Eventide Fenway

Update Review, Dec 2023

Another visit to the northeast for the holidays, another stop to Boston on my way to acclimate (both, temperature-wise and culture-wise) before heading to New Hampshire to be with my family.   This year I only stayed in Boston a single night, which meant I had just one Boston meal to enjoy, and used the opportunity to order again from one of the restaurants I discovered over the summer: Eventide Fenway.  

My first time ordering from them I had my mind fairly blown by the signature brown butter lobster roll and seasonal asparagus dish, and I hoped for a repeat performance.  I was again thrilled with my meal, and very happy with my choice.

Fried Brussels Sprouts (Seasonal). $11.55.

"Swordfish Belly Bacon, Apple Dijonaise, Dill."

The first time I had anything from Eventide, I had the incredible seasonal asparagus dish, which I rated a perfect 5 stars.  Since it was now winter, that seasonal side turned to brussels sprouts, which I also quite enjoy, and added swordfish belly bacon (!), which sounded all kinds of fascinating.  I couldn't wait to dig in, and appreciated that the apple dijonaise was served on the side without me asking.

The brussels sprouts were fairly heavy, deep fried, and with some kind of savory sauce.  Tasty, but, pretty heavy in the oil and certainly not particularly vegetable forward.  They were cooked well though, not mushy in any way. ***.

Then, the fascinating sounding swordfish belly bacon.  I'm not sure I've ever had swordfish belly in any form, let alone bacon.  But, it makes sense - what do you do with the fatty part of a pig?  Cure it, season it, and call it bacon.  The same could go for the fattier part of swordfish (the belly) too.  And ... it worked.  The bacon was in cube form, and really quite salty and savory.  Nice bite to it.  I loved the salt level these bites added to the dish, basically, sorta like a fancier version of a more classic brussels sprouts and ham / pork pairing.  The swordfish flavor was fairly strong though, so could be an issue for those who worry about things being "fishy".  ***.

Overall, high umami level, high salt level, high fried level, and definitely far from healthy, which is amusing given that "swordfish and brussels sprouts" so easily could be a nice light dish.

The apple dijonaise was a creamy dressing, and made sense with the rest of the dish, in the same way applesauce or mustard would go with classic ham dish.  I didn't taste any particular apple nor strong dijon, but the creamy dressing was tasty.  ***+.

Overall, a very interesting dish, and one I enjoyed, but, I don't think I'd get it again, as it really was heavier than I was looking for.  ***.  The portion was generous for the price, plenty of swordfish in here, really more than the brussels even, definitely not just a garnish.

Brown Butter Lobster Roll. $19.95.

"Warm Lobster Meat, Chive, Steamed Bun."

Last time I ordered the brown butter lobster roll, I was able to ask for it to have the lobster and roll separate so I could warm it up nicely at my hotel, but Eventide no longer allows modifications or custom requests, so I had to go with as is.  It arrived stone cold, as it was the middle of winter, so, that was unfortunate.   That said, I wrapped it in foil, popped it in the toaster oven with a little water to steam it, and within a few minutes I had a pretty much good as new lobster roll.

I went into this with high expectations given how much I had loved it before, and they were still easily met.  I forgot just how ridiculously good it was, truly.  Even if it doesn't look it, this thing is incredible, and unlike any other lobster roll.

The bun was soft, lightly sweet, complimented the lobster well, and as before, I really appreciated this style of bun, like an Asian bao but bigger.  Great, slightly unique, base for the roll.  ****.

And then that glorious lobster.  Well prepared (large hunks, not chewy, no shells, etc), but truly what sets it apart is the brown butter.  It is just so succulent and decadent and rather unreal.  Such depth of flavor, and just so many notches above your standard buttered lobster experience.  Unreal.  *****.

I was worried my first experience was just an exceptionally good one, and the novelty of the different style would have worn off, but, nope.  Still adored every bite of this, and can't wait to have another. ****+.

Cole Slaw. $6.30.

"Red and Green Cabbage, Celery and Mustard Seed, Mayo. "

To round out my meal, I also threw on a side of slaw to the order, as I do love cole slaw in general, and given that everything else from Eventide was on another level compared to other versions of the same item, I couldn't wait to see what they did with simple slaw.

