Dinner Service

Eight course traditional Japanese menu:

Kozora | Owan | Mokozuke | Azukebachi
Dainomono | Hanmono | Tomewan | Kanmi

Japan Airlines has two menus for first class passengers, the western menu and the traditional Japanese menu. I was contemplating between the western menu and the traditional Japanese menu. I ultimately picked the traditional Japanese menu because I won’t be presented with this opportunity again and this is a differentiating factor from Japan Airlines and United, for example. The Japanese menu was a culinary experience, one filled with incredible flavors and great champagne.

Kanmi - Dessert

Kudzu starch noodles, peach, gorojima-kintoki sweetened sweet potato

The traditional menu delivered an experience from the first course to the last. The majestic culinary experience reached an end but it ended phenomenally. The steward cleaned my table, presented new cutlery, and explained the dessert. I don’t remember the explanation very well but I do remember him mentioning sweet potatoes.

The dessert came and I was delighted, smiling and laughing on the plane. The dessert was familiar but yet foreign. The sweet noodles in peach juice with the sweet potato were a great combination.

The Seat & Bed

An older hard product but one that still delivers a solid experience

One of the criticisms of this first-class offering is that the hard product is old, and that’s true. However, old doesn’t mean bad. I think this product has aged remarkably well, given the competition. First, the seat is really wide and the pod itself is massive. There is plenty of space in both seat and bed mode. The seat itself is very comfortable, however when your bed is made, the stewart places a layer of bedding. The width and height of the bed, along with the bedding make for a great experience.

The IFE is not great

The age of this offering really shows in the inflight-entertainment system. The display is pretty small for first class and certainly falls short when you consider the competition, most notably ANA The Suite and even The Room. The catalog is small and the user interface is a bit clunky. To some people the IFE is a big part of the experience, I personally don’t care too much for them. If I can get decent Wi-Fi to shit post, that’s sufficient. The internet was fine, what you would expect with Panasonic Avionics Internet.

Meal before landing

This might have been the best ramen of the entire trip

I was originally going to skip the meal before landing but I couldn’t help myself. The people next to me ordered it and it smelled incredible. I ordered it and it was the best ramen I had in the entire trip. The broth was incredible, full of flavor and the noodles were outstanding. I say this was the best ramen out of the entire trip because I had a lot of mediocre ramen in Japan. This, however was outstanding.

I ❤️ JAL F

I have flown business class over ten times now and first-class, just twice. Booking first class is difficult because seats are very limited, usually six or eight seats. However, I went into this flight with the idea that Singapore Suites would be the superior product. This sentiment was supported by the fact that Singapore Airlines has a much newer hard product. However, when the flight ended I no longer felt that way. I think Japan Airlines has a better first-class offering, and this has to do entirely with the service and culinary experience offered onboard. I didn’t expect to feel this way but Japan Airlines has a world-leading first class product. If you find availability, book it. This was a memorable experience and a fantastic way to start a great trip.

À la carte restaurant

The Qantas First Class lounge offers an a la carte menu for its guests. The menu has breakfast, lunch, and dinner offerings. I had the opportunity to experience the breakfast and lunch menu, as I arrived at LAX earlier in the day.

Breakfast

The breakfast menu is straightforward, serving avocado toast, fruit bowls, and a more traditional American breakfast- featuring eggs, sausage, and sourdough. I was hungry and wanted to try the American breakfast. It was a great breakfast, portions weren’t very large but it was sufficient for the morning. In general, the items in the a la carte menu are quite small but that’s a feature of the lounge. Being able to try most of the menu, as you wait for your first-class flight to Japan is a wonderful experience.

Lunch

Roast chicken with mushrooms, spinach and tarragon sauce
Seared striped bass with herb salad

As the day progressed, it was time to experience the lunch part of the menu. The lunch menu was fantastic. I ordered a few items, most notably the seared striped bass with herb salad, roast chicken with mushrooms, spinach, and tarragon sauce. I also had some desserts but they weren’t anything special and I don’t believe they were made in-house. The menu also includes a classic cheeseburger, salt, and pepper squid with green chili dipping sauce, and aioli.

To start, I ordered the chicken with mushroom and spinach, along with an aperol spritz. Both of which were delicious. I do remember the chicken being a bit dry but the tarragon sauce complimented the chicken and the mushrooms well.

The seared striped bass with the herb salad was also a great dish that I enjoyed. The quality of all the ingredients was fresh and it was made at the time of ordering. This can be noticed by the quality of the dish but also the time it took to arrive at my table.

Shower

A great shower without having to make a reservation and wait

Among the best aspects of flying first or business class is access to a shower. Showers at an airport are amazing. There is no better feeling than being refreshed before a long flight. Most lounges have showers, though it can vary by location. To access a shower at a lounge, you typically need to put your name on a list. This is true in American Express Centurion lounges and it’s also true at the SilverKris Lounge at Changi airport. Because the Qantas First Class lounge is limited to first-class passengers only, access to a shower is as easy as stepping into the shower.

A fantastic start to a good trip

Japan Airlines First Class was a product I have been meaning to fly for a while and I was not disappointed. The entire experience, from the ground to the air is truly a first-class experience. I have adopted the strategy of always looking for award space and booking something the instant I find it. If you come across a good deal, book it!