United Airline Economy Class, Part II
Heading back to Washington after a number of excellent meals in Taiwan, I had, of course, my airline meals to look forward too!
Lunch
On the leg from Taipei (TPE) to Tokyo (NRT), we were started off with an interesting ground chicken on rice. This was served with the side salad, some very tasty steamed bok choy, and a pecan cookie.
Lunch
Traveling westward, from Tokyo to Los Angeles (LAX), we stayed with an Asian theme, with chicken thighs on rice with various steamed vegetables, a side salad, the mystery hot dog roll, and the not quite a brownie. (pictured above)
Breakfast
It was getting earlier in the morning on the NRT/LAX leg, so it was eventually time for a hot breakfast. Very hot. Really really really microwaved hot! A version of an omlette, a sausage, and a small pastry.
And then we landed in LAX. A quick dash through immigration and customs, a wait in various lines, re-checking luggage, and then, back to domestic flight foods (meals to purchase, beverage service). I was pretty sleepy by this time, so a handful of almonds were able to see me through (along with a couple of glasses of orange juice.
Meal: Lunch/Lunch/Breakfast
Rating: Not Rated
Date: 28 February 2009
Address: Somewhere in the sky
Website: http://www.united.com
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Tea fit for the Emperor
San-hsi-t'ang Teahouse
National Palace Museum
San-his-t'ang, located in the west hall of Yanghsin Pavilion of Forbidden City, was Emperor Chien-lung's studio. At the National Palace Museum, the San-hsi-t'ang Teahouse is located on the top level of the museum with an excellent, panoramic view down the mountaintop and overlooking the peaks of the museum rooftop.
Inside, the decor is simple, yet elegant, lots of dark wood and comfortable seating. I was lucky to be travelling with a knowledgeable companion, and I put the ordering in her capable hands. We were a party of three (joining three other colleagues who had arrived earlier), so there was some room for experimentation.
Since this was a teahouse, we had to have tea! My colleage ordered two selections for us: a light and refreshing green tea and a darker, delicous oolong.
For my meal, I was started off with a seafood dumpling soup. It was a surpring and delicious dish.
Floating in a broth was a large, pillowy dumpling. Poking into the dumpling revealed a potpouri of marine treats. Shrimp, shellfish and some other mysterious items (perhaps bamboo fungus?).
After soup came a selection of steamed dumplings. including a particularly tasty cabbage roll. The topper to the steamed rolls (actually, the bottomer, as it was at the bottom of the bamboo steamer), was a sticky rice and mushrooms served in a lotus leaf.
After eating, we sat back to enjoy the view and finish off our tea. A delightful lunch before heading off for an extensive tour of the Palace Museum collections!
More photos online.
Meal: Lunch
Rating: ***** of 5
Date: 24 February 2009
Address: National Palace Museum, 221 Chih-Shan Rd., Sec 2, Wai-shuang-hsi, Taipei 11143, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Website: http://www.npm.gov.tw/hotnews/dining/index1_en.html
National Palace Museum
San-his-t'ang, located in the west hall of Yanghsin Pavilion of Forbidden City, was Emperor Chien-lung's studio. At the National Palace Museum, the San-hsi-t'ang Teahouse is located on the top level of the museum with an excellent, panoramic view down the mountaintop and overlooking the peaks of the museum rooftop.
Inside, the decor is simple, yet elegant, lots of dark wood and comfortable seating. I was lucky to be travelling with a knowledgeable companion, and I put the ordering in her capable hands. We were a party of three (joining three other colleagues who had arrived earlier), so there was some room for experimentation.
Since this was a teahouse, we had to have tea! My colleage ordered two selections for us: a light and refreshing green tea and a darker, delicous oolong.
For my meal, I was started off with a seafood dumpling soup. It was a surpring and delicious dish.
Floating in a broth was a large, pillowy dumpling. Poking into the dumpling revealed a potpouri of marine treats. Shrimp, shellfish and some other mysterious items (perhaps bamboo fungus?).
After soup came a selection of steamed dumplings. including a particularly tasty cabbage roll. The topper to the steamed rolls (actually, the bottomer, as it was at the bottom of the bamboo steamer), was a sticky rice and mushrooms served in a lotus leaf.
After eating, we sat back to enjoy the view and finish off our tea. A delightful lunch before heading off for an extensive tour of the Palace Museum collections!
More photos online.
Meal: Lunch
Rating: ***** of 5
Date: 24 February 2009
Address: National Palace Museum, 221 Chih-Shan Rd., Sec 2, Wai-shuang-hsi, Taipei 11143, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Website: http://www.npm.gov.tw/hotnews/dining/index1_en.html
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The Friendly Skies: IAD to TPE
United Airline Economy Class, Part I
One of the pleasure of a longer international flight is getting food service. On most domestic U.S. flights, you're not likely to get real food, or even food that passes as real food.
