Thursday lockdown lunch — pulled a Western fast-casual combo set for delivery. 2 pieces chicken tenders + 1 piece fish + garlic rice + drink for $9.50. The kind of mix-and-match protein combo that lets you sample two styles in one order.

We ordered:

2 pieces chicken tenders
1 piece fish (battered)
Garlic rice base
Soft drink

Total: $9.50 (combo set).

Chicken tenders were the comfort pick. Two strips of crispy battered chicken breast, the kind of light golden-brown crust that doesn’t fall off when you bite in. The chicken was thinly pounded so it cooked fast and stayed juicy without going dry. Came with a small ramekin of chilli mayo and another of honey mustard for dipping.

The fish piece was a battered white fish fillet (looked like dory), deep-fried to the same golden-crust standard as the chicken. Flaky white inside that steamed slightly when broken open with the fork. Squeeze of lemon over the top.

Garlic rice was the upgrade move on the rice base. Short-grain rice tossed with sautéed garlic, a touch of butter, and chopped parsley. The garlic aroma off the rice was strong enough to read from across the kitchen when we opened the box. The kind of garlic rice that makes plain steamed rice feel boring.

Soft drink was a Coke — sealed in a takeaway cup with a lid and straw.

The mix of two fried proteins (chicken + fish) plus the upgraded rice base puts this combo above the standard fast-food single-protein meal. Two textures and two flavours kept the plate interesting bite-by-bite.

$9.50 for the combo during lockdown is fair pricing.

Overall: 4.3 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Solid Western combo set — would re-order.

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