Sky Gourmet by BR

Princess and I made a trip to the US to celebrate her PSLE, and we did it in style – thanks to all the miles I have been clocking over the years. This time we travelled in EVA Air Laurel Class.

EVA Air Laurel Class is equivalent to business class for other airlines. It reminded me of the good old days when SQ used to call their’s Raffles Class as a differentiation. This was the first time I took business with EVA, and I was really impressed with the service and cabin products for the TPE-SFO sector.

The inflight cabin product is called Sky Gourmet. Dinner is a six course affair that is presented course by course.

Prelude

• Smoked salmon with sesame on zucchini slice
• Saffron flavoured mashed potato with caviar in mini tartlet

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The amuse bouche is a couple of canapés delicately made presented with the pre-dinner drink. I chose the Jasmine Tea Ale that is specially made for EVA Air. This is pale air that is infused with jasmine tea. Interesting drink, but not refreshing like an ale.

From the Bakery

Assorted bread served with butter and balsamic vinaigrette

You get choices like garlic bread, dinner rolls (which called slipper bun 拖鞋包 in Chinese) and baguettes. They all looked dry and stale.

Hor d’Oeuvre

Goose liver terrine, cajun spiced scallop topped with shrimp roes, caramelised fig jelly, glazed apple

I tried the terrine with a drizzle of the balsamic vinegar, and it was delicious. The terrine was rich and creamy and needed a dash of lemon or bread. The scallop was a generous thick serve but rather bland.

Soup

Apple and turnip cream soup with seafood

I was surprised to get a hot soup in the air. And this was a nice creamy seafood soup. But Taiwanese cream soups are a tad too watery to my liking, this was no different.

Salad

Garden vegetable salad

A throw-together of different greens dressed with vinaigrette.

Main Course

There were three choices for main course, two Western and a Chinese choice.

Braised abalone and sea cucumber with ginger and scallion in superior soy sauce, mixed vegetables, savoury rice with pak choy (Chishang Premium Grade Rice)

Yes, braised abalone and sea cucumber. This was the first time I had them served in flight.

And it was a properly done abalone, tender and flavourful to the core. And the rice that accompined the seafood was a flavoured Shanghainese-style vegetable rice made using the famous Chishang rice 池上米.

Pork medallion topped with walnut and herb crust with black pepper brown sauce, mixed vegetables, buttered penne pasta

I usually do not choose beef, so I got the pork medallion instead. Two pieces of pork loin cut sideways wrapped with bacon and crusted with nuts. Western food on board EVA was not outstanding. I was glad we had the abalone as well.

Sweets

Camembert, Boursin garlic, edam, blue cheese served with cracker, dried apricot, walnut, fruits, cherry cheese cake and Haargen Darz ice cream

Royal Laurel Special

Noodle soup with duet prawn and squid coated shrimp mousse

In between meals on the long haul flight to US, you can get a nice bowl of hot noodles. that is similar to the Tainan Danzai noodles 擔仔麵, with the clear chicken and pork bone broth with deep fried scallions. Served with minced prawn and squid balls, curiously called mousse in the description. I would be happy with just simple pork meat balls.

Breakfast – Chinese Style

Taiwanese plain porridge, traditional delicatessen, egg pancake with asparagus, work fried chicken and eringi mushroom, fruit

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But it was the breakfast that was the piece de resistance. 清粥小菜 Taiwanese porridge 20,000 feet in the air. I woke up the fragrant whiff of hot porridge, served preserved tofu, pork floss, stir fry vegetables and mushrooms, and omelette. You can top up the ingredients and porridge as needed. Yummy.

If only they serve better coffee on board.

Flight TPE-SFO, taken in Oct 2018.