Even on trans-continental flights, the best you can hope for is a cold box lunch (that you have to pay extra for).
But not so when you fly internationally (well, at least most of the time). On my recent flight from IAD (Dulles) to TPE (Taipei, Taiwan) via NRT (Narita, Japan) on United Airlines (Economy Class - not even Economy Plus!), I had four rather tasty in flight meals.
Lunch 1
The choices (!) were chicken or beef. I actually selected chicken, but the flight attendand didn't hear me and handed me beef. I was going with the karma and just took it. Turned out to be a rather tasty beef tips in gravy served with mashed potatos, green beans with carrots, side salad, roll, and oatmeal bar. I topped off the lunch with orange juice and coffee.
Snack 1
Wow, a surprise snack! Somewhere over either Alaska or the Yukon, passengers were brought a cup of Chinese Noodles and a pecan cookie. It was basically a cup of soup (the interesting part was the cup of noodles was brought first and then the flight staff came back down the aisles with pots of hot water to finish the soups - seemed dangerous to do in a bouncing airplane, but no one was burned). So yes, it was basically Ramen noodles, but came with a spork and cute mini-chopsticks!
Lunch 2
OK, we're obviously heading east. Lunch number 2, served just as we were approaching the Japanese archipelago, was a sweet and sour chicken with noodles, peas with carrots, strawberry yogurt, and a pecan cookie. I was a bit surprised there were no mini-chopsticks this time.
Dinner 1
My first thought when I knew I had a layover in Tokyo was that I would get some quick sushi at the airport. But after the three meals above, I wasn't that hungry during the 2 hour layover at Narita.
But just in case I was, on the just over 3 hour flight from Narita to Taipei, I was given dinner.
Dinner (pictured above) was chicken, two types of noodles, sticky rice, a green, an airline roll, and an interesting "brownie." The chicken and noodles were quite good, as was the rice. A nice finishing touch to 18 hours in the air!
Meal: Lunch/Snack/Lunch/Dinner
Rating: Not Rated
Date: 21-22 February 2009
Address: Somewhere in the sky
Website: http://www.united.com
One of the pleasure of a longer international flight is getting food service. On most domestic U.S. flights, you're not likely to get real food, or even food that passes as real food.
Even on trans-continental flights, the best you can hope for is a cold box lunch (that you have to pay extra for).
But not so when you fly internationally (well, at least most of the time). On my recent flight from IAD (Dulles) to TPE (Taipei, Taiwan) via NRT (Narita, Japan) on United Airlines (Economy Class - not even Economy Plus!), I had four rather tasty in flight meals.
Lunch 1
The choices (!) were chicken or beef. I actually selected chicken, but the flight attendand didn't hear me and handed me beef. I was going with the karma and just took it. Turned out to be a rather tasty beef tips in gravy served with mashed potatos, green beans with carrots, side salad, roll, and oatmeal bar. I topped off the lunch with orange juice and coffee.
Snack 1
Wow, a surprise snack! Somewhere over either Alaska or the Yukon, passengers were brought a cup of Chinese Noodles and a pecan cookie. It was basically a cup of soup (the interesting part was the cup of noodles was brought first and then the flight staff came back down the aisles with pots of hot water to finish the soups - seemed dangerous to do in a bouncing airplane, but no one was burned). So yes, it was basically Ramen noodles, but came with a spork and cute mini-chopsticks!
Lunch 2
OK, we're obviously heading east. Lunch number 2, served just as we were approaching the Japanese archipelago, was a sweet and sour chicken with noodles, peas with carrots, strawberry yogurt, and a pecan cookie. I was a bit surprised there were no mini-chopsticks this time.
Dinner 1
My first thought when I knew I had a layover in Tokyo was that I would get some quick sushi at the airport. But after the three meals above, I wasn't that hungry during the 2 hour layover at Narita.
But just in case I was, on the just over 3 hour flight from Narita to Taipei, I was given dinner.
Dinner (pictured above) was chicken, two types of noodles, sticky rice, a green, an airline roll, and an interesting "brownie." The chicken and noodles were quite good, as was the rice. A nice finishing touch to 18 hours in the air!
Meal: Lunch/Snack/Lunch/Dinner
Rating: Not Rated
Date: 21-22 February 2009
Address: Somewhere in the sky
Website: http://www.united.com
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Galloping Gourmet: Anaheim
Galloping Gourmet: Anaheim
Staying in the Disney area of town - but not actually every going to Disneyland, I don't think I really hit all the culinary highlights of Anaheim, let alone Orange County!
