Enjoying Lunch with AirAsia Cafe’s Inflight Meals

AirAsia Zest, the world’s best low-cost airline, is offering Inflight Meals to its passengers. Normally, these meals are pre-ordered when they book their airfares but now guests who choose to fly with Air Asia will have the opportunity to buy the meals found on the airline’s menu board, which are stashed at every seat’s front pocket.

During our return trip from Kuala Lumpur to Cebu, my friends and I had the opportunity to taste 2 of their Hot Meals – Junior Cho’s Korean Beef Stew (P200) and Uncle Chin’s Chicken Rice (P200). This was paired with our choice of canned sodas and for desert, we tasted their Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Just as the seat belt sign was turned off after our departure from Kuala Lumpur bound for Cebu City, I immediately noticed the cabin crew of Air Asia working at the back part of the aircraft to prepare our meals. After identifying the guests who pre-ordered their meals, the crew started distributing our lunch sets.

Each one of my friends got their own canned sodas and a box of the Chocolate Chip Cookies (P80), which was elegantly wrapped in this small cutesy box.

We were also served our hot meals, which was tucked neatly in this red foil container. To identify the type of food one gets, the meal’s name is plastered on the container’s cover.

Too bad there were only 2 hot meal choices on this flight. We  got to choose between Junior Cho’s Korean Beef Stew or Uncle Chin’s Chicken Rice. I opted the chicken rice and was given this small sauce packet for added flavoring to the meal.

 Uncle Chin’s Chicken Rice

Upon opening the packed meal, thinly cut chicken slices lay comfortably on top of the fluffy seasoned rice. When I started eating the dish, I found the taste just right for my palette – not too salty and not too bland. When I tried to pour in Uncle Chin’s special secret chilli, ginger and garlic sauce, the flavor changed adding a mild spicy kick to the dish.

The only problem I found in this dish was that the rice serving was too small. Those with really huge appetites might need an extra serving of this meal or two if they really want to satisfy their bottomless bellies.

 Junior Cho’s Beef Stew

I also got the chance to taste Junior Cho’s Beef Stew. My companion was kind enough to let me taste a small bite of this dish and I must say that it also tasted good. This Korean fusion meal will definitely gratify every food lover out there. The beef was cooked in a sweet soy and Asian sauce. The beef was surprisingly tender when I got to tear a small portion just to sample this dish and I loved how it tastes – like one’s home-cooked meal.

 Cousins Cindy and Carla enjoying their Hot Meals from Air Asia Cafe

For desserts, we get to try their Chocolate Chip Cookies. It was surprisingly yummy that we couldn’t keep our hands off of it and immediately consumed the whole lot.

It was my first time to eat inflight meals and I would say that it was a great experience. In the past, I always thought that it might lead to a disaster when you buy and eat pre-cooked meals during flights as you’d have to take the risk of eating stale food. However, eating the Hot Meals served by Air Asia Cafe proved me wrong. I never thought dining up in the air could be such a pleasant experience.

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This trip was made possible by AirAsia Zest – The Right Way to fly and Tourism Malaysia – Visit Malaysia 2014. AirAsia Zest now flies to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia from Cebu Mactan International Airport. Visit www.airasia.com for flight schedules, promos and online flight reservation. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter.