I decided to split and do one meal with the inflight menu, and the other Book the Cook option. I had passed on this option on my flight via the A380 from Mumbai so knew I needed to try it this time.

A few days later I was set to take off. After a journey that started the night before in Mumbai where I visited the GVK business lounge before I departed on short flight to Singapore. I was set to have a 16 hour layover to prepare for the longest flight in the world later that night.

Singapore is an amazing city. I spent all day walking around and sampling food from hawkers markets and restaurants along the way.

I arrived at the Changi Airport a bit early, which gave me ample time to checkout The Jewel. I even made a quick stop in the business lounge on my way out.

Note: I reviewed this flight from SIN to EWR on our review platform and you can review it there as well.

As I boarded the flight I was struck with how big the seats are.

Seat 23A was mine to ride for the roughly 18 hour flight. This was basically like a small couch.

Once again the cabin was virtually empty. So empty, in fact, that I maybe counted 15 people on the entire flight.

This was a strange time to fly with a global pandemic looming, but I’m still shocked that Singapore Airlines was continuing to make the journey. It worked in my favor, though, and I was relieved that they would be getting me home.

I had plenty to drink during my day in Singapore and in the lounge, so as the welcome drink came around I chose the ginger lemonade. This was exactly what I needed. Not overly sweet or sour, it was a refreshing start as I settled into my seat.

Before I knew it, the meal service began to roll out right away.

I had to at least try the wine on board so ordered a glass of 2015 Chateau Magnan La Gaffeliere from Bordeaux, France which retails for about $30 a bottle. The nuts were also served warm which is always a nice touch.

My entree came out a few minutes later. This was maybe the fastest meal service I’ve ever had on any flight.

I had decided to order off the in flight menu for my first meal. It was a little surprising how it came out all at once. I guess it was already late and most people wanted to get to bed so this made sense.

I went with the Gaeng Massaman Neau which is a Thai style Masaman curry with beef, seasoned veggies, and rice.

The beef was a really nicely made dish and it was spiced very well. I really liked the side of veggies that seemed to be made up of cucumber, green peppers, and some sort of lentils. I thought it would also be spicy but instead it was mild and pretty refreshing.

What came next was a bit of a treat, at least in my eyes.

Fresh fruit for dessert!

I was pretty thrilled. As I was just starting to get into bed mode and expected a more decadent desert. Did I really want to scarf down chocolate cake, ice cream, or some other rich desert before sleep? Knowing myself I would have reluctantly eaten the dessert and regretted it later.

I was glad Singapore offered this selection of different fruit and it was exactly what I needed before I got to bed.

As they cleared meal service I went to slide my bed down and found out that it doesn’t actual recline into a full flat position. You need to flip it over.

This was a bit strange and the flight attendants helped me get it into position.

As my bed was made I couldn’t believe just how big and spacious it was. You can see my laptop, a 15 inch Macbook pro, for size reference.

The bed offered a ton of room to sleep on your back, side, or even spread out. The only downside I would mention is that your feet go into a small cubby on the left, so you are a little bit sideways. If you are under 6 ft then this should be no problem, but I can imagine taller folks having some discomfort.

I did something on this airline that I never thought possible when flying. I slept for 9 hours straight. A beautiful, deep sleep.

It was an amazing way to rest and the next thing I knew I was waking up for meal number 2. I was especially excited as I had placed my special meal request for this one.

The crew started me off with their famous chicken and lamb satay with spicy peanut sauce. I found the meat to be really tender and the sauce added a nice kick. It was pretty incredible for airline food.

What a way to start off breakfast.

Next up was a piece of salmon sashimi that was served with greens and an orange.

I don’t usually get that excited for raw fish, especially on airplanes, but this salmon was really good. It paired well with the citrus and bitter greens and was a nice, light dish after the satays.

Finally it was time for the main event, the Laksa.

The dish came out and just the smell of it blew me away. It was fragrant, spicy, and looked like one of the most appetizing bowls of noodles I’ve ever had. Forget airline food, this dish looked like it could stand out in any restaurant.

Closer inspection had me spot plenty of bean curd, shrimp, and a hard boiled egg.

The entire dish was nicely spiced, and really helped me wake up. After consuming it, I got so full that I could’ve fallen asleep again.

Dessert came out next, and this time it was much richer than the fruit bowl, but still felt a bit light which was nice.

I tasted a bit of each item, but didn’t end up finishing any of these desserts. I don’t have a massive sweet tooth but it’s always nice to get a few bites after a hearty meal. A solid palate cleanser.

As we were approaching landing in New York I was a bit shocked at how fast the flight had gone. It was 18 hours and the longest flight in the world but why do I feel like I could’ve done it all over again back to back. Singapore Airlines A350 business class was a luxury experience that stands out for incredible food, service and immunities.

This was truly an unforgettable experience and the level of comfortable on this flight couldn’t have been better.

