This was one long haul trip. I was travelling from Vancouver to Singapore a few days ago on work. Since Malaysia is just minutes from Singapore downtown, I will be taking at least a week off work to visit family and friends — and most of all eat all the food I so missed all these years.
The trip took a total of 19 hours. At least I was travelling in Business Class. Singapore Airlines’ Business Class is known as Raffles Class. I normally dread long-haul flights but this time I really enjoyed myself. The food was great, the service was superb. I felt so pampered and full rested by the time I got to Singapore. What made the difference the most was the fact that I could sleep on flight because the seat could actually recline!
Even before I got to settle down, the stewardess came around with a tray of champagne, juice and cocktail. I chose the Golden Spice cocktail which was really refreshing. This appears to be a lime cordial with a spicy relish, pineapple juice and ginger ale. I had a lot of drinks during the flight and tried to try every one on their menu.
The flight has an in-flight entertainment system which includes movies, TV shows, and Nintendo games. Each seat has its own personal television. The movies and TV shows were the on-demand type where I could pause, rewind and so on from my seat control. There was a selection of 80 movies of various kind. On the flight I caught the Da Vinci Code. I like computer games but the Nintendo games was downright childish and game that a miss.
Next they issued me socks. Nice touch. It felt so good taking off the shoes and donning the socks.
Of course, there is the ubiquitous packets of nuts.
There are a total three meals served throughout the 19hr flight. Two of the meals are full meals while one is what they called a light meal — which is not light in every sense of the word!
For the dinner menu, I started off with Satay with onions and cucumber.
Oh yeah, they actually setup the seat tray with table cloth. The tray was large and I really had the meal in comfort.
Next came the Marinated Prawns salad. The prawns were succulent but I am not a great fan of cold prawns.
They came by with a basket of various type of bread. The garlic bread looked really good. They looked better than it tasted. I mean, I had much better garlic bread before. I prefer garlic bread which is crusty but this one is a soft.
For the main, I selected the Poached Chicken Breast with garlic mashed potato, sauteed spinach and creamed morel. I selected this primarily because the menu indicated this is an exclusive creation by Nancy Oakes (who?) of San Francisco.
I also had the coconut and mango ice-cream. The taste was unique but too airy.
They next came with a push cart of some gourmet cheese selection. I asked for one of each to sample.
For coffee, I chose the Kenyan AA Kilimanjaro coffee from their gourmet coffee menu. This is a very dark brew with an intense flavour. It was so good that I ordered this two other times during the flight.
To end the meal, they came by with a nice tray of chocolates. I felt like asking them to leave the entire tray with me!
That was just one meal. Frankly, it was too much food. By the third meal, I could not finish what was on the plates. You know, I had weighed myself before I left for the airport. At the rate I am going, I am afraid I will have gained quite a lot of weight.
Anyway, I really had a great time on the flight. There are a few more pictures of the food I had on the flight. Click on the link below for them.
Milo — I missed Milo. Although we had Milo in Canada, they are expensive and not popular. In Malaysia, Milo is perhaps the No 1 hot beverage.
Smoked Salmon salad. Didn’t like the look of it because the dish looks so flat! It was not bad though.
I like the linguine pasta with the big prawns and scallops. Yummy!
Suanne would have loved this the most. She’s a great fan of cheesecakes.
The halibut was awesome too.
Wow, perhaps in a future life I will be able to fly like this…gourmet coffee menu, excellent!
My big question is who is Nancy Oakes, and more importantly what is “spicy relish”…that stuff they put in the lime cordial, did you ask for the recipe? Sounds like a v v cool summer drink idea and I would like to know more.
Wow. That was some flight!!! Good going!
This is definitely an amusing post! You really live the posh life! And the food on Singapore Airlines is great!
Hi Ben – I’m still trying to get over the fact that they issue you socks???!!!?
(o_O)…
I need to have a little talk with my company about how they fly me places. I really want to be upgraded to business class now.
– Chubbypanda
Hi Emily: You know, I didn’t know who Nancy Oakes is! I learn new things everyday … here is what I found on google http://www.boulevardrestaurant.com. I will ask the pretty stewardess how the cocktails are prepared on my return trip.
Hi Rosa: Welcome back to the site.
Hi Passionate Eater: You have no idea. This so called “posh” life is actually killing me. My one desire these days is just have a good 8 hr sleep and have a real weekend with the family!
Hi Kirk: Yeah, I thought it was a nice touch on SQ’s part.
Milo is pretty cheap at T&T Supermarket. I think the standard-sized tin is approx $5-6.
Hi LotusRapper: How big is the std sized? In Malaysia, the standard size is 2kg!! Oh yeah, Malaysians drink Milo like, oh, Americans drink Coke.
I believe it’s around 12-14oz sized tin. Should be same as the Ovaltine tin.
Be careful about purchasing Milo overseas. I purchased some here in US that are made in Brazil or some other south American country. It doesn’t taste the same (it wasn’t as rich and sweet) as the ones made in Asia. So check to make sure you get the Asian made ones.
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Hey Ben and anyone else who might like a little more info on Nancy Oakes,
Nancy Oakes is chef and co-owner (with famed restaurateur Pat Kuleto) of Boulevard Restaurant in San Francisco, which has been named by Zagat’s several times as the #1 restaurant in the city—with good reason.
I’ve eaten there on many occasions and never has a less-than-stellar morsel passed my lips nor have I experienced anything short of excellent service.
Beautiful art-deco (or maybe beaux arts–I’m never sure about that kind of thing) building and decor, right on the Embarcadero, with a view of the Bay Bridge.
A bit of trivia: Nancy is married to fellow chef Bruce Aidells, author, food writer and founder of Aidell’s Sausage Company. The sausage company is very popular here in the states, but maybe not so well known in Canada. Nancy has helped to come up with some of the sausage varieties.
I can’t recommend Boulevard highly enough. It’s a must-do when visiting San Francisco. Until I fly biz class on Singapore Airlines, I guess I’ll just have to get my Nancy Oakes cuisine fix at Boulevard!
Wha, business class on SIA!! Wonder when I will have this opportunity?? And you have tried more of the Singapore food than me despite the fact that I have been here for 15 years!! Nice pics!!