Fed Well, Slept Well, and Woke Up in Singapore | EVA Air BR215 Royal Laurel Class

After finishing that bowl of beef soup at The Garden (the previous article), I followed the signs toward Gate B9. My flight was EVA Air BR215, scheduled to depart at 09:35 — business class has its own entrance, a red carpet laid out, and the jet bridge just beyond the door.

Through the glass of the departure lounge, the aircraft that would carry us today was already waiting on the apron. The number on the nose-gear door was 39 — this Boeing 777-300ER's registration is B-16739. A first hello, then; see you in a moment.

Settling In: Royal Laurel Class

The Royal Laurel Class cabin on the 777-300ER is a 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone layout: every seat has direct aisle access and folds fully flat. Cream-white seats with sage-green shells and dark wood side tables — EVA's composed palette of many years. On my seat, the pillow was already in place.

Settling into my seat, the wrap-around shell felt even better than it looked — the seat-back screen, the dark wood side table, and just the right amount of storage. For the next four hours and more, this little corner was mine.

A Welcome Glass of Sparkling Wine

Soon after I sat down, the welcome drinks arrived: a glass of sparkling wine, a glass of iced sparkling water, and a hot towel. The mood of departure begins, from this glass, to shift slowly over.

The crew member kindly brought the bottle over so I could see it clearly — a Laurent-Perrier Brut, from a house founded in 1812. To read the label first and drink with a settled mind: a small ritual of those who enjoy wine.

At 09:34 the aircraft pushed back right on time (a minute early, in fact); at 09:48 we took off from Taoyuan's runway 05R. Ahead lay 3,223 kilometres, destination Singapore. Once the climb had levelled off, it was time for lunch.

The Appetiser: Duck Breast and Prawns

The tablecloth was laid and the metal cutlery set out — EVA AIR engraved on the handles. The appetiser was slices of smoked duck breast with prawns, a cherry tomato, a refreshing slaw and a wedge of kumquat; beside it, garlic bread and a small tub of Isigny butter. On the screen, the flight map was crossing the Philippine Sea east of Luzon, with 2,929 kilometres still to go to our destination.

I lifted a prawn first. The prawn was springy, the duck breast savoury with smoke — a cold plate like this at thirty thousand feet is Royal Laurel's most everyday luxury.

The Main Course: Braised Beef and a Bordeaux

For the main course I chose the Chinese option: braised beef in a glossy, concentrated sauce, with a bowl of white rice — black sesame sprinkled over the rice, and beside it a carrot cut into a flower, greens and bamboo shoots. The beef was braised until deeply flavourful, and the sauce over the rice was exactly right.

The red wine served with the meal was, as before, presented bottle-first by the crew: Château Clos de Boüard 2018, from Montagne Saint-Émilion on Bordeaux's right bank. Its label is an intricate pattern of vines with a heart at the centre — read the label first, then drink; the order must not be reversed.

The cabin lights gradually dimmed; a glass of red in hand, and beyond the window, the South China Sea. Here, the rhythm of the main course slowed down.

Dessert: A Puff, Fruit and Hot Tea

Dessert was a cream puff with a plate of mixed fruit — kiwi, melon and pineapple, the slices arranged neatly. On the flight map the route ran steadily south, and Singapore had appeared ahead on the map.

I finished with hot tea. A cup of amber tea, a glass of champagne not yet finished, and on the screen the time was 10:47 — barely an hour since takeoff.

A Nap, and Another Sea on Waking

Well fed, I laid the seat flat and took a nap. When I woke, the flight data on the screen read: altitude 9,753 metres, speed 831 kilometres per hour, outside temperature minus 33 degrees Celsius. We were over the South China Sea, flying steadily south.

I freshened up at the washroom and took a photograph in the mirror — a small ritual of this flight. Back at my seat, I held another cup of hot tea, warming my stomach once more before landing.

Outside the window, the clouds began to change. At 14:10 the aircraft touched down on Changi Airport's runway 02L, and reached the gate some eleven minutes ahead of schedule. The screen lit up with Thank You for Flying with Us, and my two travel companions joined me in saying thanks.

Arrival: Changi

After disembarking I walked along the glass corridor, the apron and Singapore's afternoon beyond the windows. The corridor leads into the hall of Terminal 3: signs for gates A1–A21 hang high, and Arrival Hall A lies ahead. From Taoyuan's early morning to Singapore's afternoon — a bowl of beef soup, a Royal Laurel lunch, a good sleep: on this trip, the departure itself was the journey.

— ARY