HKG: Hong Kong Airlines [Business, International, Short-Haul]
Happy partnership with Hoi King Heen of HK and Blue Elephant of Thailand!
After taking the airline for the first time to Okinawa, Japan, it felt great to be onboard Hong Kong Airlines again because I really like its predominantly red and purple interior. Well, it was one of the rare moments of having supper after 1.30am as I don't usually sleep beyond midnight in the recent years.
Pikachu was sleepy, but he wouldn't want to miss the supper on the flight to Bangkok, Thailand.
Pre-Meal Beverages & Snack #1
Bauhinia Blossom - Taste: 7/10
HK Milk Tea - Taste: 4/10
The signature welcome drink, Bauhinia Blossom, was offered to each passenger. A mix of pink guava and pomegranate juice with soda water, it was decent, save for the fact that it was a tad sweet for my liking. After take-off, I decided to give the hot milk tea a try. After all, you can never go wrong with HK milk tea, right? It turned out that I was wrong, for the diluted drink was a disgrace to its heritage. Thankfully, there were some almonds to pacify the grumpy me.
HX Meal #1
Seasonal Fresh Fruits
I usually don't fancy fruits as an appetiser dish, but since it was a late night flight, I wouldn't want to have something overly heavy. The quintet of fruits - watermelon, honeydew, pineapple, dragon fruit and grape - were all pretty much juicy.
Sautéed Beef Tenderloin with Yeung Chuen Noodle - Taste: 8/10
In partnership with Hoi King Heen, a Cantonese resturant that was awarded One Michelin Star in 2011, the airline served stir-fried chewy white noodle as one of the main courses. I felt that it could use more flavours, but the sautéed beef tenderloin and mushrooms in thick gravy was delectable, complementing the noodle well.
Japanese Style Roasted Chicken Thigh - Taste: 7/10
Despite the name, the other main course didn't appear Japanese at all. The roasted chicken with soy sauce was quite succulent, while the ratatouille (French stewed vegetable dish) was alright. The rice that was topped with cheese, however, was a bit dry.
Red Bean Pudding with Coconut Milk - Taste: 8/10
I enjoyed the pudding prepared by Hoi King Heen as it had the right consistency. The sweet red bean layers and paste were balanced in flavours by the savoury coconut milk layers. It could've been chilled further though.
Bread
I actually didn't finish the round bun, which was quite fluffy, as it was a bit too much for me, The garlic bread was awesome and surpassed that served onboard SQ866.
Beverages
I only asked for a glass of water and red wine each throughout the meal service. For interested individuals, the airline does serve dry gin and vodka as apéritifs. A small block of Godiva milk chocolate was given, supposedly to accompany a cup of coffee or tea, but I declined the latter as I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep.
Pre-Meal Beverages & Snack #2
HK Yuan Yang - Taste: 8/10
On the return flight to HK in the morning, I opted for the usual orange juice for the welcome drink. Despite the fiasco in the previous flight, I was undeterred to give something similara try after take-off: yuan yang (Hong Kong milk tea mixed with coffee). Far better than the milk tea, it was thick and rich without being too sweet for my tongue. The mixed nuts from Blue Elephant were really nice to munch on.
HX Meal #2
Spicy Thai Fried Rice with Shrimp and Basil - Taste: 8.5/10
Blue Elephant, an establishment having restaurants in seven countries at the point of writing, provided its expertise in serving a main course dish for rice lovers that fine morning. The fried rice was executed well, being highly aromatic due to the various spices used in the cooking process. The shrimps were pretty sweet and succulent.
Sweet French Toast - Taste: 7.5/10
In spite of the unpromising appearance, the French toast wasn't too shabby. The bread was fluffy and aromatic, thanks to the caramelised banana slices. Mascarpone cheese, chocolate sauce and something akin to caramel sauce made good accompaniments.
Blueberry Muffin
There wasn't any garlic bread for breakfast, so blueberry muffin would do. Certainly I didn't make the wrong choice as it was fluffy, buttery and fragrant.
Others
Fruit yogurt, as well as watermelon and papaya slices were served to complete the meal. While the latter were quite fresh, they weren't particularly sweet.
Beverages
I only had a glass of water during the breakfast service, even though the flight attendants were actively doing their rounds to offer coffee and tea. I believe you can also ask for alcoholic drinks in the morning.
Melon's Rating
Taste: 7/10
Ambience: 8.5/10
Service: 8.5/10
Overall: 8/10
The breakfast service out of Bangkok was more memorable than the supper service out of HK. Pika's advice: Do look forward to interesting main courses provided by the various partners on any flight sectors. Each is indicated with the partner's logo on the menu booklet.
Hong Kong Airlines
Business Cabin
Boeing 777-300ER
*No separate price given as meals are included in the ticket price.
Have a nice meal,
Cliff(y)
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