On my way back to Manila. Spent the past week in Honiara, where I helped to facilitate a workshop on national health policy planning. Departed this afternoon, flying via Brisbane via Singapore, due to arrive home tomorrow afternoon — 29 hours, door to door (24 hours on the way in).
3 flights on the way in, 3 flights out, the trip will bestow opportunities to have 6 meals in the air: 4 on Singapore Airlines, 2 on Solomon Airlines.
Meal 4: lunch (IE 700) (HIR > BNE)
7-hour layover in Brisbane, plenty of time to score my first meal in the city.
MN, a colleague from my division, who is coincidentally flying back on the same route following an unrelated mission, elected to join me.
Essential criteria for choice of venue were as follows: (i) close to a train station; (ii) solid on-line reviews; (iii) Modern Australian.
Preferred criteria: (iv) emphasis on seafood; (v) upscale.
Not a lot of choices on the menu, which can be a good thing, especially when every one of them is tempting. Took us over half an hour to order.
PHENOMENAL. Despite the crappy main dish, everything else was so exquisite that it didn’t matter. Most notably the freebies — which could’ve constituted a fine meal in themselves — strategically served in between the paid items, elevating a relatively simple spread into an elegant 6-course dining experience. Confirming that Australia does good food (see for example 5.341 Cecina), even in a small city like Brisbane.
On the plane, I’m also attempting to try all 8 cocktails offered by Singapore Airlines (see generally 6.237 Coconut Panna Cotta), 2 per flight.
As always, I am grateful for and respectful of the opportunity to travel internationally, whether for fun or for work, especially via business class (see BEST IN FLIGHT), including airport lounge access (see in BEST IN LOUNGE).
if you think about it, a “degustation menu” is essentially a series of appetizers (“entrees” if you want to be continental about it). even a proper course menu provides the meat and starch and veg in separate servings. yeah, so i don’t really like ordering “main” dishes that much, too filling all on one plate…
and the venison, well, i just wanted another venison on my list. i really wanted the mulloway. the server recommended the lamb. there was also a long steak menu on the back, each sourced from different ranches (that’s kinda silly). but i wanted something a bit out of the ordinary.
I think I would’ve ordered 5 entrees and 4 mains. Looks incredible! But venison, really?
if you think about it, a “degustation menu” is essentially a series of appetizers (“entrees” if you want to be continental about it). even a proper course menu provides the meat and starch and veg in separate servings. yeah, so i don’t really like ordering “main” dishes that much, too filling all on one plate…
and the venison, well, i just wanted another venison on my list. i really wanted the mulloway. the server recommended the lamb. there was also a long steak menu on the back, each sourced from different ranches (that’s kinda silly). but i wanted something a bit out of the ordinary.