My Meal of the Week feature examines an airline meal from my travels over the years. This may be a meal from earlier in the week or it may be a meal served over a decade ago.
Earlier this week, I shared that United Airlines will once again offer a Japanese meal choice in Polaris Business Class on flights to and from Japan, starting in April 2023. Here’s an idea of what you can expect.
What Does A Japanese Meal Look Like In United Airlines Business Class?
United Airlines plans to reintroduce Japanese meals onboard for the first time since the pandemic began in March 2020. In the past, Japanese meals were available onboard (in limited quantities) on flights to and from Japan or could be pre-ordered.
It has been a number of years since I ordered one, but the meal from my flight from Tokyo Haneda (HND) to Chicago (ORD) below should give you an idea of what to expect onboard.
The meal begins with an appetizer similar to a traditional bento box (without the bento box) with an assortment of items like like Zensai, Sakizuku, and Kobachi.
The main course is typically a fish dish, though sometimes a pork dish.
The menu below is not from my flight, but it is one of the last ones prior to the pandemic.
Those who order the Japanese meal still receive mixed nuts to start and can conclude their dinner with an ice cream sundae, cheese plate, and/or cake.
Prior to landing, there will be a Japanese option as well (this, in fact, never went away during the pandemic), which is also a fish dish. This is what was served to me on my very special Tokyo – Los Angeles flight last year:
CONCLUSION
Japanese meals are returning to United Airlines next month. While perhaps not as “authentic” as on JAL or ANA,
In any case, this is still an acquired taste for me that I will stick to the western menu…
I always prefer the Japanese meal. Delta particularly does a great job out of TYO and DTW with the quality and presentation of the JP meal.
I once ate the Japanese meal at the old Northwest going to Japan in business class. Lost 6lbs when I got to my hotel. Never ever again.
So, given these are old photos it will be interesting to see how United defines a Japanese meal in 2023. Given the slop that they are trying to pass off as food in Polaris onboard these days, I am not optimistic.
Indeed, I thought it would be interesting to compare – we will soon see.
I’ll stick to the regular meal, just praying they don’t serve me the beef Wellington burger or whatever the hell they call it as my arrival meal. I’d honestly them just give me a bag of chips over that garbage.
That’s easy; they already have a bag of chips in the snack basket. You’re all set.
Exactly why is the whitest, most self entitled, self privileged, uninformed little twerp in travel giving his opinion on a Japanese meal, and who in their right mind would place any value towards what he says on the subject?
What does his colour have to do with it? #bornthatway
In a sense you did read it, so he accomplished his goal, too get eyeballs and thus revenue.
Matthew as they go is better than some of the other Internet aviation journalists.
Luckycoins aka Ben Schlappig (not sure of the spelling) was banned from UA due to fraudulently using vouchers and Ben has earned a pretty penny from his website.
So as I said, Matthew as they go is not all that bad.
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Why are you trying so hard to get a heartattack?
Don’t you realize all this airline food causes DEATH!!!
Next time bring healthy food from home
You can die at any time for any reason.
Doesn’t all eating/drinking/breathing eventually lead to death?
As someone flying to Japan next month on UA Polaris thanks for this post regarding Japanese meals. I was wondering what they may have looked like.
The thought sounds silly but the Japanese option looked pretty decent on United Airlines. Now I wish that United could improve their other meal options or be more consistent.
Was excited to try this but on my flight from IAH to TYO, United just sent the pre-order and it offered “lunch” with a “japanese regional selection” of a salmon dish listed with the other options, no Japanese menu, and a “dinner” with no options listed at all (which I presume is a pre-arrival meal). So maybe the fancier Japanese menu is only available from west coast? I was pretty excited to try it but I will have to wait for the lounge in TYO I guess.