The slaw wasn't as remarkable as the other items, but, it was very good slaw.  Well rounded mix of red and green cabbage, and carrot, and celery, all thinly sliced, nearly all the same size pieces.  Fresh and crisp.  Well dressed, with enough mayo to mostly coat the pieces, but not too much to weigh it down.  Well seasoned.  As good as any great slaw I've had, but, it didn't have any extra special magic element, like the brown butter in the lobster roll, the swordfish bacon in the brussels.  Still, I'd gladly get it again if I wanted slaw, and it was far above average. ****.   

Original Review, July 2023

My first day in Boston, I knew I wanted to get a lobster roll.  Cliche, maybe, but, actually, worth it, because it is so much fresher than what we get in San Francisco, and something restaurants in Boston pride themselves on.  And I say this as someone who generally finds lobster over rated, and would opt for local Dungeness crab anyway.  But, when in Boston ...

I had many, many options for where to get my lobster roll.  And of course, I had to make the very hard decision of warm with butter, or cold with mayo, both of which I like, but are completely different eating experiences.  During my searches for great lobster rolls in Boston, one place kept getting mentioned, but with tons of caveats, as it is a very non-traditional roll.  But, the accolades were hard to ignore.

Which lead me to Eventide Fenway, not a classic lobster shack, and definitely not in the neighborhood I'd normally gravitate towards either.  But, I couldn't get it out of my mind, particularly after seeing far too many Instagram posts of the lobster roll.

"A Beantown reimagining of Eventide Oyster Co., Eventide Fenway offers the tried and true classics made popular at the Portland restaurant. Whether you're grabbing lunch on the go or looking to crush a few dozen oysters and a half bottle of grand cru champagne, we’re here seven days a week! "

Eventide Fenway is the outpost of a Portland, ME based restaurant (Eventide), which gives them a bit of extra lobster cred.  Their menu however features far more than just lobster, or even seafood, and it is definitely all slightly fusion and a touch unexpected.  For example, the simple green salad has a nori vinaigrette, the burger has gochujang-talow mayo, and so on.  So while the menu may look standard at a high level, salads, crudos, hot apps like wings and chowders, burgers and sandwiches, a couple seasonal specials, the menu is actualy quite interesting once you look deeper, and, swoon, some of the specials sound amazing (skate wing tandoori, grilled black cod collar, things like that!.  They also have a kids menu, serve brunch on weekends (lobster benedict, crab on croissants, you get the deal), and have a few signature desserts, including housemade whoopie pies (or oatmeal cream pie).  

One feature of the menu is use of brown butter.  For dessert, this means brown butter soft serve ice cream, topped with maple candied pecans and bourbon caramel, that people absolutely rave about (they also have a sweet cream soft serve with chocolate shell and cracker jacks!).  But alas, I ordered delivery, and the ice cream was not available for delivery.  But back to that brown butter.  It is also used in their signature lobster roll, and is *the* reason people go nuts for this item.  It sounded potentially too trendy, too hype-worthy, but, I still gave it a try.

I ordered my delivery on DoorDash, which was quite easy.  I put in special instructions for the packaging, which were followed.  Food delivered still warm, and overall, a good experience.

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 ]

Spoiler:  this place was crazypants good.  So good, that I was tempted to order from them again the next day, but alas, only in Boston a few days, only so many things I could try.  I still have a touch of regret though, as both dishes I had from Eventide were highlights of my Boston visit.  I can't wait to return.

Grilled Asparagus. $13.

"Caesar Hollandaise, Nori, Fried Garlic."

Ok, I had to laugh when I opened my takeout bag, and found the side of asparagus.  It was in a large bowl, necessary since the asparagus spears were served whole and long, but also, mostly entirely empty, besides the space occupied by the 6 spears.  I also thought, "wow, um, $13 for 6 spears of asparagus?"

And then I took a bite.  I didn't care that the price was high for the quantity.  This was worth $2.25 per spear, no question.  

The asparagus was nicely grilled, char marks, lightly smoky flavor.  Just the quality execution on the asparagus alone made it a very good dish.  ****+ for the asparagus itself.  But then, the sauce and toppings really took it to another level.

The sauce was a "caesar hollandaise", and although I didn't necessarily taste Caesar, I certainly tasted delicious buttery hollandaise.  Asparagus and hollandaise are a classic pairing for a reason, and this worked quite well.  Add on some nori for a bit of umami, and fried garlic for a touch of crunch, and, zomg, this was just fantastic, and devoured in moments.  

There is nothing I'd change about this, beside of course that I wanted more.  *****.

