The Qantas from Santiago to Sydney is 12 hours and 20 minutes crossing continents and time zones. On this flight's business class menu there are a signature dish from chef Neil Perry's Rockpool restaurant and some delicious South American treats. Come along and take a look at what is on offer!
There’s a bittersweet part of going home. Of leaving a seminal vacation behind. The Antarctic cruise was a lifetime's dream come true but it has been two weeks since I left Sydney for it and life pulls me back home. I arrive at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport early and check in. I head to the LATAM Santiago International lounge where I spend a couple of hours (see review here) and then head to the gate.
I see my seat 1A as a good luck omen and when I board the plane I see one of the same crew that was on the flight from Sydney to Santiago. She lets out a bright “Hello! Nice to see you again” and we hug and chat about our travels. She has been back and forth on many flights in the two weeks since we first met.
I settle into my seat on the 787 Dreamliner. This plane is one of the most comfortable planes as it has a higher humidity level and the windows darken to let people sleep and therefore pass the flight time better. On my seat is a pillow, quilt and bed cover and in the storage compartment there are noise cancelling headphones, a bottle of water, the menu and an amenity kit made up of Li'Tya moisturiser, hand cream and lip balm as well as socks, earplugs and toothbrush and toothpaste.
I change into my pyjamas and sip on champagne and sparkling water until it’s time to taxi on the runway and take off. The business class cabin has a 1-2-1 configuration and is split in two sections.
I’m famished and I have no idea how I am as I’ve devoured breakfast and lunch in the lounge but when presented with the menu I like the sound of a lot of the options. They lay out the white tablecloth on my table and bring a Virgin Mary without ice, just the way I like it.
The food comes out shortly after. The meal starts with salad leaves with Neil Perry’s vinaigrette and a selection of focaccia or white sourdough with Pepe Saya butter. My entrée is the prawn and chorizo empanadas with chimichurri sauce and a wedge of lemon. These are absolutely delicious and come three to a serve and are served warm. The pastry is tender and not dry at all and there’s finely diced chorizo, potato and prawns inside the empanada. The chimichurri adds a herby piquancy to it. I devour all three of them.
I was looking for a spicy choice like the Korean chicken on the flight over and I am avoiding seafood while in South America as that was the place that I had the anaphylaxis incident so I decide to go with the comfort food option of roast chicken. It’s a roast chicken breast served with creamy mushroom sauce, tiny green beans and roast potatoes. The flavour is good although it is a bit dry so I make myself a little chicken sandwich using the bread and butter provided.
For dessert, I order the fruit plate as well as the date tart. This is based on the famous Rockpool date tart and I’m excited to see this on the menu. This is served warmed up in the oven and it’s wonderful. It is definitely the best dessert I’ve ever had on a plane.
By now I’ve finished the box set of And Just Like That that I started on the Sydney to Santiago flight but since I’m on Antarctica/Buenos Aires time I’m not quite ready to sleep. But when they offer to make my bed for me I gratefully accept.
The flight attendants stop by and check if I’d like some hot tea or a hot chocolate to help fall asleep. Then I check the remaining time and there are 6 and a half more hours. I don’t really want to go to sleep as I want to sleep later that night when I arrive home around 6pm so I lie back and watch movies.
Sometime during this time they also offer me one of the mid flight snacks and since there are 6 hours until the dinner I say yes to the quesadilla. It’s filled with beef brisket and cheese topped with a barbecued corn and tomato salsa. It’s soft and tasty and I finish most of it before lying back and listening to music.
After this they make me one of my favourite drinks: soda water topped up with apple juice (Asian champagne haha!) and one of the most lusciously rich chocolate truffles. There's no brand named for this truffle but it's absolutely delicious. Even the flight attendants know how good these chocolate truffles are and one slips me another one whispering, "These are fabulous!".
Two hours before landing the cabin gradually becomes light and we are served dinner. Like lunch, it starts with the green salad with palm sugar vinaigrette and some bread from the basket. This time it is brown and white sourdough. There are four choices for a main including a plant based option but I feel like the pie so I choose that. It’s said to be a chipotle pork filling but is actually mostly sweet potato with a little bit of pulled pork-nevertheless it is tasty, especially the pastry. On the side are green beans and a dressed green salad with halved cherry tomatoes.
Dessert is the fruit plate and a rich chocolate mousse with chunks of chocolate brownie and a lemon cream that is like a cream mixed with lemon curd. The mousse is a good size too and not too large and perfectly balanced with the sweet mousse and tangy lemon cream. Before I know it, the familiar view of Sydney appears below and I'm home.
So tell me Dear Reader, what has been your favourite ever airline meal?
Qantas
Qantas flies direct from Santiago, Chile to Sydney, Australia 4 times a week.
https://www.qantas.com/au/
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