itsOL

I was looking for flights from Hong Kong to SF, and thought that it would be a great opportunity to try out EVA Air’s business class offerings, which I had heard good things about (and there was no way I was subjecting myself to United on a long-haul). Having never been to Taipei before, I also decided to book a 14-hour layover to give myself a full day to explore the city as well.

Part 1: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse HKG

I decided on an early morning flight to maximize my time in Taipei, so at 5am I checked out of my hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui and caught an Uber to HKG. Being so early, there was almost no one in line to check in. After confirming with the agent that I wanted to short-check my bag to TPE instead of all the way to SFO, she printed off my boarding passes and lounge invitations.

After a short wait for security and exit immigration, it was off to the lounge. Despite there being several *A lounges at HKG, EVA has apparently decided to contract out the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse for its premium passengers. Since I usually stick with *A airlines, I was pretty excited for a chance to check this lounge out, even though it was pretty far from my gate.



As soon as I entered, the front desk agent enthusiastically greeted me, and after a cursory check of my boarding pass she escorted me inside and invited me to sit anywhere I pleased, whereupon another attendant immediately came over to offer me a menu.

Unlike other business class lounges that are mostly self-serve, full service is provided here. I ordered a glass of OJ as well as the wonton noodle soup from the breakfast menu. Fairly limited breakfast options (the noodle soup, dim sum, cereal, fruit, and pastries), although a more substantial menu is offered after 9:30am.
After a short wait, the attendant brought out my order. It was pretty good:


After eating, I explored the lounge for a bit, which was totally deserted at this time of day. Good variety of seating options, with comfy individual chairs, couches, and tables to get some work done. Nicely appointed bathrooms as well:




Decent views of the tarmac as well as overlooking the terminal interior, and I dug the modern Virgin aesthetic.



All too soon, the attendant came over to notify me that my flight would be boarding soon and that I should start making my way to the gate. It was definitely a nice touch to be personally notified, although I can't imagine them doing that when the lounge is fuller.

itsOL

BR828
Premium Laurel Class
7:30am - 9:10am

The flight had just begun boarding when I arrived at my gate. It was a remote gate today – although there was a priority boarding line for the shuttle bus, it was a free-for-all afterwards to get onto the plane. My plane for this morning, an A321 decked out in Star Alliance livery:



EVA’s service was excellent, with the crew greeting everyone as we boarded. As soon as I took my seat (2F), they started serving pre-departure beverages and offering newspapers, magazines, and hot towels, as well as menus for the meal service. The menus themselves were surprisingly high-quality, printed on thick cardstock with metallic embossing and separate booklets for wines/beverages and meals.



The front cabin was only half-full today (mostly businesspeople, it seemed), although it looked pretty full in economy.

EVA’s short-haul business product (Premium Laurel) is quite decent – the recliners are pretty standard but comfortable, with plenty of legroom and a touchscreen IFE system.



After a short taxi, we were airborne and on our way to TPE:


I had pre-ordered the congee breakfast online, which my flight attendant confirmed while taking everyone's orders. Being used to North American service levels, it was very nice to have a hot meal on such a short flight. I also liked the colorful tablecloths, which were much more interesting than standard white linens on most other airlines.



I find that congee holds up well to reheating/serving on airplanes, and it was quite good indeed, as was the warmed garlic pastry I chose from the bread basket.

Being such a short flight, we began our descent into TPE soon after the meal service, and before I knew it we had landed and arrived at our gate. The arrivals hall was virtually empty, and within minutes I was through immigration. After leaving my bags at luggage storage and exchanging some cash, it was off to downtown Taipei for a day of sightseeing.

helvetic

Great start, looking forward to the rest.

offerendum

I trust your verdict but can't say it looks too inviting😏

xray

haha Congee never looks great esthetically but does taste good !

Madone59

Nice spread for such a short trip. Thanks for sharing!

Carfield

Wow I am happy to see EVA Air serving real breakfast again during these morning flights. The Congee actually looks better than many other airlines.

Can't wait to read the rest of your report!

