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Thomas Pallini. JetBlue Airways has brought in-flight dining to both cabins of service on its new London flights. Dig is crafting the economy class menu while Delicious Hospitality Group is tasked with catering in Mint business class.
Italian food was a big focus on my flights with options like meatballs, cavatelli, and chicken Milanese offered. JetBlue is offering more than cheap fares on its London routes, it's also offering a full culinary experience. Travelers in both economy and business classes receive complimentary hot meals on European flights.
It's the first time in economy class that JetBlue flyers receive any meals. The choice to provide meals aligns JetBlue with all the current airlines flying between the US and London. Meals are standard in economy on transatlantic flights to the UK and the offering shows that JetBlue isn't taking the budget carrier route of charging extra for meals.
The meal service is an important part of any flight as it passes the time, entertains, and breaks up the boredom of a long-haul flight. I flew JetBlue to London in economy class and back in business class. Here's what dining on the airline was like in both cabins. My restaurant for the outbound flight to London was the economy class cabin onboard JetBlue's first Airbus AneoLR, and I even scored a table near the window.
Instead of perusing a paper menu, however, all meals are on display through the seat-back entertainment screen. I was immediately brought back to the times of Virgin America, which had a similar ordering style. JetBlue chose Dig, a New York City-based eatery with an emphasis on healthy farm-to-table dining, to cater the economy class meals.
I hadn't yet tried Dig's offering, despite working in New York City, and was eager to sample it. Ordering was quite simple and intuitive, starting with the main. Each choice, to my surprise, had a list of the ingredients and a short description.
I don't think I've ever seen that level of detail on an economy class food menu. On offer for the dinner service was charred chicken with brown rice in a lime juice with herbs…. Beef and chicken meatballs in a tomato ragu with farro and basil And spiced eggplant with turmeric cauliflower rice and toasted quinoa.
Next came the list of sides to accompany the main. Two sides could be selected from three choices available. The options included a Dig Acres tomato salad with soft farm cheese, pickled onions, and mint…. Chilled sheet tray carrots with garlic, herbs, and a lemon peel…. And mac and cheese in a three-cheese blend with whole-wheat pasta and crispy panko breadcrumbs.
To be honest, it was hard to pick since all three seemed ideal to accompany the main. But just like that, I had the perfect meal queued up and ready to go. There was nothing more I had to do or say, and the anticipation was already building before takeoff. The empty middle seat in my row also presented another opportunity: use the screen to order an additional meal.
My rowmate, a JetBlue employee, and I decided to test out the system and ordered an additional meal to the empty seat. I also took a look at the interactive drink menu that listed all the beverages available on our flight. JetBlue offers complimentary soft drinks, beers, wines, and liquors in economy class.
The in-flight service began once the mood lighting in the cabin turned pink. Two flight attendants geared with service trolleys walked up and down the aisle to serve the cabin. I opted for the traditional gin and tonic in honor of JetBlue's first flight to London. The classic drink consisted of Bombay Sapphire gin and Canada Dry tonic water. Next came the part we were all waiting for, the meal service.
Flight attendants once again started at both ends of the cabin, making their way towards the middle. A large black insulator case on top of the service trolley served to keep all the meals warn. It reminded me of a pizza delivery box but it did the trick. The presentation was also unlike anything I had seen in economy, with the food served in small reusable containers.
It was certainly presented better than the traditional microwaveable dinner-style packaging to which I'm accustomed on other airlines. Also on the meal tray was a water bottle and two sauce cups containing sriracha and garlic mayonnaise.
This differs from, say, the dinner roll, small side salad, cheese and crackers, and perhaps a dessert that other airlines will pack onto the tray. I opened the lids, however, and found more than enough food to satisfy, and everything looked delicious.
I quickly dug in, no pun intended, and effectively cleaned my plate. The highlight was the mac and cheese which was the perfect comfort food for a long flight. I didn't love the cold carrots and was surprised by their temperature in comparison with the hot food but it was still tasty.
Next came the meatball main and while the presentation was similarly delightful, I do have to say that I didn't love the meatballs. They were alright but as someone that takes joy in making meatballs from scratch, I thought I could have made a better meatball. The tomato salad, however, was incredibly fresh and delightful. It was a perfectly healthy option for the flight. I was too full to clean the tray but I made sure to enjoy the second serving of mac and cheese.
The arrival of Eater and Infatuation, two big-time restaurant review sites from the USA with cash to splash on gaining a foothold here, is an indicator of the shift in mood. The Nova Food development in Victoria has transformed the dining options there, adding 17 yes, seventeen new restaurants on one site , bringing vibrancy to this part of SW1, among which Hai Cenato from Jason Atherton, a New York inspired Italian, is the pick of the bunch, serving up very decent pizza and commendable pasta.
But the real action is happening around the corner on Wilton Road…at A. Wong, and with recent newcomer Lorne a couple of doors on, where a recent lunch included impeccable smoked eel with Sicilian cucumber and Jersey Royals, a devilish crust on the eel made from dried and toasted shrimps.
But A. Wong needs to be on any list of places which display the ingenuity of the London scene. The dim sum at lunchtime are a sheer joy, the boon being that you can order them piece by piece rather than a whole basket, allowing for plenty of scope to tailor lunch.
Har Gau prawn dumplings are given a flourish of citrus foam and chilli sauce, while fat pucks of pork and prawn have crisp crackling adorning them. One of the very best spots in town. If we head West to salubrious Chelsea — historically not the richest of boroughs for exciting or innovative dining options without the commensurate expense — it has been a pleasure to see Elystan Street fulfil a neighbourhood role, without any starchy stiffness of service and overweening atmosphere.
Owners Phil Howard who ran two-Michelin-starred The Square for twenty years and Rebecca Mascarenhas are two of the most experienced operators in town, and have brought their collective experience to bear on this smart opening: hand cut squid ink bucatini with sardine vinaigrette; ravioli of ox tongue; breast and spring roll of duck with pistachios and cherries; tartare of veal with white peach, artichokes and burrata — a seductive menu delivered in slick, elegant surroundings, and a reliable bet in an area where you can get stung for your supper and leave feeling more than a little ripped off.
Current trends? On Hackney Road in east London another corner that is now a hotbed of action , The Laughing Heart has a fine kitchen, and regularly hosts guest chefs from around the world, alongside a serious cellar and wine shop. You could bounce along and around this road and be blessed with dining and drinking options for days: Morito, The Marksman, Brawn, Campania and Jones; Sager and Wilde….
Strutting like a peacock with its new-found culinary confidence. Jostling against each other like spirited siblings, Soho and Mayfair are as distinct as yo…. Available in English, German, French and Spanish versions, the WTG provides detailed and accurate travel content designed to inspire global travellers. It covers all aspects, from cities to airports, cruise ports to ski and beach resorts, attractions to events, and it also includes weekly travel news, features and quizzes.
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