Basil Chicken at Aroy via FoodNinja - Chicken Mince for the Hungover Soul


It's a Saturday lunchtime and I am hungover. Try as I may, I am unable to summon the strength to change out of my PJs and leave the house. Who you gonna call? FoodNinja! I want to sample all of this month's partnership options, so I order my tried and true Basil Chicken. If I ever got another tattoo, it would definitely be "Basil Chicken" in Thai script. People would ask "oh, does it mean 'love' or 'good luck?'" and I would say "nope!" I wouldn't even need to order, I could just point at it. Aroy has a somewhat unfortunate reputation as the "McDonalds of Thai" but in my books there is no such thing as bad Thai, and I've never met a Basil Chicken I didn't like. Aroy Cuba St (before the revamp) was my first Basil Chicken experience outside of Thailand, so it invokes feelings of nostalgia. It costs $14.50 including rice, and I of course order Thai hot. I am again impressed with the functionality and ease of FoodNinja's website, and that, as a partner restaurant, Aroy's prices are not inflated (I'm looking at you, KC). The estimated delivery time is 50 minutes, and it arrives slightly earlier.

Unlike Good Taste and Phu Thai, the chicken at Aroy is very finely cut, almost mince-like. The vegetables included are simply carrots and bias-cut beans. They could have been more generous with the vegetables, and I note that the beans are not a bright shade of green and are slightly too soft to the bite. Still, there is no such thing as a bad Basil Chicken. Aroy's Thai hot is legitimate! My mouth is ablaze and it is wonderful. Despite the powerful heat, the flavour of soy sauce is a bit overpowering. I suppose over-seasoned is better than under-seasoned, except in extreme cases. The holy basil is not forthcoming and I can barely detect its flavour. The rice is passable but not perfect. You do get a lot of it though (only about half of it is pictured). Often, when a restaurant adds more branches the quality goes down as it is harder to maintain quality control and consistency. Either my palette has become more refined, or this is unfortunately the case. Perhaps a little from Column A, a little from Column B. Aroy's is one of the more expensive Basil Chickens, and it is not the best. Still, it is Basil Chicken, and the only Thai option on FoodNinja on that day.

Overall still a pleasant experience. It is one of life's genuine pleasures to stuff your face with scorching hot chicken while you sit on the couch in your sleepwear. $14.50 for a hangover cure? Sign me up!

Food: 6.5/10
Service: 10/10
Ambiance: 10/10
Cost: $14.50

101 Cuba Street, Te Aro

 If you use the code FNCHEAPEATS on @foodninjanz this month at Aroy Cuba St, KK Malaysia, Satay Kingdom, Noodle Canteen and Meet Fresh, you get 5% off and I get a percentage of your purchase which will allow me to afford more cheap eats and write more reviews 🙂 FoodNinja is the best delivery service in town, in my humble opinion. I would not have partnered with them otherwise. Support a local business and a poor, starving writer! 




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