Preordered hindu meal on AA 503 from CLT-SFO last night. Vegetables were very fresh; much better choice than the chicken with vegetables that has become so standard or the really heavy ravioli pasta. Both my seat mate and the person across the aisle asked what it was and how they could get one ("wow that meal looks so much better than mine"). Was very similar to the AVML I had out of Charlotte a few weeks ago, and this one was also vegetarian (but didn't have to be). Had the ice cream sundae in addition to the fruit dessert and was offered bread.
Special meals seem to still be a pretty good call IME