I dug up several photos of BR transpac J meals in my archives. I understand that food photos are some sort of modern-day Rorschach test, so my commentary can well be totally different than how others see them. And even though I don't feel that I need to repeat myself, I will: BR offers an overall better J product than UA. I just don't think that inflight catering is BR's forte.


Pan-fried halibut with capers, raisins, and hazelnuts -- Despite the fancy concept, the fish tasted like trail mix sprinkled on top of cardboard.


Congee (Breakfast) -- Nothing spectacular, but a peeve of mine about UA is that it never loads enough congee meals on Greater China flights.


Rice vermicelli with meat sauce, plus fish ball thick soup inside the covered tureen (Midnight meal, ex-TPE) -- The presentation was awkward: too big bowls and plates, and little cohesion among the dishes. This exemplifies my opinion that BR's inflight catering isn't all that impressive.


The thick soup ("geng") was pretty to look at, but it was also pretty bland. People who've eaten this dish on Taiwanese streets and in the night markets would be embarrassed by this.


Ice cream and coffee -- I suspect it's cultural that the Taiwanese tend to think that a black sludge means a superior brew. I've seen enough occurrences of someone pouring perfectly brewed coffee back for a second pass through the same grounds. And that Haagen Dazs in a paper cup just makes you pine for a bowl of sundae with cherry on top instead, doesn't it?