The Eventide Brown Butter Lobster Roll. $19.95.
(Deconstructed, per my request).

"Warm Lobster Meat, Chive, Steamed Bun."

For my lobster roll, I went with their signature dish, the only item on the menu with their restaurant name in the dish name.  THE Eventide Brown Butter Lobster Roll.  This is what people go crazy over.  I generally prefer cold with mayo but ... I followed the advice of the masses, and I'm oh so glad I did.  Since I was getting delivery, I asked to have it deconstructed, just in case I needed to reheat it a bit, and wanted it to stand the best chance of heating up without destroying it.  The restaurant easily accommodated this.

So, the lobster roll.  The first thing to note is the use of a very non-traditional bun.  This is no split top hot dog bun.  It is not buttered, it is not grilled.  Instead, it is a steamed bun, light and fluffy, much like a super sized bao.  I know, I was skeptical too.  But it worked remarkably well.  The bun was very fresh, soft, and lightly warm.  It was almost a little sweet?  It was plain, yes, but that was needed given the richness of the brown butter with the lobster.  You can also opt for a gluten-free bun if you need.

And then there was the lobster.  Traditional rolls have drawn butter with the lobster.  Butter and lobster go together great.  But do you know what goes even better?   It turns out, brown butter.  Perhaps not a surprise, as brown butter is generally delicious, but, wow.  This lobster was absolutely smothered in brown butter.   It was crazy rich.  Intensely flavorful.  Did I mention, crazy rich?  The soft simple steamed bun complimented it well.  The lobster was cooked nicely, and it was a decent assortment of pieces.

The menu mentioned chives, but I didn't find any.  In fact, there was no filler of any kind.  Just, lobster, brown butter, and bun.  Simple, non-traditional, and a hit.  The best lobster roll I've ever had, no question.  I can't think of a way to make it any more amazing, although perhaps those chives would be a bit of a boost?  Still, truly perfection.  *****.

One thing to note is that it is on the smaller size.  The bun is probably the size of 3 Chinese bao, so, slightly smaller than a hot dog bun, and it wasn't over stuffed like many lobster rolls.  That said, the price was also on the smaller side, at only $19.95 it is considerably cheaper than most, and given the richness of that brown butter, I don't think you'd actually want a whole lot more in one sitting.

During the summer, Eventide also serves a chilled version, with mayo/lemon/dill, with the same bun, but, griddled.  I'd like to try that next.

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Sushi Seki, NYC

In New York, there is no shortage of sushi options, spanning all price points.  It takes a lot for a place to stand out, but somehow, Sushi Seki did for me as I was browsing menus for delivery options on Door Dash.

Sushi Seki drew me in with the extremely large range of nigiri/sashimi options, with an entire section just for different tuna pieces (9 options, your standard chu toro, o toro, maguro, etc, plus a seared option, one topped with uni, and more), the same with salmon (5 options, inlcuding belly or king salmon, or seared, etc), same with yellowtail (7 options), shellfish (another 7), and so on.  The choices were extensive, and, key for me, I appreciated that you could order singles.  They also do offer a variety of of hot and cold appetizers, soups and salads, cooked entrees (such as miso cod, different teriyakis, katsu, tempura), a slew of rolls, and even carry Lady M crepe cakes (which I've reviewed before in Seattle) for dessert (along with others they make).

"Chef Seki along with his family of NYC’s finest sommeliers and sushi chefs are committed to the “never stop learning” attitude by creating and balancing the flavor of the fish with simple ingredients, a classic style, and expansive sake and wines, paired perfectly to each meal."

Chef Seki has a great story, starting in the industry as a dishwasher, and working his way up to cook, kitchen chef, and eventually, sushi chef, all in Tokyo.  He moved to NY city to further his craft.  He really does seem to embrace his mantra of "never stop learning".

Sushi Seki's first location opened in 2002 on the Upper East Side.  12 years later, the chef opened the second location in Chelsea, which is where I ordered from.  A year later, his third branch opened, which includes a 6-seat counter for omakase only dining.  

I ordered on Door Dash for delivery, and was quite impressed with the quality (and speedy service).  I'd love to try more of the lineup, and to visit in person sometime.

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 ]

Hijiki Salad. $10.

"Cooked brown sea vegetable, watercress, tomato, cucumber, bean curd, carrot, daikon, and onion dressing."

