Any recent Japanese meal experiences? I see a few references upthread but no pics/reviews.

On LHR-IAH right now. Quite frankly the current menu (at least on this route and FRA-IAH) is atrocious.

I didn’t want any of the options, but chose the Halibut since I never get the fish on a flight (due to the movie Airplane!) for research purposes. I don’t like Lamb, bone in my chicken, or veggie pasta either. The fish was gross. I had two bites. I did really like the asparagus and I ate all of it. The starters were not good either IMO. Highlight was a warm pretzel roll.

Had a huge breakfast in the club (got invited to the private side as 1K - whoop!) in anticipation of not really wanting the lunch.

After a 4 hour nap I decided to try the snacks. So let me tell you the grilled cheese and the lamb pie (and as I said I don’t generally like lamb) are sooooooooo good. I would advise skipping lunch, napping, and just having the snacks mid flight for this route.

Also my purser, Diane, is the best purser I’ve ever had. She quite a delight. Friendly and constantly checking in. Photos below.

SFO-HKG
Feb 2026

Frenched bone-in chicken breast with roasted potatoes, smokey tomato bravas sauce and piquillo pepper olive salsa

A generic chicken dish with the bone in, 6.5/10

HKG-BKK
Feb 2026
Beef and shiitake mushroom congee with spring onions

flavorful and not United’s iteration at authentic congee isn’t bad… the grated ginger is a nice touch
8/10

HKG-BKK
Feb 2026

Chocolate bread pudding with caramel sauce, toasted pecans and crčme fraiche


generic, forgettable bread pudding , nothing special at all and not very filling
5/10

Lamb pie snack on LHR-originating flight above looks delicios!

Possibly my favorite thing I’ve ever had on a UA plane

Is the Acqua Panna something you brought on board or served by United? Seems new if the latter.

Any recent reports ex-MEL or SYD? The barramundi a good choice?

I have completed 4 long haul Polaris flights since last month, and the food continues to be AWFUL. The overall selection, quality and appearance of the main dishes are bottom of the barrel compared to Delta and AA, and certainly so against most international carriers.

I am not sure what it’s gojng to take for UA to finally recognize that they have a catering customer satisfaction issues. Perhaps this feedback does not matter because it doesn’t impact revenue potential, and that UA flyers are so loyal that they’ll just continue to put up with low catering standards?

We seem to have a powerful voice here on FT- can we figure out a way to exert some pressure? I am GS so I’d like to think they’ll listen- open to suggestions on how we tackle!

I've always enjoyed the barramundi.

Debated preordering the barramundi but went with the rissoles/meatballs. Not awful by UA standards. lol. (This is ex-MEL FWIW)

From the plating, looks that you got a good galley FA.

DEN-NRT

Short pour on the PDB


Chicken Japanese meal - 3/10


Weird cheese plate with raisins, one pecan and strawberry jam. No crackers. 2/10

EDIT: FA came by my seat and verified that I had preordered the Japanese meal and told me that catering had loaded ZERO salmon entrees so she had to tell a dozen pre-orders that they needed to pick something else.

Maybe. I also got a real, flaky croissant! (With the toasted banana bread)