Sushi from Okane

Update Review, 2022

About 4 years ago, I tried several items from Okane, the sister restaurant to the well known Omakase sushi restaurant.  I was underwhelmed, as you read in my original reviews.  I decided to give them another try when I was seriously craving uni one evening ...

I ordered on Door Dash, for delivery.  Ordering was easy, it took quite a while to arrive though (although within the time frame Door Dash quoted), just, longer than I expected given my small order, and how close by the restaurant is.

Side note: Stuck doing a lot of takeout and delivery these days? Want to try some free food and new pickup or delivery services?  Here are some codes for free money!

• Nextdish: ($10 off your first order) [ Delivery only ]
• Door Dash ($15 off, $5 each of your first 3 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Caviar ($20 off, $10 off your first 2 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Ritual ($6 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Delivery.com ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Grub Hub ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Seamless ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Allset ($5 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Nextdish: ($10 off your first order) [ Delivery only ]
• Uber Eats ($20 off - use code eats-lejw5 at checkout) [ Pickup or delivery ]

I wasn't any more impressed this time.

Standard condiments + their house ginger/wasabi. $2.50 each.

All orders come with a standard bag of Okane branded chopsticks, and very generic packaged wasabi, ginger, and soy sauce.  I knew this, and opted to upgrade to their "house" ginger and wasabi, the same that they serve in the restaurant.  Each upgrade was a pricey $2.50 each, but, particularly for ginger loving me, this was a worthy splurge.  I enjoyed both of these.

**** upgrades, although pricey at $5!

Hokkaido Uni. $24.

I was going through a serious uni phase, and had some fabulous uni from Fenikkusu Tapas & Omakase (although everything else was meh) a few weeks prior, and a novel uni bruschetta from Sushi Shio (with both local and Japanese uni!) just days later (both reviews coming soon!), so, even though I had not really loved uni from Okane before, I decided to give it another try.  After all, this place, and its sister restaurant Omakase, obviously get such accolades.

The uni came served with shredded daikon and a shiso leaf.  I'm not sure if the pieces toppled over during transit, or if they were thoughtfully placed on their sides, as it seems unlikely that they would have fallen back to back like this?

Anyway, the uni was pretty average.  It wasn't bad, no funk, but it wasn't particularly great.  Same with the sushi rice, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great.  The portion of uni was reasonable though, and I enjoyed my pieces, but, I wouldn't really go out of my way for this again.

***.

Original Review, 2018

This is a review that I know isn't particularly representative of the establishment.  But ... it is what I had, so, it is what you get.

Okane is the casual Japanese sister restaurant next to Michelin starred Omakase.  It features more low key dining style, lots of small share plates at dinner, bento boxes and rice bowls at lunch.  Plus all the high end nigiri and rolls sourced from the same markets as Omakase.

And yet, I haven't actually been there to eat.  Hence, my "not representative" statement.

Still, I've had food from there twice - once I ordered delivery (no sushi) and once I stopped by for takeout sushi (which I consumed immediately).  Obviously not the same as eating at a sushi counter.  So take my reviews with that in mind.

My impression though?  Eh, its fine.  But pricey.  Not special.

Setting

Okane is located on Townsend Street, across from Adobe, next to Omakase.

Sushi Counter.

It does have a working sushi counter with some high seats for the lucky few who get to eat right there.

Seating.

The rest of the relatively small restaurant is casual tables for mostly 4, wooden, nicely decorated.  The place feels comfortable, modern, clean, mid-range.  Certainly a great neighborhood place.

Order #1: Delivery, April 2018

My first experiment with Okane was via Caviar delivery.  It is a long story, but, I just needed a couple small side items to supplement another meal.  What I got was fine, but, obviously not anything they highlight.  On the plus side, delivery (via Caviar) was fast and easy?

Stewed Hijiki. $7.35.

"Carrot, shitake, and lotus root." 

I ordered this expecting a chilled seaweed salad.  Instead ... I think it was served warm.  The container was filled with steam and water droplets, and the lotus chips were soggy, both indicating a warm serving temp originally (although not by the time it reached me).

It was ... fine.  Fairly standard hijiki, a few chunks of kinda mushy carrot, a few slices of shitake.  I expected more flavor, more marinade, more something.  It was quite plain, and I added my own ponzu to give it flavor.

On top were mushy lotus chips, that I believe were intended to be crispy.

So, overall, fine.  More interesting than the standard seaweed salad you get at most sushi restaurants, but, not actually anything special, and the small portion seemed over priced at $7.35.

Fried Lotus Root Chips / Wasabi Mayo. $7.35.

Ok, these I got because I just love fried root vegetables.  Or really, any fried veggie chips besides basic potatoes.  Taro, yucca, plantains ... bring it on.  I couldn't resist ordering the side of lotus root chips too.

I think they may also have been served warm, perhaps freshly fried?  I only say this because they weren't particularly crisp. They were nicely seasoned though, with salt and some green herbs I didn't quite identify.

The wasabi mayo had kick to it from the wasabi, for sure.  And I love dipping fried things in mayo/aioli/etc.  But it actually was a bit too mayo forward to really feel like an appropriate dip for me.  I liked the idea of it inside of rolls, slathered on as a spread for a something, etc, but as a dip, it was just a bit to much like dunking into just mayo.

The lotus chips were tasty enough without the dip, and I gladly used it for other purposes the next day.

So overall, again, fine, but pricey at $7.35 as well.

Order #2: Takeout, April 2018

After my original delivery order of a couple sides from Okane, I decided to actually really test them on high end stuff, this time with takeout, because I just needed a small snack.  Except, I didn't just get a simple cucumber roll, nope, I went all in: crab and uni.  This girl knows what she likes.

Takeout Accompaniments.

My order came with basic wooden chop sticks, and packets of soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger.  I assume they use higher quality for dine in, but these did the job, and I was glad they were included.

Sushi Snack. $20.51.

1 nigiri.  1 hand roll.  >$20.

This was not a cheap snack.

Prices via Caviar, even for pickup rather than delivery, are 5% more than in the restaurant, not entirely sure why, as Caviar still charges additional tax and service fees on top of that, but every item is listed on Caviar with an upcharge already applied.  The restaurant can do this though, Caviar has no rules that they need to charge the same prices for the convenience, I just haven't seen it done before.

Uni Nigiri. $12.60.

Of course I got the uni.  And I consumed it immediately.  I knew better than to let this get old!

The portion was standard nigiri serving of 2 pieces.

It was ... fine.  Which is a sad way to describe uni.  The pieces were each generously filled, and the structures of rice and seaweed held integrity.  But it didn't really scream out "fresh amazing uni!".  It was just ... fine.

I did appreciate the little bit of daikon on the side, which filled the remaining space in my box.  Presentation matters!

The $12.60 price is fine for high end uni.

California Hand Roll. $6.30.

"Snow Crab and Avocado."

I also wanted my second favorite seafood, crab, but nigiri or sashimi didn't really make sense.  So I went for the California hand roll, just, no avocado because I'm allergic.

I was a bit sad when I saw its small size, but it turns out, this thing was *loaded* with crab.  Certainly the best value item I had from Okane.  There was a little rice (more here on top than throughout the rest actually, I honestly think it was 90% crab!), good texture and seasoning on the rice.

The crab was fresh snow crab.  Lump meat.  No shells detected.  Not fishy.  Very fresh.  Very good.  They also added tobiko for some pop.

I added the rest of my wasabi mayo from the lotus chips, which was great (creamy and zing!), but it wasn't necessary since the crab was such nice quality.

Overall a great item, and wonderful price for the ridiculous amount of crab I got.  Not sure how much they include in a normal roll with avocado, but, they clearly loaded me up.

Read More...

Sun & Moon Thai Restaurant

Ah, Thai cuisine in San Francisco.  I'm still on a neverending quest to find somewhere as good as the places in Sydney.

My recent adventures kept me local, finally trying out a newer, higher end Thai restaurant in the neighborhood that I've been eying for a while: Sun & Moon.  I knew that reviews were solid for the food, but, people complained about prices.  I knew it would be expensive, but, I also knew they take pride in the quality of the produces they use, and I wanted a seafood item, so this mattered to me.  Plus, it was in COVID-19 days, and staying nearby to get takeout was ideal.

Side note: Stuck doing a lot of pickup and delivery these days? Want to try some free food and new pickup or delivery services?  Here are some codes ...

• Door Dash ($15 off, $5 each of your first 3 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Caviar ($20 off, $10 off your first 2 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Ritual ($6 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Delivery.com ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Grub Hub ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]

I haven't visited the restaurant to dine in.

Setting

Sun & Moon is located on Brannan Street, just a block away from South Park.

Not much signage!

The first time I went to Sun & Moon I wasn't sure where it was ... there was no big dominant sign with the restaurant name that I saw, just a small open sign, with a paper notice of the takeout/delivery service options.

Pick Up Area.

Since this was in the pickup only days, entering the restaurant was not possible, and they had a makeshift counter blocking the front door inside.  To alert the staff that you are there, you just ring the bell and then they call out "yes?!"

The first time I ordered from Sun & Moon a few weeks ago was really early on in the process, and my order actually was not ready when I arrived.  In fact, they didn't even know about it, as the internet had disconnected, and they weren't getting any orders.  Doh.  They did make it quickly once that was resolved.  I didn't write up that experience though.

I returned a few weeks later, and again placed my order via mobile (Caviar, although they are on Doordash and others as well, plus you can call in to order directly).  This time it was ready right as I arrived, I saw it brought out from kitchen.

Food

The menu is upscale Thai, classic cuisine, some with a slight twist.  Appetizers include chicken satay, simple things like steamed edamame, and always popular corn crab cakes, the salad lineup of course includes papaya salad and larb, soups include tom yum, and yup, there are a few classic main dishes (pad thai and pad see ew, green and yellow curry, a few rice dishes).  They also have ... ramen, which seems a bit out of place, but popular with the lunch crowd.

My first visit was just to get some sticky rice (to use with my own Thai food I had made), and I didn't take a photo, nor review it, but it was pretty standard sticky rice, warm, glutinous, and exactly what I was looking for.  The next visit was to try an appetizer, the most creative thing on the menu ...

Salmon Rolls. $16.

"Seaweed wrapped marinated salmon (medium-done) in fried spring rolls topped with ikura. Side of mild spicy cilantro sauce."

I loved the sound of these.  I saw sooo many photos of them online, and they looked fabulous, right up my alley.

High end salmon, cooked medium, in a fascinating wrapper of regular spring roll and seaweed layers?  It sounded great.  I love crispy spring rolls, I adore nori, and although I like my salmon mid-rare, I was pleased to see that they intentionally cook it medium, not more than that.  I had been going through a tempura nori snacks fad too, and this appealed to that side of me too.

And then, um, the crispy sweet potato strings I knew it was served over (yes!), another snack addiction of mine I picked up in Sydney where I'd get bags of this freshly made from the Thai hawker stand, and munch on them by the handful, throw onto salads, and top all sorts of curry bowls with them.

Add in ikura (why not?), and, well, I was quite excited.  I asked for the ikura on the side though, as I didn't want it to get hot inside the container with the hot salmon rolls.

My only slight hesitation was the dipping sauce cilantro sauce?  eh ...

As I mentioned, it was ready right as I arrived, and I wasted no time in diving in right on the sidewalk - I wanted piping hot, fresh, crispy spring rolls!  I was slightly disappointed to see the ikura inside the takeout container - it was on the side, but not quite as I intended to heat separate it ... but this wasn't really a problem as the rolls weren't hot.  Lukewarm ... maybe, but really not.  Sadness.

I also was sad to see the portion.  I knew it was an appetizer size, and would be 4 pieces, but in other photos I saw, they were substantially larger.  Or at least looked it.  At $16, this turned out to be very pricy - $4 a bite!  But if the bites were that good, I wouldn't care.  Sadly, they weren't.

The sweet potato strings turned out to be kinda the best part, and they weren't great - since inside the container with what was warm-ish rolls initially, they were soft, not as crispy as I wanted.  But they were still tasty, sweet, and such a fun component.  A unique plating, which looks much better when served on their dishes of course, far more fun than standard lettuce as the base!

The ikura portion was small, but it was intended to just be a garnish, and I enjoyed it - fresh (not fishy or off tasting), and fun little pops of flavor.  Another fun creative touch to the dish.

The dipping sauce, as I mentioned, wasn't a big draw for me, given that I'm not cilantro averse but I'm not a cilantro lover either, so I brought my own other sauces just in case - I brought a soy sauce with lemon juice added that I thought would go nicely (soy sauce to bring out the asian style, lemon to enhance the salmon), I brought an aioli in case I was craving creamy and rich - but of course I tried their sauce first.  It was light and very herb forward, as you'd expect.  It was spicy, but not too spicy, "mild spicy" really was accurate.  I wasn't into it with the spring rolls, but, I later used it on a salad, and thought it went well there.

So enough about the garnish.  Let's talk about those rolls.  Besides not being hot, and small, how were they?

Salmon Roll: Close Up.

Disappointing, on so many levels.  Yes, the lack of heat and small size were initial strikes against them, but there were many more things that just didn't go well.

They weren't crispy, you can kinda see here, there was a very thin slightly golden outer layer that was flaking off, and the rest of the wrapper was ... soft.  Pale.  These were not the crispy creations I was hoping for.  The nori wasn't really fried either, so that was additional softness.  The result was *chewy* rolls, not crispy rolls, which, uh, is just not very enjoyable.

But the salmon!  High end quality beautiful medium salmon!  Well, it wasn't medium, definitely fully cooked.  And how did it taste?  Honestly, this is hard to evaluate.  I barely tasted it.  Each roll had ... one bite.  One tiny bite.  Really.  The tails of the rolls were empty, just a tiny chunk of salmon right in the middle.

