Review: Da Chef’s Box

Disclosure: Complimentary product was received for review purposes. All opinions are entirely my own.  

You don’t need to be a mom of a crazy 20-month old trying to run a small business in the middle of a global pandemic to find yourself struggling to find creative ideas for healthy, safe meals. But if you are (and if you are, I feel ya sister) and even if you’re not, the great news is that there are a number of local businesses stepping up to the plate to help.

One of them is Da Chefs Box, which is Chef Zone’s take on chef prepared meals that you can just easily heat up and enjoy at home.

We were gifted the Gourmet Box which currently features dishes by Chef Keith Kong of Basalt Waikiki. I haven’t been to the restaurant yet and had been wanting to go, so was even more excited to try my box. 

Boxes (and dishes) change each week. Our box included:

• Lemongrass Pork with Pineapple Nuoc Cham
• Misoyaki Fresh Catch with Shiitake Mushroom Dashi Nage
• Kabocha Squash Puree
• Steamed Baby Bok Choy
• Garlic Fried Rice
• Basalt Charcoal Pandesal with Whipped Butter
• Grand Marnier Chocolate Mousse Cake
• Basalt Charcoal Pancake Mix

Ordering your box (which I didnt do) looks pretty easy and can be ordered online here: https://chefzone.com/dachefsbox/

You can choose from different options including from their Gourmet Box, Couple’s Box (for a romantic meal for two), Tex 808 BBQ, a Heart Healthy Box and a few more options. Right now they are also doing two different boxes for Thanksgiving.

Pick up was fast and easy. And would be even more so if you follow their directions and go to the address provided which is 2905 Koapaka Street Honolulu, HI 96819 and NOT just map Chef Zone which is what I did (even though they gave me the address). It’s just behind Chef Zone though so if you do end up at Chef Zone (like I did) its not a big problem.

You just pull up (there were just two cars ahead of me when I arrived a little after 9am on a Saturday) roll down your window, and give your name/order number and they pull the box from a refrigerated trailer, and drop the box into your trunk. No muss, no fuss. No contact. There were like four to five people working so each car is serviced very quickly.

We heated the food up the next night for dinner and it was very easy (which is bonus points when you’re trying to watch a toddler dash back and forth across the kitchen). You literally just throw on a wet paper towel and microwave for 1-2 minuted until heated through. Instructions are provided in each box and there are two proteins, two starches and a veggie so you can kind of mix and match. I’ll admit I thought that the proteins looked a bit small but they are surprisingly filling. I am a big eater and both my baby and I shared one fish filet… and he ate half (he loves fish). I did try some of the pork too and it was delicious.

I think my favorite dishes in this particular box was the galic fried rice (because you can actually taste the garlic, which is often my complaint about things billed as “garlic fill-in-the-blank”) and the fish (the sauce was delicious!). 

If you’re like us and not really dining out and trying to stay home and social distance the Da Chefs Box is a nice way to treat yourself and support local businesses at a time when they need us most.