So I was browsing Groupon the other day when I saw some healthy lunches for sale, inclusive of delivery! As I was on a quest to review all the healthy lunch deliveries in the Klang Valley and also a constant bargain hunter, I couldn’t resist the urge to click buy.
Below is a detailed review of my 5-day experience with HappyTime Kitchen:
The Order Process
HappyTime Kitchen made it super easy to order your lunches. As I bought the lunches through Groupon, all I had to do was fill in an online form with my personal details, the lunches I was interested in, as well as delivery dates.
If you’re ordering from their website, they have multiple options for ordering ranging from the primitive phone calling, email, to filling up an online form.
They have different meals for each day of the week, ranging from chicken, beef, fish, and vegetarian. You pick your meal along with your preferred sauce (black pepper, garlic, tomato), and then send in the form.
I have to commend HappyTime Kitchen for great service, as a few minutes after I sent in my form, I got a call back from them confirming my orders and giving me details on the delivery process and timing.
You can either choose to pick up your lunch boxes daily from St Mary’s Place on Jalan Raja Chulan, or to have them delivered to you if you’re working in central KL / Bangsar for RM5. Orders above RM50 gets free delivery.
Wed 26th Nov, 2014: Black Pepper Beef
Delivery hours for HappyTime Kitchen ranged from 9am – 12pm, and my first delivery came around 10.20am. I got a call from their delivery guy to go pick it up at the pick-up point, and he was there waiting with a plastic bag filled with my lunchbox, along with some marketing material from the HappyTime Kitchen people.
I liked the message written on my lunchbox, it gives it a personal touch.
What’s in the box: A few pieces of beef, an egg, sweet potato, broccoli, peas and corn, almonds, cashew nuts, maybe some chickpea, as well as some rice.
Taste: The chunks of baked sweet potato was fantastic, as was the flavourful roasted broccoli, the egg was perfectly boiled (just the right amount of softness, with no tinge of green on the yolk). I wasn’t very much impressed with the beef (which was a bit tough and lacked flavour) and I really didn’t enjoy the sauce which came with the dish. It was sour and didn’t complement any item in the lunch box well at all.
Verdict: Overall it was a mixed bag. I didn’t enjoy the main (the beef) all that much, and that was supposed to be the highlight of the meal. On the other hand, I enjoyed the veggies and nuts and commend the portioning of the veggies — not two flimsy pieces, but a generous serving.
Thurs, 27th Nov 2014: Black Pepper Fish Fillet
Lunch came at the same time today at approximately 10.30am.
What’s in the box: Black pepper fish fillet, carrots, broccoli, some nuts and seeds, boiled egg, rice
Taste: Fish was well-marinated and tasted good. I was not blown away by the rest of the dish. Sauce was sour again, which in my opinion didn’t go well with the rest of the ingredients.
Verdict: Portion was filling, but it wasn’t very memorable.
Fri, 28th Nov, 2014: Citrus Baked Salmon
Lunch came around the same time again, around 10am. Cute message on the lid as usual.
What’s in the box: Salmon fillet, cherry tomatoes, roasted cauliflower, nuts, peas and corn, boiled egg, rice
Taste: Salmon was moist and tasted pretty okay, cauliflower was flavourful too, but the peas were overcooked and the sauce was overly sour, again.
Verdict: It was yet another lackluster meal from the HappyTime Kitchen people, and I didn’t like that they used white rice this time. If you’re serving rice, whole grain is always the best option.
Mon, 1st Dec, 2014: Peanut Butter Chicken
As HappyTime Kitchen changes their menu every month, I had to talk to them about my lunch choices before December rolled around. I texted them about the new menu and someone called me back shortly. Once again, good responsive service. They asked me what I thought of the meals so far, and I told them my honest opinion. He explained that each day they would explore a different type of grain and they were experimenting with basmathi the day I got the white rice. It’s good to know they’re passionate about what they’re offering, and that they’re looking to improve their service.
What’s in the box: Roasted broccoli, sweet potatoes, corn, peanut butter chicken, boiled egg, and bulgur (a type of grain)
Taste: Now this! This is what healthy eating should be about. Roasted broccoli had a punch of flavour, chicken was tender and the sweet potatoes were as usual, superb. The best part though, was the bulgur, which added a whole depth of nutty flavour to the meal.
Verdict: I really enjoyed this meal, and I really liked that I got to try a whole new grain that I’ve never been exposed to before. HappyTime Kitchen really did a good job on exploring the different grain options.
Tue, 2nd Dec, 2014: Honey Baked Chicken
Lunch arrived around 11am this time, and the delivery guy was smiling and nice as usual, so that brightened up my day.
What’s in the box: Honey baked chicken breast, beans, broccoli, sweet potato, carrots, nuts, rice
Taste: Chicken had only a very slight tinge of honey flavour to it, so I wouldn’t exactly call it honey-baked chicken, and it wasn’t the most tender of chicken breasts. Broccoli as usual, had good flavour but the rest were rather bland.
Verdict: Not very memorable, chicken was tough and most veggies lacked flavour.
Overall
While HappyTime Kitchen certainly offers up a well-balanced meal, what’s lacking in the market at the moment is healthy, yet delicious food. Unfortunately HappyTime Kitchen was not able to deliver that, except for the one meal with the peanut butter chicken.
The Good:
- You’re literally eating clean — no thickeners, added sugar, preservatives in your meal, and every meal is prepared fresh on the day itself.
- On time delivery everyday.
- Large portions.
- Lots of veggies and nuts in every meal, so you’re definitely hitting your recommeded daily intake of nutrients (at least for lunch).
- Each meal is well balanced, you get your protein, veggies, and grains.
- Great, responsive service from a group of people who are passionate about healthy eating.
The Not-so-Good:
- More variety would be nice. Instead of rotating between grains, veggies and different types of meat, how about trying out different dishes altogether? There’s definitely a lot more in the health culinary world that hasn’t been explored here.
- Sauces could be improved. I have tried all the sauces — black pepper, tomato, and garlic — but they all have the same sour flavour that was not very appetising, at least to me. In fact, I ate most meals without it.
- More care could be taken with marinating the meats, so that the outcome would be tender, moist and flavourful.
- Veggies (besides the sweet potato, broccoli, and cauliflower) could do with more flavour. Make use of herbs!
How to Order:
Check out HappyTime Kitchen’s menu page and order page. You’ll need to order your lunches by 9pm the day before you intend to receive them. HappyTime Kitchen delivers from Mondays to Fridays to central Kuala Lumpur, KL Sentral, Bangsar, Damansara Heights, and Mid Valley City. RM5 delivery fee is charge for orders below RM50.
Check out HappyTime Kitchen’s Facebook page and Website!
See our reviews of other food delivery services:
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(REVIEW) Rebellious Chickpea Lunch Delivery Service
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Healthy Lunch Delivery Review: The Naked Lunchbox
Disclaimer: This was not a sponsored review.
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Have a healthy lunch delivery service you’d like us to review? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook page!