I probably have a love-hate relationship with delivered lunch boxes because occasionally I like food delivered to my doorstep but I'm ever so fond of warm food served fresh . However, temptation is hard to resist when Dah Makan has new items every 2 weeks or so which gets my fingers itchy to try new meals in the comfort of my office chair. Here's my previous review on Dah Makan.
Recently introducing a new packaging, Dah Makan now has a super sleek look - almost like a Pantone block design.
Cutlery now comes in a paper package which is definitely more hygienic than dangling from the box with cotton twine.
My order this time around was a 'Oven Fried Chicken' with Homemade Slaw and Pumpkin Mac & Cheese. Intrigued by their Butter Chicken dish, I ended up ordering a portion for my lunch two days later.
I'm fond of oven fried chicken simply because it's not deep-fried and it tastes as good!
However, this chicken breast was as dry as it looked and the bread crumbs looked like the cheap, bright orange kind that you'd find in the supermarket. The bread crumbs were not flavored enough and there was no additional seasoning to the meat so it was a bland piece of dried meat.
In my mind, coleslaw is a creamy medley of cabbage and carrot. Dah Makan's version has an additional purple cabbage making it a vibrant mix but the dressing with touches of vinegar made it taste like sauerkraut more than coleslaw.
My favorite part of the lunch box was the pumpkin mac and cheese. Creamy and cheesy, I was surprised that I didn't detect any pumpkin at all and it tasted more savory than sweet.
Butter Chicken is my favorite dish in Northern Indian cuisine so I was super curious to try Dah Makan's version. Dah Makan's version came with a quinoa mix and roasted vegetable.
The chicken was well marinated and flavorful but it didn't taste like the butter chicken that I know and love. I understand that it is a healthier version of butter chicken but it didn't taste anything like it. The roasted vegetables were nicely roasted with some crunch while the quinoa came in a big portion that I couldn't finish in the end.
The sauce it came with was similar to the marinade used for the chicken but a little saltier to accompany the rather bland quinoa. It was definitely healthier but it didn't give me the satisfying feel of a good Northern Indian meal.
I'm not 100% keen to continue ordering with Dah Makan because RM20 per box is rather pricey for an everyday meal and I am very fond of meals served hot. It would be very hard for any lunch box delivery to be able to fulfill my budget as well as that need for warm food. Nevertheless, if you're keen on trying Dah Makan's Lunch Box, here is a RM10 discount off your first order. Have fun with Dah Makan!