The food especially was on a different level compared to other carriers. They blew away US based airlines, and are hopefully setting the bar high for all other carriers to rise up to meet. If you have the chance to fly on Singapore airlines A350 business class flight, I highly recommend taking it.

The post Food Review: Singapore Airlines A350 Business Class from Singapore to Newark appeared first on Travel Season.

They consistently rank high in customer service and food quality, and have been continuing to invest in newer airplanes with more luxurious accommodations year after year.

To say I was excited about my flight on Singapore Airlines A380 was an understatement.

It was not only my first time flying Singapore Airlines, but in business class in general. I was confirmed for a 6 hour flight set to take off at 11:30pm from Mumbai Airport and arriving at Singapore Changi at 7:00 the next morning.

As always, the food was my most anticipated part of the flight, and I had heard that the experience aboard Singapore Airlines A380 was even better than the reputation suggested.

Singapore offers the option to pre-select meals like many carriers, but has a cool program called “Book The Cook”. Offering a huge menu of special meals, the airline will prepare just about anything for you and have it brought onboard. While I didn’t select that option for this flight, you can read where I selected it in a food review of the A350 Business Class on the longest flight in the world from Singapore to Newark.

After making a quick stop in the GVK lounge at Mumbai Airport, I was off to board my flight as early as they would let me. What I soon came to realize is this would be no regular flight, not even for Singapore Airlines standard.

My flight was departing during a unique time in travel history. The recent outbreak of the COVID-19 virus had grounded most flights throughout the world, but this trip was set to take off just as the outbreak was officially deemed a pandemic, leaving many travelers scrambling to return home. With reduced flight frequency I assumed more people would be on board, but what I saw was the opposite.

The flight was nearly empty.

Not just a few seats empty, but 95% of seats vacant empty. This would be a surreal experience onboard any aircraft, but I was flying an A380, the largest commercial plane in existence and had almost the entire upper deck of business class to myself.

While this was the older Singapore airlines A380 model, the seats still offered more space than on any other airline that I’ve flown on.

Seat 24k was mine for this journey. But with such a high level of vacancy, the flight attendants were happy to let me sit here for meals before making me a separate bed in an other open seat.

The flight took off just before midnight and as soon as we were airborne the crew came around with welcome drinks and nuts.

I selected a glass of Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee Brut, which retails around $40 for a bottle. It was served with warmed mixed nuts which are always a nice touch.

I took a peak at the menu and the first page showcased the inflight special. An Indian Thali.

If you’ve never had an Indian Thali before, it’s kind of like a version of Mezze, or a collection of small dishes served on a big, round plate. This dish originated in Southern India and is an awesome way to sample multiple dishes and to really get the flavors that a chef wants to put out.

I excitedly ordered this and couldn’t wait to see how Singapore airlines take on this classic.

The meal started with an appetizer, but I couldn’t really tell what was on my plate.

What arrived certainly was presented well, but I had to flip through the menu again to see what was what.

This appeared to be the potato croquette. I prodded it with my fork and it was a little hard, but I figured that maybe it was just how it was supposed to be prepared?

This looked more like potatoes under the dark lighting, but tasted like pickled peppers. It wasn’t overly vinegary tasting, and was quite refreshing.

Instead of a thick bread they served papadum, which is a thin, crisp, round flatbread, but much lighter than you can imagine.

They also served yogurt in this really cool looking dish. The way it was presented made my meal feel even more authentic and legitimate.

Lastly they served some cucumbers, onions, and pepper as a side. I really like spicy food so this refreshing portion of veggies was welcomed.

As I dove into the potato croquette I noticed that it was filled with paneer, a popular Indian cheese, and nuts. The flavor on the inside was really nice, but the outside was still a bit hard for me to cut into. As I worked my muscle to get these open it was rewarding and I easily finished off these two small croquettes.

As I waited for my main course I re-upped on a glass of red wine in anticipation for my meal. I decided to go with a glass of 2015 Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva, an Italian red that retails for about $15.

When the main meal arrived I was a little surprised that it wasn’t served like a traditional thali. Usually served with small bowls all in a circular platter. But this was an airplane and I was starving so I didn’t think twice before digging in.

My meal looked delicious but I remained patient and went back to the menu to made sure that I knew what everything was. I ordered the non vegetarian thali only because I like the options a bit better, and I had eaten plenty of vegetarian food up until then.

The yellow colored curry didn’t seem to match up with what was displayed on the menu. It looked like some sort of dal or lentil dish, but the menu insisted that it was spiced potatoes. I couldn’t really tell at this point although I knew that it had cashews, corn, and something else inside. I enjoyed it none the less.

The bowl was filled with black lentils and bengal gram simmered with ginger and chili. A very popular south asian dish that was served with both the vegetarian and non vegetarian thali. It was quite good!