So, lukewarm, soft, chewy, not golden brown, not crispy, and lacking any real substantial salmon.  $16 for 4 little pieces like this, $4 each, plus some soft sweet potato strings and a couple pops of ikura.

I was extremely disappointed.

Mini Ikura Hand Roll & Asian Salad?

So ... I repurposed the last roll.

I made a mini hand roll with some nori and the ikura.  Sushi time!

I unrolled the spring roll, and toasted up the wrapper to make it crispy.  I extracted the single bite of salmon.  I made an Asian style salad, and used the crispy spring roll wrapper as a topping.  I enjoyed it all much more this way and was glad to not waste.

Read More...

JL 2, Tokyo to San Francisco, Business Class

Flight Details

Flight: JL2.
Departure Time: 7:50pm.
Aircraft: 777-300.
Class: Business.
Seat: 9K

This flight from Tokyo was exactly the same as I had done 2 years prior, same exact timing.  You can read all about that experience here.

Since I've reviewed the route before, I'll skip all details of the seat, and focus only on the parts that were different this time around, and of course, the food.

Seat 9K.

It was a fairly standard flight, and my feelings on the aircraft and seat remain unchanged.  Amazing privacy even in the 2-3-2 setup, due to the large divider and staggered seats.  Very nice to have aisle access, and essentially no neighbor (I was only aware of him during takeoff and landing when we had to have the divider open).

The window seat really doesn't have much place to put anything though, and can feel a bit claustrophobic.  Still, I was happy enough with my seat, and it was comfortable enough for sitting and sleeping.

Amenities are standard and basic, no pajamas provided, but I brought mine from my Japan Airlines First Class flight to Tokyo, which I still really loved.  Service was polite.

The flight was fine, but of course, after flying First Class there, it was obviously a downgrade.

Dinner Service

As with my previous flight, for the main meal service, you have the choice of a Japanese or Western menu. Both have the same amuse bouche, but different first courses, mains, and desserts.

Japanese Menu.

Sakizuke
Deep-fried Eggplant with Grated Yam Sauce / Matsutake Mushroom & Turnip Flan

Crimson Sky 〜Selection of seasonal colorful delicacies〜

• Scallop &Vegetables marinated in Vinegar Sauce
• Chicken Teriyaki / Scrambled Egg / Green Beans
• Simmered Prawn /  Spicy-simmered Konjac / Roasted Chestnut
• Mushrooms dressed with Tofu & Sesame Sauce
• Tuna "Sashimi"
• Béchamel Sauce & Caviar

Dainomono
Beef Sukiyaki with Slow Cooked Egg
Grilled Salmon "Yu-an" Style

Steamed Rice
Miso Soup
Japanese Pickles

Kanmi
Matcha Green Tea Flavored "Ukishima"
〜Ukishima is Japanese style steamed cake made with sweet bean paste〜

There were elements in here that sounded good - scallop! Chestnut! Béchamel Sauce & Caviar! - but overall the menu didn't jump out.

I was sad to see the dessert was matcha based, and thus caffeinated, something I needed to avoid to have any hope of getting some sleep on the flight.

Western Menu.

The Western had an option for the main course (seafood, beef, or vegetarian), but everything else was fixed:

Amuse-Bouche
Deep-fried Eggplant Grated Yam Sauce / Matsutake Mushroom & Turnip Flan

Hors-d'œuvre

• Dauphinoise Potatoes with Truffle
• Pickled Radish
• Lobster rolled with Lardo Sunchoke Purée
• Snow Crab mixed with Celery Root
• Sautéed Lotus Root & Quail

Main Dish (Choice)

• "Wagyu" Beef Sirloin Steak / Burdock Flavored Madeira Sauce /Chicory
• Salmon & Common Orient Clam /  White Wine Cream Sauce / Watercress Purée

Special Bread from MAISON KAYSER

• Petit Pumpkin Ekmek
• Petit Pain de Campagne

Dessert

• Matcha Green Tea & Mandarin Opera

I was tempted by this menu, as I do like lobster and crab, and I actually tried to order the main dish salmon instead of the Japanese main, but alas, I was turned down.  I loved the look (from the photo) and sound of the cream sauce, salmon, and clam!

This dessert also sounded marginally better, but since it too was caffeinated, I had to be careful.  Again, no mix and match.

Dinner Feast.

In the end, I picked the Japanese mostly for the fascinating sounding Béchamel Sauce & Caviar ... as, well, those are delicious things.  I also was able to try both desserts (accidentally), and added on more dessert from the Anytime menu.

The meal was a mixed bag, but, a fun dining experience regardless.

Sakizuke / Amuse Bouche

.

"Deep-fried Eggplant with Grated Yam Sauce / Matsutake Mushroom & Turnip Flan created by Chef Shinobu Namae."

The little starter duo was the same for both menus, and actually sounded quite appealing.  It was served 1 hour into our flight, along with drinks.

Unfortunately, I ... hated it.

The eggplant actually add a smoky (hmm, not fried ...) quality to it that was nice, but the grated yam sauce had a consistency I just couldn't stand.  It was like slime.  So unappealing.

The flan I was particularly excited about, but ... it was bitter, very very bitter.  I know turnips are bitter but it just tasted ... bad to me.  Even the mushrooms on top weren't really enjoyable, and it had a strange layer of goo on top too.

Crimson Sky 〜Selection of seasonal colorful delicacies〜

The first course is a beautiful box full of goodies.  I knew to expect this presentation, but I was still blown away by it.

Along with the box, I had fun origami bird shaped chopstick rest, and soy sauce.

Crimson Sky: Inside the Box.

The presentation inside the box was lovely too, with delicate glass bowls in nearly ever compartment, not just dividers.

Scallop &Vegetables marinated in Vinegar Sauce

.

Well ... I do love scallops, but this one was odd.  I like cold scallops even, but, once I uncovered the scallop, it just looked ... kinda strange.  Sorta ... gray?  I still tried it.  And ... it was just odd.  Fishy in a way I've never experienced with a scallop.  I did not like the scallop.

I did like the marinated onions, basically, pickles, and I like pickled onions.  Tart, sour, and tasty.  Meh to the bell peppers, which is how I feel about bell peppers in general.

Second favorite of the dishes, just for the pickled onions.

Chicken Teriyaki / Scrambled Egg / Green Beans

.

I don't like chicken, but, I do like Japanese eggs, and I do like teriyaki.

And I did kinda like those things.  The egg was, well, cold scrambled eggs, which mostly reminded me of chopped hard boiled egg like you'd get in a salad bar.  I liked it enough.

And the teriyaki sauce, although a cold congealed lump, was flavorful.  I didn't try the chicken, it too was kinda gray though.

Third pick, for flavorful sauce and egg.

Simmered Prawn / Spicy-simmered Konjac / Roasted Chestnut.

This trio was boring, and yet turned out to be my favorite.

