NRT ANA NH Business Lounge: Shower, Fresh made Vegetarian Food Option? & Restaurants?
#16
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,304
In addition to oatmeal, you might want to buy some fruit and nuts at NRT to help tide you over. It looks like you can also bring personal amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables through SIN so you could consume that right after landing at NRT. Are mostly raw foods considered as freshly prepared? Not sure fruit and veg make it pass the NRT transit security checkpoint though that's usually a function of customs? http://www.ava.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/D...ure_210510.pdf
Can you eat more while in SIN and SJC? You shouldn't have an issue meeting your dietary needs around SJC area thanks to many Indian restaurants which are well versed with different types of vegetarians. Perhaps search those out and make that the first stop after arrival?
Can you eat more while in SIN and SJC? You shouldn't have an issue meeting your dietary needs around SJC area thanks to many Indian restaurants which are well versed with different types of vegetarians. Perhaps search those out and make that the first stop after arrival?
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BOM, Ex-TX/ CA
Programs: Ex CO/ UA Gold, Hotels.. TBD
Posts: 734
Sorry I've been up late packing bags. And huge huge thanks to all. FT and all FTers are the best
Here's the time:
I am carrying some Oatmeal and Similar stuff. I will read through all of the suggestions above and make notes. Too late in BOM, got to sleep
Here's the time:
Arrive:
4:10 p.m.
Tue., Nov. 12, 2013
Tokyo, Japan (NRT - Narita)
Flight Time:
6 hr 45 mn
Flight: NH112
Operated by ANA All Nippon Airways.
Aircraft: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
Fare Class: Business (I)
Meal: None
Change Planes. Connect time in Tokyo, Japan (NRT - Narita) is 1 hr 25 mn.
Depart:
5:35 p.m.
Tue., Nov. 12, 2013
Tokyo, Japan (NRT - Narita)
4:10 p.m.
Tue., Nov. 12, 2013
Tokyo, Japan (NRT - Narita)
Flight Time:
6 hr 45 mn
Flight: NH112
Operated by ANA All Nippon Airways.
Aircraft: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
Fare Class: Business (I)
Meal: None
Change Planes. Connect time in Tokyo, Japan (NRT - Narita) is 1 hr 25 mn.
Depart:
5:35 p.m.
Tue., Nov. 12, 2013
Tokyo, Japan (NRT - Narita)
#18
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
Programs: LH SEN** HH Diamond
Posts: 29,517
In addition to oatmeal, you might want to buy some fruit and nuts at NRT to help tide you over. It looks like you can also bring personal amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables through SIN so you could consume that right after landing at NRT. Are mostly raw foods considered as freshly prepared? Not sure fruit and veg make it pass the NRT transit security checkpoint though that's usually a function of customs? http://www.ava.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/D...ure_210510.pdf
http://www.maff.go.jp/pps/j/guidance...eaflet_en4.pdf
Not sure how quarantine will work since the OP is in transit at NRT. The OP might be able to buy nuts but there won't be any chance to buy fresh fruits during the layover in NRT.
Can you eat more while in SIN and SJC? You shouldn't have an issue meeting your dietary needs around SJC area thanks to many Indian restaurants which are well versed with different types of vegetarians. Perhaps search those out and make that the first stop after arrival?
#19
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: United
Posts: 256
I wonder if there is such a thing as an employee or airline worker cafeteria within NRT. After all, the hundreds if not thousands of daily workers at the airport have to eat somewhere cheaply, and cheap might ironically suggest cooked from raw, bulk, fresh ingredients compared to the pricier processed menus for transiting passengers.
Only thinking of this because I recall a thread on folks discovering the "employee cafeteria" at HNL airport down an obscure corridor, but it happens to be within the secure area and allowable for non-airport staff to access, and apparently cheap and decent local food to boot...
Only thinking of this because I recall a thread on folks discovering the "employee cafeteria" at HNL airport down an obscure corridor, but it happens to be within the secure area and allowable for non-airport staff to access, and apparently cheap and decent local food to boot...
#20
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: AA 1.6MM EXP; UA GS; SPG LTG,Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,477
OP - as a South Indian I can sympathize with your plight; but you are no doubt aware that fresh food is going to be very hard to come by in any airport - not impossible but hard. My suggestion is that you evaluate really how fresh the food has to be.
