Nope, I haven’t got a chance to board Etihad Airways (I rode the Philippines’ flagship carrier for my trips to Hongkong and Thailand). But I did, together with my husband Marc and a few other bloggers, had a chance to sample the airline’s world-class airplane food.

Last 6 February 2009, Etihad Airways (the flagship carrier of United Arab Emirates) launched it new premium class service called, “inspired service.” Closely overseen by the airline’s food and beverage managers, this premium service will offer a-ala-carte and kitchen menus (European and Arabic cuisine) to passengers and allow them to eat whenever they wish—just like a fine-dining restaurant.

Most airlines usually don’t pay much attention to on-board dining, but Etihad certainly does. Their attention to detail—even their choice of glassware, cutlery, crockery, and linen must pass certain standards—contribute to the kind of service they aim and do deliver: premium, high quality service.

We were fortunate enough to sample the food Etihad is proud of. Well, a taste of their delectable spread told me that they do have something to be proud of. The soup they served us was absolutely delicious—I’m not exaggerating, I have never tasted soup that good. The vegetables and carbs were cooked perfectly, I didn’t even notice there wasn’t any pork on my plate. Even the food they serve their economy class surpassed the business class food offered in our very own flagship carrier. I don’t mean to compare, but if you’ve tasted both, you’ll understand what I meant.

Etihad flies to 50 international destinations around the globe. My husband and I hope to one day visit Egypt, Italy, and Greece—old civilizations who have truly captivating ancient art. If the budget we’ve saved for these trips allowed it, we wouldn’t hesitate to ride Etihad Airways and experience their service for ourselves.

To view more of our delectable Etihad Airways dining experience, check out my Etihad Airways “Inspired Service” Launch set on Flickr.