NRT C-class meal recommendations?
 

Hey all,
I finally cashed in some MP miles this winter and got a free *A C-class ticket home. On the way here I flew SQ, but on the way back I will be on UA TPE-NRT-ORD-BDL. I was hoping that any frequent NRT C travelers would be able to recommend entree selections for TPE-NRT or NRT-ORD given the new "enhanced" international services UA rolled out a few months ago. I heard before that most frequent fliers preferred the Japanese obento meal...is that true?
(On the way here, I enjoyed the warm nuts on IAD-LAX!)

Thanks for any advice!

I LOVE the Obento box, but I haven't had the ones made at ORD. The two I've had that were made at NRT were good, but not as good as the ones prepared at LAX. They may not have them between NRT and BKK; they've never had them between NRT and SIN, so maybe it's just a transpacific thing.

FYI, you can pre-order Obento boxes for transpacific flights.

I generally hear that NRT's obento's are "fair to middlin", so I probably won't bother on my NRT-SFO leg. Any recent reports on how UA875 (SEA-NRT) is for obento?

Obento meals are offered in all USA-JAPAN-USA flights in United First and United Business. I don't think they are offered in intra-Asia flights, although they are offered in NRT-HKG-NRT flights in United First. I'm not that excited about it, although they are definitely "different" and worth a try. (I guess I'm not that excited about airline meals at all, given that most on-the-ground restaurants I visit offer a wider selection and better quality food, sans warm nuts!) Call ahead to reserve one for your NRT-ORD segment, or they may be "sold out" by the time the FA asks you for your meal selection.

As a Japanese :) I'd say obento on NRT-ORD has always been better than other choices (some of which weren't even edible for me!) in my experience. The only problem is that it is less in amount and it sometimes requires reservation as other people say, though I guess FAs (and other passengers) almost always welcome you to cancel the reservation if you want another meal at the last moment.

I love the obentos but you should order them in advance. Last JFK-NRT I forgot to preorder and even as a 1K didnt get one. Reserved one as soon as I got to Japan for the return trip. The purser thanked me for remembering to reserve one because they are always short.

I love the obento box, and I always reserve it. I have heard someone not liking it at all. So, it all depends on personal preference. If you have not tried it before, it definately worh a try. To be honest, I did not sense any specific "enhancement" to the obento box. The entree has been consistently fish for me whenever I fly for some reasons, and it is quite good for airline quality fish. I personally think the box from HKG - NRT is the best.

I love Japanese food and on a whim requested the Obento on a HNL-NRT flight earlier this month in Business. I will never, ever make that same mistake. I found myself glancing longingly at my Japanese neighbors Filet Mignon........I did the same thing on a NWA flight a year ago, it was equally as bad. Twice on different airlines. I'm sticking with the steak, it's usually pretty good. I'll save the Japanese food for the Narita airport or Tokyo, or just go to one of the local restaurants.

Sorry you had a bad experience. I should say that when I say I love the obentos it is in the context of airline food. I think it is unfair to compare airline food with ground based food. I have never had airline food as good as a good ground based food. But in the context of airline foods I have been pleased overall with the obentos although the filets are good too. Personal tastes obviously rule here. My advice would be if you like Japanese food give the obento a try and see for yourself. One real important thing I think everyone can agree on though is that if you want to try the obento reserve one in advance.

The Obento I had last month SEA-NRT was fantastic. In November I also flew SEA-NRT and the Obento then was quite decent.

On my return flight last month, NRT-SFO, the Obento was not bad, but not great either. (Certainly better than the C service on this flight, incidentally.)

I really like the box out of seattle... no complaints.

Thanks! I'll call UA and reserve it for 875.

I've had the obento meal from HNL-NRT and from NRT-HNL. I've never had it in intra-Asia flights. In my opinion, it's the best meal on UA. I always keep in mind several things when appraising airline cuisine. First, it's on a plane and there's no way one can compare food pre-boarded and food prepared in a kitchen and served minutes after being prepared. I simply can't see comparing airline food with restaurant food. It's an unfair comparison.

That said, as I think we all know, restaurant food varies in quality as well.

Second, I can't speak for other FTers but I certainly don't eat business class/first class airline food every day at home. As bad as some say a chicken or steak dish is on a flight, I also eat canned goods from time to time at home. I would take the airline food anyday. :D

The caterer UA uses of of HNL is horrible. I usually eat the Obento meal out of NRT, but only sometimes from HNL. Quality of the filet mignon out of NRT is always better than out of HNL too.

Transpac Asian dishes served as second meals from HNL are atrocious. Roasted duck/chicken noodle dishes are full of skin. And the have the audacity to label one dish "char siu curry udon noodles" when no char siu (Chinese style roasted pork) is used at all, just shredded pork. :mad: You can't fool us locals out of Hawaii! Can't keep wondering if the caterer greased somebody's palms to get the contract.

Wow, thanks everyone for the enthusiastic responses! I will definitely call UA 1st thing in the morning and pre-order the obento for UA852. I wonder why they don't increase the obento-to-steak ratio during catering if they always run out of obentos and even 1Ks complain that they didn't get their choices.

The only time I have had airline food as good as good ground food was on SQ. Their food service is amazing.