As an aside, asking about south indian food in NRT is equivalent to asking about sashimi in MAA. A very, very long shot. I would be doubtful even if I found something that purported to be that in NRT.
As an aside, I know the NH lounge (at least one of them) has a noodle bar. So the question is are any of the broths they use actually vegetarian, and can they whip up something vegetarian for OP? I personally really liked their offerings but then again I have no restrictions on animal products or processed foods...
As an aside, asking about south indian food in NRT is equivalent to asking about sashimi in MAA. A very, very long shot. I would be doubtful even if I found something that purported to be that in NRT.
As an aside, I know the NH lounge (at least one of them) has a noodle bar. So the question is are any of the broths they use actually vegetarian, and can they whip up something vegetarian for OP? I personally really liked their offerings but then again I have no restrictions on animal products or processed foods...
#21
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Beantown! (BOS)
Programs: AA PtPro (2 MM); Hilton Diamond; Hertz President Cr; DL SkyMiles; UA MileagePlus
Posts: 3,440
I do not know how vegans treat dried kelp, but soba/udon soup or miso soup is not necessary vegan. My understanding is that there are different definitions for vegitarian so I will leave it to individual needs.
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,408
As an aside, I know the NH lounge (at least one of them) has a noodle bar. So the question is are any of the broths they use actually vegetarian, and can they whip up something vegetarian for OP? I personally really liked their offerings but then again I have no restrictions on animal products or processed foods...
Usually I would suggest plain udon and soy sauce for a vegetarian but I'm not sure if the OP will eat soy sauce, let alone miso (both are fermented food stuffs)
#23
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: SUV
Programs: UA *G MM
Posts: 7,018
The ANA lounge doesn't have very good food.
However, they have small sandwiches. The only edible type is vegetarian. Tomato and other greens, I think.
The noodle bar now has a Japanese curry. I tried some just for the hell of it. Not very good but it was vegetarian or maybe the meat was missing from my sampling.
However, they have small sandwiches. The only edible type is vegetarian. Tomato and other greens, I think.
The noodle bar now has a Japanese curry. I tried some just for the hell of it. Not very good but it was vegetarian or maybe the meat was missing from my sampling.
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,408
Not vegetarian and heavily processed.
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BOM, Ex-TX/ CA
Programs: Ex CO/ UA Gold, Hotels.. TBD
Posts: 734
Thank you all for such detailed and brilliant inputs. I read some of this before flying but was wondering how to communicate with them and ask.
I found this lovely post (2 posts) with translations and had one of the noodle bowls with help from the TRANSLATION sticker on this blog.
http://veganmiam.com/airports-and-lo...satellite-no-5
Now, whether or not the broth/ stock had some kind of dried animal/ fish sources, I am not really sure. The staff seemed to understand and followed the tips/ instructions from the Vegan Mami blog.
I did carry some food from BOM and had it at airport. I figured carrying any more would make it unfresh so had some oatmeal on hand.
Luckily the common "Business Class" lounge at SIN had really nice hot south indian food. Filled myself up with that, some fruit and yogurt as well.
High circulation and huge lounge with lot of people. Here there was a quick GATE security but its safer as you are closer to the plane and airline staff see you are there.
At NRT, I barely had 1hr 20 min and lost some time at the transit security check. I hate this IN-TRANSIT security that airports are practicing, especially not even closer to the gate.
With this lost time I rushed to ANA lounge and got a pager from the shower area section for when one opens up. Then go to the other side where the food & lounging options exist. This place was packed.. and I used vegan mami's translation to try some noodle bowl (hoping it was safe).
In the middle of that got paged and ran to shower area, quick shower, came back and my table and bowl was intact and finished it.
Grabbed 1-2 small pieces of the veg sandwich (showed staff translation). And pretty much rushed to flight to SJC at gate E51 and was pretty much one of the last people to board.
SJC was a breeze of an airport to clear through immigration/ customs etc.
I'd love to know if we can hack into finding these Employee/ Staff food places
I am not south indian but those foods are usually freshly prepared and lighter on the digestive system instead of re-heated mughalai / paneer related curries.
I am making note of all this for any future transits through NRT or Japan.
I had some nuts as well while I was on land at the airports.
Because I am not coming from Tokyo but have 2 flight segments before Tokyo -BOM and SIN.
