Kahiki Tropical Sweet and Sour Chicken

June 11, 2007 | Reviewer: Jess

Kahiki Tropical Sweet and Sour Chicken Price: $3.75
Serving: 1 tray, 11 oz.
Calories: 470
Fat: 17%, 11g
Cholesterol: 19%, 25mg
Sodium: 35%, 840mg
Protein: 14g
Carbs: 27%, 81g

Kahiki says: Tempura chicken nuggets, steamed rice, pineapple, papaya,and carrots in a tangy sweet & sour sauce.

Jess says: During my last trip to the Safeway, something unfortunate happened. I found myself unimpressed by the freezer aisle.

Normally, it's the best part of the trip. I can hardly hide my glee as I pace up and down and overanalyze the stock like a psychopath. Which Lean Cuisine has HER not explored and can I beat the other hippies to it? Is today the day I fold to your questionable fried items, Marie Calendar? California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Pizza, stop mocking me! $7? #@$&! Am I made of money? Amy's, please show me something new and deliciously wholesome!

Sure, the other patrons get creeped out as I talk to the shelved microwaveables, but I pay no mind to them. I have bigger fish to reheat.

On my most recent grocery trip, I grew weary thinking of the same old gummy chicken and soggy vegetables and sticky noodles and tasteless sauces of so many lunches past. And then I saw you, Kahiki. A new brand to reach out and rescue me from the freezer fog of sameness!

Novelty aside, this meal was like a trip to a cornstarch sauna. This is breaded chickeny, fruity islandy dessert. The second ingredient to the sauce is sugar. The first is water. For once, I'm not exaggerating. Ketchup is also (oddly) one of the primary ingredients and ketchup also includes corn starch, so I don't know if that counts double. Oh and then there's honey and brown sugar. Sorry Dr. {my dentist name's is protected to preserve his reputation}.

All cavities aside, I really like sweet entreés on occasion and so I rather enjoyed it. The chicken was similar to what I often find at lower end Chinese restaurants. There was the same texture to the breading (sort of crispy and sort of saturated saucy all at once). No gristle, which was appreciated. Pineapple and dried papaya make both an appearance, which is odd (and yes, sugary), but I enjoyed the burst of (sort of fresh) citrus that they brought to it. I would have liked more rice, since sweet cornstarch sauce is only as good as the rice you have to absorb it. Kahiki did separate the rice into its own compartment - a nice touch. It allows you to choose your own rice ratio adventure and that's considerate.

If you've got a sweet tooth and you're tired of Lean Cuisine's Sweet and Sour Chicken, then I'd give this a try. Otherwise I'd say that LC's version is better (and leaner — do NOT check out the calories from fat on this thing!) I must say Kahiki is a damn sexy name for just a food brand. I wish it were a rum drink or a small island's term for the sensation you feel when your thighs first touch cold ocean water on one of the hottest days of the year.

comments

13 Responses to “Kahiki Tropical Sweet and Sour Chicken”

MaryAnne on June 11th, 2007

Just out of curiousity, how many grams of sugar does this meal have? I’ve had this brand before several years ago when they carried surprisingly good eggrolls that microwaved well and beef and brocolli that was passable and low in fat. For whatever, reason my grocer replaced it with with a different brand of not as good asian dishes. But, Kahiki, for what it’s worth, is a very luscious sounding name.
Crow on June 11th, 2007

I’m sorry, but pineapple and papaya combined with chicken is a horrific concept, and the main product on the right looks like vomit that’s been reformed into a solid block with thickeners, and then cubed.
Abi Jones on June 11th, 2007

I like pineapple and chicken, but this meal looks like canned fruit cocktail with meat.
Tristan on June 11th, 2007

Why does chicken and pineapple sound so bad? Chicken goes with almost everything. Papaya sounds bad, but that is only because it was first cultivated in Mexico, who’s residents seem to inflame the usually sedate Lou Dobbs. Any culture that turns that kind man’s jowls that red must be full of evil people.

I also want to give a quick shout out to the homemade (and better) version of CPK’s Thai Chicken Pizza, Malaysian Chicken Pizza. It is one my family’s signature recipes, and is much better than our other signature recipe — Salmon loaf.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=709851

And if you are morbidly curious, here is a recipe for Salmon Loaf:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1645,140189-244197,00.html
Susan on June 12th, 2007

Jess, I just want to say I love your reviews. It’s not just finding out that someone else also mutters at the groceries. I appreciate your sense of humor and your way with description. Keep reviewing!
Ginia on June 12th, 2007

Nice review, but there’s no way in hell I’m ingesting that rice & fruit-compote monstrosity. Keep up the good work! Please try the pricey items sometime — I’m always tempted but never quite follow through.
Crow on June 12th, 2007

Worse than salmon loaf: http://www.meatloaf.net
Abi Jones on June 12th, 2007

Better than Meatloaf: David Seah’s Thanksgiving Cake
Crow on June 12th, 2007

David Seah’s Thanksgiving Cake: serve to a vegan, tell them it’s carrot cake with bell peppers.
Marvo on June 13th, 2007

I am tempted by this, because it looks Asian/Hawaiian-ish, but sadly my Safeway doesn’t carry them, nor do we have a Kahiki Restaurant.
Abi Jones on June 13th, 2007

The company was just acquired by another company, so perhaps they’ll eventually come to Hawaii.

The Kahiki restaurant no longer exists, but when it did exist it was in Ohio.
Julie A on June 14th, 2007

I think I’d rather hit Trader Vic’s for one of their fruit salad/cocktail erzatz Polynesian alcohol potions then eat this thing.
Kahiki Naturals General Tso's Chicken | HeatEatReview.com on December 27th, 2007

[…] (and son of the company founder) at Kahiki contacted me after reading Jess’s review of Kahiki Sweet and Sour Chicken and offered to send a case of their reformulated entrees. Being a person intrigued with […]