A Bit of Morning in Bali

Here's a little bit of my morning in Bali for you to indulge on. 

Preflight Meal

“Would you like to have chicken, or fish?” asked one of the stewardess. I was on board Batik Air’s flight from Jakarta to Medan when I was offered some dishes by the cabin crew. It was a long flight, almost three hours, and I definitely wouldn’t want to miss on any free food. Unlike Air Asia, where the passengers have to actually pay to get a decent in-flight meals, Batik Air serves food to their passengers inclusively. “Chicken, please,” I replied. 

My food was served on a tray. It was a complete full-course meal with beverage and dessert. My main course consisted of a block of white rice with seasoned chicken, heated frozen veggies, and a bit of stir-fried tempeh. I had the opportunity to chose what I wanted to drink, so I opted for a glass of juice and a glass of water. The dessert, though it wasn’t ice cream, nor fruit, was acceptable as they gave me a solid chocolate muffin. It wasn’t that much of a feast, but it was definitely fulfilling. 

The rice and side dishes ratio was a bit off, I have to admit. The rice was a bit too much for me and I ended up finishing the side dishes first before I could finish the rice. Although in flight, the food was quite flavorful to please my taste buds. 

Of course, my favorite was the chocolate muffin. It wasn’t the slightest bit dry when I expected it to be. I guess the stewardess had the opportunity to heat it up a little bit as it was warm when it was served to me. The insides of the muffin was moist and quite fluffy, and it had this slight stickiness, which I approved. 

I managed to finish my meal and finish a couple episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. before the plane landed at Kuala Namu International Airport. Soon after I got off the plane, I was escorted by an Air Asia staff to my aircraft, which was parked adjacent to where the Batik Air’s airplane parked, and I flew straight to Kuala Lumpur. 

Celebrating Eid al-Fitr in the Air

I didn't get to celebrate last year's Eid al-Fitr with my family back home because I had a flight to flew on that particular day. Lucky for me, one of my cabin crew, who happen to share the same fate with me, bring a heap of Ramadan dishes that her family sent from home. That morning, I got to feast like how I usually feast during the festival of breaking the fast.

Home-cooked meals are the best, don't you think? I was served some sliced ketupat (sticky rice in a shape of a diamond), a bowl of opor ayam (boiled chicken cooked in coconut milk), and some sambal kentang (stir-fried diced potatoes in sambal). All of the dishes were heated in the airplane's oven and they were warm enough for me to enjoy with my captain. 

We had to take turns in eating because one of the pilot had to keep an eye on the sky. When it was my turn to dine, I was very occupied in indulging them dishes as they were so delicious. 

What I Ate In-flight

I have been working with Air Asia for two years now. As you all know, your girl here can't definitely miss out on its' scrumptious in-flight meals, despite the fact that I don't get it for free. I still have to pay for it without no discounts whatsoever even though I'm the one who's driving the iron bird. Though in-flight meals are basically instant food, therefore it's not healthy for one's body, but it sure does give that extra boost of energy when you're starving during a long haul flight. So, here are the collections of Air Asia's in-flight meal I've tasted so far. 

Santan’s Breakfast and Dish Selections of 2019

Nasi Uduk

Don’t expect too much on rice-based in-flight meals, especially the ones from Air Asia. In terms of flavor, this particular Nasi Uduk tasted off compared to the usual Nasi Uduk that Indonesians can get from the side of the streets. Though cleaner, I still prefer the ones that I can get from a local street vendor. 

This dish consisted of a scoop of nasi uduk (regular rice cooked in coconut milk), a dollop of sambal, tempe orek (stir-fried tempeh in soy sauce), some vermicelli noodles, and sliced omelette. If you’re a person who favors flavors, I don’t think you would like this meal. The sambal was not the slightest bit spicy, the rice was lacking of that coconut kick in every bite, the vermicelli noodles were unquestionably bland, as well as the sliced omelette. It may occur to you the fact that our taste buds weaken during flight, meaning that you won’t be able to taste properly like you do on ground because of the altitude and pressure differences, but this was still a lousy dish to indulge in. 

Bihun Bakso Sapi

The same thing with the Nasi Uduk in terms of flavor, yet the extra seasoning of salt and pepper helped a bit. This hot meatball soup was a delight when the temperature inside the aircraft dropped. I expected non from the meatball, but it actually tasted quite decent. And the texture is not that bad, though it occurred to me that it probably contained more flour than meat. 

Again, this one is a cleaner and healthier option compared to the bakso that we can get on the side of the streets. But, of course, it’s instant food in the end. 

Pancake with Butter and Maple Syrup

Now, this is the best breakfast meal of Air Asia I have every tasted! Each serving comes with three pieces of pancakes, a cup of butter, and a cup of maple syrup. I’m not sure whether or not them maple syrups were authentic, but it was quite good. 

I have no complaints towards the pancake itself. They were thick as heck. The surface of the pancakes was quite solid, yet the inside was fluffy and moist. Combine them with the butter and the maple syrup, then you’d get a cafe-worthy breakfast in flight. The pancakes were quite savory. To indulge on the pancake without the condiments is fine, but your girl here is a sweet tooth. Ain’t no maple syrup can be missed!

Roasted Chicken

When I’m on a diet and looking for carb-free meal in flight, I always opt for the Roasted Chicken. Like its’ name, this meal consisted of three cuts of roasted chicken breast, with veggies and black pepper sauce on the side. 

As expected, the steamed vegetables were stale, yet still edible. The chicken itself had a bit of spices and seasoning in it, making it delectable if you were to eat it without the black pepper sauce. Its’ texture is usally a tad bit dry, making it hard for me to swallow most of the time, that’s why I used them black pepper sauce to help make the roasted white meat go down. 

Nasi Padang Uda Ratman

Whenever I feel like having rice on board, my go-to is the Nasi Padang Uda Ratman. Compared to the Nasi Uduk, Nasi Padang Uda Ratman has more flavorful side dishes. It came with a regular rice, served with a heap of sambal ijo, rendang (beef cooked in spices and coconut shreds), cooked cassava leafs, and some sambal teri. This dish is truly a life savior when you’re on board and craving for some good, savory, and scrumptious meal.