lagunas2k

Had the stuffed spinach and cheese chicken breast on a dinner flight from SNA>ORD. It was delicious. Probably best meal of 2014 so far.

AANYC1981

Thanks....I have that option in J on a red eye LAX-JFK so will be sure to get that.

MrAndy1369

Was this a Basic Plus-catered flight (shrimp appetizer, ice-cream sludges for dessert)?

MAH4546

Same exact menu as MIA-LAX. It is "flagship" service to the extent that AA has an identical soft product on every trans-con (plus DFW-ANC).

mialink

2.5 weeks out and the dinner menu for OGG/DFW finally comes out: wasabi salmon (with asparagus) or spinach ravioli (with Gouda cream sauce). Looks like someone above liked the ravioli, anyone had the salmon yet?

dan1431

From reading this thread and the previous 2013 thread it appears that there area few different levels of catering out there, sort of like CO in the old days.

As best I can tell there are at least four levels of domestic (including central America and Mexico City) catering.

1. Basic
2. Basic Plus
3. Transcon
4. Basic Plus Plus (for lack of a better word)

So, if my understanding is accurate Basic Plus Plus (that Central America/Northern South America) is essentially Basic Plus but always having two hot entrees for both Lunch/Dinner and either a piece of cake or some sort of Ice Cream (have been referred to as "sludge") for Desert.

Is this correct?

Thanks,
Dan

davesam12

Yes, many times. The Wasabi Salmon with Asparagus/Orzo pasta has been a "Sam Choy" entree rotation on AA's HFS for years now. I like salmon - but it's a roll of the dice depending on preparation that day/flight. I've had it moist and delicious. And also, dried out and fishy smelling where I couldn't stomach more than a bite or two. The pasta choices are pretty consistent. Good luck! Aloha!

CMK10

I don't think so. Observe this dinner picture from MGA-MIA last December. Dessert was just a piece of chocolate. A really good piece of chocolate, but still, not a sundae.

MrAndy1369

Looks more like Basic-only service. Basic Plus service would also consist of the shrimp appetizer.

cyber1k

Just experienced the Turkey Bacon Quiche which could be renamed Egg Mayonnaise Hockey Puck Pot Pie complimented with Turkey Bacon Flavoring.

Extremely unhealthy. Hardly any eggs. Side dish of fruit also smaller and has dropped in freshness and quality.

The guy across the aisle from me had the oatmeal. At least it looked like its name, but a little uninspired in size and presentation. I would think about bringing some real food with you instead.

These transcon breakfast menu enhancements are most certainly downgrAAdes and cost reductions. It's a glaring miss when juxtaposed with such a beautiful new A321T aircraft and pro flight crew.

dan1431

I believe it is a piece of cake or Ice Cream depending (on what I am not sure) but Ice Cream does seem to be a potential option.

I wonder if AA breaks it down even father depending on the destination, my buddy received more extensive (compared to your picture) catering to both BOG and PTY. Could it have to do with competition on the route? I know that CM to PTY always has an appetizer, two hot entree (both usually proteins) and a choice of cake or Ice Cream for desert, while AV to BOG again offers an appetizer and 2-3 hot entrees and cake or some other pastry for desert.

My Father recently flew to PTY and while he did not receive Ice Cream he did receive an appetizer and a piece of cake that he described as approximately the same recipe that NWA used back in the day (he always liked the NWA Chocolate Cake).

Dan

lagunas2k

I'm not too versed in the different levels of catering, but yes the appetizer was shrimp cocktail, a salad with caesar dressing and corn. The meal ended with the prescooped "sludge."

MrAndy1369

Yup! Definitely Basic Plus catering.

For domestic midcons, AA offers two tiers of service - Basic and Basic Plus. Basic is found on shorter midcons/regional hops (ORD-DCA/NYC/BOS, for example) - salad, entree, bread, and a dessert of either a cookie or cheesecake/pie served at once. Basic Plus consists of a shrimp cocktail appetizer and salad, entree, then either an ice-cream "sludge" or fudge brownie, along with a fruit and cheese plate as an alternative choice, and is offered on longer routes such as ORD-west coast, DFW-some west coast destinations, among more.

Basic Plus was recently eliminated on a few key routes (DFW-LAX, DFW-PHL, and a recent report indicated DFW-LGA as well), so we're keeping an eye out for Basic Plus - it's reassuring that a recent anecdote supports Basic Plus still being offered on some of the longer midcons, such as your ORD-SNA route. ^

hugolover

For LAX-JFK in F on 321T I have:

Turkey Bacon and Herbed Cream Cheese Omelette
Served with seasoned potatoes and chicken apple sausage
or
Belgian Waffles with Peach Compote
Served with chicken apple sausage

that's it.

Weirdly for EWR-LAX its missing descriptions:

Mushroom Stroganoff
Served over traditional and spinach spätzle

Grilled Breast of Chicken
Grilled Breast of Chicken

Grilled Fillet of Beef
Grilled Fillet of Beef

I take it it the Beef will be with the potatoes and green beans one?

DeterminedToUpgrade

I chose the steel-cut oatmeal this morning on AA1243, IAD-DFW, and was pretty impressed. It was served with a choice of muffin or biscuit, some dried fruit, and fresh melons. The oatmeal was just the right texture, even after I let it get a little too cold. I was interested to note that about half the cabin seemed to have "old style" napkins and sugar packets and so on and the other half had new designs with the new logo.