Yesterday I published a review of my Sun Country Airlines first class flight from Los Angeles to Minneapolis. For those of you who missed it, I want to focus on the meal itself for my weekly Meal of the Week post.
You have to know something about me: I love Mediterran/Middle Eastern food. I’m at my favorite Persian restaurant in Glendale, CA so often I am not even going to mention it for privacy fears! 😉
Thus, to be served a Middle Eastern dinner on a domestic USA carrier is something truly special.
If it tastes good…
Sun Country meal service does not start with hummus and tabouleh or even warmed mixed nuts, but crackers, cheese and grapes. The best part? A warm slice of toasted garlic bread. The smell of warm garlic bread that wafted through the cabin was almost as appetizing as actually eating it.
I know, I know: packaged cheese with Triscuts and Club crackers. But 1.) I enjoyed it and 2.) points to Sun Country for being novel.
After the appetizer was cleared away I expected dinner to arrive shortly.
It didn’t. In fact, it took almost an hour for dinner to arrive. I honestly began to think that the cheese plate would be the extent of meal service. But it was worth the wait.
Dinner was a nicely spiced beef kabob with saffron rice and grilled bell peppers and onions. Not only was the portion huge, but the ingredients were of good quality. If only there was a bit of Mast-o-Khiar it would have been fabulous.
The meal also included a large salad with spinach, cucumbers, peppers, garbanzo beans and feta cheese.
This was a delicious dinner: I would not write about it if it was not.
Dessert?
Another hour passed and the cabin once again smelled wonderful: hot chocolate chip cookies. My only complaint — no milk!
CONCLUSION
Flying an airline for a meal is not generally a wise choice, but it has been almost a decade since I have had a meal this delicious on a domestic flight. Well-done Sun Country!
Such a fan of the cuisine you spell it “Mediteiran,” which is, yeah, not close.
Don’t confuse spell check with love!
I can see that you have not been on the airline since is was sold. You get Jimmy Johns subs for first class meals now.
Horrible.
Suncounty has always been cut above the rest. To bad they haven’t been able to grow it more.
I was surprised to read they lost money last year. If they cannot make money in this climate, when can they?
Wow! That looks truly delicious.
That’s why it is first class, and should not come anything short of that. everybody enjoys a hefty and delicious meal.
Yay Matthew! From your acquaintance who also flew Sun Country First Class to Minneapolis, but from Phoenix, and hope to do it again. Did not have the same luck on the return flight.
Some time ago I flew Sun Country when it offered flights between JFK and West Palm Beach (yes, quite a while ago, and when it was owned by someone who later went to jail for financial crimes) in the winter when weather wreaked havoc for the return trip after rushing down to be with her and the rest of our family in her final hours before she passed away.
The trip was sudden, and to this day is among one of the most painful moments in my life.
Knowing her days with us were a matter of weeks I had already booked a flight to see her with Sun Country for a later date when the call came that she took a turn for the worse and her remaining time suddenly became defined in hours or maybe another day, instead of weeks.
Being well acquainted with the airline industry (as a former travel agent and published author for a trade publication for several years, among other industry related work), I knew of Sun Country’s reputation for good service as one of the “best kept secrets”, so I chose it even over Jetblue, which the rest of my family flew then.
And that turned out to be the best possible choice for this very difficult trip.
Right from the get-go, changing the flight from the originally booked one to a new one that was the same morning was easily done WITHOUT any of the stress, aggravation or excessive, rip-off fees one would now encounter on most airlines today.
The outbound flight was on time, and departed from JFK Terminal 4, which then as now, is one of the best terminals at any NYC airport.
The inflight service even in coach was very good. The plane was clean, and back then at least, comfy.
But what really stands out is the return flight, after my mom’s passing and funeral: there was bad weather in NYC and all flights were ground stopped indefinitely that night. After several hours passed, with no estimated departure time known, and it getting late into the night, I bailed and would try again the next day.
As I was heading out to the taxi stand I hear someone shouting my name and turned around to find one of the flight attendants rushing towards me to let me know they received a set departure time and asking if I wanted to return back on the flight that night?
I said sure, and they rushed me back through security, shoes off and all, and sure enough, off we went arriving back in NYC around 2am.
The rest of my family who was on Jetblue that night ended up sitting aboard their plane for several more hours and then ended up spending the night at the airport when their flight was finally canceled.
So it’s nice to hear that Sun Country is still setting itself apart from the rest of the pack as they race to the bottom!!!
As a full-on “avgeek”, I’m happy for Matt for stepping into a time machine and having an “old school” inflight experience…i’m kinda envious, too!!! 😉
Being part Armenian I am trekking to Glendale next week for great food.
Can you PM me with the name of the one your recommend? Thanks.
It’s Raffi’s Place. The best of the best.
Shiraz is also good, but the chicken barg at Raffi’s is second to none.
We would love to know where we can get some of those wonderful Garlic bread snacks!!!!!
Does anyone now????
I would too. Please someone chime in!
Sun Country meals have taken a horribly turn for the worst. Everything now is in a plastic tray and its usually only a bag of chips and a cold chicken wrap that’s less than appealing. No more hot towels after the meal, and not always that chocolate chip cookie. No more bottle of water either. I’ve had the same cold meal on the last four flights. Its terrible, no more hot meals served since the new owners have taken over. Not worth the price of first class anymore.
Very sad to hear.
The food is absolutely horrible now!!! My husband and I just got off a flight from Orlando to minneapolis and we didn’t even know what it was we were eating! We fly 10-12 times a year with them and every time we fly first class in the past year we have been so disappointed! But hey now they are doing away with first class all together! I do remember the meal you posted about. They served that a lot a up until last year. Since they were sold you get gas station worthy if that type of cold food! No cheese no crackers, toasted bread or hearty delicious meals or even kind of good. So disappointing since we left delta to fly with them since we were so happy with them. Well we will be finding a new favorite airline.