Flying back to California on EVA Airlines was a pleasure and the food on board was defintely palatable. The coolest part was that the airline actually took my request for a “high-fiber meal” seriously! Back in September when I booked the flight online, there was a special tab for dietary needs. I scanned the selections and chose high-fiber from the menu thinking that the airline would not likely make special accommodations. I was totally wrong. While everyone on board was munching on refined flours, I was given super-special meals loaded with soluble and insoluble fiber. Neat!
Lunch: The main course was a flaky white fish topped with tomato sauce served with steamed broccoli, carrots and noodles. Sides included a whole-wheat roll and a salad of sorts consisting of diced ham, celery and carrots. Dessert was an orange gelatin with pieces of fresh watermelon.
The carrots were overcooked, but the broccoli and fish were actually decent. I didn’t touch the noodles because they were a little too dried-out on top. The salad and dessert were ‘eh,’ but the roll was warm and moist.
Dinner: This meal was my personal favorite! The main course was a little hunk of steak topped with oatmeal (!), a roasted tomato sprinkled with herb bread crumbs, a few asparagus spears and two squares of squash. Sides included another whole-wheat roll, a celery salad with shredded carrots in a light vinaigrette and fresh grapefruit and guava. Dessert consisted of three oatmeal raisin cookies.
I started with the celery salad, which was cool and crisp. Next, I moved onto the roasted tomato, asparagus and squash. All three were surprisingly well-prepared—the asparagus still had a nice snap to them, while the tomatoes and squash were solid. The steak looked a bit gray, so I scraped off the oatmeal and left the meat alone. The fruit was tasty; the guava was especially sweet. Dessert was bomb. Seriously. Lots of raisins and an unknown “crunch” factor that further added to the cookies’ appeal.
Breakfast: The main course was not breakfast-y at all—turkey meatballs and edamame in a tomato sauce served with noodles. A croissant, banana muffin and “fish cake” with a cherry tomato and slices of red and yellow peppers were served on the side.
I started off with the croissant because I wanted to eat it while it was still hot. It was flaky, buttery and really good! How’d they do that? The banana muffin was cold, but retained its moistness and tasted like classic banana bread. The turkey meatballs were decent, as were the edamame, but I once again steered clear of the noodles. I also didn’t touch the fish cake. Ick. The pepper slices and tomatoes were only okay, but I ate them because they are a good source of fiber. And that’s what I asked for.
gas•tron•o•my makes an appearance on Slashfood: http://www.slashfood.com/2007/12/28/eva-high-fiber-meals-are-palatable-plane-fare/
eee!