01/20/23: EWR-LAX Dinner

Made into J after an over-extended ground stop that kiboshed my connection into BOS and UA's systems auto-standby-ing me onto two different EWR-LAX flights. Called 1K to apply 20 PP and agent had to pull off the flight I wasn't going to make in order to get the PPs to stick. Inbound flight was finally approved for takeoff and got into EWR 2 hours late. For the EWR-LAX leg, autoassigned 33D and then was promoted to 21F just as boarding started - was onboard and seated in 21F and then got the text that I'd been promoted once more to 5L.

No drinks offered as a late entry into J. Went forward close to door close to point at an already poured orange juice cup as my own self service PDB. Eventually the Purser came by to ask if I wanted dinner and if I wanted chicken + polenta & broccolini or pasta. Went with pasta.

Started with nuts and requested the red:



This flight's version of the pasta dish out of EWR's catering kitchens and onboard heating:


For me, at least, the dish worked since a) these raviolis were properly cooked and b) there was sufficient sauce to provide flavor at altitude.

Asked for my mid-flight snack dish early - went with the cheese and cold cuts (no pics found them, date/time tags were shifted due to EST in airplane mode). Had saved the pretzel bun from dinner (not shown below) so that was a nice change and mini-sandwich versus the standard water crackers (shown):



Service was decent - better from the FA working my aisle versus waiting on the Purser to come back. Had to prompt for my jacket back as they were buttoning up the cabin for final approach into LAX.

David