I tried the $25 Japan Airlines Salmon Miso Yaki in-flight meal at Japan Rail Cafe, available this January only

It's tough being in the aviation industry during Covid-19 when most of your usual routes have been cancelled. Hence, various airline companies have tried to find other ways to serve their customers such as Singapore Airline's (SIA) Restaurant A380 and Thai Airways pop-up airplane themed restaurant. 

The latest airline that's bringing you their food while we are all grounded is Japan Airlines (JAL). You can now tuck into the same meal that is served onboard JAL flights at Japan Rail Cafe at Guoco Tower in the month of January, thanks to a special collaboration between the airline and the cafe. 

While the other above mentioned endeavours feature airplane seats or in the case of SIA, an actual airplane, it's a bit more no-frills at Japan Rail Cafe, as there is no special set-up for this partnership. However, when we're served the food, it is exactly what you would get during the in-flight meal service from Singapore to Japan — four covered containers consisting of two appetisers, a main course and a dessert, laid neatly on a food tray that is placed in front of you.

And according to the chef from in-flight caterer SATS who oversees the food for JAL, it's prepared exactly the same way that they do it for actual flights. The food is prepped the day before it is brought to Japan Rail Cafe. At the cafe, only the main dish is reheated, before the meal is served to customers, just like how they do it on the plane. 

And similar to how it is like in-flight, you can choose between two options, chicken or fish. In this case, it's either the Salmon Miso Yaki ($25) or the Chicken Takiawase Tamago ($23). Both options come accompanied by a light portion of chilled udon noodles and kobachi, a side dish of spinach, corn and shimeiji mushrooms, as well as JAL's signature earl grey chiffon cake. The meal also comes with either hot drip coffee, cold brew coffee or citrus green tea. 

Is it really like travelling on a plane? Not quite, you're still having your meal in a cafe. Yet, because it's served on that familiar airplane tray, it does bring back memories of what it's like to have a meal while flying in economy class. 

Taste-wise, it is, after all, an in-flight meal. While it isn't anything to write home about, the food is satisfying, though the portion may not fill up big eaters. I did particularly enjoy the earl grey chiffon cake and could have done with a few more pieces as it was just the right combination of fluffy and moist with a distinct earl grey tea taste.

While the JAL in-flight meal is available throughout January, there are limited sets — just 600 meals will be sold. And even though I was there on a Monday evening, the salmon set was already sold out for the day. 

While there won't be JAL stewardesses serving your meal, they'll be at the cafe on weekends from 12pm to 6pm to teach customers origami and how to wrap gifts the Japanese way with furoshiki.

You can also bring home a unique JAL souvenir. The airline has brought in 19 items that are usually only available for sale in Narita and Haneda airports. You won't just find the typical model planes and stationery — there's a chopstick holder in the likeness of a JAL plane, and JAL-branded golf balls. 

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With travel to Japan not on the horizon for awhile, given that the country has temporarily banned non-resident foreign nationals from entering, this might be the closest experience you'd get to the actual flight journey from Singapore to Japan. And while you tuck into your meal, you'll also score up to 28 per cent off JAL airfare, with the purchase of every in-flight meal. 

Japan Rail Cafe
Address: Guoco Tower, 5 Wallich Street, #01-20, Singapore 078883
Opening hours: Mon - Thu, 11am - 9pm, Fri & Sat, 11am - 9.30pm and Sun, 11am - 8pm

kailun@asiaone.com