A couple of months ago I wrote about American Airlines testing new substantive food offerings in their Admirals Clubs.
Already they’ve been offering made to order avocado toast in the mornings with prosciutto, tomatoes, and smoked salmon and freshly prepared guacamole and chips in the afternoons. (Memo to American: smashed spring pea toast is the new avocado toast.)
In Houston, Phoenix, and Chicago O’Hare they’re testing out more dishes. And the specific things they’re offering change monthly. For instance they started by offering turkey sliders in Phoenix and pasta in Chicago.
Credit: Norbert Krupa
Reader Harry S. passes along photos of July’s new option for the Phoenix Admirals Club on the A concourse, a salad bar consisting of romaine lettuce, shredded cheese, diced chicken, black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes. There’s also barbecue ranch dressing.
I’d love to see some croutons, some more dressings, and perhaps some more vegetables as well.
Harry is also a fan of the toasted marshallows — coconut and chocolate — in front of the brownie and cookie tray.
Small things to make a better world, as they say. American has the most generous access policy for its premium credit card holders and they’ve still made some nice investments in product here.
Yes, just flew through PHX on Thursday and ate a few too many of those marshmallows! Though I thought of that “salad bar” as more of a build your own burrito bowl, like Delta offers.
My mom was flying home ORD-TPA last month and they had steak tacos. She had one and said they were really good. Hopefully these more substantial options, even if it’s only one, continue.
Oh look they’re copying Delta again
Delta’s burrito bowls are great for lounge food. Rice, chicken and veggies sticks with you for a while, won’t make you run to the bathroom on board and isn’t horrible for you–can even be good for you if you take it easy on the rice. I do wish they had a few seasoning options available as they’re a bit bland on their own, but I understand they need to cater to a wide range of tastes. I also wish they didn’t offer mac and cheese [or cookies really] as that’s pretty tough to NOT get when it’s right there in front of you…
Frankly, between the radiation, eating out/in hotels and the drinking (which anecdotally but clearly is much more prevalent/worse among frequent travelers), travel is a very unhealthy lifestyle. Airlines should do more to encourage healthy habits if they want their customers to stay alive and flying, and I’d happily trade free liquor in the lounges for more substantive, healthy food.
As a United flyer, lol. UA clubs are about on the same level as domestic priority pass lounges. Somehow I bet this has to do with Scott Kirby who time and time again proves that he should be fired and banned from working for an airline.
At ORD last Tuesday late afternoon they had a noodle salad bar. Cold noodles, and all the fixings including cold chicken. I found it a bit odd. They didn’t have any soup, just chicken broth.
So I suppose you could either have cold noodle salad or a hot ramen-like experience.
No more cheese cubes or olives which was a big disappointment.
There just wasn’t any of the basics if you just wanted something lighter.
Fresh guac station was up and running.
I hope they bring the soups back and the cheese and olives.
ORD a couple of weeks ago had a TACO BAR which was fantastic. The smoked salmon avocado toast at LAX was delicious and of course the Guacamole bar at most lounges is a nice treat. I agree wish there was more LOW CARB options but it’s nice to not just have to eat cheese, tomatoes and olives. The FRENCH ONION soup, when available, if nice but needs cheese!
I’ve been seeing a taco bar at the ORD Admiral’s Club over the last month or two. It included corn and flour tortillas, ground beef, black beans, onions, fresh jalapenos, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, salsas, and cilantro. Interestingly, no guacamole as part of it.
Reading about all the mouthwatering food choices will only make the kosher traveler more hungry and frustrated. Is there any scientific evidence that people on a strictly kosher diet do not need to eat?or that they don’t need to sleep immediately after take off ) like others)and must wait for the ( poor quality) meal that they will get about 90 min into the flight?,they are often in transit from another flight or left their home a considerable time before their journey . So why is there never any kosher options for them? ( at best, some pretzels , not even always). No amount of emails and comments I have made over the many years I travel several times a year, in buisness and first class, have made an iota of difference I am sure I am not alone in hoping that will change!
Judith,
Because there is no logical reason to cater to Kosher needs. I assume that’s why.
That’s right. Going Kosher is a personal choice!. You can’t expect the airlines to reward this very small minority. Their model is to cater to the masses.
Going/Being Kosher is a personal choice. Airlines cater to the masses. It is not worth the extra cost to the airlines to do anything more than they do. As a pleasant reminder, you are always free to bring your own Kosher food with you rather than rely on someone else!