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When it comes to cuisine from the United States, there’s just nothing like jambalaya. And you definitely don’t need to be from the South to enjoy it–who could say no to a hot plate of home-cooked jambalaya? Or, if you’re in Japan, a Denny’s cooked plate of jambalaya? Not us, that’s for sure.

But what about a microwaved cardboard cup of jambalaya? Well, we might need a minute to think about that one…

We told you it was coming, and now here it is: Denny’s microwaveable jambalaya. Produced by Nissin, whom you probably know from their amazing commercials, the cardboard boxes are available at 7-11 and Itoyokado throughout Japan for a mere 224 yen (about $2.20). But do good things really come in small (and cheap) packages?

▼We’re skeptical about you, buddy!

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According to Nakano, one of our writers for the Japanese side of RocketNews24, the answer is a resounding yes! Though it might not quite measure up to the real thing at Denny’s, he couldn’t recommend it highly enough. But let’s back up a moment. After all, even instant food takes a little bit of preparation.

First, here’s the package, waiting to be filled with water.

▼”Eat me!”

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And here’s the contents of the package, sans water. Hmm…dried rice, check. Dried hot dog bits, check. Some dried vegetables, check. Well, nothing out of the ordinary here.

▼Though we have to admit that dried hot dog bits don’t sound particularly appetizing.

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▼And here’s the oil, to be added after heating.

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The dish is apparently incredibly easy to prepare. Heck, you could probably do it while talking on the phone and writing a report for your boss! All you do is: 1) Add water, 2) put it in the microwave for five and a half minutes, and 3) add the included oil.

As hard as it is to believe, Nakano was in love with this jambalaya before he even got it in the microwave. “It smelled great before I started heating, and I had really high expectations.”

▼”You better taste good…or else!”

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And here’s the final shot before judgement…we have to admit, it’s looking pretty darn good. Especially if you’ve been working all day and only have a few minutes to eat before once again chaining yourself to a desk.

▼And it’s got to be better than spam, right?

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So the final verdict from Nakano is that the taste is great–it’s almost as good as Denny’s jambalaya, which has been one of the chain’s most popular items. In particular, he recommended the dish to anyone who loves the Denny’s original–and suggested getting some karaage (Japanese fried chicken) to go with it. Not the healthiest meal in the world, but it does sound tasty.

There is, however, one caveat: Though the taste is great for instant rice, the dried hot dogs and vegetables just don’t quite measure up to the real thing. On the other hand, for 224 yen, it’s hard to complain–especially if you are at work late at night trying to power through one last TPS report.

If you’ve tried the jambalaya, be sure to let us know whether or not you liked it!

All images by RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]