Filthy Monkey

Thank you I tried the chocolate cylinder on Friday and really liked it, although the 'ice cream' that it comes with isn't great. Stuck with the lamb for main as I'm not a fish fan, but will give the risotto a go this week and also keen to try the beetroot ^

Calchas

Wow the menu has stepped up

Tobias-UK

I thought exactly the same when I first read it.

Fly Baby

But quite wasteful - no one can ever eat a whole one.....

Fly Baby

Good to know - thanks Hugolover!


Clearly not. But there's still time.


Overall it looks like an improvement but I'm disappointed that the brioche has been replaced with beetroot. Never been that keen on pink cheese in all honesty.

Looking forward to some photos...

KARFA

Photos of the new post noon menu in full.

Frequent_Flyer1

As there is currently no dedicated 2015 thread for the CCR menu in JFK, I'll just post it here; I think we did the same for last year, so if there is no objection I'll just add it to the wiki and link to this post? Well, anyhow, as the menu has changed at JFK too and AFAIK nobody posted it here in the recent days, it seems that it's once again my honor to do so

New menu (Jan.15)




And here some photos of my meal so that you get an idea of it:

Starter - Crispy Long Island Duck Pancakes




Italian Wedding Soup




Wagyu Beef Patty on Toasted Brioche




Due to the small portion another Wagyu Beef Patty, but this time with french fries & chicken fingers




Vanilla Bean Cheesecake




Let me just say that I'm not so fond of the new menu I'm afraid to say. The starter is nice but the selection is uninspiring; the main courses are definitely on the smaller side compared to the menu before. According to the lounge manager I spoke with this has been done deliberately. But my biggest complaint is certainly that none of the main courses do come with a proper sidedish. I wouldn't call "chips" a proper replacement Well, that's the reasons why I asked for french fries / chicken fingers from the child menu for my second beef. All in all, the quality of the main course was very good. But the best part of the meal was IMHO the desdert, the cheesecake was truly heavenly!

I would even say comparing both menus, the CCR at LHR has the slight edge based on food currently! But hey, you all knew I would say this as the mushroom risotto is back there! ^

BTW, the catering manager will leave the CCR@JFK by end of February as he will be transferred to another client in Atlanta (hint: large beverage company ). So for all regulars, don't forget to say goodbye to him!

aks120

Filthy Monkey kindly guested me into the CCR on Friday night - and whilst it all ended up as a bit of a blur, I did take some photos of the new food.


Beetroot Three Ways (with Smoked Salmon Tartare in background)


Mushroom Risotto (with Avocado and Bacon Salad in background)

We ordered something of most dishes (in the name of research of course!)

My thoughts:

Beetroot was delicious, Salmon was also tasty.

Plaice was really nice, lamb was popular with Mr Filthy. The salad was a bit disappointing (just not what I was expecting) and the mushroom risotto was not great - it had quite a sharp taste (either raw garlic of something similar) and the cheese crisp was soggy.

Unfortunately, I also had too much champagne and the expresso martinis were lovely (a very nice chap recommended them and I believe they may have been my downfall......) I know who you are......!!!

Hopefully the pictures allow you to see the food from the new menu - I apologise for the quality of them though.......!

Regards

aks120

uk1

Once again a dissapointing visit to CCR and the lounge generally. In summary, a wonderful space but most other things pretty poor.

Specifics.

On the terrace walk-round service seemed rare and so it was serve yourself. When I was asked if I wanted a drink the order was forgotten and not delivered. Most people seemed to wander into the bar and catch a waiter there.

Fairly empty restaurant. Was seated but no one came to take an order. It did seem that eye-contact with anyone passing was judiciously avoided. I asked someone to take the order. No bread or wine was offered so it was requested. No dessert offered so it was requested. No coffee or anything else offered so requetested. I observed others complaining that items ordered hadn't been delivered.

We ordered the lamb. It arrived cold and on a cold plate. I do not understand why they are unable to keep some plates warm for serving. I'd expected the lamb to have at least some pink in it but it was simply cold and grey. As there are no potato as a part of the standard order, we ordered two portions of fries and we were given 5 oven baked chips standing to attention in those little baskets they like. They were also cold. I find it strange that CCR don't fry fries but use oven chips. I just don't expect it. The problem isn't made better by them seemingly to hold them at too low a temperature to (I presume) reduce replenishment needs and wastage and costs. But how expensivce is it to fry chips? So they are cold chewy oven chips. The gravy was the highlight although cold. The sticky toffee pudding was cold and dry and of own-brand supermarket quality. The wine and ice-cream was fine.

To me I think the cold oven chips actually symbolises what is wrong. It really couldn't be any cheaper to fry some chips. What they do is just depressing because it shows that management do not seem to either/and notice or care. This is the international flag-ship lounge of the national carrier and they cannot even fry chips in a landbased kitchen. Even Macdonalds can manage that. This picture makes the meat look pinker than it was.

I got the impression that few of the staff had any restaurant or bar service experience at all let alone at the level you might expect BA to employ in this lounge. They felt like contractors. I think the lounge serves as possibly an adequate esacape for regular travellers and routine visitors who might go to the lounge and who might simply not expect or need much other than a decent space away from the crowds, but it isn't what I'd call a "First Class Experience" by any remote stretch of imagination. I'm sort of dissapointed and a touch "ashamed" as I consider this the flagship lounge on our national carriers home base. I only visit three times a year, but none of those visits over the last few years has been what I'd call reasonable for what one should reasonably expect. They might take a look at the Qantas Sydney Lounge which might have it's ups or downs but at least they cook to order and have found someone with the skill to fry chips and the youngsters are keen to serve and always have a smile.

The food and service on the flight was also sub-par although again, the hardware, a nice shiney 380 was great. Even a small request like asking to have breakfast stuff removed was sternly refused "until we have served all other passengers their breakfast first". CC just didn't seem that bothered or enthused. Loved the extra space though overr 744 and 777

KARFA

Lounge dining wikis now in the process of being updated to reflect new 2015 thread. CCR and GF wikis done, others will be done over the next 24 hrs.

Filthy Monkey

I blame you fully for it!

layz

They're not allowed to. All the restaurants in the terminal have to follow the same rules.

I'm not sure the exact list of cooking methods HAL banned but after Burger King flame grilled T1 they banned methods of cooking that had increased risks of fire.

scillyisles

Thank you for an accurate assessment and report which I would agree with 100% and which matches my numerous visits to CCR.
I wonder if we have 2 CCRs at T5 and you and I and other posters who post about their poor experience are visiting the wrong CCR. A more likely explanation might actually be hinted at in the post by aks120 above - I get the impression that quite a lot of posters go into the CCR to drink as much as possible and once you have had a few drinks, it dulls the senses, lowers one's standards and blurs the memory.

KARFA

I don't disagree or wish to dismiss the real issues that you and uk1 raise. However, since at least some of the posters who do post are teetotal I don't think your theory really has any basis. Also I think having a drink or two is not really the same as trying to drink as much as possible - I don't think I have ever seen anyone try to do the latter in the CCR.

Tobias-UK

I was in the CCR Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The staff were charming and efficient, the food served timely and at the correct temperature - lamb, risotto and breakfast.

On both days I met up with FlyerTalkers who both reported similar experiences.

It's rather strange, n'it?

P.S. I only had 2 alcoholic drinks on each visit.