Carfield

itsOL

The airport actually offers free half-day guided tours, but since I had a full day, I decided to explore on my own instead. I caught a bus to Taipei metro station, where I purchased a day pass for getting around on the MRT.

First up was Longshan temple. I had also visited Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, and Hong Kong on this trip so it was pretty cool seeing all the different architectural styles in each city:



Then off to Memorial Hall Square.



Also caught the hourly changing of the guard at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.



Briefly wandered around Ximending before heading to Yongkang street for some delicious scallion pancakes for a quick lunch.





Of course there was the famous Din Tai Fung, but I didn’t really feel like waiting in line, and I knew a location would be opening up in San Jose soon.

Next was Taipei 101.



Lots of luxury/designer stores in the mall underneath, but thankfully not too crowded today, with only a short 5-minute line to get to the observatory. Granted, it was pretty cloudy.




Still, the views weren't bad and I also thought it was cool to see the tuned mass damper (which of course has its own cute mascot). There was also an entire floor dedicated to coral sculptures and jewelry, which the other Chinese tourists seemed to love.

I had originally anticipated a much longer wait in line for Taipei 101, so afterwards I decided to go for a ride on the Maokong gondola. Didn't bother waiting in line for the glass-floor cabins, and ended up getting a whole regular gondola to myself.




It was a relaxing ride with some pretty scenic views, with a bunch of tea shops to explore at the top. Since it was so hot, I opted for a green tea ice cream.
There wasn't much else to do there, so after walking around a bit I took the gondola back down.

Despite the heat and humidity, I then decided to go on a short hike at Elephant mountain to catch some night views of Taipei 101.



Cooled down with drinks at the Shangri-La hotel bar afterwards, which a friend had recommended. The darkened glass made it hard to get any good views though.

Finally, it was off to the night market to sample some delicious and cheap street food. Although I had initially planned on going to the Shilin market, I was running a bit short on time at this point and went to the Linjiang night market instead, which was closer by.



And all too soon, it was time for me to head back to the airport to catch my flight to SF.

offerendum

Wow, looks really like I should go one day!

itsOL

After arriving at the airport and retrieving my luggage from storage, I went to the Royal Laurel check-in counter. With no lines in sight, my bag was checked and I was off to the lounge in no time.

EVA apparently has four (!!) lounges at TPE, each with different access policies: The Infinity, The Garden, The Club, and The Star. The Star is for Star Alliance Gold customers, whereas The Infinity is for business and first class passengers. The Club and The Garden are for EVA’s Infinity MileageLands (what a name!) elites, with The Garden reserved for top-tier Diamond members. Since I was flying Royal Laurel (EVA’s name for its long-haul business class) today, I had a lounge pass to The Infinity:



After running around Taipei the whole day and hiking up Elephant mountain, I desperately wanted to shower before my flight, so upon arriving at the front desk I inquired about using the showers. The front desk attendant, ever so friendly and polite, apologetically informed me that there would be a short wait and provided me with a buzzer. In the meantime, I got settled in the lounge.

The lounge is pretty nice, with a variety of seating options – couches, individual chairs, and tables to spread out. However, what really makes this lounge stand out is the modern and cool décor:



The various lighting installations give the lounge a funky, club-like vibe that was reminiscent of Vegas. If you find it a bit too glitzy, The Star lounge next door is apparently calmer, with more standard decor. However, I liked the ambiance here, which made for a much more interesting experience than the functional-yet-boring corporate furnishings so common elsewhere (United Club, I'm looking at you).

In terms of food, there's an Asian cuisine-oriented buffet spread, with things like dim sum, noodles, tofu, and braised veggies, along with a variety of snacks. There's also an open bar as well as a refrigerator stocked with bottled water and other beverages. Oddly, there’s also a convenience store-style hot dog roller machine.



Having grown up in Toronto when Marché was still around, I was pretty excited to see a self-scoop Movenpick ice cream chest, and promptly helped myself to a scoop (or three) I was still pretty full from the night market and I knew dinner would be served onboard, so I didn't try any of their other food offerings.