There is a Japanese deli near me in San Francisco (Delica) that has a hijiki salad I adore.  I rarely see hijiki on menus elsewhere though, so I was excited to try Sushi Seki's version of the salad.  They also have a more traditional seaweed salad on the menu, along with a basic green salad and a snow pea salad, all with different dressings.  Salad didn't seem to be an afterthought here, which I took as a good sign.

I asked in the notes for the dressing on the side, I'm not sure if they normally do that for takeout or not.  The base of the salad was watercress, fresh, crisp, peppery.  Mixed in was a bit of shredded carrot, a few thin bits of bean curd, and of course, the hijiki.  All sprinkled with sesame seeds.  Mine didn't seem to have any tomato or cucumber, but I didn't mind.  I also didn't really find diakon, and I'm not sure about the cooked brown sea vegetable ... maybe that was lost in the mix?

It initially didn't look like it would be very hijiki forward, but the hijiki flavor was strong, and I enjoyed it.  I didn't find it needed the dressing (which was really quite thick, somewhat sour, and sorta an odd consistency, but did taste of onion as said it would), and just drizzled a little soy sauce over it.  Overall, very tasty, and I'd get again.  ****. 

Uni ($15), Lobster ($8), Anago ($10).

Uni:

Although this piece fell over in transit, it still stayed well put together, the nori wrapper holding it together tightly.  The uni portion was good, I think 4 lobes.  It tasted quite fresh, no funk to it, and was all an even color.  Sushi rice was an appropriate portion (not dominating), well seasoned, lightly sticky.  Overall, a very nice uni nigiri, and $15 price seemed appropriate.  ****.

Lobster (steamed): 

The lobster is the only piece that let me down.  The flavor was actually quite nice, and it was a big chunk, but, it was extremely chewy.  It was steamed, so fully cooked.  Great flavor, but hard to get past the chew.  **+.

Anago: "Wild seawater eel."

Sushi Seki offers 3 different types of eel sushi, the more common unagi (barbecued with sweet sauce), a chopped version with tempura crunchies, and this, anago.

It had been a long time since I had anago!  I've gotten sushi a dozen or so times this past year, but everywhere always has unagi, and not anago.  Sometimes I love unagi, but sometimes, I just am not in the mood for the heavy unagi sauce.  I was thrilled to see anago on the menu, and even more thrilled when I tasted it.  Great flavor, great texture, not slimy, just, really nice anago.  Sushi rice good, as with the other pieces.  I'd get this again in a heartbeat.  *****.

I appreciated the generous portion of nice pickled ginger (not the pink kind!), and plenty of wasabi, no skipping on those.  ****+.

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James Hook & Co Seafood, Boston

When visiting Boston, most people who eat seafood seek out lobster rolls at least once.  It is what you do.  And while I think lobster is fine, I don't adore it, find it pretty overrated and $$$, and honestly prefer crab most of the time anyway.  But hey, when in Rome ...

During my recent visit to Boston, I decided to actually go for the lobster.  My first night, I had what turned out to be the best lobster roll of my life, no question, from Eventide Fenway, although it was a non-traditional style (brown butter lobster, steamed bun).  It inspired me to actually get a second lobster roll on my final day in town, although this time, I decided to go traditional style, and chilled with mayo.

Of course, I had *many* choices of where to get said classic lobster roll.  And if you ask locals, or consult the guides, they'll easily list off 15 or so very highly regarded places.  Picking one was a bit difficult, but I finally settled on James Hook & Co, known for their ridiculously fresh lobster rolls, among other things.  They did win the "Best of Boston" award for their version in 2020.

I was also drawn to James Hook because it is a no frills sort of place.  I walked by once a few years ago to scope it out.  It is not a fancy seafood restaurant.  It is a fresh lobster shack, open only during the day, not dinner, and is a casual setting.  Picnic tables outside.  That sort of place.  The menu does have other things, but, the menu isn't extensive, and lobster rolls are the highlights for most.

Lobster rolls at James Hook are available in two sizes (regular or large), hot with butter, or cold with mayo.  The cheapest option is the regular with mayo at $27.99.  The hot with butter version is strangely $7 more, $34.99.  Some other places charge $1-2 more for butter, but $7 seemed excessive ... Strange also, the large with mayo is $7 more than the regular with mayo, while the large with butter is only $4 more.  Odd pricing for sure.  Anyway, prices were about what I'd expect, market rate for quality lobster, and lower than higher end fine dining offerings.

I ordered for delivery on DoorDash, which was quite easy, and my order arrived quickly.