The prawn was entirely inoffensive. Not fishy. Not chewy. Cleaned well. Really decent, but, it had no sauce or anything, so was quite plain.

The konjac was ... ok.  Not spicy as advertised, and just not something I really love, texture-wise, and it had no flavor.

The roasted chestnut however was FANTASTIC!  Huge, flavorful, <3 <3 <3.  But I love chestnuts.

So, first pick, for that chestnut, and the decent enough prawn.

Mushrooms dressed with Tofu & Sesame Sauce

.

Well, just like last time, I disliked the sesame sauce.  So close to good, but somehow, just not a flavor that does it for me.  And I do like sesame.

I also was horrified to see pine nuts (sorry, I once got pine nut syndrome, I can't deal with them still).  But there was one little bean-like thing I did like.  Uh ... 4th pick for the bean thing?

Tuna "Sashimi"

I've just been anti-raw fish lately, and this was no exception, although it really was presented nicely, wasabi on the side.  Rather hard to use soy sauce with it though, besides just dribbling over the top.  Least favorite.

Béchamel Sauce & Caviar

.

And finally, the dish I was looking most forward to ...

Well, it turns out, even I, the girl who loves sauces, who loves béchamel ... doesn't really just want cold béchamel by the spoonful.  Or maybe I would if it were better?  Not that there was anything wrong with it, but ... it was just kinda heavy, and I really wanted bread or something to dunk into it.

The caviar ... was flavorless.  I guess 5th pick?

Dainomono

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"Beef Sukiyaki with Slow Cooked Egg / Grilled Salmon "Yu-an" Style / Steamed Rice / Miso Soup / Japanese Pickles."

The main dish was a duo of proteins, plus a slew more sides.  Again, nicely presented.

I'm not a rice eater, but, this seemed fine, sticky rice style.

Miso Soup.

The miso soup was ... kinda a disaster.  It was lukewarm.  It had a HUGE clump of miso paste just in the middle entirely not mixed in.  Not good.

Slow Cooked Egg.

The slow cooked egg was ... well, a soft egg, chilled.  The whites were very runny, but the yolk was nice.  It wasn't particularly flavorful, and I wanted salt, pepper or something with it.  I kinda used the sauces from the other dishes to help it out.  It was extremely hard to eat with chopsticks.

Pickles.

The pickles were fun - I didn't care for the white vegetable, just not very crisp, but I loved the kelp (?) and the little sour plums.

Beef Sukiyaki / Grilled Salmon "Yu-an" Style.

And finally, the proteins.

The beef was a mixed bag.  The flavor was great, and I did like the onions with it, and some bits were quite tender and nice, but other bits were extremely fatty and others were chewy.  So, some good bits, some not so good bits.

The salmon was ... fine.  Not mushy, not fishy, but also not particularly good.  Not much flavor on it.  I really wished I had been able to order the Western salmon with its cream sauce!

None of this was nearly as memorable as the last time I flew this route.

Kanmi (Japanese Dessert).

"Matcha Green Tea Flavored "Ukishima."

〜Ukishima is Japanese style steamed cake made with sweet bean paste〜"

This was my first encounter with Ukishima.

It was a fairly boring cake, not really flavorful in any way.  Not too dry, but not particularly moist.  It had a layer of generic red bean, and a thin layer of matcha paste.

Not particularly exciting, but the better of the two desserts.  Not worth eating though really.

Western Dessert.

"Matcha Green Tea & Mandarin Opera."

I was accidentally given this, but I didn't object, even though I did stash it away, since I couldn't eat at 10pm when I was trying to go to bed due to the matcha.

I didn't care for it.  Thin layers of dry cake, matcha buttercream, and a mandarin flavored gel.  The buttercream was decent, but everything else, meh.  Basically, not fresh, and not a very quality item.

Ice Cream: Custard Pudding.

Since I couldn't have either of the desserts after dinner due to caffeine, I opted for the custard pudding flavor ice cream then.  I don't think we have this flavor in the US.

Custard Pudding: Top View.

It was a small serving, just served in the Häagen-Dazs container, no additional plating.  Decent custard flavor, and unexpected sweet caramel-like swirl.  If you got a bite with lots of caramel, it was sweet and quite lovely, like an ice cream sundae built in.

I really did like this, certainly more interesting than vanilla, served hard but not too hard.  Basically, a pretty solid option.

Ice Cream: Topped!

I added my own toppings, of course, and paired it with a baked good from the lounge (sssh), and was happy enough with my dessert creation.

Drinks

Wine List.

The first page of the drink menu is dedicated to wine, with a fairly standard lineup of offerings: single champagne, 3 whites, 2 reds.  Nothing nearly as notable as those I had on my first class trip over to Tokyo (hello, Cristal!)

Friedrich Becker ”Doppelstück” Pinot Noir 2016.

"Freidrich Becker is cultivating wines in Germany’s Pfalz region in vineyards that straddle the border between France and Germany, in a completely natural way without using any chemical fertilizers. Becker is widely known as a producer of some of the top Pinot Noir wines of this area. Delight in the nuances of ruby-red cherries and the faintly sweetscent of oak.  ”Doppelstück” 2016 offers you a fresh, juicy palate mingled with an amiable bitterness and lingering flavors of cloves and fruit."

I wanted a white wine to start my meal, but when I looked up the options, all sounded more acidic than I like, and, well, pretty cheap (one $8 bottle, and the others ~$20).

So I went for the Pinot Noir, and it was decent.  Some complexity, not too much tannin, light but not boring.

Sake / Shochu / Spirits / Cocktails / Non alcoholic.

More interesting is the sake, shochu, cocktails, etc list, at least to me, as there are items that aren't on most flights, like, plum wine, and the JAL signature "Sky Time Kiwi" non-alcoholic drink.

Kamonishiki Junmai Daiginjo JAL Original

"This Junmai Daiginjo was brewed exclusively for JAL’s passengers so that you can enjoy just-pressed sake onboard. Savor the mild sweetness and freshness that evoke the best quality fruits, on top of the delicate scents inherent in Ginjo sake. Kamonishiki’s JAL Original sake makes a good marriage with a variety of cuisine thanks to its crisp flavor."

To go with the course of little Japanese dishes, I opted for sake, remembering that I had enjoyed it before.

I enjoyed it again.  Smooth, slightly sweet, and so very clearly alcoholic.  Perfect to pair with the Japanese menu, really.

Anytime You Wish Service

After the main meal service, dining is on-demand, until 2 hours before landing, dubbed "Anytime you wish".

Anytime You Wish Menu.

The "Anytime you wish" menu had a few interesting options too, but nothing spectacular.  It was mostly a lineup of just lighter meals, pasta, noodles, curry, sandwiches, etc.

"Otoriyose" in the Sky
Japanese Jack Mackerel with Steamed Rice & Sesame Sauce

Light Meal

• Colorful Vegetable Salad with Five Grains & Beans Beet Dressing 〜Recommendation for light vegetarian〜
• JAL The Curry 〜JAL original chicken curry super vised by "Hashimoto" in Kumamoto, listed as a 1-star restaurant in the "MICHELIN Guide Kumamoto and Oita 2018 special edition."〜
• Fettuccine Carbonara / Bacon & Spinach

Noodles
Noodles are accompanied by Chinese rice dumpling.

