Mapo restaurant protein box: teriyaki beef at Why Starve Diet

I stopped by Why Starve Diet Gongdeok Main Branch (와이스타브 다이어트 공덕본점) because I wanted a light meal in Gongdeok. This time, I ordered takeout rather than eating in, and it was easy to find from Exit 2 of Gongdeok Station, so I got there quickly.

The shop is orange, so it really stands out even from a distance. There were customers eating when I went in, so I only took photos of part of the dining area!

Protein Box ingredients and nutrition information by menu

There was also an explanation of the Protein Box in the shop. It said the menu includes at least 150 g of meat along with healthy carbohydrates, fresh vegetables, and assorted grains. Nutrition information for each menu item was posted beside the menu board too, which seemed handy for anyone keeping track of their diet when ordering, haha.

After debating what to get, I ordered one Chicken Light Protein Box and one Beef Light Protein Box. I was curious how the flavors would differ depending on the meat, even in the same kind of Protein Box, so I chose chicken and beef. I went with the recommended sauce for the Chicken Light Protein Box and teriyaki sauce for the Beef Light Protein Box. I wondered what the recommended sauce would be, and it turned out to be sriracha mayo.

What was inside the takeout Protein Boxes

When I opened the takeout boxes, they were more generously put together than I expected. They had lettuce as a base, with ingredients such as broccoli, green beans, bell pepper, chickpeas, and corn, topped with meat. It was not a salad packed with vegetables alone; having meat included made it a good option for a full meal.

Chicken Light with sriracha mayo

I started with the Chicken Light Protein Box. Since it has chicken breast, I was a little worried it might be dry, but it was softer than I expected. The mild chicken and vegetables tasted clean together, and the sriracha mayo really brought the flavor to life.

The sriracha mayo was lightly spicy and rich, so it went well with the chicken. Vegetables alone can feel a little plain, but adding the sauce bit by bit made the meal much more enjoyable!

Beef Light with teriyaki sauce

The Beef Light Protein Box had a different feel from the chicken. The beef came in substantial pieces, so it felt meaty from the first bite, and the teriyaki sauce added a lightly sweet flavor.

The sweet teriyaki flavor paired nicely with the beef and vegetables, and it definitely felt more filling than the chicken. Of the two, the beef was a little closer to my taste. On the other hand, the Chicken Light Protein Box would be a good fit on a day when you want something lighter. Especially with the recommended sriracha mayo, even the mild chicken and vegetables did not feel bland.

Which chicken or beef combination was better?

Trying both together, I found that the sauces made quite a difference too. The sriracha mayo suited the chicken with its spicy, rich flavor, while the teriyaki sauce suited the beef with its gentle sweetness, so even with the same vegetables, they tasted different. When looking for a good salad in Gongdeok, sometimes a vegetables-only salad feels a little lacking, while a heavy meal can feel like too much. A Protein Box like this seemed like a nice meal because it lets you have meat and vegetables together.

This time, I took out the Chicken Light and Beef Light Protein Boxes, and if I had to choose one, I think I would get the beef with teriyaki sauce again. The chicken with sriracha mayo would come to mind on a day when I want to eat lightly. I visited while looking for a light meal in Gongdeok, and next time I want to try another Protein Box that I did not have this time, haha.