CoweyB

I experienced the new Club Europe menu today on day 1 of its operation on a nearly full flight in CE from MLA-LGW. I reckon 30 out of 32 seats are taken.

Nothing special about announcement after take off - the usual "complimentary meal and drinks for those in our Club Europe cabin"

Hot towels offered and collected - the little flannels were the same as always.

The menus came and this was the first sign of change. They are in portrait format now instead of the landscape card that opens up as before so probably cheaper to produce. Food is set out on one side, the bar menu on back. In case I can't upload the photos I took on my mobile these were the selections:

MENU

Starter: smoked salmon with crème fraîche

Main: thyme roasted chicken with leek and mushroom velouté or Spicy corn and paneer masala.

Dessert: light and dark chocolate cheesecake

And

British Coastal cheddar with quince jelly and crackers.

Warm breads

Coffee tea (with herbals and hot choc) on request.

On the other side:

APÉRITIFS AND SPIRITS

Tanqueray
Gordon's
Johnnie Walker Black
Jack Daniels
Smirnoff Blue and Red

Champagne de Castelnau

Selection of wines "please ask your cabin crew for today's offering".

Beers: St Austell, Heineken and Tiger.

Comment: Shame that the Glenlivet Single Malt has gone as has the Otard cognac and the Amstel Light.

Then we had a magazine run which I don't remember happening before though not much of a take up.

The drinks trolley then came round with Big Bottles including the wines and the Castelnau. There were two reds and two whites.

1C had champagne and a second bottle was put on the trolley.

The reds were a Pez de Rio Merlot and a La Cacciatora Syrah.

The whites were a Pez de Rio Sauvignon Blanc and a La Musa Pinot Grigio.

All screw tops.

The first bottle of Champagne ran out by row 4 and they opened new one for me. We got Out of Africa nuts and I ordered an orange juice as well - drumroll - yes the glasses were bigger, the next size up I would say. I made a Buck's Fizz and was grateful at least it wasn't Monopole...

The FA then went round and takes the orders for the main course. I'm going for the paneer masala but there is a run on the chicken in rows 1 - 4 and it's apologies for rows 6-8 there is only the curry left.

Lunch was then served along with a second drinks run.

The first big change is that the tray (now square) contains only your starter, dessert and cheese. You are handed your cutlery in a napkin separately and the main comes later.

The taste test:

The starter - 9 out of 10. Three slices of smoked salmon with a beautiful crème fraîche, lemon and a sprig of flat leaf parsley.

The main - 8 of 10. The rice had crusted slightly round the edges but the curry was still spicy and tasty. And a good portion size too.

The cheesecake - 9 out of 10. Not really a cheesecake but it had great depth of flavour to it I have had so many bland ones on BA before.

The cheese - 8 out of 10 the cheddar was very tasty - mature and tangy but the two water biscuits had gone a bit soggy through exposure to air otherwise I would have scored it a 9. I think they will need to wrap the crackers up again.

Meal trays were collected and teas and coffee offered along with drinks again - but the champagne bottle had been removed perhaps to manage expectations.

Interestingly 2 bottles = 8 quarter bottles which was the number served on the outbound flight before the FA announced that they had run out.

I then had a coffee in a proper mug and asked for a Jonnie Walkers with ice.

Overall verdict: this was a very pleasant 4 course meal and my only real criticism was the two slightly soggy crackers. It certain doesn't match the quality - or quantity - of a meal on TK from IST to LGW but it is much, much better than what went before.

This is my last paying fare with BA although I have three avios flights to BCN, BHD and EDI later in the year. I have decided not to maintain my status so will slip to Bronze later in the year. My loyalty has switched to *A and I got a status match with TK to the level that gets lounge entry and their product matches my needs much better.