• JAL Original "Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta" Ramen Noodles in Soy Sauce Soup 〜Please enjoy rich aroma of truffle oil〜
• Japanese Hot "Udon" Noodles /  Edible Wild Plants

Sandwich

• Wasabi Flavored Smoked Salmon Sandwich
• "Sangenton" Pork Cutlet Sandwich

Cheese
Selection Assorted Cheese

Refreshment

• Fresh Fruits 
• Yogurt / Fruit Sauce 
• Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream:Vanilla / Matcha Green Tea / Custard Pudding

I was sad to see the swap from Dean & Deluca ice cream to Häagen-Dazs though, as I loved it so much, but the flavors at least sounded interesting.

The flight lands at 1:30pm, but, it does so after the night, so I usually like to have a breakfast item after getting a little non-sleep.  The only breakfast-like item was yogurt and fruit, which made me quite sad, particularly as I had loved the waffles so much before.

My "Breakfast" Lineup.

Of course, I knew the menu in advance, and came prepared with my own baked goods for breakfast, but I still tried a few menu items when I was woken up at basically exactly 2 hours before landing.  You know, 3.5 hours after I went to sleep, and 4 hours after eating a feast.  Totally time for another meal ...

Colorful Vegetable Salad with Five Grains & Beans Beet Dressing.

"〜Recommendation for light vegetarian〜"

I started with the salad.  

It did have a decent assortment of vegetables, although they weren't really things I like, such as blanched cauliflower and bell peppers.  The lettuce was decently crisp, although almost seemed ... frozen? I think it had been kept a bit too cold.  I liked the pile of colorful shredded cabbage on top.

The grains were decent too, not what I normally want, but they were mostly just crunch and texture, not a dominate item.  I'm not sure entirely what the 5 grains were, but there seemed to be lentils, beans, and some other hearty grains.

Unfortunately, I didn't care for the beet dressing, and it coated everything.  I wished I had asked for it on the side.  I almost asked for another salad without dressing, but, I didn't really need it.  The beet dressing was chunky, thick, tasted like beets, but also just had a flavor I didn't care for.

Overall, probably a decent healthy option, if that is your thing.

Fettuccine Carbonara / Bacon & Spinach.

The most tempting thing on the anytime menu for me was the fettuccine carbonara.  I knew it wouldn't be restaurant quality or anything, but, it was the only real comfort food on there, at least, western style comfort food.

Not that it was appropriate for breakfast, but, the egg and bacon kinda was?

Anyway, it was ok.  The fettuccine was green, I guess spinach, although I didn't taste spinach.  It wasn't mushy, but obviously wasn't fresh pasta.

The sauce was creamy, and that I did like.  The bits of bacon were nice with the sauce, and again, sparked the breakfast thing for me.  There were only ... 6 (?) little bits though.

There were some tasty mushrooms in the mix too, only a few, not listed on the menu.  And ... I think, literally, two pieces of spinach (besides I guess what colored the pasta)?  So not quite what I expected.

Overall, fine, but still airplane food.

Ice Cream: Green Tea.

To round out my breakfast, I ordered the green tea ice cream.

It was funny, I asked if they had any ice cream left, and the FA told me that no one besides me had ordered any, the entire flight (!).  I almost volunteered to just take it all home with me, or at least, a few more, in my vacuum mug ...

This one came straight from the dry ice, clearly, and was rock solid.  Took a while to be ready to eat, but that was fine, as I had my salad, pasta, and baked goods I had brought along to eat anyway.

The green tea flavor was really, really good.  I quite liked it, and asked for a second one, knowing that they had plenty, and it would go to waste.  My neighbor followed my lead and also got ice cream, but everyone else was ordering "normal" food.  Silly people.

Anytime You Wish: Set Menus.

And finally, a choice of Western or Japanese Set Menu, if you wanted something more designed as a full meal.

FUMIKO's Japanese Set Plate
Dainomono: Grilled Mackerel "Yu-an" Style / Boiled Garland Chrysanthemum & Chrysanthemum Petals / Lemon
Soup: Japanese Clear Soup Sea Lettuce, "Fu", Yuzu Flavored Somen Noodles
Steamed Rice Japanese Pickles & Soy-simmered Kelp

FUMIKO's Western Set Plate
Main Dish: Frillice Lettuce Salad with Fricassée of Japanese Beef Sirloin & Mushroom Truffle Vinaigrette
Fig Compote
Special Bread from MAISON KAYSER: Pumpkin Ekmek Smoked Pain de Campagne.
You can enjoy your breads with butter. We are pleased to offer you jam. Please ask your cabin attendant.

Western Set Plate
The following set plate is also available.
Spanish Omelette with Sweet Potato / Tomato Sauce
Iberico Bellota Ham Salad & Caprese Salad / Lemon Dressing
Sweet Corn Mousse with Jellied Crabmeat
Special Bread from MAISON KAYSER: Pumpkin Ekmek Smoked Pain de Campagne

None of these menus really seemed like what I'd want after only 4 hours of sleep, although I was curious why the salad came with fig compote, and the sweet corn mousse with jellied crab (?!) might be interesting.

I didn't see anyone else order these either.

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Japan Airlines First Class, SFO-HND

Flight Details:

Flight: Japan Airlines, JL1
Route: San Francisco to Tokyo Haneda
Date/Time: August 25, 2019, 4:05pm Departure
Class: First
Seat: 1A

This was my first time flying First Class with Japan Airlines (only my 4th time ever flying First Class in general, the previous trips were with Cathay Pacific from Tokyo-Hong Kong and Hong Kong to San Francisco, and British Airways from San Francisco to London - with extremely memorable waffles!).  Like my previous First Class flights, this was an award flight, booked using my British Airways points.  I was thrilled when the availability opened up two weeks before my flight.

The experience began in the highly underwhelming Sakura Lounge at SFO, although it was nice to have access to the First Class side room, that I didn't know existed before.  Still, I quickly moved to the large, nearly entirely vacant, Cathay Pacific lounge down the hall.  You can read about my previous One World lounge visits here.

Boarding began exactly on time, and signage was clear.  We pushed back exactly on time (5 mins early).  Gotta love the Japanese precision and efficiency.

One negative is that the flight technically had wifi, but it really ... did not work.  I know people complain about in flight wifi, but this is the worst I've ever experienced.  Actually unusable.

Seat

I originally booked 2A, the only window seat available, but 48 hours before the flight, I was able to snag 1A, normally reserved for elites.

My Throne.

The seat was ... probably the best designed seat I've ever flown in.  It was clearly ridiculously spacious, but also, there was a place for ... everything.  I was also extremely comfortable, as a seat for relaxing, as a seat for dining, as a bed for sleeping.

Ottoman.

