Review: Benihana - Hibachi Chicken Rice Frozen Meal

Benihana's Hibachi Chicken Rice frozen meal features fried rice with white meat chicken, grilled onions, carrots, and egg.

A 10-oz box was $3.49 on sale.

Like the other few frozen fried rice meals I've tried, Benihana's version didn't feel like it's ever been fried. "Mixed rice" would probably make for a more appropriate label. The rice wasn't oily or seared. Instead, it's wet with a garlicky soy sauce. Still, the individual rice grains maintained their shape and didn't get mushy.

The sauce offered a strong roasted garlic flavor touched with savory notes of soy sauce and a bit of butter.

The chicken was moist enough, the grilled onions offered a slightly sweet pop of flavor, and the carrots looked a bit washed out but added a good amount of crunch and more-than-expected carrot flavor.

The egg didn't fare too well as it pretty much disintegrated into the rice when I stirred everything per the instructions on the box.

When it comes down to it, Benihana's Hibachi Chicken Rice frozen meal turned out well enough for a mixed rice dish. The powerful garlic note, in particular, was both surprising and distinctive and there was a good amount of taste and texture.