Four Days, Four Indomaret Frozen Food

Two months ago, a human-resources trainer at my office reached out to my manager, asking if I could join an upcoming leadership training program taking place between June and July. Since it seemed like I didn’t have any scheduling conflicts, I said yes. Little did I know, there actually was one—it conflicted with my sacred lunch schedule!

At that point, what could I do for damage control? I couldn’t just be as straightforward as Phoebe Buffay on Friends and say, "Oh, I wish I could, but I don't want to." I would’ve dropped so far down the corporate ladder that I would end up in the company's waste disposal area if I were that sassy. I had to come up with a plan!

A few mornings after the first training session, I suddenly thought of Indomaret's frozen pre-cooked meals, and boom! I decided to make these packed meals my training go-to lunch. Here is the list of what I've ordered so far:

Nasi Goreng Ayam Ala Hongkong / Hongkong Chicken Fried Rice (IDR 20,000 including tax). I wasn’t blown away by this frozen fried rice, but I was satisfied with the generous toppings. Everything matched what was advertised on the lid, so it made for a decent quick lunch.

Rating: 6/10

Nasi Ayam Teriyaki / Teriyaki Chicken Rice (IDR 27,000 including tax). Out of all the Indomaret meals I’ve tried, this one is my favorite so far! Although it was a little small, the chicken was really tender. I also enjoyed the teriyaki sauce that came with it.

Rating: 8/10

Rawon Daging Sapi / Indonesian Black Beef Soup (IDR 32,000 including tax). Since it didn’t include rice, this was my most expensive Indomaret lunch so far. It was okay for frozen food—but it could’ve been better, especially since rawon usually tastes amazing.

Rating: 6.5/10

Nasi Daun Ayam Geprek / Smashed Chicken Rice with Leaf (IDR 15,000 including tax). I wasn't sure how I felt about this dish. I quite liked the chicken, but I could barely smell the aromatic leaf—or maybe I was just a little sick of frozen meals and missed regular food too much.

Rating: 7/10

Since I figured the last one wouldn’t satisfy my hunger, I also grabbed my favorite Polo Cheese Bread from Indomaret.

Yum.

So, what do you think? Did any of these meals catch your eye (or stomach)? I wouldn’t say these dishes were marvelous, but in case of an emergency (like a future training for bloggers to rule the world), I wouldn’t mind eating them again sometime.

If you like this post, you might also enjoy Noodle Adventures in Jakarta: Where I Go for the Ultimate Comfort Food and Christmas in the City: Where to Dine and Celebrate in Jakarta.