I am going to make a note of this with regard to contacting ANA lounge ahead of time and asking them.
There is a lot to be learnt about the above subject as I go forward.
I found this lovely post (2 posts) with translations and had one of the noodle bowls with help from the TRANSLATION sticker on this blog.
http://veganmiam.com/airports-and-lo...satellite-no-5
Now, whether or not the broth/ stock had some kind of dried animal/ fish sources, I am not really sure. The staff seemed to understand and followed the tips/ instructions from the Vegan Mami blog.
I did carry some food from BOM and had it at airport. I figured carrying any more would make it unfresh so had some oatmeal on hand.
Luckily the common "Business Class" lounge at SIN had really nice hot south indian food. Filled myself up with that, some fruit and yogurt as well.
High circulation and huge lounge with lot of people. Here there was a quick GATE security but its safer as you are closer to the plane and airline staff see you are there.
At NRT, I barely had 1hr 20 min and lost some time at the transit security check. I hate this IN-TRANSIT security that airports are practicing, especially not even closer to the gate.
With this lost time I rushed to ANA lounge and got a pager from the shower area section for when one opens up. Then go to the other side where the food & lounging options exist. This place was packed.. and I used vegan mami's translation to try some noodle bowl (hoping it was safe).
In the middle of that got paged and ran to shower area, quick shower, came back and my table and bowl was intact and finished it.
Grabbed 1-2 small pieces of the veg sandwich (showed staff translation). And pretty much rushed to flight to SJC at gate E51 and was pretty much one of the last people to board.
SJC was a breeze of an airport to clear through immigration/ customs etc.
I wonder if there is such a thing as an employee or airline worker cafeteria within NRT. After all, the hundreds if not thousands of daily workers at the airport have to eat somewhere cheaply, and cheap might ironically suggest cooked from raw, bulk, fresh ingredients compared to the pricier processed menus for transiting passengers.
Only thinking of this because I recall a thread on folks discovering the "employee cafeteria" at HNL airport down an obscure corridor, but it happens to be within the secure area and allowable for non-airport staff to access, and apparently cheap and decent local food to boot...
Only thinking of this because I recall a thread on folks discovering the "employee cafeteria" at HNL airport down an obscure corridor, but it happens to be within the secure area and allowable for non-airport staff to access, and apparently cheap and decent local food to boot...
OP - as a South Indian I can sympathize with your plight; but you are no doubt aware that fresh food is going to be very hard to come by in any airport - not impossible but hard. My suggestion is that you evaluate really how fresh the food has to be.
As an aside, asking about south indian food in NRT is equivalent to asking about sashimi in MAA. A very, very long shot. I would be doubtful even if I found something that purported to be that in NRT.
As an aside, I know the NH lounge (at least one of them) has a noodle bar. So the question is are any of the broths they use actually vegetarian, and can they whip up something vegetarian for OP? I personally really liked their offerings but then again I have no restrictions on animal products or processed foods...
As an aside, asking about south indian food in NRT is equivalent to asking about sashimi in MAA. A very, very long shot. I would be doubtful even if I found something that purported to be that in NRT.
As an aside, I know the NH lounge (at least one of them) has a noodle bar. So the question is are any of the broths they use actually vegetarian, and can they whip up something vegetarian for OP? I personally really liked their offerings but then again I have no restrictions on animal products or processed foods...
It's been some time since I visited the ANA lounges at NRT but I don't believe you will have any problems acquiring hot water.
The other food they offered there was udon, and this is made with refined white flour, salt and water.
Udon is never "freshly prepared" as even in the places where it is made by hand the flour, water and salt is kneaded and stepped on the day before - then cooked just before serving. At an airport lounge I have no idea what the provenance of the noodles would be, dried or semi dried, nor what else is added to the basic flour, salt and water ingredients to aid in the transportation, increase their shelf life etc.
Even standard soy sauce seems outside of the foods you should be eating chart.
Buckwheat noodles (soba) SHOULD be an option but it is highly unlikely that you will find somewhere in the airport offering 100% soba, a high percentage of refined white flour will feature amongst the ingredients
If I was in your shoes, I would hunt out some seasonings and foods that I could take with me (a home made furikake for instance) and hunt out freshly made rice at the airport.
The ANA lounge should have it, but the rice it will rely on chance.