In addition to the usual Starbucks, mostly in hotels, I also had a tasty lunch at the Hilton (a very good burger) and also a nice breakfast at the Clarion Hotel (once the buffet, one ordered).
I also stopped in at a Carl's Jr, but it wasn't the same as I
recall from my youth. Since the Carl's Jr. didn't really have breakfast, I had to go down the street to the Denny's (for the "All American Breakfast).
Staying in the Disney area of town - but not actually every going to Disneyland, I don't think I really hit all the culinary highlights of Anaheim, let alone Orange County!
In addition to the usual Starbucks, mostly in hotels, I also had a tasty lunch at the Hilton (a very good burger) and also a nice breakfast at the Clarion Hotel (once the buffet, one ordered).
I also stopped in at a Carl's Jr, but it wasn't the same as I
recall from my youth. Since the Carl's Jr. didn't really have breakfast, I had to go down the street to the Denny's (for the "All American Breakfast).
Trimurti ... Three faces of Indian Food!
Trimurti Indian Cuisine
Trimurti is the visage of Shiva with three faces, one terrible and wrathful, one beautiful and peaceful, and one calm and aloof. In Toronto, Trimurti is one of a trio (or are there more?) of Indian restaurants on Queen Street. On a recent trip to Toronto,we were only hit two of them (see Little India). Comparisons later, descriptions first!
At Trimurti, we started off with the pakoras which were well done, not too heavy, and quite tasty. We had to ad the Mango Chutney (described as being "Mango in Erotic Spices" - not sure exactly what the erotic spices were, but it was a nice mango chutney just the same.
For entrees, we had Saag Paneer (spinach and cheese), Bhindi Masala (okra curry), and Sada Pilau (a delightful basmati rice). Added to this were a nice Tandoori Roti and raita.
All the dishes were excellent. Careful to ask for a mild this time (after the spicy Little India!), the dishes were just right.
Decor and ambiance were nice; there was a good crowd, but not an overwhelming crowd. Service was excellent with an engaging and informed staff.
So, how do the two Queen Street Indian restos compare? Both were excellent and I'd return to either. The food at Little India was a little too spicy (when one wasn't expecting it), but overall, you can't miss on either.
Meal: Dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 1 December 2008
Address: 265 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1Z4, Canada
Website: http://trimurti.ca
Trimurti is the visage of Shiva with three faces, one terrible and wrathful, one beautiful and peaceful, and one calm and aloof. In Toronto, Trimurti is one of a trio (or are there more?) of Indian restaurants on Queen Street. On a recent trip to Toronto,we were only hit two of them (see Little India). Comparisons later, descriptions first!
At Trimurti, we started off with the pakoras which were well done, not too heavy, and quite tasty. We had to ad the Mango Chutney (described as being "Mango in Erotic Spices" - not sure exactly what the erotic spices were, but it was a nice mango chutney just the same.
For entrees, we had Saag Paneer (spinach and cheese), Bhindi Masala (okra curry), and Sada Pilau (a delightful basmati rice). Added to this were a nice Tandoori Roti and raita.
All the dishes were excellent. Careful to ask for a mild this time (after the spicy Little India!), the dishes were just right.
Decor and ambiance were nice; there was a good crowd, but not an overwhelming crowd. Service was excellent with an engaging and informed staff.
So, how do the two Queen Street Indian restos compare? Both were excellent and I'd return to either. The food at Little India was a little too spicy (when one wasn't expecting it), but overall, you can't miss on either.
Meal: Dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 1 December 2008
Address: 265 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1Z4, Canada
Website: http://trimurti.ca
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Korean Grill House: DIY Grillin'
Korean Grill House
After leaving Little India, we saw The Korean Grill House right across the street. Good news, Mmm'mmm. Bad news, won't get to think about where to go to dinner the next night!
Those of you looking at the calender will note that the day we visited was the U.S. Thanksgiving Day holiday. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting to grill my own turkey or have pumpkin pie for dessert. It was just another day in Canada, but still the Korean Grill house was pretty packed (for a Thursday, a weeknight remember!). Luckily we didn't have to wait long for a seat and soon found ourselves at a table with a hot grill in front of us.
For appetizers, we had an order of fried spring rolls that were fine.
We also had an order of Chicken Bibm Bahb (a sort of Korean Pho or soup with a variety of ingredients) and, because the Korean Grill House is a "cook-it-yourself" place, the BBQ Meat Combo (chicken, beef, and pork). Along with the meat combo came a vegetable sampler (Kimchee, Bean Curd, Bean Sprout, Spicy Bean Sprout, Pickled Radish) that was really great (and they kept the kimchee coming as the dish got empty!).
