December 9
“I’ll have the fish!” isn’t something you’ll usually hear when it comes to airline food. Fish is more difficult to prepare, store and re-heat than other proteins, and the variety of fish can make it difficult to match to personal tastes. Imagine my surprise today when, given a choice, the fish dish was different enough to make it a viable choice.
I was on AA 1843 from AUS-LAX; the flight left at 12:10 PM – right at lunch time. After getting airborne, getting a hot towel, drink and warm mixed nuts, the FA started lunch service (back to front, since this was an odd-numbered flight and AA uses FEBO). The choices were a cold salad with chicken (which she called “chicken salad” and many people interpreted as a different dish) or a “fish quesadilla.” Cold iceberg lettuce not sounding appetizing, I opted for the quesadilla. What was served was a nice surprise:
Here’s a closeup of the quasadilla, which included pretty much a whole filet of a whitefish I’d guess to be Tilapia:
A bonus was the matching salad – the first time I think I’ve had pickled red onions and cotija cheese on American Airlines:
Even more, it came with an unexpected extra – new bread choices! I opted for the cheese roll:
My seatmate opted for the pretzel stick roll:
While some have bemoaned the changing of menus and portion sizes (espcially on “snack” offerings) recently, I found the new lunch offering presented today to be one of the tastiest airline meals I’ve ever had. The tortilla kept the fish, tucked neatly inside, appropriately moist and the cheese used (Manchego?) had a good flavor (it’s notoriously difficult to mix fish and cheese). The meal was filling and the salad matching the style of the entree so closely was a pleasant accoutrement. I’m looking forward to the flight home from SJC-DFW, now!
I’ve personally never seen the apocryphal Cheeseburger on an AA flight but I’ll ask the rest of you – what are you most favorite (or least favorite) airline meals, and why? If we can, let’s limit this to DOMESTIC meals, since international meals are going to vary significantly across carriers.
That looks really good, though I still dislike what they did with the snack flight. I got a plate of shredded carrots and two bite size piece of chicken in a mini tortilla on a recent RDU-ORD. Would have much rather had a continental breakfast w/ bagel, etc.
I once opted for a “beef burrito” flying UA First, because it sounded moderately better than cold chicken and I was pleasantly surprised. It was good and there turned out to be a very healthy portion of steak wrapped up in that tortilla.
I’ve been pleased with the updated meals. So far my favorites are the Steak and Egg Salad, and the Moroccan Chicken with Rice.
Haven’t tried the Tilapia Tacos yet, but but after your review I’m looking forward to giving them a try!
“The life of everyone on board depends upon just one thing: finding someone back there who can not only fly this plane, but who didn’t have fish for dinner.”
I had this fish dish recently. The FA on my flight called it a fish taco. As you described, it was fine for airline food, but it is getting bad when the airline employees don’t even know what to call the food they are serving.