This dish also didn’t seem to line up with the menu, which said that it was supposed to be spiced prawns, but looked like some sort of lamb. It was all mixed together in a saag spinach which was creamy and salted nicely.

The rice that accompanied all three dishes had a nice amount of garlic and chili infused into it. I really loved the flavor of the rice and could eat it plain. I actually did, as I did not want to mix the flavors too much, and it was one of the highlights of this meal.

The meal was also accompanied with a warm roti or proper Indian flatbread. This was great to scoop up those lentil and as always paired nicely with the spices and flavors.

To finish off the meal I had to get some sort of desert.

You can never go wrong with ice cream on an airplane. I went with the caramel ice cream over gingerbread crumbs. It was delicious and the perfect finisher to a flavorful meal.

Singapore airlines a380 has some of the better business class food that I’ve ever had. They proved worthy of their rank as a top tier airline, and the way they prioritize their food offerings paid off. You can tell they really invested in this whole experience.

I had to get some shut eye before arriving early Singapore morning, and I only had 3 hours left of flight time.

My only down side of this experience? The flight was too short.

I got a quick nap in and woke up just as we were getting read to descend. Luckily I got one last order in, an espresso!

I love that this Singapore Airlines A380 flight served espresso on board. I was kind of surprised last year when I discovered Delta does not.

I ordered a double shot of Illy coffee that was the perfect way to start a busy travel day.

With a smooth landing and entry into Singapore, I looked back on this flight as one of the better ones that I’ve ever taken. I even got a shower and snack in the Singapore Airlines lounge in Changi right as I landed.

Singapore Airlines was worth every penny. If you get the chance to a board their network I couldn’t recommend them more.

The post Food Review: Singapore Airlines A380 Business Class from Mumbai to Singapore appeared first on Travel Season.

One of the largest passenger hubs in Asia, Changi airport in Singapore is so beautiful that Skytrax has named it the best airport in the world for 7 years in a row.

The airport boasts everything from world class shopping, restaurants, a movie theater, and even a swimming pool! When was the last time you heard of an airport that you can spend days in without getting bored?

The main attraction of the airport. The Jewel.

The Jewel is a central waterfall in Terminal 1 that has an expansive garden, fun attractions, retail shopping, dining, a hotel and facilities to support all airport operations.

After cruising through the airport for a while I was excited to reach Singapore Airlines Silver Lounge, which serves Business and First Class passengers.

I was set on doing things a bit different this time. I planned to stop in the lounge on my arrival rather than departure. I landed in Singapore after flying an A380 from Mumbai and was starting a 16 hour lay over early in the morning, which gave me a full day to explore. So I guess you can say I was still in departure mode, which is how I was approved to head into the lounge.

My next flight would be an A350 to Newark, the longest flight in the world. I was excited for everything I can do in a day and tried to make the most of it.

I landed in terminal 3 and saw signs for the Singapore lounge. As I tried to find it I got a bit lost, and this wasn’t even in a major part of this huge airport. I was in awe of the sheer size of operations of this place.

I took a hunch going up an escalator to what seemed like a quieter second floor of the terminal, and lucky enough I found the lounge.

While I was only planning to shower in the lounge and head out to explore, I couldn’t help but take a peak at the food options.

It was breakfast time so I was pretty interested to see how they start the day. Most lounges, especially in Asia, offer both local and western food options. In this case I was more interested in browsing the Asian options.

The main station was chefs preparing Mee Siam, a Malaysian noodle dish.

Also included was shrimp shumai, a standard dim sum dish.

They also served selection of barbecue pork buns, which in my opinion one of the best of the dim sum offerings.

A dish called Chwee Kway, which tasted like a rice cake. I topped it with one of the sauces on display outside this tray which turned out to be very fishy.

Some of the western options included baked eggs and some roasted veggies. While I would usually stay away from prepared eggs like this, these actually smelled pretty good.

I also liked how they made potatoes two ways. One cooked western style like hash browns and other wadai, an indian style.

I found it kind of funny how they displayed their dessert pastry case. Rotating like you would find in an old school dinner.

I turned over one of the plates to see who made it. Interesting that Singapore Airlines was able to keep the brand off or even had these made especially for them.

What I really liked about Changi airport in Singapore lounge and their airline in general is how they derive their cuisine from many regions nearby.

But this lounge in particular I found to be just ok. It had a decent selection of food, shower, and plenty of space but it didn’t really have much of a wow factor. Singapore Airlines has been ranked by Forbes as the world’s best airline I thought the business lounge would be a bit better.

Maybe I was in a bad one or this wasn’t the main terminal? I didn’t mind either way. For me a lounge serves as a utility to pass time until your flight and offers a place to freshen up. I got both here and would happily visit this one again.

The post Food Review: Singapore Airlines Business Lounge at Changi Airport appeared first on Travel Season.