Airline Food – Cathay Pacific (2025)

Review of Qantas 2025 in-flight meals featuring couscous with squash and beans and creamy chicken with kumara.  A look at my in-flight dining experience with Qantas, where a surprising vegetarian dish and tender chicken made the journey more memorable.

After a brief stopover in Brisbane, I boarded my next flight with Cathay Pacific for the second leg of my trip to the Philippines. Having just come from a pleasant surprise on Qantas, I was curious to see how Cathay would compare. Airline dining is always unpredictable, you never really know if you’re about to discover a hidden gem or simply make do with whatever lands on your tray. This time, it turned out to be a bit of both.

The First Round of Meals

For the main dish, I tried the curry beef brisket with broccoli and steamed jasmine rice. Unfortunately, it was far too salty for my liking. The brisket had potential, but the heavy-handed seasoning overpowered what could have been a comforting, flavourful meal. Hoping the second option would fare better, I then went for the baked hoki fish fillet served with tomato sauce, mixed vegetables, and pearl couscous. While this dish wasn’t unpleasant, it felt rather bland when compared to the curry. It lacked depth, leaving me wishing for something more exciting on my plate.

The Sides and Dessert

Alongside the mains, there was roasted chicken with quinoa and a mixed vegetable salad, bread and butter, and a small cheese and crackers selection. These added variety, but they didn’t stand out in any memorable way. The real highlight came with dessert, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. After the somewhat disappointing mains, that creamy scoop of sweetness was exactly what I needed. It satisfied my sugar craving and lifted my mood.

A Touch of Class in the Details

One quirky detail stood out on this Cathay Pacific flight: the cutlery. Instead of the usual flimsy plastic, they provided actual silverware. It’s such a small thing, but it made the dining experience feel a little more refined. At 30,000 feet, those small touches can make a surprisingly big difference, even when the food itself doesn’t shine.

Redemption with Congee and Milk Tea

Later in the flight, I was served seafood congee with ginger and spring onion, paired with Hong Kong-style milk tea. This was where Cathay Pacific truly redeemed itself. The congee was warm, comforting, and exactly the kind of dish you want while travelling. It was light yet packed with flavour, the ginger cutting through with a refreshing note. The milk tea, meanwhile, was spot on, smooth, rich, and balanced just the way it should be. Together, they turned the whole dining experience around, making me forget the earlier disappointment.

Reflections on Cathay Pacific Dining

Cathay Pacific’s in-flight dining in 2025 was a mixed bag. The first meals left me underwhelmed, with one dish being too salty and the other lacking flavour. Yet, the airline redeemed itself later on with a beautifully prepared seafood congee and a perfectly brewed Hong Kong-style milk tea. Add in the small luxury of real silverware and a scoop of Ben & Jerry’s, and the experience had just enough highlights to leave me with a smile.

Flying is rarely about fine dining, but moments like that congee and milk tea remind me that airline meals can still surprise you in the best ways.