Jet Airways is treating first and business class passengers to a new inflight dining concept, "Epicurean Series", featuring specialties of well-known restaurants from cities it serves.
The initiative kicks off on the Hong Kong-Mumbai route with an “Oriental Flavours” menu from the signature outlet of Hong Kong Sky City Marriott Hotel, Man Ho. It offers a choice of Cantonese, Sichuan or vegetarian. Indian cuisine, which the airline is famous for, will continue to be served.
Of the dishes Business Traveller sampled during a recent presentation, the Tricholma Matsutaka mushroom soup with black tofu and the dessert, chilled rice flour rolls with fresh mangoes proved noteworthy.
The soup boasted a clean flavour, and according to the hotel’s executive chef, Marco Cheng, was designed with high-nutritional content. The combination of rice flour, mango and kiwi was refreshing.
Two of the eight main courses, the Sichuan style sautéed king prawns served with fried pumpkin rice, and the braised duck with bean sauce and sweet soy mushrooms, served with fragrant steamed rice, were quite heavily seasoned. But perhaps that is a good thing, considering how our taste faculties change drastically 42,000 feet in the air.
A fine selection of wines accompany the meal service, which uses a new line of bespoke crockery by William Edwards, one of the UK’s most celebrated ceramists. 
Customers are encouraged to go for the buy-1-get-1-free for first class by booking before August 15, 2011 for travel by September 20, 2011. Furthermore, members of JetPrivilege can enjoy a complimentary upgrade to an executive deluxe suite at Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel when booking a deluxe ocean view room at the best available rate. Also, passengers can enjoy a 25 percent discount at any of the hotel's four restaurants upon presenting their boarding pass.
Jet Airways is the only carrier providing first class on the Hong Kong-Mumbai, using a Boeing 777-300ER. Flight 9W75 departs from Hong Kong at 1915 and arrives in Mumbai at 2300 local time. The return flight 9W76 depart from Mumbai at 0105 and arrives in Hong Kong at 0925 local time.
For more details, visit www.jetairways.com
Hazel Ho