Nobody should serve rice that has been sitting around for more than 8 hours.
Avoid sushi rice and go for standard white (or brown if you are lucky... Not impossible but haven't yet stumbled on this option). Sushi rice, at its simplest, is seasoned with vinegar, salt, sugar and, often, kombu seaweed. Sometimes fish is added, sometimes a commercial seasoning is added with many more ingredients, some fishy.
Amongst all the restaurants airside someone somewhere will have just cooked a batch of the standard white rice within two hours and will be willing to serve it to you. Avoid fried rice as this is best done with "older" rice cooked some time ago.
You haven't said which time you are landing. That will have an impact on this topic.
Try the ANA lounges first, you may get lucky. Rice with green tea (perhaps with a generous addition of crushed and flaked dried nori seaweed) sounds like a slightly better meal than instant porridge made with hot water.
Dried nori will be available from lots of airside shops, ensure it has no fish, most do not. Not sure if nori qualifies as food or seasoning in your diet. Tea might also be considered a dry food and is out of bounds for you.
Umeboshi in that green tea rice soup with nori would be my preference but you've made it clear that tsukemono (Japanese preserved and/or pickled vegetables) are out of the equation.
Vegetable tempura will have been freshly prepared, XXXXXXXXXXXX (segment vanished - please see below) XXXXXXXXXXXX but is made with commercially prepared and then dried breadcrumbs.
I guess it won't do any harm to ask if they can prepare those same vegetables simply and let you eat them with rice. For this I would personally enquire somewhere offering the Japanese style Chinese options as they are more geared to flash frying things like carrots and bean sprouts.
There is usually a place at the airport offering crepes, they'll have fresh fruit. Whether they will serve fruit to you without the wheat pancakes, cream and sugar... Again, you can only ask. Check the lounges for fruit first.
The other food they offered there was udon, and this is made with refined white flour, salt and water.
Udon is never "freshly prepared" as even in the places where it is made by hand the flour, water and salt is kneaded and stepped on the day before - then cooked just before serving. At an airport lounge I have no idea what the provenance of the noodles would be, dried or semi dried, nor what else is added to the basic flour, salt and water ingredients to aid in the transportation, increase their shelf life etc.
Even standard soy sauce seems outside of the foods you should be eating chart.
Buckwheat noodles (soba) SHOULD be an option but it is highly unlikely that you will find somewhere in the airport offering 100% soba, a high percentage of refined white flour will feature amongst the ingredients
If I was in your shoes, I would hunt out some seasonings and foods that I could take with me (a home made furikake for instance) and hunt out freshly made rice at the airport.
The ANA lounge should have it, but the rice it will rely on chance.
Nobody should serve rice that has been sitting around for more than 8 hours.
Avoid sushi rice and go for standard white (or brown if you are lucky... Not impossible but haven't yet stumbled on this option). Sushi rice, at its simplest, is seasoned with vinegar, salt, sugar and, often, kombu seaweed. Sometimes fish is added, sometimes a commercial seasoning is added with many more ingredients, some fishy.
Amongst all the restaurants airside someone somewhere will have just cooked a batch of the standard white rice within two hours and will be willing to serve it to you. Avoid fried rice as this is best done with "older" rice cooked some time ago.
You haven't said which time you are landing. That will have an impact on this topic.
Try the ANA lounges first, you may get lucky. Rice with green tea (perhaps with a generous addition of crushed and flaked dried nori seaweed) sounds like a slightly better meal than instant porridge made with hot water.
Dried nori will be available from lots of airside shops, ensure it has no fish, most do not. Not sure if nori qualifies as food or seasoning in your diet. Tea might also be considered a dry food and is out of bounds for you.
Umeboshi in that green tea rice soup with nori would be my preference but you've made it clear that tsukemono (Japanese preserved and/or pickled vegetables) are out of the equation.
Vegetable tempura will have been freshly prepared, XXXXXXXXXXXX (segment vanished - please see below) XXXXXXXXXXXX but is made with commercially prepared and then dried breadcrumbs.
I guess it won't do any harm to ask if they can prepare those same vegetables simply and let you eat them with rice. For this I would personally enquire somewhere offering the Japanese style Chinese options as they are more geared to flash frying things like carrots and bean sprouts.
