New chicken chain a welcome surprise

New chicken chain a welcome surprise

By John Aglionby

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's insatiable appetite for fast food
shows no sign of being satisfied. Outlets selling fast burgers,
fast chicken, fast soup, fast ice cream and fast anything else
you'd care to mention seem to be springing up quicker than you
can say: "Chicken and chips with a large coke."

The latest speedy-service center of foreign gastronomic
sameness to open claims to offer a new dimension in poultry
preparation. Pudgies Famous Chicken, in the food court of Plaza
Indonesia, somewhat contradictorily touts itself as the
healthiest fried chicken around.

Since 1981, this New York-based company has been skinning
chickens before cooking them and thereby allegedly reducing
cholesterol, fat and sodium levels by up to 90 percent. The birds
are then cooked in 100 percent cholesterol-free soy bean oil to
retain the healthy twist.

Spreading its wings beyond the United States for the first
time, Pudgies opened its 54th outlet worldwide with a "human"
chicken jumping out of a giant egg made from balloons last
Saturday.

The restaurant's biggest problem is going to be its name. Many
Indonesians, as illustrated by the event's master of ceremonies,
cannot pronounce "Pudgies". They say "Fudgies" instead. I only
hope there will not be legions of disappointed souls wandering
around Plaza Indonesia looking for a newly opened candy store.

Everyone at the opening was given a voucher for a free meal.
This was a rather unnecessary step as far as the journalists were
concerned as the press kit contained an envelope stuffed with
enough cash to buy most of the items on the menu -- several times
over.

I can assure you that it (the money I was given, not the
voucher) is on its way back whence it came. I never realized the
world of fast-food chains was such a chicken-peck-chicken
existence.

What was ridiculous about the bribe was that it was totally
unnecessary, because the cholesterol-free food was really rather
good (for fast food). Perhaps the management lacks confidence in
its own ability to cook a chicken as it claims it can, or perhaps
Pudgies is being run with a "When in Rome ... " attitude.

An even more superfluous aspect to the "envelope" is that
Pudgies is not exactly going to be struggling for customers.
Nestled comfortably in the center of the food court, it will be
subject to a constant stream of ravenous shoppers passing its
yellow counter.

The chicken tasted much better than that served in other
chains (perhaps I was appreciating the reduced sodium level?) and
was not at all greasy. It is apparently not quite the same as
Pudgies American chicken; according to the company's Vice
President, Bill Torres, the meat is cooked in a slightly
different manner to take into account the vagaries of Indonesian
taste buds.

The beef ribs were also tender and juicy; the flavor being
significantly enhanced by the meat being cooked with the fat on
it. Many people go to great pains to remove meat fat but,
providing it is still hot, I find it delicious.

Of the other items offered, the french fries were nothing
special, the rice was rice and the Coke was Coke.

Plastered across the menu was the promise "We deliver". What
they deliver at the moment I'm not quite sure. It certainly isn't
food because, like many other Indonesians, they are having
problems getting a telephone line from the local Telkom
telecommunication company. Maybe the bribes are being given to
the wrong people.

The plan is to open an outlet in Blok M in March and another
eight nationwide in the next few years. If you are in the area,
it's worth giving Pudgies a try. Just don't expect an envelope on
every visit.