MarkyMarc

Have to agree with you here. I had that on the FRA-SFO 77W a couple of weeks back. The sauce is tangy with a bit of a kick to it. I really enjoyed it and it definitely was a welcome change from beef option that's been hanging around for the past several years.

transportprof

On UA 98 last night LAX-MEL, and I definitely noticed the effect of the pre-plating. I ordered the Hake and the fish was tough and chewy (not in a good way), while the vegetables were overcooked and rice came out closer to congee. I haven't had a less appetizing meal to Australia since Polaris was inaugurated.

Even the desserts and the grilled cheese and tomato soup were noticeably worse. Salted caramel bar was hard as a rock. And the tomato soup was more like gazpacho, including the temperature it was served at.

However, there was a bottle of Laurent Perrier floating about the cabin. ^

cranky1K

fumje

Ex-JPN catering still doing their thing! ^

And here I had wanted to say it looked much better than the rest of the Polaris new normal. Do you like fish and/or Asian cuisine?

764toHI

I think this looks very appetizing. Even after a week in Asia, I would order this (as I did on my last Japan trip)!

Kacee

Agree. I'm especially impressed by the cheese and grape arrangement. Love Japan.

hausfrau

On our last trip this winter, I did call about special meals for medical reasons, and had a terrible time finding someone who seemed to be able to even comprehend the word meal . I can't eat spicy food, any kind of pepper (which seems to be coating everything these days), or any acid (most fruit included.) LH did a wonderful vegetarian plate with mushrooms, veggies and rice on the way over without any problem. The United website offered no special meal that I could see so I called. Eventually wound up on the phone with someone who told me they couldn't guarantee anything but would load something. No special meal was loaded at all; a flight attendant was very sympathetic and managed to give me the fish which was the only thing I could eat. And no Saver Award, so full mileage! Have since been told to try the "light and fit" but will carry oatmeal bars from now on.

764toHI

United Special Meals are available on domestic first class flights longer than 2,000 miles and Polaris marketed flights (but available in Y as well on those flights). The gluten-free meal tends to be pretty bland. You can default your special meal selection by logging into your profile on the UA website.

flyme2

I think UA_Flyer's meal looks very appealing, esp. the salmon. Not a casserole meal in sight. If UA continues with the casserole concept, they should at least work with the catering firm to coordinate the various components so that all are heated to an acceptable degree without any being completely overcooked. It's not rocket, but food science, and it's not that complicated.

DCA writer

UA 933 FRA-IAD, 4/28/19
777-200

It looks like I got the same menu that MatthewLAX had a week before, and I made almost the same choices.



Champagne on this flight was Ayala, and the nuts were actually warm this time.



The salad wasn't too exciting, but the tomatoes and mozzarella were delicious. Garlic bread and pretzel roll = fear of commitment to one bread choice.



The mushroom stuffing in this chicken breast made me think of duxelles, where you finely chop the mushrooms before sauteeing them with onions and herbs; the results may not look too appetizing in this shot, but I did enjoy it. Note the lack of a casserole dish.



Ice cream needed some time to soften up, but on a westbound TATL there's plenty of that.



I chose the pizza for my preflight snack. It was seriously small and was not accompanied by a bread course, but between that and the salad (to be exact, the cucumbers and the tomatoes in it, because I left most of the soggy lettuce leaves underneath), it was enough food for the end of this long day of travel.

TWA Guy

StuckinITH

UA835 ORD-PVG May 7

Champagne: Laurent Perrier Vintage 2007.

Neither my wife nor I were asked for a second choice for the main dish.

In previous times, I would have been tempted by the Seared sea bass but got worried that now an overcooked mess would be served. So, I went for what is usually safe: the Spicy chicken. Added some Tabasco to it. My wife who chose the same dish was disappointed that the lime was dunked in the sauce. One time going to HKG the Purser served her the spicy chicken with the lime placed on the spoon and now she expects that kind of service.

Breakfast was the Southwestern omelet. Added some Tabasco to it as well.

In the morning of the flight, we got switched to a pmCO 772. The Purser was as unhappy as we were (we lost our seats in the former First Class section) as she had never worked in that plane and did not know where things were.

IAH2MEL

What a great idea, small yet innovative, to put the lime on a spoon. I thought the lime in the sauce was the standard. I always get my hands a little dirty to add that extra bit of citrus pop to the dish.

1kBill

I'm flying SFO-LHR later in May. Is it reasonable to assume that the menu would be the same or similar to this one for IAD-LHR?

transportprof

ON UA99 yesterday, the catering was (as usual) better ex-MEL than out of LAX. I had the pasta, a goat cheese filled ravioli with pine nuts, spinach, and a tangy tomato coulis (thicker than a sauce). It was perfectly cooked - neither crunchy nor waterlogged. Pax next to me had fish. It smelled very fishy - really overwhelming the cabin until they cleared away the plates.

The Sommelier's choice red was a Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant. I believe it was a 2017. It was ok - a bit better than the Colby red which had a sickly sweet aftertaste to me (at least up at that altitude).

In the cost-cutting department, the lamb has disappeared from the menu. There was an odd sounding pork dish in its place. Something like parmesan crusted pork loin. I'd just had bacon for breakfast, so wasn't tempted by it. Very glad I didn't try the fish.