Get ready for a blast from the culinary past this month as Qantas unleashes a range of ‘classic retro dishes’ at its airport lounges.
From Monday November 17 to Friday November 21, travellers at Qantas’ international first class lounges and domestic business lounges will be tempted by a trio of fashionable meals of the 1970s given a subtle modern twist, courtesy of Qantas’ superchef Neil Perry.
“It’s all a bit of fun, it’s comfort food that a lot of us grew up with and than everybody knows and loves” explains Narelle Kellahan, from Perry’s Rockpool consulting group.
The Qantas International First Lounges in Sydney and Melbourne will offer a Yamba king prawn cocktail salad with tomato jelly.
“Prawn cocktails are close to Neil's heart, and he rolls them out whenever he has the opportunity!” Kellahan laughs.
The prawn cocktail will be matched to a crisp Seppelt's Riesling, another fave of Perry’s, although for a real taste of the ‘70s you can try a Seppelt’s Sparkling Shiraz.
Meanwhile, the Qantas Domestic Business Lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra will be serving chicken and mushroom vol au vents as part of their special ‘Plate of the Day’ menu.
The ‘twist’ here is that Perry’s recipe uses Swiss brown mushrooms, Kellahan says.
There’s also a sweet treat in store at the Business Lounges – a pavlova with seasonal berries and cream.
And the reason for all this retro goodness? It all ties into the arrival of a Boeing 737-800 jet dressed in ‘retro livery’ as a tribute to 70 years of Qantas’ iconic kangaroo logo.
The retrojet, as it’s already been tagged, will depart from Seattle’s Boeing Field airport on Monday November 17 and arrive into Sydney on Wednesday November 19.
Read: Qantas to unveil retro livery on Boeing 737
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
Would a Fanny Cradock look a like also make an appearance? ;)
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
22 Apr 2013
Total posts 143
Ohhhhh sahhh dissapointed.
I was hoping there'd be a noice salmon terrine or perhaps even Duck a l'orange on the menu.
;)
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
Kogglogs: we did have an amazing duck l'orange at the preview of the menu (see below), and that will be served on the Boeing 737 retrojet delivery flight which we'll be on, but sadly, it's not part of the lounge retromenu. Personally I reckon they should roll that out in the First lounges, it'd be a hit!
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
22 Apr 2013
Total posts 143
Yesssssssss!
02 Sep 2014
Total posts 4
Will there be Westcoast Coolers?
Errr. Asking for a friend
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
22 Apr 2013
Total posts 143
Just quietly, Neil - I'm hoping for a nice box of Coolabah Chardonnay.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
Comment of the day! :)
02 Sep 2014
Total posts 4
My prize (A 6 pack) can be sent to the Melbourne F lounge to accompany me on QF93 tomorrow please ;-)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Mar 2014
Total posts 131
That would only but complete the experience! :)
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 458
Let's hope so.They were my introduction to alcohol back in the day.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Jun 2014
Total posts 37
Where's the Tuna Mornay, and Golden Circle in beetroot jelly?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
07 May 2012
Total posts 371
The only thing that looks appetising is the Pav. The other dishes and the Seppelts wine should be kept in the 1970's. I think our palletes have moved on.
05 Dec 2013
Total posts 36
I couldn't agree more. Other than the Pavlova, nothing looks even remotely appetising. I mean tomato jelly, really?
07 Mar 2014
Total posts 11
If you want to go 70's Perry is not the man for that job. You would need to bring an old chef out of retirement to do it properly.
Also the use of the term "comfort food" by chefs and writers annoys me. It has a disparaging connotation implying any home cook could do it (i.e. without the Escoffier brigade that a fine dining restaurant employs (and charges) for).
These offerings don't look 70's to me and don't appeal either.
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