There is usually a place at the airport offering crepes, they'll have fresh fruit. Whether they will serve fruit to you without the wheat pancakes, cream and sugar... Again, you can only ask. Check the lounges for fruit first.
The choice of food outlets in departure/transit areas at NRT is limited and the types of food available to suit the OP's requirements are even more limited. A search on the airport's website finds 10 hits ranging from McDonald's to the sushi restaurant already mentioned and a food court more convenient for NH departure gates.
The ANA lounge usually has onigiri (at least when I've been there) with different toppings and wrapped in nori seaweed.
You may be thinking of "furai" which uses breadcrumbs (but also a small amount of flour and egg).
The ANA lounge usually has onigiri (at least when I've been there) with different toppings and wrapped in nori seaweed.
You may be thinking of "furai" which uses breadcrumbs (but also a small amount of flour and egg).
These are less likely to fall under the "freshly prepared" criteria. Also, can't think of any onigiri with suitable fillings - Okaka has fish, and umeboshi, the usual choice for vegetarians, is preserved apricot/plum
Somehow a whole chunk of what I was writing disappeared. I thought I had gone into a whole thing about certain restaurants offering deep fried foods dipped in tempura batter or egg and breadcrumbs but both options featured refined flour.
Thanks for picking up on this!
Somehow a whole chunk of what I was writing disappeared. I thought I had gone into a whole thing about certain restaurants offering deep fried foods dipped in tempura batter or egg and breadcrumbs but both options featured refined flour.
Thanks for picking up on this!
with the sever limitations you have provided, why are you not preparing your foodstuffs your self, and carrying them into the airport? or purchasing them in tokyo and carrying them to the plane? i have brought in everything but really clear liquids through a lot of tsa type places, and have never been stopped.
i have a number of friends from the indian sub continent, many have unique dietary requirements. they all cook. when we invite them over, they frequently cook the meal for themselves, and the whole party. most often it is the males that cook
i have a number of friends from the indian sub continent, many have unique dietary requirements. they all cook. when we invite them over, they frequently cook the meal for themselves, and the whole party. most often it is the males that cook
OP, I do not practice strict dietary requirement but I am guessing that it is almost impossible to find offering you have outlined at airports in the U.S. I am guessing that most of the time you do need to prepare your own food from home because items which satisfy your dietary requirement is very hard to come by.
I am guessing that it is similar situation at airports outside of the U.S., and NRT is no exception. When it comes to non-medical dietary requirement, such is still practiced by very small number of people in Japan. Most Japanese people do not know anybody in person who practice non-medical dietary requirement. Most Japanese will say Buddhist monks are people who practice such non-medical diet.
When it comes to medical diet, yes, there are such organization which assist or provide food for people with such need in Japan. However, I think it will be almost impossible to make such arrangement while you are at transit area at NRT.
If you are flying NH, then ask NH if it is possible to contact ANA Lounge at NRT prior to your travel. If you manage to get contact with ANA Lounge at NRT prior to travel, then ask if it is possible for them to arrange such items for your transit at NRT.
Maybe alternative is to contact Narita Airport and ask for suggestion, at Contact Narita Airport. You can see from Narita Airport website, they talk about customers with special needs in terms of passengers with physical disability. As I mentioned, non-medical dietary practice is far less common in Japan than in the U.S. You do need to be far more descriptive, persistence, and patient when describing your dietary requirement than in the U.S., because many Japanese will not be familiar with such practice at all.
For example, once we had a business customer visiting Japan who practiced vegetarian. Had very difficult time explaining such dietary requirement to places this person visited in Japan. For example, many hotels (ryokans) and restaurants did not know the difference between vegetable soup and vegetarian soup. Vegetable soup does not add meat items into the soup, but soup stock can still be made from animal parts. Where vegetarian soup uses soup stock made from vegetable items only. Many times hotels and restaurants in Japan thought vegetable soup will be appropriate and respond to request indicating that they can accommodate such request. Need to be very descriptive, persistence, and patient when describing your dietary requirement to people in Japan, far more then describing to people in the U.S.
I am guessing that it is similar situation at airports outside of the U.S., and NRT is no exception. When it comes to non-medical dietary requirement, such is still practiced by very small number of people in Japan. Most Japanese people do not know anybody in person who practice non-medical dietary requirement. Most Japanese will say Buddhist monks are people who practice such non-medical diet.
