Avoid the Veal: TP359 LHR-LIS in TAP Business

For this edition of Matthew’s Meal of the Week I look back on a meal on TAP Portugal from London to Portugal in December 2009. This was my first flight on TAP and seven years later I have yet to give the Portuguese airline a second chance.

Even back in 2009 I tended to plan award bookings around new carriers. This trip included Air Canada, TAP Portugal, and SAS Business Class for the first time. This was “back in the day” at Heathrow in which TAP operated out of Terminal 1. After a stop in the Star Alliance and bmi lounges, I made the long walk from the lounges to the TAP gate.

The flight was full in business class and there was an older English gentleman next to me who did not say much, but flashed his American Express Centurion (Black) card several times. Odd…

The FAs in business class were male and both nice enough, though the whole service was rushed.

The Meal

First came a choice of beverage with a package of trail mix (nuts and raisins). The main course was served on a single tray and included a green salad, bread roll, main course, crackers & cheese, and a pudding dessert.

The veal was, to put it charitably, “Not too bad.” In all honesty, it was not great. The dish had a consistency of meatloaf and the sauce did not compliment it well. It was tender, but the combination of mystery meat + mashed potatoes + peas felt like an elementary school cafeteria lunch. My neighbor had chicken and it did not look much better.

Tea soothed my stomach after—

TAP has a new lie-flat business class seat and I want to give it a try again this year on a long-haul flight. Currently, the new seat is found on Boston and New York flights. I do hope that next time I fly TAP the wrappings will be removed from the food items and the choices will be a bit more appetizing. But it could have been much worse.

You can read my full trip report from the flight above here.