Questions and Answers

Good morning ya’ll,
I’ll be flying to Tokyo from California soon on JAL first class, then to Sydney on JAL business. I’d like to order their Japanese meal offer on one of these legs. Unlike others here, I’m not crazy about Japanese food, so I’m hoping to pick the leg with the best food of the two. Would that be the business out of Tokyo, or just simply pick the choice on the first class leg? I know, I know, first world problems–and happy to have this one!
Thanks!

Well, the business class meal won’t have as many options, so you might get a set plate with a bunch of things you can’t palate and one thing you do. So if you don’t particularly like Japanese food, maybe just choose some of options that look appealing while you’re in First? Catering is good out of LAX and SFO, so I wouldn’t worry about that factor.

[QUOTE=”Yukon, post: 50598, member: 1099″]Good morning ya’ll,
I’ll be flying to Tokyo from California soon on JAL first class, then to Sydney on JAL business. I’d like to order their Japanese meal offer on one of these legs. Unlike others here, I’m not crazy about Japanese food, so I’m hoping to pick the leg with the best food of the two. Would that be the business out of Tokyo, or just simply pick the choice on the first class leg? I know, I know, first world problems–and happy to have this one!
Thanks![/QUOTE]
Hi Yukon,
I just returned from two biz trips on JAL; HKG to Narita and then Narita to YVR. I chose the western meal on the first flight and my partner chose the Japanese option. There was no comparison; the Japanese meal was exquisite. I would love to send you a picture it was that beautiful. So on the long haul flight I ordered Japanese despite the fact I don’t like sushi. I will say it was phenomenal (the starters came wrapped as a gift). I ate around some of the fish items, but overall it was sensational. The main sounded god awful: beef tongue and eel. That was stomach turning on the menu but in fact the eel had been cooked in sweet soy and was delectable. The tongue was essentially a braise, it was like pot roast, and I was dumping out the sauce on the rice it was just that good. The western meals I saw across the aisle looked average. The letdown, if there was one, is that the dessert is so so. Also: If you order sake, there are two choices, two very good choices, and you get the whole small bottle.

Just as a follow up here. I did fly first on JAL and ordered the Japanese meal(asked to throw in caviar and western dessert) and it was great. JAL first class service was spectacular-and although no Salon the Crystal Champaign was wonderful. The business class flight to Sydney was meh. I realized award travel beggars like me shouldn’t be so choosie maybe, but it almost felt like they were throwing the menu and later food at us. Such a contrast with First class! Wow!