Mile High Class Dining

Hawaiian Airlines recently announced that they will be serving the airline industry's first "tasting menu" for its First Class passengers. For lunch and dinner, those passengers will be allowed to create their own meal by selecting three dishes from a choice of five items; for breakfast, First Class passengers will pick two dishes from a selection of three to go along with a fresh fruit plate. The lunch and dinner selections will come from a list of twenty different entrees, designed and developed by Hawaiian chef Beverly Gannon. Gannon is the owner of Maui's famed Hali'imaile General Store, where we enjoyed a nice (though overpriced) lunch during our trip last year. The list of entrees includes Hawaiian Crab Cake Tantalizing "Taste of the Island" with a Zesty Pineapple Salsa, Rock Shrimp and Lemon Pepper Ravioli with Creamy Sun Dried Tomato-Basil Sauce and Tri-Pepper Garni, and Chicken Tandoori served with a tangy Makhani Sauce and Sultana Basmati Rice Pilaf.

Passengers riding in Cattle Coach Class will continue to be served complementary meals (also designed by Gannon), which is a lot more than I can say about other domestic airlines where you have to pull out your wallet if you want something more than a can of soda and a bag of pretzels.