dining" Menu

Tasting Menu "Taste of Arabia" selections have a *

A La Carte

Appetisers

Chicken and vegetable roulade
Traditional Arabic mezzo hot and cold Arabian hors d'oeuvres *
Tomato soup panache of spring vegetables *
Cream of artichoke soup red pepper brunoise, double cream with chives

Mains

Pan-Seared salmon and snapper fillets
wilted spinach, roasted peppers and tomatoes linguine with seafood mornay sauce

Roasted lamp shank gahouzi *
aromatic rice, medley of orated vegetables

Lemon and wild mushroom risotto
grilled asparagus spears

from the THE GRILLE

Beef Tenderloin
Rib-eye steak
Rack of lamb
Hammour Fillet
Chicken

Sides

Ratatouille
Asparagus spears
Herb-crusted mushroom caps
Roasted chat potatoes
Creamy mashed potatoes
Steamed rice

Sauces

Bearnaise
Veal reduction
Herb cream sauce
Cafe de Paris butter

Desserts and Digestifs

Cheese

Selection of international cheeses (The onboard chef said that the cheeses were loaded on in Australia and had really good selection unfortunately I was too full to enjoy)

Dessert

Fresh fruits and wild berry coulis

Providore ice cream

Quattro of desserts
warm artichoke and seat feta soufflé, coconut and strawberry sago, white chocolate panacotta, carrot-walnut pets fours

Warm cardamom and rosewater rice pudding *
lemon saffron syrup, diced dates

Pavlova
passion and kiwi fruit, strawberries and whipped cream

Kitchen Anytime

Morning bakery and patisserie basket

Engergiser fruist smoothie

Assortment of cereals
full cream or low fat milk

Breakfast Quattro
muesli, natural yoghurt, citrus wedges, fruit smoothie

Traditional laming ton
double cream

Eggs any way you like
chicken sausage, rosti potato
sauteed mushrooms, grilled tomato

Toasted bagel with sautéed mushrooms

Beef pie
mashed potato, rosemary gravy

Chef's sandwich
with your choice of filling

Cheese
Selection of international cheeses

Nibbles

Potato crisps - selection of flavours
Baked cookies and madeleines
Swedish crisp breads
Arabic baklava