It was a bit of work to keep the meat on the grill, make sure it was done, and eat all at the same time, but the end results were worth the effort. A very tasty meal at a very reasonable price.
(Note: The Korean Grill House has four other locations in the Toronto area).
Meal: Dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 27 November 2008
Address: 214 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1Z2, Canada
Website: http://www.koreangrillhouse.com/
After leaving Little India, we saw The Korean Grill House right across the street. Good news, Mmm'mmm. Bad news, won't get to think about where to go to dinner the next night!
Those of you looking at the calender will note that the day we visited was the U.S. Thanksgiving Day holiday. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting to grill my own turkey or have pumpkin pie for dessert. It was just another day in Canada, but still the Korean Grill house was pretty packed (for a Thursday, a weeknight remember!). Luckily we didn't have to wait long for a seat and soon found ourselves at a table with a hot grill in front of us.
For appetizers, we had an order of fried spring rolls that were fine.
We also had an order of Chicken Bibm Bahb (a sort of Korean Pho or soup with a variety of ingredients) and, because the Korean Grill House is a "cook-it-yourself" place, the BBQ Meat Combo (chicken, beef, and pork). Along with the meat combo came a vegetable sampler (Kimchee, Bean Curd, Bean Sprout, Spicy Bean Sprout, Pickled Radish) that was really great (and they kept the kimchee coming as the dish got empty!).
It was a bit of work to keep the meat on the grill, make sure it was done, and eat all at the same time, but the end results were worth the effort. A very tasty meal at a very reasonable price.
(Note: The Korean Grill House has four other locations in the Toronto area).
Meal: Dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 27 November 2008
Address: 214 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1Z2, Canada
Website: http://www.koreangrillhouse.com/
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Little India: Big Portions!
Little India
Before heading to Toronto, I wanted to see if there were any Indian restaurants near my hotel (Sheraton City Centre). Indeed, just a few blocks away was a whole street full of well-rated places. What to choose!
So, on our first night, we selected Little India. Good choice! Located on Queen Street, the comfortable restaurant was warm and snug on a slightly chilly night.
The menu was quite interesting and had a few things that I've not seen before. But even before ordering, we received a basket of pappadum and a tasty parsnip chutney which I've never seen before. Cut into little cubes, at first I thought it was carrots til the waiter informed us otherwise.
For appetizers, we chose the Onion Bhajia and, again, because it's not usually found on the menus of Mutton Rolls. The Onion Bhajia was very good and the Mutton Rolls were good (but not great), basically they were little meat pies, a bit heavy on the dough.
For main courses, we went with the Palak Paneer and a Vegetarian Thali with rice and roti all around. It was a good Palak Paneer and the Vegetarian Thali had a very nice selection of various vegetarian dishes.
Overall, the portions were very large (we had way too much food) and a little on the spicy side (even though we asked for mild) - I'd never had a Palak Paneer that was that hot!
Dinner ended with a complimentary serving of Gulab Jamun. Never one of my favorites (just tooooooo sweet and sticky), so I can't really judge how good it was.
Relatively inexpensive, and even more so with the US/Canadian dollar exchange. Highly recommended.
Meal: Dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 26 November 2008
Address: 255 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1Z4, Canada
Website: http://www.littleindia.ca/
Before heading to Toronto, I wanted to see if there were any Indian restaurants near my hotel (Sheraton City Centre). Indeed, just a few blocks away was a whole street full of well-rated places. What to choose!
So, on our first night, we selected Little India. Good choice! Located on Queen Street, the comfortable restaurant was warm and snug on a slightly chilly night.
The menu was quite interesting and had a few things that I've not seen before. But even before ordering, we received a basket of pappadum and a tasty parsnip chutney which I've never seen before. Cut into little cubes, at first I thought it was carrots til the waiter informed us otherwise.
For appetizers, we chose the Onion Bhajia and, again, because it's not usually found on the menus of Mutton Rolls. The Onion Bhajia was very good and the Mutton Rolls were good (but not great), basically they were little meat pies, a bit heavy on the dough.
For main courses, we went with the Palak Paneer and a Vegetarian Thali with rice and roti all around. It was a good Palak Paneer and the Vegetarian Thali had a very nice selection of various vegetarian dishes.
Overall, the portions were very large (we had way too much food) and a little on the spicy side (even though we asked for mild) - I'd never had a Palak Paneer that was that hot!
Dinner ended with a complimentary serving of Gulab Jamun. Never one of my favorites (just tooooooo sweet and sticky), so I can't really judge how good it was.
Relatively inexpensive, and even more so with the US/Canadian dollar exchange. Highly recommended.
Meal: Dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 26 November 2008
Address: 255 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1Z4, Canada
Website: http://www.littleindia.ca/
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