Just took a very quick trip to Northern Virginia, and most of the food we ate wasn’t too interesting (we were mostly attending large catered gatherings). We did manage to eat some nice Korean food at Taste of Korea in Chantilly (dumpling rice cake soup and tofu stew were both great), but the best bite of the whole trip was the chicken fingers at the new Etihad/Chase Sapphire Lounge in Terminal A of Dulles Airport.
This lounge was great overall, with a nice family room for us and our kids, plus a buffet of different foods. We were there at the very end of breakfast, so managed to try some nice vegan overnight oats/chia pudding w/ coconut yogurt. Then it switched over to lunch foods – very nice lamb meatballs w/ a pomegranate sauce, some mini mezze platters, and a couple of other things (all Indian/Middle Eastern). The only thing we ordered off the menu was chicken fingers served with fruit – we ordered it for our 3 year old. But when the plate arrived, it was more like very freshly fried chicken. Two big pieces, moist white meat, and crispy coating with a hint of spice (cinnamon?). Honestly so so good. Our 3 year old wasn’t that interested, but the adults loved it.
Hope someone else can enjoy as well after reading this report!
It’s actually now a joint venture with Chase Sapphire Lounge and Etihad Lounge. So we were just there to fly from IAD back home to San Francisco.
No trips to Abu Dhabi this time
From what I read, the only flight to Abu Dhabi leaves at night, so during the day the lounge caters to other travelers through the partnership. Anyone with Chase Sapphire Card can go in the lounge, plus I think also Priority Pass is accepted too.
I am a loungeaholic - when I can get access, of course, which is not often enough. I have heard lots of good things about Etihad lounges at other airports as well.
I thought i was flying Etihad in a couple weeks, but alas, it is not the case.
BKK to Athens, but i am flying Qatar Air, so the short layover will be in Doha. No lounge privileges.
I think Qatar Air is good, wait, i just looked up the Forbes list for 2024 and Qatar is #1. Go figure.
But i will not get to visit the lounge OR try Etihad chicken fingers.
