Speaking of nice non-fancy comfort food on CX – they still have the HK-style milk tea (and when cabin crew make this for themselves they add a tea bag, which enhances the flavour), and years ago they had a wonderful duck noodle soup as a 'light snack' in business class.

Many's the time I would be on a daytime SYD-HKG flight after taking a proper breakfast or lunch in the Qantas First Lounge, so I'd just partake of HK milk tea and duck noodle soup several times during the CX flight and then have a proper dinner once I got to Hong Kong.

When you've got a good business class or first class lounge before your flight, and have the chance to eat properly there, then IMHO the last thing you want is to sit down to a multi-course meal on the plane. This is one place where lighter unfussy dishes can shine.