Having never flown out of T2 Tokyo Haneda before I didn’t realise how small the terminal was. Because I was transiting through Haneda T2 I had followed the transit signs and popped out of security right opposite both the entrance to the ANA lounges and the Power Lounge Premium and just thought I was lucky ended up in front of the two lounges I wanted to check. I didn’t know these were the only lounges as it was a small terminal. When I visited the Power Lounge Premium I did think the space was fairly small, and then having gone and explored the terminal and seeing the size of the terminal I then understood why (it is quite small too). The food offering was a simple buffet – with both a small hot and cold buffet selection.
What’s nutritious?
There was a menu on the buffet outlining two A La Carte dishes and the one that caught my eye from a nutrition perspective was the Grilled Salmon Combo. This meal came with a grilled piece of salmon, pickled vegetables, steamed rice and miso soup. This seemed perfect for me to have for breakfast after an overnight flight from Australia before stepping onto my long flight from Japan to the UK. I only ate about one third of the rice as I wasn’t very hungry and decided to fill up on the pickled vegetables and the salmon – a nice high protein meal with some fibre, antioxidants and of course anti-inflammatory omega 3 fats.
Fantastic to see there were lots of grilled vegetables available including corn, burdock root and capsicum. This was a great opportunity for me to have some burdock root as it is not a vegetable that I am exposed to much back home in Australia. Burdock root is a source of antioxidants and prebiotic fibre. If you are sensitive to fructo-oligosaccharides then you might like to reduce your portion size of burdock root before a long flight.
There was a large bowl of unsweetened yogurt on the buffet. Unsweetened yogurt is quite nutritious while travelling as it contains protein and slowly digested carbohydrates which assist with travel wellbeing. Also depending on the type of yogurt it can contain live cultures (healthy bacteria) which can be beneficial for gut health. There was a jar of fruit granola available however I did not taste it to see how sweet it was. Granola can sometimes be a significant source of added sugar and fat (which gives it that lovely crunchy texture with clusters of oats).
There was also a jar of mixed nuts available. Mixed nuts are nutritious (a great source of plant protein and they pack a punch of vitamins and minerals) and so many think they are great for travel. And while technically they are quite healthy, having nuts available can be a challenge for people with a nut allergy. This is because they can be easily dropped around the lounge and people with nut allergies can have a reaction if they accidently touch something that has come in contact with nuts. And while these dangers do exist any time, the challenge with travel is people are boarding a confined space and are then in the air and not in direct access to medical assistance. So if you enjoy nuts please be mindful when eating them in the lounge and be sure not to drop them and if there is serving utensils don’t mix them up with others.
There was also a pot of minestrone soup which was very thin and watery.
Not so great. Caution.
There were pastries and bread also available. However these were quite ‘white’ and refined. There weren’t any wholegrain breads available, but the roll was labelled as sesame and so had some sesame seeds.
There were also small wrapped cheeses in a bowl. These were not refrigerated and so likely very processed to ensure they can stay safe at room temperature.
A spicy curry was available from the A La carte menu however it did not mention it came with any sides like the grilled salmon meal did. Be mindful if it is a Japanese style curry as most of the experiences I have had in lounges with Japanese curries are that they are mostly sauce without much meat or vegetables and so the meal can end up being mostly white rice with sauce.
Last word on the Power Lounge Premium food Tokyo Haneda (T2)
T2 Tokyo Haneda is a small terminal with only a few shops, small food court and three lounges (2 are ANA lounges and the Power Lounge Premium). So for a small terminal it is good there is a lounge available for credit card holders and Priority pass membership for people who want a break from the airport and gate lounges for a while but don’t have access to the ANA lounges. The Power Lounge Premium is a small lounge offering a simple food buffet and limited meals to order. There are some basic nutritious wholefoods served which is great but not really any variety or choice.
NOTE: All pictures of the Power Lounge Premium Tokyo (Haneda) at breakfast are my own and I review a lounge from just the foods I see during my visit. There may be different options available at other times.
If you are flying out of T2 Tokyo Haneda and have ANA lounge access you may like to check out the review of the foods in the ANA Lounge.
