Vending machine cafes offering a variety of hot meals have made inroads in the heartlands. Offering a variety of food and drink options such as Chicken Rice and Char Kway Teow (yes, you heard me right!), these Chef-In-Box vending machines dispense meals in under three minutes and are able to fill any cravings at any time of the day.
In June, two new vending machine cafes opened at Ang Mo Kio and Lakeside MRT stations, after the first opened at Anchorvale Drive in April. The Republican Post visited the Ang Mo Kio café to see what you can eat with a budget of $10.
Appetiser: Mushroom Soup
Priced at $2, the serving is comparable to what you would find at a restaurant. There’s no funny taste either. Instead, you get chewy bits of mushroom inside the soup which provides a good mix of flavour and fragrance.
Rating:★★★☆☆
Entrée: Fried Carrot Cake
Yes, this is your typical fried carrot cake from the hawker centres. When we first got our hands on this box, it looked ridiculously dry and bland. But as soon as it came out of the microwave, the smell was amazing. Unfortunately, the dish was a little too greasy and there was only a minimal serving of eggs.
Rating:★★☆☆☆
Main Course: Roasted Char Siew Chicken Rice
Similar to the mushroom soup, this was also priced at $2. Before we tasted it, we had expected the typical ‘microwaved’ taste. But the chicken turned out to be soft, tender and surprisingly juicy. The rice, however, was slightly dry. For its price, this is one dish you wouldn’t want to miss.
Rating:★★★★☆
Dessert: Mango Sago Pomelo
This rich and sweet treat is no stranger – it can easily be found at any dessert shop across Singapore. The desert tasted good. However, it would have been nice if they could be a little more generous with the mango cubes as well as the pomelo. But for $1.50, this will certainly satisfy whatever sweet cravings you may have.
Rating:★★★☆☆
