Cambodia April 2012 - Asiana Airlines 202 First Class (ICN-LAX) - Continued
A lovely tablecloth was laid out, and the amuse-bouche course was served, featuring a beef bar with truffle and balsamico sauce. I'm not a huge fan of olives, but it actually tasted great mixed with the beef and truffle balsamic jelly. Afterwards, the table was fully prepared with everything perfectly laid out, topped with a nice red rose. I was amazed at how exact every single item was set. The flight attendant would literally adjust each piece by millimeters to make sure their placement was perfect. It was almost like watching a person suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder at work.
The caviar course was next, and I loved how it was served in its own beautiful sealed container, along with a mother of pearl spoon. This was only my second time trying caviar, and it was just as delicious as I remembered it. The courses continued to roll out, one after another, with the king crab and scallop next, followed by the sweet potato soup with chestnut chips, followed by the spinach salad in Italian dressing. I simply couldn't believe I had only gone through the appetizers by then, as I was already verging on being full.
There was no time for rest, however, as the first main course was already served up. The sepia (squid ink) risotto with grilled abalone was ridiculously good. In fact, I don't think I've ever had risotto that good in my life. I probably would have licked the plate clean if the flight attendant wasn't so quick to remove it. The second main course featured a Wagyu tenderloin in peppercorn sauce, and it was cooked perfectly medium-rare and simply delicious.
By then, I was ready to explode, but there was still the cheese and fruit course to power through, along with the chocolate cake for dessert. I suppose dessert was my only disappointment, as I don't particularly enjoy chocolate (especially those of the dense variety). But for those who are chocoholics, it probably would have been heaven on a platter. Finally, some green tea and petit fours capped off this epic feast in the sky.
Needless to say, this meal could have rivaled many Michelin-starred restaurants on the ground. I was simply blown away by how inspiring "airline food" can truly be. But beyond that, the service aspect was just impeccable. I have to say, watching the flight attendants in action for nearly two hours was performance art in itself. They were so good at detecting the exact moment a plate was finished, and would immediately appear to clear the table and prepare for the next course. It was almost uncanny. But before moving anything, they would always ask if I was ready, and if the course I had just finished was to my liking.
After everything had been cleared, I went to the lavatory to change into my pajamas. While there was nothing special about the lavatory itself, there were some nice skincare products from Biotherm and L'Occitane for passenger use. When I returned, I decided to put the seat into lounge mode and pulled out the Bose noise-cancelling headphones to watch a few TV shows on the AVOD system before requesting turn-down service.
The flight attendant immediately prepared the bed, laying out a nicely-padded mattress and soft comforter. While the bed wasn't as wide as those found on Cathay Pacific or Singapore Airlines, it was still very comfortable. Amazingly, after placing a bottle of water next to me and making sure I didn't need anything else, the flight attendant actually
tucked me into bed, pulling the sheets snugly around me and wishing me a good night's rest. Honestly, I had never felt so pampered in my life... it was almost a little awkward.
I slept soundly for a good five hours, and by the time I woke up, we only had about two hours left of the flight. The clanking of breakfast preparation had already began, and strangely, despite stuffing my face just a few hours before, I was actually feeling slightly hungry.