The seat is so far away from the ottoman that it is used only to extend into bed mode, not during normal seated postures.  You can storage items under it throughout the flight, including during takeoff and landing, and the space was huge.  You might even be able to fit a roller bag there?

Above the ottoman is the tray table, which is ... well, not a tray actually.  Just, a table.  It can stay fixed at the end there as a sizable place to put things, but then it slides *the entire way* to your seat!  I found this insanely awesome, as I could slide it forward between courses, it was easy to get up and have the table out, etc.  Just, so practical.

Shoe Storage.

Also under the ottoman, on the side, is a place to store your shoes, since you'll have slippers to wear.

Menu Holder / Power Bank.

Next to the table were two more amazing compartments: power and menu holder.

Yes, a compartment just for holding the menus, which also nicely fit my laptop when I was sleeping.  The power area was also well designed, with outlets and space for a phone to stay inside if you wished, but a cutout for the cords so you could use them without awkwardness.

Ledge.

The entire side of the seat is lined with a very usable ledge (I found myself putting things on it throughout the flight), including one space that is designed to be a drink rest, but I mostly used for my phone.

Compartments.

After that comes a smaller compartment that holds one of the controllers for the TV/music/etc, with a bit more additional space, that was absolutely perfect for my glasses and contacts once I went to sleep.  I'm always nervous things will fall over, but that was not a concern here at all.

And then, the biggest compartment, with the other controller for the TV, an area big enough to fit my backpack AND purse, and it had a pocket inside too for keeping thing separate.

I really couldn't get over just how well done the seat was.

What a bed!

When it came to bedtime, it went fully flat, and a mattress pad was added.  I was given my choice of "soft" or "firm", and opted for soft.

Strangely, it is just a mattress pad, no sheet or cover on it.  A duvet is provided as well, but I found it far too hot given the cabin temperature (which I did ask to turn down), and it was strangely narrow.  Minus a point on this bedding.

I was provided with 3 pillows, one was the original that came with my seat, a firm wide pillow, plus two mushier smaller pillows, one of which I used between my knees, and one I used with my head.  I always find it awkward asking for extra pillows, so I was pleased these were all provided from the start.

We were also distributed lighter, scratchier blankets when we first got underway, and I'm glad I accepted one, even though I didn't want it then, as it was at least a bit lighter.  Still, it was just far too hot on this flight.

Amenities

Waiting at my seat was the amenity kit and slippers.

Comfy.

The slippers were convenient to wear to and from the bathroom, and were fairly fuzzy and comfy..

Amenity Kit.

The kit had a number of items not really standard, including all sorts of face mask items.  I didn't use anything though, as the bathroom had toothbrushes and mouthwash and lotion in it, and I didn't really need anything else (I bring my own eye mask and ear plugs).

Pajamas.

Once I was ready, pajamas were brought out.  They pajamas were super comfortable, but fairly thick, and just too warm again, given how hot it was.

The top, long sleeved, was way too hot for the cabin temperature.

Pockets!

The pants had pockets in front and a patch pocket on the back, which I really liked.  They had a cuff at the ankle, which if they fit me properly (they were way too big), I would have loved.  If only smaller, these would be pajamas I'd gladly keep and use to replace my own at home, they were a style I really liked.

Drinks

To say the Japan Airlines drink lineup is impressive is an understatement.  Pages and pages of amazing offerings: champagne, white wine, red wine, sake, shochu, liquor, spirits, special teas and coffees ...

Drink Menu.

I got to try ... many things.  Too many things.  Oops.  Every single one was present with the bottle, given as a small pour to taste, and then a full pour.

Champagne

Champagne List.

JAL if pretty famous for the First class champagne offerings.  Out of Tokyo only, they serve Salon 2007, which I guess is very famous/expensive.  People go crazy for this.  If it was offered, I actually would have tried it, but alas, I was flying out of San Francisco.  

That said, I know the Louis Roederer Cristal 2009 was no slouche, and the woman seated next to me was clearly quite thrilled to drink it.

I skipped the champagne until breakfast though, as there were so many other things that I wanted to try.

Louis Roederer Cristal 2009.

Um.  Yeah.  So I had this when I woke up as part of breakfast.  

It ... blew me away, honestly.  I didn't think I liked champagne.  And then this happened.

It was slightly sweet, yet dry in a way I had never experienced before.  So incredibly pleasant.  So incredibly smooth.  So incredibly drinkable.

And so very perfect with my breakfast caviar.

White Wines

White Wine List.

There were four different white wines on offer, one from California, one from Australia, one from Germany, and one from Japan.  All were described as dry, and thus I skipped them too.

"The Passion of Japan"

I decided to start with sake, since I did not really want the champagne, but wanted something lighter to start the meal (lighter than red wine, that is, and the white wines all sounded dryer than I prefer).

Sake & Shochu.

 I was presented with two options, both supposed to be great sakes.  My server suggested I just try both, so, I did.  I was given a small pour of each, and then went for more of the one I liked best.

They also had a nice shochu menu, but I never made it that far.

Sake Tasting.

First up, the one I did not prefer, was the 2018 Kamoshi-Bito-Kuheiji Junmai Daiginjo Kanochi.

This is served in Michelin 3 star restaurants in Paris, according to the menu.  It was slightly harsher than the other, I think if I was thinking of it as a wine, I'd say it was bolder, and it wasn't what I wanted to ease into my meal.

Next up, the Hiroki Junmai Daiginjo.  It was lighter, smoother, sweeter.  Apparently highly sought after.  I liked it more, but I wasn't really into sake.  Perhaps I should have tried that Cristal ...

Red Wine

For red, yup, another four choices, from regions all over the world: Bordeaux, Bourgogne, California, and New Zealand.

Red Wine List.

This section had some seriously nice wines, and I gladly tried two with my meat course.

Albert Bichot Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Sorbets 2016.

I started with an offering from Bourgogne France.

It was ... good.  Not too tanic, complex, bold flavor.

I didn't really get a chance to take further notes though, as I had more food arriving, and somehow failed to reflect much on it.  I know I liked it?

Ch.igai Takaha "SONO" Pinot Noir 2016.

I moved on to a California Pinot Noir, one that retails for $100 per bottle.

It too was lovely.  Not too tanic, complex, well rounded.  Perhaps a bit bolder?  I think I might have liked it even more.  Hard to say ...

Liquor & Spirit

This selection too was extensive, and any other time, I'd try things from here, but, since there were so many things I wanted to try, I didn't ever make it to cocktails or spirits.   I did finish my meal with port however, something I've learned to love the past few years.

Graham's Tawny Port 30 Years.

The port was lovely, as I expected.  Caramel-y.  Great to finish the meal with.

Coffee & Tea

Coffee / Tea / Other.

The hot tea lineup is from "Mariage Frères" Tea of France, which I know is fabulous, plus some Japanese green teas.  In addition, they have a very fancy chilled tea, ROYAL BLUE TEA® "Queen of Blue®", that is like $30 a bottle or something, and people do love.  I didn't opt for any tea however.

