Just returning from a trip to Los Angeles with family. Although I have flown to the West Coast many times, this trip was the first time in a long time I was in first class. I took in every minute of it, too.
I have always been fascinated with plane food, starting back when there was proper food served in all classes, including coach. I loved the food tray with all of the compartments and hot entrée added at the end. It was always my highlight of flying. Now we are lucky to get a prepackaged snack, for a fee of course.
OK, so I did ask for a dirty martini as my preflight cocktail as if it was a 1950s Pan Am flight and I was going to pull out a cigarette. However, it’s 2017 and my American Airlines flight attendant, Tim, just smiled and said he would make me something special. I settled into my private cubicle lounge and made a plan to watch a couple of Oscar-nominated movies.
Post takeoff, my table was set with a serviette in preparation for the ensuing four-course meal inspired by restaurateur and chef Sam Choy. I pre-ordered my entrée, but the rest of the meal was a pleasant surprise.
The first course was my favorite burrata cheese with oregano caper dressing and hot French bread and real sweet cream butter. This course was an omen for the rest of the trip, as burrata seems to be essential on every restaurant menu. Tim snuck me a sample of the other appetizer of smoked salmon dip, too.
The salad course was simple with a spring mix topped with baby carrots, tomatoes, endive and asparagus. I chose the carrot ginger miso vinaigrette for my dressing, as well as another piece of bread.
It was hard to choose my entrée among pork osso buco, panko-crusted mahi mahi and grilled cauliflower steak, but grilled beef filet with truffleyaki butter, mushrooms, pan-roasted Brussels sprouts and polenta cake won. The filet was a little overcooked, but that sauce and the polenta cake were divine. The glass of Spanish garnacha paired nicely.
There were more hard choices to make for my final course, dessert! There was a gourmet cheese plate, a cappuccino mousse cake and a traditional ice cream sundae. I had to go for the specialty sundae of Ben & Jerry’s vanilla ice cream topped with toasted coconut chips and cocoa dusted almonds. It was like a crunchy and smooth frozen Almond Joy moment I did not want to end.
Thank you to my family and Tim for giving me the first class experience.
Happy eating and thanks for reading!
Kysha Harris is a food writer and editor, culinary producer, consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service in NYC for more than 15 years. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram, @SCHOPgirl, on Facebook, /SCHOPnyc, and her blog, www.talkingSCHOP.wordpress.com. Questions? Comments? Requests? Feedback? Invitations! Email AmNewsFOOD at AmNewsFOOD@SCHOPnyc.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @NYAmNewsFOOD and tag us with #SoAmNewsFOOD with your food finds!