Spice bar at Melbourne Qantas Domestic Business Lounge

[obla]

Today’s lunch
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I went with the beef and added coriander- not included on the served dish but there so I assume would be for the veggie dish

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I had it without coriander and I can say your one looks a lot more colourful!

 

[SYD]

I had it without coriander and I can say your one looks a lot more colourful!

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I always pimp the dishes up with extra green and red.

 

[Steady]

I had it without coriander and I can say your one looks a lot more colourful!

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Sadly it is the same menu today as Monday so I didn’t bother with anything from the spice bar

 

[Seat0B]

Today it’s a choice of chicken laksa or tofu laksa. I’m having tofu.

 

[AIRwin]

Today it’s a choice of chicken laksa or tofu laksa. I’m having tofu.
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Oh to me this is much better than what's on the SIN F lounge menu (even though I've never tried it due to allergy)

 

[Seat0B]

Oh to me this is much better than what's on the SIN F lounge menu (even though I've never tried it due to allergy)

I can report it was very tasty. Spicy but not too spicy. And a lovely tang of lemon in the laksa broth.

 

[henrus]

Today it’s a choice of chicken laksa or tofu laksa. I’m having tofu.

Sunday night still the same, I had the tofu.

 

[anat0l]

Oh to me this is much better than what's on the SIN F lounge menu (even though I've never tried it due to allergy)

I had the SIN F Lounge laksa about a couple of years ago, but the one pictured from the MEL lounge appears to be a bit watery.

The SIN F Lounge one was quite rich. It is a shame that you can't have it due to allergy; probably compounded because the flavour base would likely incorporate a bit of balachan.

 

[kpro]

I had the SIN F Lounge laksa about a couple of years ago, but the one pictured from the MEL lounge appears to be a bit watery.
The SIN F Lounge one was quite rich

I agree, the SIN one is a lot richer and flavourful, its much more authentic then then anything MEL Spice Bar ever serves. MEL is probably more tuned for the working Australian though.

 

[anat0l]

I agree, the SIN one is a lot richer and flavourful, its much more authentic then then anything MEL Spice Bar ever serves. MEL is probably more tuned for the working Australian though.

I wouldn't necessarily expect that the MEL T1 J lounge version should beat the SIN F lounge version, or even match it. Richness and flavour can come from the composition of the stock (proteins used to make it - I imagine the SIN lounge would use parts of the crayfish not served as meat - balachan, coconut cream and degree of reduction). This also can explain why the serving appears a bit small (especially compared to a hawker's laksa, or then again the serve in a big bowl for presentation is a trending thing).

I imagine the MEL version is a quick instant stock version that may well be watered down a bit to stretch the supply. Laksa isn't exactly something that is not approachable and most Australians probably wouldn't have an issue with eating the real thing, maybe sans chilli (but that's not necessarily a key part of the base broth, at least not to near a fiery degree). On the other hand, if the MEL lounge makes one stock that must cater to vegetarians/vegans or carefully sidestep shellfish allergies, then that also has an effect on the stock.

 

[kpro]

I wouldn't necessarily expect that the MEL T1 J lounge version should beat the SIN F lounge version, or even match it.

I imagine the MEL version is a quick instant stock version that may well be watered down a bit to stretch the supply. Laksa isn't exactly something that is not approachable and most Australians probably wouldn't have an issue with eating the real thing, maybe sans chilli (but that's not necessarily a key part of the base broth, at least not to near a fiery degree).

Well yes, I don't expect at all that J lounge food in general should mirror that in an F lounge - there's a price point they have to meet and I'm sure the J lounge is a lot lower.

IMO an authentic Singaporean laksa would have an elevated spice level as a part of the base broth though. Or at least at level where a few colleagues/friends would comment about its spiciness.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Laksa needs prawn paste, havent had the QFd MEL J lounge one, dont dare to try, but does it have a taste or hint of prawn paste.
Called/aka Balachan.
Smelly as... but the real laksa needs it.

 

[Steady]

Today’s fare pimped a bit


Veg (sans rice)


Beef

 

[SYD]

Today’s fare pimped a bit
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Beef
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and the taste?

 

[Steady]

and the taste?

I’m not knowledgeable on Indian cuisine, so other than they were nice enough, I’ll leave the photos to do the talking

 

[anat0l]

I’m not knowledgeable on Indian cuisine, so other than they were nice enough, I’ll leave the photos to do the talking

Rendang is not Indian, it is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and south Philippines.

The pimping hides a lot, but the soup-like consistency in the second photo is concerning a bit (not to mention the colour). Can only rely then that it was tasty enough.

 

[Steady]

Rendang is not Indian, it is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and south Philippines.

The pimping hides a lot, but the soup-like consistency in the second photo is concerning a bit (not to mention the colour). Can only rely then that it was tasty enough.

Exactly why there is no point in me adding comments to the photos

 

[anat0l]

Exactly why there is no point in me adding comments to the photos

To be honest, in a lot of cases, I think nothing that the Spice Bar produces is close to faithful of the dish it purports to offer. Most of the time it has been thinned down a bit (in consistency/texture or flavour or both) - we can forgive the spiciness as you don't want to blow people's heads off.

In the end, most are looking for a tasty dish (or a moderately tasty dish), I guess.