I’ve seen this one online a few times recently, but never in the store – until a couple of weeks ago, that is! I really liked the pack version of this one – made the 2014 Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time list – the first vegetarian one to do so. The pack was made in South Korea – but this cup is made here in the United States at Nongshim America down in sunny Rancho Cucamonga, California. I went and visited Nongshim America in 2012 – was really neat – big factory and nice people! Let’s check out this cup and see how it compares to the pack version.
Detail of the side panels (click image to enlarge). Vegan friendly! To prepare in a microwave, remove lid and add in sachet contents. Add room temp water to fill line and microwave at 1000W for 3 minutes. Stir and enjoy!
Detail of the lid.
The noodle block.
The soup base sachet.
Has a nice scent – kind of a slight spicy beef.
Some of the vegetables loose in the cup – there was quite a bit more.
Finished. The noodles came out perfectly – a nice and soft texture to them with just the right backbone. The broth is reminiscent of Shin Ramyun, albeit almost completely devoid of spiciness. The vegetables were exceptional – rarely do I review a cup whose kernels of corn actually taste fresh – but this one did that – and the large mushroom pieces were great as well. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 031146027033.
Nongshim Soon Cup Veggie Noodles, 2.6 Ounce (Pack of 6)
A Nongshim Veggie Noodle Soup commercial from South Korea.
Initially was just trying for something I could use with seafood, but immediately preferred it over Nongshim’s standard Shin Ramyun and am even debating it in comparison to Black. It’s got a better balance than standard Shin, somewhat lighter than Black, and more versatile to either to different meats, veggies, and spicing. Don’t be dissuaded by the veggie-green packaging, because at no point does it remind you that this is a vegetable broth. It’s not spicy at all that I can discern, which is obviously easier for those that don’t like spicy but is also a potential advantage to people who prefer to tune it to different flavors of spiciness (fresh sliced peppers versus powders or oils, etc). I’m going to bounce back and forth between this and the case of Black I just got for a bit while I decide, and won’t be surprised at all if this displaces Black as my mainstay.
Kenshiro –
Yeah it’s quite good. It just seems cleaner to me; more balanced.
– TRR
This has a nice broth, a miso flavor with a hint of mushroom. The veggies in it are very nice, it has shredded carrot, diced mushroom, and a little corn and green onion. Maybe some other things. I like this one very much for times when I want a simpler broth that isn’t so spicy.
I just got these in the mail and instantly tried one. In a word: delicious. The noodles were just the right kind of “chewy”, and the broth was not over salty. The broth was wonderfully complex for a simply vegetable flavor. And speaking of vegetables, you are correct, the dehydrated vegetables turned out very nice. A definite repurchase for me. Thanks Ramen Rater!
Good stuff! Cheers!
– TRR