Singapore Showdown: Lobster Thermidor (First Class) vs. Seafood Thermidor (Biz)

In February, TPG and I flew Singapore's brand-new A380 from Sydney (SYD) to Changi Airport (SIN). Since we were both on the same flight, we took the opportunity to review different cabins — TPG took one for the team and put that fancy new first-class Suite through the ringer, while I drew the (only slightly) shorter straw and landed a seat in business class.

We both used the carrier's Book the Cook pre-order option for our main courses, selecting the Thermidor options available for our respective cabins.

For Suites, that meant the traditional lobster Thermidor. It was well-cooked and plated quite nicely, with tender bits of lobster that were flavorful, but not drenched in sauce.

Lobster wasn't available in biz, but I was similarly impressed with the seafood Thermidor I received. In fact, since there was a variety of seafood on offer, including some lighter white fish and scallops, I actually preferred my dish to the lobster, although I could have done with a bit less sauce.

Both had identical accompaniments — buttered asparagus, roasted tomato and saffron rice.

I only managed a few bites of TPG's lobster, but I was perfectly happy with the lower-cost "seafood" variety. While lobster is certainly a nice treat, I feel like you can't go wrong with either dish here. Just don't forget to order ahead by pulling up your reservation on Singapore's site and picking your entree up to 24 hours before departure.

For more on in-flight dining, see Michael Park's feature, The Science of Airplane Food: How Chefs Trick Passenger Palates.