Finally back on a Japan Airlines flight after 3.5 years – well it would have been sooner as I was supposed to fly them in January 2022 however a volcano put a stop to that! So now I was excited to check out the Japan Airlines Business Class food from Sydney to Haneda, Tokyo – a popular route for many. I was on a 9am flight (AEDT) out of Sydney and the main meal service served was a lunch service.
Main Meal Service
First up, refreshments were served prior to takeoff with water and champagne offered. Shortly after takeoff the main meal service started with cabin crew firstly taking drink orders and serving amuse bouche which were delicious.
There were both Japanese and Western food offerings with the menu divided into a Japanese menu and Western menu (see below article for the menus). I chose the Western menu which was delicious. The appetizer plate had four small hors d’oeuvre and came with two bread rolls which were served in plastic bags. The bread was not nice – while served warm it didn’t have much taste or substance. I chose the beef fillet steak as a main and it was cooked perfectly for me. It was tender – not chewy, tough or dry which was great. The vegetables were cooked nicely – steamed but maintaining a vibrant colour and flavour. And the chocolate mousse was pretty melt in your mouth – yum!
Nutrition Comment
Lots of vibrant colours in the meals with cold vegetables served really fresh, and hot vegetables only cooked lightly. I love this as it helps to retain nutrients in foods. The meals were also not predominantly carbohydrates which was good to see as this can be common in meals served on planes.
I enjoyed having amuse bouche served pre-meal as it provided more ‘whole foods’ rather than pre-packaged processed snacks which are commonly served pre-meal service (think bags of pretzels or rice crackers etc). While processed meats such as prosciutto are ‘processed’ (e.g. with salt), they are less processed than crisps/rice crackers and were also served with other whole foods. So overall the amuse bouche are likely to be a more nutrient dense choice.
The breads served were not great – both from a taste or nutrient perspective. They tasted and felt almost stale as soon as they lost their warmth. And they were white (so not very nutrient dense) but not in that nice fluffy white bread with a lovely crust way. I just left them as I didn’t need to eat them with the meals (there was enough food) and it wasn’t adding anything taste or nutrition wise.
Anytime throughout flight/second meal service
In business class Japan Airlines has a second menu with items that can be ordered anytime throughout the flight or for the second meal service before landing (or both). This menu (see end of article) had both Japanese and Western style meals. I tried the cheese plate, the sandwiches and the creamy pasta from the Western menu. They were all really tasty.
Nutrition comment
While I don’t normally order creamy pastas I thought I would check out what this dish was like as I feel it will be a popular dish from the western menu. Even though it was a creamy pasta (so high in fat and carbohydrates), it was great to see the sauce didn’t drown the pasta. There was enough for flavour but it helped to keep the calories minimised. I was also pleasantly surprised by the amount of mushrooms and red peppers (capsicums).
I liked that the sandwiches came with just two on the plate -just enough for a snack. And if you are still hungry you could order another plate. This really helps with portion control and staying in touch with your appetite.
Final thoughts Japan Airlines Business Class Food – Sydney to Haneda, Tokyo
I really enjoy Japan Airlines Business Class food and this flight was no different. Variety, flavour, presentation and staff were outstanding. I would certainly fly them again for the food, especially as a way of getting to Europe or North America from Australia.
To complement your food experiences on Japan Airlines business class flights, check out my food and nutrition reviews of the Japan Airlines First Class Lounge at Narita – I know this lounge is at Narita (not Haneda) however I have found the lounges to be fairly similar. I visited the Haneda First Class Lounge Dec 2022 and will publish the review soon.