French Press Coffee.

I did try coffee in the "morning", as I know they serve a french press, and are known for great coffee.

I loved the mug, such a serious mug, heavy, and an amazing handle.

The coffee was indeed great, smooth, no acid.  Not the most complex, but truly enjoyable.

Food

So ... the food.  So. Much. Food.  Pages and pages of food.

The menu is designed for you to pick between a Japanese or Western meal for the first meal, basically dinner, and then order other items a la carte later, and finally, ends with a smaller Japanese or Western meal before arrival.  Since you arrive at 7pm though, it isn't breakfast.

Some of this was truly fabulous.

Dinner

The main meal, dinner, starts basically once underway, and is designed to take 1.5-2 hours.  

Food Menu.

Many courses, many things.

Japanese Menu.

The Japanese menu had sooo many things I was interested in.  Sea urchin. Lobster.  Caviar. Abalone.  Sea bass.  Sea bream.  I mean, really.  Wow.

It is served as a number of courses, the Kozara is a course of small dishes, then Owan is a soup, Mukozuke and Axukebachi follow, then the Dainomono "main" dish with Hanmono (rice course) and Tomewan (soup) , and finally, Kanmi (dessert).

Western Menu.

But the Western menu had heavy hitters as well.  Truffle.  Caviar.  Beef tenderloin. Sea bass as well.  Mango mousse.

And don't forget there is a large assortment of a la carte offerings for later as well.  We'll get to those later.

Custom Dinner: Western & Japanese.

I made my own courses for the main meal, and it seemed I was not alone.  Not that I could spy on many others, but no one picked a standard meal progression.

The woman next to me had only caviar and a cheese course (and plenty of champagne and wine).  Behind me, two guests had an appetizer from dinner menu, and then salad and noodles from the a la carte.  

Welcome Dish: Goat cheese stuffed shiitake / Orange stuffed prosciutto.

The meal experience begins with a welcome snack alongside your choice of beverage.  I wasn't expecting this dish, in addition to the extensive menu.

As I don't really like slimy mushrooms, and HATE goat cheese, I didn't try that.  I really wasn't interested in the other dish, I mean, prosciutto is fine, but, with so many amazing things coming, it seemed silly to waste my stomach space on that.

But it actually was quite good.  The citrus was quite bright, and the prosciutto had a lovely flavor.  

Soon after this, a snack basket was presented with my choice of dried beans, dried fruit, or dried seafood, all in little packages.  I picked the seafood, but decided to save it for later.

Butter / Salt & Pepper / Olive Oil.

I didn't opt for any bread, but a basket was presented with several choices, including warm garlic bread.  It all looked fine, but, I had my eyes on too many things to fill up on bread.

I did taste the olive oil, it seemed high quality.  I never needed the salt and pepper as everything was well seasoned.

Western Menu: Amuse Bouche.

"Sweet Corn Gazpacho / Truffle Popcorn."

I started with the Western amuse bouche, knowing it was more exciting than it sounded, plus, well, I do love popcorn ...

This was ... pretty eh overall.  But it looked amazing.  And yes, that was crab and truffle, not listed on the menu.

The base is a corn gazpacho that had a flavor I really disliked.  Can't describe it, I just really hated it.  It had roasted corn kernals on top too, but the flavor ... ugh.

On top of that was a mound of crab (!) that was fine, but, well, lost in the flavor of the corn gazpacho.  Bits of shaved truffle were redeeming, and I did of course find amusement in the truffle popcorn.

It sure looked like a beautiful dish though, and it sounded exactly like something I'd love, so, alas, I was sad to dislike it so.

Japanese Menu: Kozara.

Next, I went for the first course of the Japanese menu, kozara. 

This is an assortment of 5 small dishes, all but one served chilled.

It came presented with chopsticks, complete with a chopstick rest.

Japanese Omelette topped with Caviar.

I was mostly planning to skip this one, but, it was far better than I expected.  The omelette was soooo light and fluffy!  Better than nearly any tomago I've had in US sushi restaurants ... 

My third favorite item.

Horse Mackerel with Braised Soy Pulp.

Next up, horse mackerel.  3 slices.

It was fine.  The fish was cured I believe, had a nice firm texture, wasn't fishy, really, was fine, but, the soy pulp was mushy and not really that appealing.

Still, fine fish.  Forth pick.

Sea-bream Roll with Sea Urchin.

The one I was most exited for came next: uni!

But ... it was my least favorite.  By far.  It was a rolled piece of sea bream, with a tiny amount of uni hiding inside.

The sea-bream was really dried out and too firm, had an odd taste.  It came in a slightly warm broth.

Uni Inside.

The uni inside was hard.  

Not much redeeming in this one, last pick by far.

Fried White Fish marinated in Vinegar Sauce.

But this ... this was delicious.  And I know it won't sound that way.  Two pieces of some kind of white fish, that had been fried, but were served cold, and in a vinegar sauce, so, they were soggy.  I know, I know.

The flavor was incredible.  Very complex, very fascinating.  So much flavor.  I loved it.

I didn't care for the garnish, soft peppers, but, this was my absolute favorite overall.

Grilled Lobster with Egg Yolk Vinegar.

And finally, lobster!

It came as a piece of lobster, on top of a grilled slice of squash (so random!), with the egg yolk vinegar sauce on top.

The lobster was ... fine.  Kinda chewy, not really that remarkable.  I think I liked the squash more than the lobster.  But what I really loved was the egg yolk vinegar ... it was fairly mayo-like, creamy, and flavorful.  I wanted it on anything really.  Delicious.

Second favorite overall just for that sauce.

Western Menu: Hors-d'œuvre.

"Chicken Terrine & Duck Prosciutto / Pickled Baby Beets & Rhubarb Compote."

Rather than a traditional main dish, from the Western or Japanese menu, I opted for an Hors-d'œuvre next, switching back to the Western menu.  I didn't see anyone order any main dishes actually.

This dish was a mixed success.  I ordered it because I had seen photos online that I thought were of it, with a pate style terrine, so I was surprised when it was not a smooth pate.

That said, the terrine was wonderful.  I don't like chicken, but, this was flavorful, had a good texture, and I think some pistachio in it?  There was a crunch to it.

The duck proscuitto was also good, soft style, a very large piece.  I'm not sure which prosciutto I preferred, actually.  Both were good.

But the meat needed something to go with it, and I wasn't particularly into the other things on the plate.  The rhubarb compote was far too sweet.  Way way too sweet.

The pickled baby beets, a slice of red and a slice of yellow were ... eh.  But I don't like cooked beets much anyway.  I did like the hearts of palm, nice lightness.  The garnish was a bit extensive.

The little squares of ... french toast (?) I hated.  They seemed dunked in nutmeg, and the spicing just wasn't for me.  And they were soft and soggy, like cold french toast.  Not really sure what was up with those.

Overall, I'm glad I got this, I liked the meat components, but it did make me want some cheese (and of course, I could order cheese if I really wanted).

