2009年4月29日 星期三

卡達航空(Qatar Airways) 亞洲航線經濟艙素食飛機餐


四月初因奶奶病危,臨時得趕回台灣。其實,阿拉伯聯合大公國是有航班直飛台北的,就是華航由阿布達比 (Abu Dhabi) 到台北的航線。可是因一週只有三班,價位又特別的高 (阿布達比到台北和維也納經阿布達比到台北一樣貴,這算甚麼啊 ) 。其他只停一點轉機就可以返台的班機,像是國泰,新航都非常貴。弄到後來,變成買卡達的航班經多哈 (Doha) 到香港,再由香港搭長榮班機返台。

這雖不是我第一次搭卡達航空 (Qatar Airways)的飛機,卻是我第一次搭他們亞洲線的航班。之前搭,都是去歐洲,通常五,六小時的航程就到了。到香港比較遠,差不多要八小時左右。也因此不像歐洲線只提供一餐,香港線通常會有兩餐:一餐是正餐,一餐則是“輕食”。

很不幸地,雖然我在一直到五月中都在吃素期間,因為網上購票時漏按了一個鈕,然後又一直忘了打電話去要求改成素食餐, 最後上來的竟然是有肉的餐點‧‧‧

這是半夜起飛後“輕食”的菜色。因為是『輕食』,沒有開胃菜。主菜外,只有水果盤和麥芬 (muffin)。中式主菜,根據三語的菜單上,翻成 『雞肉繪蛋麵配時蔬』(Stir fried chicken with braised egg noodles, assorted vegetables)。好在我吃肉邊素,雞肉挑掉後還是照吃。其實麵和一旁的炒白菜都還蠻好吃的。






上圖:雞肉炒麵的特寫。

接下來的第二餐是抵達前的午餐。因為主餐只有『豉汁紅椒炒雞肉飯』(Chicken in black bean and red pepper sauce, coriander and basil fried rice)及『俄式燉牛肉』(Beef Straganoff with buttered peas and seasonal vegetables)可選,我實在不想再繼續在肉中挑菜吃,於是就省掉不吃了。因此這裡也沒有照片。

在香港時,趕緊和卡達航空的櫃台要求回程要『素食餐』。也因此,一直得到回程,才能知道卡達航空的速食餐到底長甚麼樣‧‧‧


上圖:起飛時剛好是晚餐時間,因此一開始的飲料服務,我就先點比較可以開胃的 ─ 白葡萄酒。卡達航空還不錯,通常紅白酒各自有兩種酒可選。我選了智利白酒。




上圖:點素食餐的好處是,通常菜比人家先上。不知道他們的素食餐長甚麼樣子‧‧‧
啊‧‧‧印度菜!雖然我還蠻喜歡印度菜的,但去年馬航的印度素食餐味道重到把我弄得有些倒胃口。希望卡達航空的素食餐味道不要那麼重‧‧‧


上圖:開胃菜黃瓜沙拉,味道普通。


上圖:主菜的特寫。白飯旁有波菜泥及黃豆泥。其實還蠻好吃的,味道是重,但還好沒鹹到令人受不了。


上圖:可口的乳酪甜點上加了櫻桃醬。



上圖:小睡一陣後,半夜『輕食』送上來了。打開,當然還是印度菜。


上圖:『輕食』份量通常都不太多。其中有加哩餃及加哩味的素春捲。紅色的是坦都 (tandoor) 起士塊。因為是 cottage cheese,嘗起來有些像豆腐乾。味道尚可,但大概因為是微坡加熱的,感覺盤內每一樣都太乾。



上圖:甜點的美式巧克力 brownie,應該是很普通的。但不曉得為什麼,嘗起來特別可口,因此也特別照了張大特寫。

雖然只有返程吃到素食餐,但感覺還不錯。卡達航空在今年的 Skytrax 全球最佳航空公司評鑑,已經衝到第四名了。經濟艙甚至是評鑑全球第一 (這我倒是有些意外,我覺得紐西蘭航空好像還是比較好一些)因此吃得不錯我並不太意外。希望他們能再接再厲。

總分 A-

2009年4月27日 星期一

衣索匹亞航空(Ethiopian Airlines) 中程航線飛機餐


中文, 就不寫了‧‧‧‧
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[Segment 1: Dubai to Addis Ababa] Early morning flight from Dubai to Addis Ababa. Well, I have to say this is better than I thought. If this is Continental or Delta, there would be only the croissant, jam, butter and fruits on the tray, sans eggs dish, believe me! This is not bad for an airline from a very poor African country...
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/2257_60061096061_2139_n.jpg


[Segment 1: Dubai to Addis Ababa]The egg (scrambled or an omelet) looked a little disgusting. But it tasted better than it looked, fortunately. Well, I can fly this airline again, I thought.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/2257_60061101061_2441_n.jpg


[Segment 2: Dire Dawa to Addis Ababa] What?! They have food on the domestic flight from Addis Ababa to Dire Dawa (it is one hour's flight). It is just a cake, but I think I'm satisfied.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/2257_60065831061_7757_n.jpg


[Segment 2: Dire Dawa to Addis Ababa] Flying over Bale Mountain, Ethiopia
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[Segment 3: Addis Ababa to Dubai] The lunch on the flight between Addis Ababa and Dubai. Because I started my 108 days vegetarian period already at this point, I ordered a vegetarian meal.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/2257_60061136061_4287_n.jpg

[Segment 3: Addis Ababa to Dubai] The appetizer, cold and chewy. I just could not finish it.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/2257_60061121061_3657_n.jpg

[Segment 3: Addis Ababa to Dubai] The vegetarian entree. It is quite unimaginative, with simply pasta, carrots, and some string beans. Because some spice (not too much) they cooked with, the pasta and vegetables did not taste as bad as it looks. But still, it can be improved...

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/2257_60061141061_851_n.jpg

[Segment 3: Addis Ababa to Dubai] The desert, finally something tastes good in this meal!


Overall, food on Ethiopian Airline is NOT THAT GOOD. However, since I did not have high hope about Ethiopian Airline at all, it actually fared much better than I thought! For a country this poor, their national airline is actually relatively well-run, don't you think? Their food is edible (though far from "gourmet") At the time when few of North American airlines offer free (and edible) food on their domestic routes, and many don't even offer free alcohol on their intercontinental routes (yes, AA, I'm talking about you!), Ethiopian Airline is quite generous. To give them some big encouragement, I raise my score:

Final score: B