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 was glad to try James Hook finally, but the lobster roll didn't turn out to be the star for me.  That said, I absolutely plan to order from them again in the future, to get more of the insanely perfect clam chowder, and likely try other items, like the crab cakes.

12 Ounce Clam Chowder. $9.99

"This award winning, two-time Boston Chowder Fest champion New England Clam Chowder is as good as it gets. A perfect blend of tender sweet whole clams, clam broth, cream, natural cut potatoes and roux that make this chowder an all time New England favorite."

People RAVE about the chowder at James Hook.  Seriously, rave.  But people rave about a lot of clam chowder, and I do like clam chowder, but generally I find it good, even great, but not something I can't stop talking about.  And then I had this.

Ok, it truly is the best clam chowder I've ever had.  It takes rich and creamy to entirely new level.  It is thick.  It is creamy.  It tastes like quality cream.  It is truly loaded with clam, and hunks of potato.  Reasonably well seasoned (although I added more pepper).  Fantastic chowder, really.  Best I've ever had.  ****+.

They lose half a star for just serving it with generic oyster crackers, rather than a nice crusty housemade roll (Legal Seafood still has my favorite rolls for chowder, even if the rest of their food is kinda mediocre) or even housemade crackers.  

The cup, 12 ounces, was plenty given the richness, and given the quality, the $9.99 price was fine.  I could also opt for the 16 ounce for $14.99 or 32 ounces for $29.99.

Regular Lobster Roll with Mayo. $27.99.

"This is a classic… a hot dog bun filled with fresh lobster meat and dressed in nothing more than mayo."

I was amazed when I opened up my lobster roll.  Wow, there was a TON of lobster in here.  And this was the "regular", not large, roll!  Compared to my lobster roll from Eventide a few days prior this was ... 4-6x? the amount of lobster probably.  So much lobster.  And such huge chunks.  Many huge tail chunks.  Incredible.

The lobster was nicely cooked, not chewy, not rubbery, no bits of shell, etc.  It was dressed with a fair amount of mayo, and not really any seasoning, but, a classic lobster roll it was.  Good quality, but not exciting or novel.  I did wish for a lemon to squeeze on top, or perhaps a bit of chives or something.  I know not traditional, but even some bits of celery for crunch I'd kinda want.

The bun was a simple hot dog bun, I think maybe very, very lightly toasted, but not much to speak of.  I don't think it was buttered or anything (which I appreciated).  It didn't seem special in any way, it wasn't stale, but it didn't taste very fresh, fluffy, or special either, and wasn't anything slightly fancy like brioche.  Just a bun.

Overall, this was very simple, and very classic.  It was good, well prepared, but didn't really blow me away.  I wanted a fancier roll really ... brioche bun, herbs or seasoning, that kind of thing.  But I can't fault them for generous quantity of lobster, clearly fresh lobster, and good execution on a simple version.  ***+.  If you went with someone else, and each got a chowder, you could easily split this with someone given how much lobster it had.

The large size is $7 more, and comes in a hoagie roll instead of hot dog bun.  I can't even imagine how much lobster is packed into that.

Whoopie Pie. $3.99.

"A layer of sweet frosting filling stuffed between two fluffy cakes."

Of course, I got dessert too.  As classic New England as the lobster roll, the whoopie pie.

I was a bit let down to discover that James Hook doesn't make their own whoopie pies.  The whoopie pies were packaged, from Boston Baking, so at least a local company.  The company also makes red velvet,  vanilla, and chocolate chip versions, but James Hook only carries the classic chocolate one.  As a packaged product, this also meant the nutrition facts were front a center, and, gulp, yes, 670 calories each!

These aren't particularly wholesome products, fairly mass produced, designed to freeze and thaw and serve, and loaded with all sorts of odd sounding ingredients like hydrogenated oils of all kinds, TBHQ (!?), "propylene glycol monostearate", and many more bioengineered food ingredients I've never heard of.

How was it?  Eh.

The cake was not particularly moist, and didn't have a deep chocolate flavor.  Truly not much better than a packaged Devil Dog.  Meh.

The filling was sweet, and a nice consistency.  Not too cloying (whoopie pie filling *should* be slightly cloying, it is part of the experience, this is no cupcake buttercream inside!).  I liked the filling more than the cake.

Overall, this was highly average, not particularly better than a packaged Hostess, Little Debbie, or Drake's cake.  **+.

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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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