I have never had a bad F meal - au and nz to LHR via DXB. I always save my meals for the plane.
It does get a touch repetitive - the ULH pattern seems to be two very different menus, month to month but each menu only changes 1-2 items before it returns in a months time.
I don’t like caviar, but have an unhealthy fixation with their chocolate fondant !!

You will almost certainly be offered one, and also the tote bag with PJ�s and slippers. If not, just ask. The amenity kit is very nice, but soon you�ll have lots of them. I have a shelf in my wardrobe full of J (mainly) and F kits and my wife implores me to not bring more home! We use the tote bags for shopping when we don�t need to get a lot.
But as it�s your first F flight on EK, you should certainly ask if not offered.

Don’t think anyone has described EK F meals as bad. The initial comparisons made were with the DXB F lounge. Other airlines do seem to have better F catering, but that’s expected as none of them have the F capacity EK do, or the practical problems of a large F operation. The way EK have solved for them makes sense (to me at least), but there is better F catering out there. Personally, all of SQ, JL, QR, AF (when they bother) and EY have better F catering than EK. But EK F catering is not bad: just J catering with an additional main and caviar.

You can ask on the LHR-DXB legs if not provided.
It is a faux leather designer washbag, aftershave / perfume, deodorant, comb / brush, dental pack and shaving kit.

Shorter flights it will be stuff in the toilets already if need shave / toothbrush.
Same items as there available in DXB as are showers.

The washbags are nice giveaways to friends / relatives if don't want them yourself.

Fair point.
But J vs F certainly on my flights - eg. 449 or 417 - it is 3 appetisers to 6 and 3 mains to 5-6 and 1 dessert to 2-3 comparing J to F - not just another choice and caviar!
So a much greater choice and better presentation.
Of your list I have only experienced SQ and SQ do win, but not by much. And EK do leave QF and BA for dead IMO!
But I have a lifetime of institutional food, so my standards and expectations are not great!!

Anyway drifting off topic.
i think you will love it, certainly in comparison to BA!!

Not sure what's expensive in the amenity kit other than the small bottle of cologne. However in my opinion, the most recent cologne in the F amenity kit smells atrocious and too smoky. I feel like I am nauseating the entire cabin with just one spritz after my shower.
I've just been using the other cologne thats in the shower spa recently.
One of the previous Bulgari cologne iterations, I believe it was Tygar, smelled great though.

I am really getting interested in what the OP is going to think of the experience.
On like-for-like flights, it seems a no brainer to choose EK, but if he is (for instance) based in the UK and has regular travel to the (for instance) USA, the route network will (to say it nicely) not be optimal. And (in that case) the EK lounge experience at LHR will be inferior to the Concorde Room (or so I believe, I have never entered that 'hallowed ground' ). Except for the boarding from the lounge benefit of course.
Feedback will be interesting!

The most recent one I got (it says le Gemme and Kobraa and it was in October) is very strong. You can sort of smell it through the glass. But I quite like it.

yeah got Le Gemme and Gyan this time

Also there's the Bulgari body lotion, lip balm and other gubbins besides.

The Do&Co BA F catering from LHR these days is better than the Concorde Room food to me (as long as you don’t get brunch in the afternoon, of course). Granted, outstation BA F catering can be very, very poor too, particularly given lots of it comes from US airports.

I would say EK F catering from DXB is about on par with BA from LHR other than the addition of caviar. EK outstation catering is better than BA outstation on average IMO, but that might be because I don’t fly EK from the US.

Will be sure to report back!

Haha yes I was averaging odd and even numbered BA flights - since 50% of them have relatively poor catering e.g. from the US.

A quick question on this --

I am flying into Dubai via EK2 in First, and then connecting onto a flight going to India, but on the day after. This onwards flight is in business. I will be spending the night in a hotel and then coming back to the airport.
Will I get access to the first class lounge in this case? Both flights are on the same booking, but First was not available on the connecting flight. The fare is First Flex.

Having done both the CCR and EK F lounges in A, B and C, I beg to differ. The EK lounges are far better than the CCR IMO.

I've done the CCR 8-10 times, and it's never been a great experience (granted, my experiences are from 10 years ago). The service in the restaurant area was always terrible - we used to predict what would be forgotten from the order. And the food was generally luke warm at best, stone cold at worst. The quality and choice is also far inferior to the EK F lounge.

Trying to get any service on the CCR terrace was always a challenge. The staff actively avoid eye contact, so it's difficult to place an order. The regulars on the BA forum insist that you should just go to the bar area to get served - but you then get in a queue of people waiting for cocktails.

Yes, that�s a �typical� case which would give you access to the F lounges.
I have no personal experience with this scenario so I don�t know how it physically works but the lounge attendant will undoubtedly be able to look at the fare and let you in.