Guide to Flagship First Dining at LAX / Los Angeles
Mar 13, 2019, 10:21 am
#62
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, AA MM, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 122
I ended up with the steak, eggs, frites. The eggs were poached nicely and the short rib was fairly tender. It was almost like a modified eggs Benedict.
Hope this helps a little.
Mar 13, 2019, 11:21 am
#64
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, AA MM, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 122
Mar 13, 2019, 12:08 pm
#65
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 1,664
I have had the pork belly wrap and the pasta and both were good. Some people have complained about the Rib Eye saying it was just ok. This is basically the same menu as I saw in Jan - but one of the apps changed. There was a really good clam app but no longer here.
Mar 13, 2019, 1:36 pm
#66
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
I've visited FFD in LAX four times this year.
The carrot bisque with pineapple is a winner. I've had the Rib Eye twice, and the cut of meat was significantly better than what SFO777 was served during his visit.
Save room for dessert. The persimmon tarte and the bittersweet chocolate mousse are the best offerings inside that restaurant (along with the Bordeaux; the Krug; the Pinot Noir).
The carrot bisque with pineapple is a winner. I've had the Rib Eye twice, and the cut of meat was significantly better than what SFO777 was served during his visit.
Save room for dessert. The persimmon tarte and the bittersweet chocolate mousse are the best offerings inside that restaurant (along with the Bordeaux; the Krug; the Pinot Noir).
Mar 13, 2019, 3:26 pm
#67
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, HHonors Diamond,
Posts: 52
I was there in early February. I was very pleased with all the courses. The salmon app doesn't seem to be on the existing menu.
Salmon appetizer.
Rib eye medium rare, and it was actually medium rare.
The recommended wine selection. Very good!
The bittersweet mousse. Outstanding!
Salmon appetizer.
Rib eye medium rare, and it was actually medium rare.
The recommended wine selection. Very good!
The bittersweet mousse. Outstanding!
Mar 17, 2019, 11:55 pm
#68
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA EXP, HH Gold,MR Gold, Avis CHM
Posts: 2,300
No problem. Here is the all-day dining menu. I asked the nice waiter to bring it over before I left and he was happy to. I’m heading to JFK now but I have an evening LAX-London flight in a couple of weeks so I was eager to see what was on it as well. Your guess is as good as mine on what’s worth ordering though.
Apr 2, 2019, 11:45 pm
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
Stopped here tonight before my LAX-JFK redeye. We're into April and the menu is still the same. According to the FFD staff, HMS takes over in a week. Hopefully the menu will change and food will improve.
Same old, same old..
A glass of the Krug Grande Cuvée to start. As usual, popped and pour behind the bar counter instead of presented and poured at the table. Jeez, where is the training here? Is this how they serve $200 bottles in Tempe?
I started with the Sesame Crusted Yellowfin Tuna. Meh. The rock shrimp and avocado lime salsa was the best part of this otherwise disappointing dish.
For my main, I went with the only safe thing on the menu IMO... the Orechiettte Pasta with house made venison and rapini. Delicious as always, especially with a glass of the outstanding Pagodes de Cos d'Estournel.
For desert, the Fuyu Persimmon Frangipane Tarte was fabulous.
Despite the disappointing menu, First Dining is a wonderful oasis and helps make AA transcon First the best domestic product... after Cathay's JFK-YVR service.
Same old, same old..
A glass of the Krug Grande Cuvée to start. As usual, popped and pour behind the bar counter instead of presented and poured at the table. Jeez, where is the training here? Is this how they serve $200 bottles in Tempe?
I started with the Sesame Crusted Yellowfin Tuna. Meh. The rock shrimp and avocado lime salsa was the best part of this otherwise disappointing dish.
For my main, I went with the only safe thing on the menu IMO... the Orechiettte Pasta with house made venison and rapini. Delicious as always, especially with a glass of the outstanding Pagodes de Cos d'Estournel.
For desert, the Fuyu Persimmon Frangipane Tarte was fabulous.
Despite the disappointing menu, First Dining is a wonderful oasis and helps make AA transcon First the best domestic product... after Cathay's JFK-YVR service.
Apr 3, 2019, 4:30 am
#70
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,755
I had breakfast here a few weeks ago and was unimpressed. Nothing was bad; but nothing stood out in my mind as exceptional, either. Overall I gave it a B-/C+ for a top airline lounge dining experience. Perhaps my expectations were unrealistic; but I expected more given the hype from AA.
Apr 28, 2019, 1:35 pm
#71
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: UK
Programs: Titanium at Marriott & Platinum at American (both Lifetime) + various others
Posts: 86
You say above 'HMS takes over in a week. Hopefully the menu will change and food will improve.'
Forgive me, but I have no idea who HMS are and the status/timing of any change. I'll be flying LAX > LHR in early June and am wondering whether to make time to try Flagship First Dining. Do you think the new folks will be in place by then>
Forgive me, but I have no idea who HMS are and the status/timing of any change. I'll be flying LAX > LHR in early June and am wondering whether to make time to try Flagship First Dining. Do you think the new folks will be in place by then>
Apr 28, 2019, 5:54 pm
#73
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,638
Sorry, can't help you with the changeover date, however, HMSHost, previously known as Host Marriott Services Corporation, holds numerous airport food and retail concessions, operates highway rest stops and food and beverage services at sports arenas and entertainment venues. In 1999, it was acquired by Italian based Autogrill S.p.A.
Apr 28, 2019, 11:23 pm
#74
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,745
I was there on April 9th and was told that was the first day of the changeover.
No changes had been made as of that date.
No changes had been made as of that date.
May 10, 2019, 11:43 am
#75
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
May 8 went to FFD LAX for dinner before flight to HKG, and they had paper napkins instead of cloth. In the grand scheme of problems in the world, not something I'm concerned about. But if this is indicative of other coming cost cuts on the part of HMS, I'm a little worried. May be teething issues with the transition, and I'd rather they cut cloth napkins than food quality, but something to note.
Also, my carrot ginger bisque came out lukewarm to cold. But the miso tofu was delicious and spicy.
Also, my carrot ginger bisque came out lukewarm to cold. But the miso tofu was delicious and spicy.