Spent 7 hours here a few days ago on a long layover, enough time for 2 meals. Same menu as post #416.

Lunch: ordered Tuscan soup, the burger and Mary's chicken breast. The former was good. The latter was quite spicy for this moderate spicy eater. Both entrees were mediocre. For dessert, got the pie and the cookie with ice cream. The former felt like it was straight out of a Walmart package, while I enjoyed the latter.

Dinner: ordered Tuscan soup again and the other 2 entrees: vegetarian ravioli and fish & chips. They were maybe slightly better than lunch, but not enough to be considered good to me. For dessert, got the cookie with ice cream again and blackberry cobbler. The cobbler was ok. Finished with a pastrami sandwich in the buffet; by then I was pretty full, but still it was perhaps the best food item of this visit.

Overall impression:

• a la carte dining was a disappointment. Food was generally mediocre. Some comparisons:
  • As far as US lounges go, food is about as good as it gets (the bar is pretty low). The only better food that comes to mind is Flagship LAX buffet last spring.
  • Internationally, I've had better tasting food, e.g. SQ J lounge in SIN. Even some Plaza Premium lounges.
  • I've had better food at Priority Pass restaurants.
  • The braised short ribs on my Polaris flight was far superior. And I've had lots of better food in flights from JAL, CX, QR, EVA, etc.
  • Cheap food in Vietnam on this trip blows this away.
  • The all-inclusive food at Ventana Big Sur was far superior (in 2021).
• I'm not a drinker, but the most premium drinks at the bar seem to be Lagavulin 16 years and Macallan.
• Service was great except for one cardboard dining attendant
• Lounge was empty on arrival in the mid afternoon. By late afternoon, it was packed. Around 7:30, all tables in the dining room were filled, with a few tables in the main lounge left.
• I sat in one of the ~12 large sofas that are especially comfortable for relaxing or work.