When it comes to medical diet, yes, there are such organization which assist or provide food for people with such need in Japan. However, I think it will be almost impossible to make such arrangement while you are at transit area at NRT.
If you are flying NH, then ask NH if it is possible to contact ANA Lounge at NRT prior to your travel. If you manage to get contact with ANA Lounge at NRT prior to travel, then ask if it is possible for them to arrange such items for your transit at NRT.
Maybe alternative is to contact Narita Airport and ask for suggestion, at Contact Narita Airport. You can see from Narita Airport website, they talk about customers with special needs in terms of passengers with physical disability. As I mentioned, non-medical dietary practice is far less common in Japan than in the U.S. You do need to be far more descriptive, persistence, and patient when describing your dietary requirement than in the U.S., because many Japanese will not be familiar with such practice at all.
For example, once we had a business customer visiting Japan who practiced vegetarian. Had very difficult time explaining such dietary requirement to places this person visited in Japan. For example, many hotels (ryokans) and restaurants did not know the difference between vegetable soup and vegetarian soup. Vegetable soup does not add meat items into the soup, but soup stock can still be made from animal parts. Where vegetarian soup uses soup stock made from vegetable items only. Many times hotels and restaurants in Japan thought vegetable soup will be appropriate and respond to request indicating that they can accommodate such request. Need to be very descriptive, persistence, and patient when describing your dietary requirement to people in Japan, far more then describing to people in the U.S.
I don't know where food in the lounge is prepared but I doubt each lounge has a kitchen. Rice in a rice cooker is an exception in the morning when passengers can assemble their own breakfast consisting of rice, misoshiru, nori, tsukemono and not much else.
I'm sure you will agree that frontline Japanese workers tend to be inflexible. They are not willing or allowed to do anything that's not in their rule book. Asking a lounge attendant for a bowl of rice (when the rice cooker is no longer there) and asking if it's been freshly cooked might causes a lot of confusion especially if the OP cannot make the request in Japanese, or even the request is made in Japanese.
I have to agree with slawecki that it would be best if the OP took as much food as possible but flying BOM-SIN-NRT-SJC without a stopover (if that's what is planned) might make things difficult. Contacting ANA in advance as AlwaysAisle has suggested sounds like a sensible idea. ANA does not seem to take more food than absolutely necessary on board and the OP does not want to find any surprise.
I'm sure you will agree that frontline Japanese workers tend to be inflexible. They are not willing or allowed to do anything that's not in their rule book. Asking a lounge attendant for a bowl of rice (when the rice cooker is no longer there) and asking if it's been freshly cooked might causes a lot of confusion especially if the OP cannot make the request in Japanese, or even the request is made in Japanese.
I have to agree with slawecki that it would be best if the OP took as much food as possible but flying BOM-SIN-NRT-SJC without a stopover (if that's what is planned) might make things difficult. Contacting ANA in advance as AlwaysAisle has suggested sounds like a sensible idea. ANA does not seem to take more food than absolutely necessary on board and the OP does not want to find any surprise.
Unfortunately commonly soup for udon (うどん), soba (蕎麦), soumen (素麺), etc. are made from soup stock made from dried bonito or dried kelp. Also, some think miso soup is fermented soy bean (miso, 味噌) dissolved (yes, I am a chemist, not a pharmacist for those speak Queen’s English ) in hot water. But miso soup is commonly made from soup stock made from dried bonito or dried kelp then miso is dissolved.
I do not know how vegans treat dried kelp, but soba/udon soup or miso soup is not necessary vegan. My understanding is that there are different definitions for vegitarian so I will leave it to individual needs.
I do not know how vegans treat dried kelp, but soba/udon soup or miso soup is not necessary vegan. My understanding is that there are different definitions for vegitarian so I will leave it to individual needs.
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,408
Thanks for your detailed response xmlsoa.
Since you had stated that you wished to avoid processed wheat AND food that was not freshly prepared I had assumed that udon wouldn't have been of much interest to you. For this reason I focused on offering advice regarding standard rice.
I have no idea what the ANA lounge's vegetable based noodle stock is (kombu and shiitake, perhaps, that would be a best case scenario)
Did you see any signs saying that a vegetarian soup stock was available, or was it just from the information on the blog?
