Huaiyang elegance in the air

There’s one chef missing from the SIA@Home lineup. I had the opportunity to try the meal specially made for SQ on a flight to Shanghai.

Created by ICP Chef Zhu Jun (朱俊), Shi Quan Shi Mei (食全时美) emphasises the use of seasonal and fresh produce with traditional cooking methods. To enhance the experience, the meal is paired with specially selected seasonal tea. Shi Quan Shi Mei (食全时美) is available on selected flights between Singapore and Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. It was available in Business, but the latest update on the website says it’s now only Suites and First that can enjoy this.

Zhu Jun is the Executive Chef at Shanghai’s renowned Jade Garden Restaurant. Classically trained in French and Italian cooking, Zhu Jun uses his training to re-interpret traditional Chinese favourites for Shi Quan Shi Mei (食全时美) – Chinese fine dining on board.

The meal service started right after take-off with the anticipated SQ satays as you settled into the flight, read a couple of magazines and zone out. Yes, flight time is the only time these days for me to detach from work for a while.

1/4 Side Dish – Spicy garlic hot bean pickled cabbage

Like a Chinese banquet on land, you are offered a pickled side dish. The glistening spicy garlic hot bean pickled cabbage looked very appetising. It tasted very rich too.

2/4 Cold Appetiser – Eel and salted egg roll with spicy asparagus mushrooms salad

The conger eel is wrapped around a salted egg york and poached. Served on a bed of spicy asparagus and sautéed straw mushrooms. The eel was quite bland, only to be lifted by the egg yolk.

3/4 Main Course – Red bean curd braised pork ribs

The main course is braised pork ribs with Chinese broccoli and pumpkin rice. The pork ribs were braised with fermented red tofu 腐乳, which texture wise is similar to brie with the smell of Stilton. However when you braised meat with it, it transforms the proteins into another level of deliciousness. And the perfect vegetable to go with the sauce is kailan or Chinese broccoli, which is a wrong name because it does not belong the broccoli family even though it flowers.They could do with more pumpkin the rice.

4/4 Dessert – Creamy roasted walnut soup with pearl sago

And the Chinese dessert was a satisfying creamy roasted walnut soup with pearl sago 核桃胡 served cold.

Of course, you can end the meal with the usual fresh fruits form the tray and a selection of cheese (camembert and gouda, I skipped the Stilton).

How that I have tried it, I would not say I would miss it even though it has been removed from the Business class menu.

Flight taken Dec 2018 SIN PVG