Western Menu: Dessert.

"Mango Mousse / Fruit Tart."

For dessert, I went for the western option, although it didn't sound great (the Japanese version didn't sound great either).  It was two small items.  Clearly not the focus for JAL at all, I'd consider these fairly low quality, and not really a composed dessert.

I did ask about the a la carte sweets, such as ice cream, but it was just Haagen-Daz vanilla, so not particularly exciting.  The other a la carte items had caffeine (chocolate), so, I held off on those.

The mango mousse was ... well, a cake.  The base was a dry boring cake.  Above that a fruity mango mousse, topped with a mango gel.  It was ... just really mediocre.  Sweet.  Fruity.  But not really good.

The other item, a tiny fruit tart.  Never something I actually like.  Tart shell, pastry cream, blackberry/raspberry/blueberry/kiwi. 

I liked it more than the mousse though.  

The tart shell was soft, not soggy, but soft.   Not what you expect for a tart shell, but I liked it more that way, basically just a sweet cookie.  The pastry cream was not tasty - slight lemon flavor and odd texture, grainy.  Did not like.

But the fruit was delicious!  Super juicy, flavorful.  I really liked the fruit.  Surprise hit.

A la carte

And then, pages and pages of a la carte offerings.  Many sounded great.  

A la carte mid-flight meals/snacks.

Sushi, that is actually supposed to be high quality.  A trio of dishes including uni.  Curry they are famous for.  Noodles.  Pasta.  Simple salad and soup.  Dessert items.  Cheese.  Fruit.  

Second Meal Set Menus.

And then, a choice of set menu, Western or Japanese again, as your pre-arrival meal, if for some reason you needed/wanted another full meal at this point.

If I needed more food, which I can't imagine, the crab cakes certainly called out, and the yogurt would be breakfast appropriate, but, I skipped this, and opted to make my own breakfast-meal.

And much like dinner, I was not alone.  I didn't see anyone get the set meal.  Next to me, the woman got a salad, sushi, and noodles.  Behind me, someone else got sushi too.  I'll admit, the sushi really do look fresh, and the salad looked really fresh and crisp too.

"Breakfast".

I opted to ... reserve caviar from dinner for breakfast, have a hot dessert from the "light meal" menu, and then, because I had slight FOMO, added on one more "snack" course.  Oh, and I ordered chocolates, coffee, and, um, Cristal.  Because I could.

All of these dishes were the best of the meal, each one blew away the dinner offerings.  The drinks blew away the dinner drinks.  And that isn't the say the dinner offerings weren't good, these were just *outstanding*.

Western Menu: Hors-d'œuvre.

"Caviar: Egg Yolk Mascarpone Cheese Cream, Smoked Sturgeon, Potato Blini."

To get "breakfast" started, I had ... yup, the caviar course from the Western dinner, which I had reserved for me to have to breakfast.  I really thought it sounded better than the other offerings, and was quasi breakfast-dinner appropriate? I learned this trick when I flew on Cathay Pacific First Class, and *wished* I had done it.

I was truly stunned by how much I enjoyed this.  Uh, pancakes and eggs for breakfast, right?

The blini weren't particularly special, and were cold, but were the appropriate base for my incredible bites.

I also didn't really care for the smoked sturgeon, two chunks, firm, meaty, and a bit fishy.  I think actually with dinner I might have wanted it, but, for breakfast, it was a bit intense for me.  I do like that style of fish, so I wasn't just being averse in general.

The egg yolk mascarpone was awesome.  Really, really awesome.  Creamy.  Rich.  So flavorful.  Absolutely perfect with the blini and caviar.  So much better than most standard accompaniments of chopped egg and creme fraiche, really!  It really made the dish.

And of course, the caviar, a full jar, with a mother of pearl spoon.  Um, yes.

Perfect, perfect bite.

A blini, loaded with egg yolk mascarpone and caviar, with a swig (er, delicate sip?) of Cristal alongside, was one of the best things I've consumed in a very, very long time.

Light Meal: Chocolate Bread Pudding Raspberry Sauce.

But you know I'm a sweet tooth so of course I wanted a chance to try the chocolate bread pudding, from the "light meal" section.

It was served warm, and was far better than the desserts from the main meal, and far better than expected.

The style of bread pudding I like, with chunks of bread (brioche?), slightly crisp top, and very moist interior.  The base didn't really have any particular flavor, but the melty chocolate on top was nice.

I found myself really wanting whipped cream, or actually, I really should have added the vanilla ice cream.  Next time.

The raspberry sauce on the side was thick, and not too sweet, and had no seeds (yes!), but I didn't like it with the bread pudding itself, as chocolate and raspberry aren't the pairing I really like, I find they muddle each other.  I did eat the sauce by the spoonful though, just on its own.  It too would have been great spooned over vanilla ice cream.

I paired it with the quite good coffee, and it really completed the meal.

Overall, this was really quite good, and I would have enjoyed as a dessert after a meal as well, but it was perfect in the "morning", and filled the role of breakfast carbs like pancakes, waffles, or french toast would.

Snack: Japanese Delicacies.

"Spicy Cod Roe with Grated Radish / Soy-marinated Tuna / Soy-marinated Sea Urchin."

But ... at last minute, after my sweet course, I decided to order one more thing.  Not because I was hungry, but because it was my last chance!  Plus, the lady next to me ordered 3 courses for breakfast (salad, sushi, noodles), so why shouldn't I?

I had been eyeing the "Japanese Delicacies" the moment I saw the menu, from the a la carte section, considered a "snack", but I had no idea were in my meal to fit it in.  I think it would have been better as part of my dinner lineup, rather than the kozara.  Next time, I think I'd consider salad + the Japanese Delicacies + sushi rather than the kozara, for the lighter fish course?  

Anyway, this was a trio of chilled dishes.

First up, the spicy cod roe with grated diakon.  The cod roe was fine, but not particularly spicy.  Flavorful, but not spicy really.  I didn't care for the grated diakon under it however, it was very bitter.  Second favorite item.

Next, soy-marinated tuna, which turned out to be minced tuna, not nigiri or sashimi as I was hoping.  I didn't care for it, but I never really care for raw tuna anymore.  On top I think was a dot of soy pulp I had in the kozara course?  This one wasn't for me, my least favorite, and I didn't finish it.

But finally, the reason I ordered it, really: soy-marinated sea urchin.  Yes, another attempt at uni on the flight.

And this one delivered.  The marinate accented the uni nicely, and the serving of two pieces was perfect.  Both were fresh, briny, and considerably better than I thought possible on a flight.  Wonderful.  Favorite dish of the trio.

I'm glad I got this dish, for the uni alone.  When I rank the overall meal, the uni falls probably third place overall, after the caviar/mascarpone, and after the bread pudding.  Above everything else savory I had in my dinner meal.

Chocolates.

The only thing I didn't really care for?  The chocolates.  They had caramel inside, thick caramel.  Just not my thing.

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