Vegetarian vegetable stock to have with noodles is not very easy to find in Japan so unless the ANA lounge wants to specifically cater to vegans, vegetarians and those with fish allergies it's a surprise to me that they would have such a thing.
If you do return, please take a look through this thread for options outside the airport.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan...d-threads.html
Since you had stated that you wished to avoid processed wheat AND food that was not freshly prepared I had assumed that udon wouldn't have been of much interest to you. For this reason I focused on offering advice regarding standard rice.
I have no idea what the ANA lounge's vegetable based noodle stock is (kombu and shiitake, perhaps, that would be a best case scenario)
Did you see any signs saying that a vegetarian soup stock was available, or was it just from the information on the blog?
Vegetarian vegetable stock to have with noodles is not very easy to find in Japan so unless the ANA lounge wants to specifically cater to vegans, vegetarians and those with fish allergies it's a surprise to me that they would have such a thing.
If you do return, please take a look through this thread for options outside the airport.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan...d-threads.html
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BOM, Ex-TX/ CA
Programs: Ex CO/ UA Gold, Hotels.. TBD
Posts: 734
Thanks for your detailed response xmlsoa.
Since you had stated that you wished to avoid processed wheat AND food that was not freshly prepared I had assumed that udon wouldn't have been of much interest to you. For this reason I focused on offering advice regarding standard rice.
I have no idea what the ANA lounge's vegetable based noodle stock is (kombu and shiitake, perhaps, that would be a best case scenario)
Did you see any signs saying that a vegetarian soup stock was available, or was it just from the information on the blog?
Vegetarian vegetable stock to have with noodles is not very easy to find in Japan so unless the ANA lounge wants to specifically cater to vegans, vegetarians and those with fish allergies it's a surprise to me that they would have such a thing.
If you do return, please take a look through this thread for options outside the airport.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan...d-threads.html
Since you had stated that you wished to avoid processed wheat AND food that was not freshly prepared I had assumed that udon wouldn't have been of much interest to you. For this reason I focused on offering advice regarding standard rice.
I have no idea what the ANA lounge's vegetable based noodle stock is (kombu and shiitake, perhaps, that would be a best case scenario)
Did you see any signs saying that a vegetarian soup stock was available, or was it just from the information on the blog?
Vegetarian vegetable stock to have with noodles is not very easy to find in Japan so unless the ANA lounge wants to specifically cater to vegans, vegetarians and those with fish allergies it's a surprise to me that they would have such a thing.
If you do return, please take a look through this thread for options outside the airport.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan...d-threads.html
The blog writer also mentioned it was buck wheat.. so maybe it was less white flour (I hope). Hopefully I minimized by "exposure".
I am not sure how accurate or safe the broth were and hopefully this thread and experiences from this trip will help the next trip I take or some veggie wishes to take through NRT.
Luckily I ate my fill at SIN in a common Business Class lounge with hot veg south indian food options. I had some nuts when on ground.
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,408
The buckwheat ratio in the noodles you ate would have been a minimum of 30% buckwheat to 70% wheat but it could well have been a bit higher.
I like freshly milled and prepared soba noodles very much and hunt them out when I'm in Japan (I even took a class in the subject on a recent trip where I was lucky enough to get one to one tuition). I'm afraid I'm dubious that the stock was vegetarian just because generally (and there are some rare exceptions) soba noodles just don't taste that great without dashi.
Hope I'm wrong and that the ANA lounge can indeed accommodate the needs of vegetarians in transit.
#29
Join Date: May 2005
Location: LAX/SNA/LGB
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 207
The NH lounge has several vegetable rolled sushi, rice triangles wrapped in seaweed with pickled plum "umeboshi." Miso soup is animal-product free sometimes and sometimes has fish-derived product in it if it has been prepared with dashi soup base. You may be able to get a bowl of plain rice or udon without the broth (broth may be made with dashi soup base) from the noodle/curry counter, and then add soy sauce or eat it plain; fruit cocktail with jelly cubes (jelly cubes in Japan are generally made with agar agar, a seaweed derivative, not animal based). There are fruit and vegetable juices in the cold case. I recall apples and pears being available as well last month.
#30
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Terra Australis Cognita
Posts: 5,350
And re: the OP's dietary requirements, if he's OK with South Indian food then he must be OK with fermented foods, since the batter for idlis, dosas etc is prepared through fermentation.