I promised a full report on my Ibera A340-600 short hop from London Heathrow to Madrid Barajas, but will focus on a surprisngly good steak dinner served for this week’s Meal of the Week.
Admittedly, my expectations were tempered as I stepped onto my first of two Iberia flights. While the seat (I knew what I was getting) and service (mostly robotic, but with a smile) met expectations, the food exceeded expectations.
Having booked this flight same-day, I found myself in the very last row of the business class cabin. That usually means no meal choice, but I did not even get a menu: the FA ran out two rows ahead of me prior to takeoff.
Although we did not run into much chop, it was an hour into the flight before drinks and dinner were finally served, all from a single cart.
The FA asked me what I wanted and I stated that I never received a menu. She responded that it did not matter because there was only pasta left.
For the record, I managed to grab a menu on the way out–
Ok, pumpkin-filled pasta it was…
Oddly, the FA then asked what I would have ordered, steak or pasta. I said steak.
She disappeared.
Odd I thought.
But moments later she returned from the kitchen (wearing an oven mit) with a steak entree in her hand.
She smiled and said, “I found one!” as she snatched the pasta off my tray.
I appreciated that gesture, because I noticed everyone in front of me was eating pasta.
So nice that everything was unwrapped for me…
But steak on a plane–how would it be?
Surprisingly good:
Yes, believe it or not another good airline steak:
All in all, a very good meal. Steak appears to be a safe bet on Iberia.
Matthew,
I may have missed it, but can you please remind us in which cabin were you flying?
Thanks,
Business.
Iberia First Class FAs click castanuelos ( castanets ) and dance around .
What a silly thing to write… also, vaguely racist in its ethnic stereotyping of Iberia’s Spanish roots.
Silly and vaguely racist are things you need to get used to from him.
What a stupid thing to say. Only shows you smallness
So… the FA lied to all passenger in front of you? Something’s fishy.
I hope they didn’t save one last steak especially for you (if you requested).
I didn’t even know what was on the menu until the FA reached me. I assumed she was just being friendly because I
am so strikingly handsomeshe was in a good mood and happened to remember there might be an extra steak in the oven.She was in a good mood after drinking some Spanish wine on her journey home .
Whereas you are racist and dumb with or without wine
But you are strikingly handsome! Like Tintin come to life (and becoming zaddy).
Well, there is that possibility. And your picture seems to support your strike out reason. Eventough I prefer women, your face is not bad. I hope its not photoshopped.
Correct. Hot steak and hot Matthew
Iberia, like partner BA, uses DO&CO catering. That’s all you need to know, to know it will be good.
And yet, while Iberia consistently manages juicy medium-rare steak, BA serves inedible blackened leather and tries to pass it off as fillet – not just on J but on F too.
Iberia’s food tends to be underrated. Switching to DO&CO a few years ago was good choice for them, whether it was their choice or not.
That may be the best looking airline meal I’ve ever observed.
Except the steak was undercooked .
Fly BA, you’ll love their take on steak. And you’ll avoid your stereotyped annoyances with Iberia.
DO & CO does their catering now. Everybody touts them for other airlines too.
What a great meal! Even the baguette looks delicious.
Iberia no longer flies A340s.
The salt and pepper package is also one they ditched a a few years afeo. This is an old photo.
I don’t think this is a current report.
It’s not…I never said it was. Look at the link to the full report.
Good Food all the way around on Iberia, including Lounge in Madrid (Business Class)
That steak looks fantastic, but so do the vegetables.
Incidentally, I had a great meal on Austrian business on a short flight MXP-VIE — smoked salmon over potato salad with a warm pretzel roll and apple strudel (which I did not eat)
Beef is NEVER a safe option in the air, but that entire meal looks very, very good. It would pair well with a good Rioja.
I’m interested in why a 340-600 was used for such a short flight!
It isn’t uncommon to see wide body planes being from between London and Madrid.
Cargo. There’s a couple of daily flights between MAD and LHR operated by IB and BA widebodies to haul cargo. Usual suspects on this route are IB’s A350 and A330, and BA’s B777.
I just want to say the meal looks much better than any British Airways’ Club World meal served on the same route. The salad actually looks fresh and the only exception is the pathetic supermarket/plastic wrapped dessert.
BA’s Do&Co dessert cup is usually good.
There are benefits to being fit and strikingly handsome!
Meanwhile all I got was two sad packages of Jamon Iberico (not the expensive kind), a slice of toast, and a tomato spread on an intra-europa business flight ex-MAD…