Virgin Upper Class meals - what do you get?

[susieh]

We're flying UC to Orlando next Saturday and wondering what you get to eat on the plane. We've only flown Economy and PE (once) in the past and DH doesn't eat any of the food. I know the brochure says you can choose your meal but what exactly does this mean? Do you just get first choice from the standard meal/menu or does it come on a proper plate or does it mean you get 'real food' rather than pre-packed?

Any help much appreciated as we're trying to work out whether we are likely to want a meal when we get there or not.

 

[Boo Boo Too]

Your meals will be totally different from economy/PE meals. Food is served on proper plates. I have generally found the food to be good, BUT remember this is airline food: generally GOOD airline food, but not the same as good restuarnt food. Airplanes have limited food preparation facilities (i.e. the standard ovens and microwaves, but no hob, no grill, no griddle etc). If you have a steak, it comes as it comes (they can't do it to your liking...). However, things are not "baked on one plate" - i.e. the steak is heated up in the oven, the vegies are normally heated seperately in the microwave.

The idea with Upper Class is that you can eat what you want, when you want it. Most people will eat a "main meal" straight after take-off (or not long after). There is a seperate "tea, sandwiches and cakes" service about an hour and a half before landing. BUT, if you prefer, you can order something else of off the main menu instead of tea (or at any other time during your flight).

There are normally:
- two or three appetiser/salad/"lighter bite" selections,
- a soup (normally pretty good),
- about three main courses (one of which will be vegetarian)
- a couple of dessert choices (one is normally ice cream based)
- cheese and biscuits.
- tea/coffee with chocolates and liqeurs.

You can order as many or as few courses as you like.

You will also get offered a variety of fresh warm rolls/bread several times. There is champagne, wine, soft drinks, water. A good crew will keep these topped up during your meal.

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An example of a ex-LGW Upper Class Menu (from the end of March):

Lunch

Starters
*Leek and potato soup with Welsh rarebit croutons served with a choice of warmed breads
*Spring herb salad with Scottish Loch Fyne salmon

Main Course
*Award winning "Porky White" sausages served with champ and Newcastle Brown ale gravy
*Chicken tikka massala served with basmati rice, mini naan and mango chutney
*Potato thatched vegetable Cottage pie served with spring greens

Cheese
*Shropshire Blue
*Mull of Kintyre Cheddar
*Manor Farm Somerset Goat's Cheese

Dessert
*Warm rhubabrd crumble with Beechdean Farmhouse Dairy vanilla ice cream
*Elderflower jelly with spring fruits served with cream

Afternoon Tea
*Selection of finger cut sandwiches - roast chicken, sage&onion stuffing with apple and cider chutney, Wiltshire gammon and English mustard and mature *Cheddar with Branston pickle
*Warm fruit scone served with Tiptree strawberry jam and Roddas Cornish clotted cream
*Eccles cakes, millionaires shortbread and butterfly cakes

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An example of a ex-North America Upper Class Menu (from the end of April):

Dinner

Starters
*Green salad with sliced rare beef and shaved fennel
*Cauliflower soup with chive cream
*Seared prawns served with almond and chilli salad, snow peas and wasabi dressing

Main Courses
*Grilled alaskan halibut - Scallion mashed potatoes with a pimento and fennel veloute
*Roasted chicken breast - Zucchini and rustic potato wedges served with a port wine and cranberry sauce
*Roast lamb cutlets with tomatoes, red onion jam and basil oil
*Butternut squash ravioli with tarragon cream sauce, shaved parmesan, red pepper and grilled zucchini

Cheese
*Saint andre - Soft, triple cream cheese with thin edible white rind
*Kind island red leicester - Delicately sweet cheese with a firm & flaky texture
*Cashel blue - Blue cheese with a hint of tarragon and crisp white wine
Cheeses are offered with assorted crackers and dried apricots

Dessert
*Spiced apple & raisin crumble served with king island double cream
*Orange pecan nut pudding with toffee sauce and cream

Breakfast
* Selection of cereals -- cornflakes, Wheetabix, Fruit ‘n’ Fibre, Special K
* Marbled chocolate pound cake
* Warm waffles served with maple syrup,
* Butter croissants served with a selection of preserves
* Seasonal fresh fruit served on their own or with natural yoghurt
* Bacon roll served with either tomato ketchup or brown sauce
* Eggs Benedict with bacon rashers, asparagus and cherry tomatoes

 

[Miffy2003]

Mmmmmm that sounds lovely

 

[UKDEB]

Boo has said it all really. It's a much more pleasant, civilised experience - all served on china plates and a course at a time.

 

[Boo Boo Too]

Boo has said it all really. It's a much more pleasant, civilised experience - all served on china plates and a course at a time.

Oh, and highly addictive!

If anyone ever says "should I spend the extra money to travel Upper/Business/First Class?", then they should not consider it a "one off" - very hard to go back to a small, cramped seat and normal food and service afterwards... So, be warned! , but have a fantastic trip

Boo

 

[Frances999]

Wow - what an informative post, Boo!

The Virgin Atlantic Freedom service is exceptional. I really dislike the set-serving times you get in PE, so to have the opportunity to select when we eat is a wonderful bonus. I've always found the food to be delicious, but then just looking at the horrible plastic trays in PE puts me off before I start.

You'll have a wonderful journey. The best bit about Upper Class is that when it is time to go home, you won't be so sad, as you will still have the comfortable and relaxing journey to look forward to!

 

[susieh]

Thanks folks - we are really looking forward to this trip. DH usually hates the planning part of a holiday and gets really stressed out about the flight but this time I have caught him looking up things on the web and he's been talking about it in a far more positive way. If the flight experience is as good as people have made it sound then I think we will be saving to go first class every time in future.

 

[Boo Boo Too]

Wow - what an informative post, Boo!

Ah, food is important though!

Boo

 

[Andrew Bichard]

We're flying UC to Orlando next Saturday and wondering what you get to eat on the plane.

Don't forget also, that on the way out, you have access to the Upper Class Lounge at Gatwick before your flight, which serves a variety of excellent breakfasts. (free).

Unfortunately, Virgin doesn't have their own lounge at Orlando. They have a deal with another airline (Delta?) to let you use their lounge, but it doesn't serve food (or didn't last time I used it).

BTW, there is an excellent Itallian restaurant in the main shopping Mall at Orlando airport - (I have seen flight crew eating there, so it must be good). If you have time, you could eat there before going through security and passport control to the gates, and then sleep in your bed all the way back to Gatwick.

Andrew