Soon, my shower buzzer went off and after returning to the front desk, they directed me to one of the shower rooms. EVA’s rather creative/odd naming continues here, with the rooms having names such as Metro Forest, Smile Zone, Fantasy Flow, and Star Drops.



The shower stalls are very spacious and well-appointed, and it's clear that they do a good job of cleaning and refreshing the rooms after each patron. Upon entering, all the amenities were laid out neatly, along with a packaged towel and pair of slippers. The shower was definitely refreshing, with great water pressure (there's also sideways body jets).

Having freshened up, I spent the rest of my time relaxing in the lounge. They don't make any boarding announcements, so around 15 minutes before boarding I left and started making my way to the gate.

Spymon

Really enjoying this so far, looking forward to the rest.

F 1

Personally I found the breakfast disappointing on my recent HKG - TPE morning flight in Eva J. While I appreciated the sophistication of the meal service given such a short flight, what I was really hoping for was a western-style breakfast. Instead I was offered a choice between:

Braised Beef in Korean Style Served with Steamed Rice and Mixed Vegatables

Pan Fried Chicken Breast Wrapped with Bacon Slices with Onion-Brown Sauce Served with Gratinated Red Skin Potato and Mixed Vegetables

Then again, everyone has their own opinion of what a real breakfast is
Solid choices for dinner, but at 10am it wasn't my cup of tea.

itsOL

Sorry for the delay in posting, got a bit busy with work...But anyway here's the final/main part of the report, the actual long-haul flight itself:

BR28 TPE-SFO
Royal Laurel Class, Seat 9K
11:30pm – 7:40pm

Boarding:
I left the lounge and made my way to the gate around T-20. It looked like they had already announced boarding so I lined up, only to find that it was merely a boarding pass check to enter a holding area downstairs. Fairly crowded, but after a short delay, boarding was announced. The process was pretty organized and as I stepped onboard, a flight attendant immediately greeted me warmly and escorted me to my seat (9K). Although it doesn’t feel quite as luxurious or residential as some other cabins out there (like SQ's new business seats or Etihad Studios), the cabin is pleasant enough, with neutral tones throughout, punctuated by dark green accents:



First impressions:
EVA uses the Cirrus reverse herringbone seat, which is one of my favorite business class layouts. The seat itself is fairly standard, but spacious and comfortable, affording a good amount of privacy since they face away from the aisle. However, CX’s customized version has a slight edge here, as their seat shell features an extended partition by the head area. That being said, once seated, you don't really notice your neighbors.



As I got settled, a flight attendant came along to point out the awaiting pillow, blanket, headset, Fiji water bottle, and of course the vaunted Rimowa amenity kit. The flight attendants began offering hot towels and Godiva chocolates, along with pre-departure beverages (choice of water or OJ - it seems that they don't serve alcohol on the ground). Menus were then distributed, along with soft navy blue/grey pajamas that came in a branded pouch:



The seat has plenty of storage options – there’s a large shelf by the windows for drinks and other items, a compartment in the center console (with a water bottle), and a second compartment underneath the shelf by your legs. It’s worth noting that there’s no storage underneath the footrest.

Decently sized IFE screen – my only complaint is that it needs to be stowed for takeoff/landing:



A standard older-style remote control is located on the console, which I actually prefer over the new ones – I find it easier to quickly pause a movie or adjust the volume with physical buttons, rather than swiping to find the right controls on a touchscreen remote. Universal and USB power and a reading lamp are also conveniently located, along with AV ports (does anyone actually use these?)

A decent pair of noise-cancelling headphones are provided:



There was also a pamphlet advertising inflight Wi-Fi (~$20 for the entire flight), although I wasn't able to connect, despite trying several times throughout the flight.

As we pushed back, the safety video began to play - it contains a few amusing stereotypes, like this clueless overweight tourist:



Dinner service:
Soon after takeoff, the flight attendants began preparing for the dinner service, as well as offering another round of beverages. I chose the champagne - although EVA no longer serves Dom Perignon, it's been replaced with Veuve Cliquot La Grande Dame 2006, which I enjoyed.

