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.