Testing Singapore Airlines’ menu: is this the best airline food in the world? – Condé Nast Traveller

Kitted in dark wood furnishings with yellow accents and bespoke silver trinkets, the suites lounge fits up to 50 guests – although you’ll hardly see more than 20 at a time – while the business side accommodates 150. Both have buffets and a vast selection of drinks. I particularly enjoyed the particular welcome drink, a refreshing concoction of orange juice and peppermint tea with pomegranate plus elderflower syrup named Sentosa, after the tranquil island off Singapore’s southern coast.

There’s also an a la carte menu which I found graciously highlighted the multicultural essence associated with Singapore; a mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian flavours along with Western influences. Local favourites including Hainanese chicken rice and nasi lemak, a coconut milk-infused rice dish with prawns, spiced crispy chicken, cucumber, boiled egg and sambal, made an appearance but I opted for a personal go-to, laksa. Consisting of noodles, poached prawns, fish cakes and fried tofu deliciously soaked up in a creamy coconut broth, I can undoubtedly say that it’s as authentic as it can get. In fact , as I write this, I’m in Singapore having just eaten laksa from a hawker centre and finding myself closely comparing it to the one I ate in the lay – plus dare I say favouring the lounge’s version slightly more.

The plane

With two meal times across the 13-hour flight, the onboard food and beverage menu were even more thought out. Passengers are served four courses; canapés, a good appetiser, main and pudding, from a trimonthly changing menus headed by global F& B director, Antony McNeil, with collaborations from critically acclaimed chefs such as three- Michelin star Georges Blanc.  

On the November 2022 menu, we started with the signature chicken satay (skewers) offered with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce. The only meal available year-round, what makes this extra special is the way it’s prepared. The recipe is kept so secret that it can only be made within Singapore, where it is then packaged along with dry ice and flown to exclusive destinations. I must admit, I was hesitant about the ability to serve high-quality satay with the same texture and complex punchy flavours that it would have had right off the particular grill, but the team pulled it away. If you’re one of the lucky few to have satay onboard, order it. Trust me, you won’t regret it.