An amuse-bouche was also served, consisting of a cream cheese-stuffed date and mini caramelized onion tart with pâté:



The table was then set for the full meal service. An appetizer consisting of a chicken roulade and polenta topped with caviar was served - it sounded nice, but I thought it was a bit bland, perhaps due to the fact the dish is served chilled. However, I rather liked the mini tray they had for the bread, butter, and salt/pepper shakers:



Next was a tomato soup, followed by a small salad - simple, but still tasty.



For the main course, I ordered the wok-fried cod fillet with crab roe sauce, which was pretty tasty, although the rice was a tad oily.



Finally, the meal concluded with the oddly named Pollock cake with sliced fruit.



The cake was nice - not overly sweet, and apparently is from Season Patissier in Taipei. The name refers to Jackson Pollock, although this was lost on me.

Overall, I thought the meal service on EVA was decent. It's all still definitely airplane food, but quality in general is consistent - nothing too outstanding, but perfectly adequate in the air. In contrast, my outbound flight on Singapore Airlines was more hit-or-miss: I truly enjoyed their Singapore chicken and rice dish, but was also served a terrible mango crème brûlée that I couldn't bring myself to finish. Presentation was also nice, and service was attentive, with finished dishes being cleared quickly. I also appreciated how EVA brings out individual courses from the galley, as opposed to using carts.

itsOL

Sleep:
After dinner, I made my way to the lavatory to freshen up before getting some sleep. Nothing too special, but the lav was immaculate and relatively spacious. There were a few nice touches here and there, like flowers and Harnn skincare products, to remind you that you’re still in business class.





No one else seemed to be using one, but there were mattress pads in the overhead bin that I used to make my bed – there’s a handy pocket at one end that slips over the seat headrest in order to keep the mattress pad in place, even when the seat is upright. The duvet was also soft and thick, although I wished the pillow could have been larger and softer.





I found the bed to be spacious enough - as a side sleeper, I didn't find the foot compartment to be restrictive either.



There's soft mood lighting, and at “night”, the ceiling panels light up to simulate a starry night sky (I hope United adds this for their new Polaris cabin, it’d fit great with the branding):



While I enjoyed the ample seat width on my outbound SQ flight, I actually prefer EVA's seat in terms of flexibility and convenience. It’s far easier to simply recline all the way into the fully flat position when you’re tired and want to sleep right away. In contrast, SQ’s seat has discrete positions – converting from the seat to the bed necessitates getting up and flipping the backrest of the seat down. The process is also complicated enough to warrant showing a short tutorial video at the beginning of the flight and although the flight attendants are proactive about helping you make/stow the bed, it is a bit of a hassle and I noticed that not a single fellow passenger was able to make the bed themselves.

I ended up sleeping all the way through to the breakfast service.

Pre-arrival:
I awoke just as the flight attendants were beginning the “breakfast” service. I ordered the noodle soup with chicken and mushrooms:



Not as fancy as the dinner, but it certainly hit the spot. As the flight attendants wrapped up with the meal service and prepared the cabin for landing, they played a short informative video on US CBP arrival procedures, complete with a cheesy narration about the friendliness of the agents.

Had some lovely views on approach to SFO:




Landed right on time, and all too soon I was bidding farewell to the flight attendants. With Global Entry, I was through US CPB and off to my apartment in mere moments (although the customs hall was deserted at that time anyway).



Conclusion:
EVA definitely has a winner here – the hard product, although fairly standard, is definitely competitive, and service overall is warm and personable (perhaps even more so than SQ, which I found to be a bit robotic). I also appreciate that EVA tries to provide a high-quality experience with the various premium brands that they feature, such as the Rimowa amenity kits.

EVA has been advertising themselves as “the best link to cross the Pacific” and while I don’t think that they particularly stand out as the best, I definitely had an enjoyable flight. While other Asian carriers like CX and SQ definitely hold their own, choosing EVA is a definite no-brainer especially compared to North American carriers and I wouldn't hesitate to fly them again.

Moomba

Nice report itsOL. Thanks for posting. It is good to see a report on a carrier not often reported on here. ^