This is the seventh year of the Top Ten Taiwan Instant Noodles list! Every year, I’m truly amazed at the innovation and unique varieties coming from the beautiful island of Taiwan. If you haven’t had the experience of visiting, you really should – the food, the culture – it truly has been a life changing experience for me. Growing up, all I knew of Taiwan was labels on products that simply said ‘made in Taiwan’ – but it so much more. One aspect is the noodle, and they’re really unique and delicious. This is a list of my favorite out of the reviews I’ve done up to number 3,284. Many images you will see have garnish, however only the base product before any is added is what’s reviewed, as in all of my reviews. I hope you enjoy this year’s list and consider trying some of these great varieties if you’ve not tried before – they’re really great! With that, here’s the Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time 2020 Edition.
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time 2020 Edition
Video Presentation
Watch me talk about each variety of The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time 2020 Edition. A special addition this year is a list at the end of honorable mentions!
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time 2020 Edition
#10: A-Sha Dry Noodle Dan Zai Noodle
The noodles have a flat and broad gauge and an excellent chewiness I’ve come to expect from the A-Sha line of products. The flavor is very good – a kind of spicy, salty, slightly sweet and then this savoriness to it – lots of spices that I can really only describe as tasking like Taiwan. Original review
#9: Three Meters Noodles Shallot Taste
Nice gauge and light chew. The flavor was just mind-blowingly good and I am thoroughly excited about this one. The shallot flavor is just right – not too salty, not too pushy – just exactly perfect. Original review
#8: TTL Pickled Vegetable Beef With Hua Diao Liquor
This one I enjoyed immensely – lots of noodles, but the broth was the show stopper. The combo of the liquor and the rich beef broth was very savory. Add vegetables and real beef from the retort pouch and there’s why it’s on this list. Original review
#7: Shin Horng Lukang Thin Noodles Ginger & Sesame Oil Flavor
A very recent review. Found this at a local store and the combo of ginger and sesame was intriguing. Take a thin noodle and combine it aptly with the aforementioned flavors and there you go. Very tasty ginger and sesame are in the forefront and it’s just plain umami incarnate. Original review
#6: Tseng Noodle Scallion With Sichuan Pepper Flavor
A wide noodle with scalloped edges. These have the bonus of a thin edge and thicker center, giving a delicate as well as hearty aspect. The flavor is very good – a soy bump, some onion hit, then the Sichuan pepper oil. It all works together magnificently. Original review
#5: Little Cook Thailand Green Curry Chicken
This bowl, in fact, is two bowls. One you steep the noodles in. The second? Drain the broth from the first by poking holes in the lid and pour into it. The noodle is accompanied by a spicy green curry and chunks of vegetable and real chicken. The broth slurping soup worked well too. Original review
#4: Xiao Ban Mian Traditional Shallot & Scallion Oil Noodle
Start with a thin kind of rectangular noodle with a strong chew. The flavor that comes with it is a sweet and savory shallot and scallion oil – and it works so well. Who would think something so simple could be so delightful. Original review
#3: Mom’s Dry Noodle Blue Elephant Curries
I think it’s safe to say most people who follow this website are keen on the fact that I love Thai food and I love curry. What’s neat here is that these curries – one red and one green – pair so well with a Taiwanese noodle – and naturally so. Savory curries and dry noodles marry in such a way that a perfect balance of two cuisines harmonize rather than find conflict or dissonance. Impressive! Original reviews 1 & 2
#2: Mom’s Dry Noodle Dan Dan Noodle
The noodles came out with a very nice chew. They aren’t mushy whatsoever and have a confident backbone. The flavor is very good as well. The notes of sesame, Sichuan pepper oil, Sichuan pepper in the dry mix, sesame sauce as well as soy sauce all work together and play well with each other; nobody’s feet get stepped on. Simple yet complex. Original review
#1: A-Sha Gourmet Braised Beef Noodle
For a long time, I’ve really enjoyed this style of noodle from Taiwan. It’s wide, with a center line which is thicker, and the sides are thinner – which gives them a very unique and wonderful mouthfeel. I’ve also always thought that these would just sing is in a broth (usually they are presented with a combination of sauces but no broth). The soup is rich with a strong beef flavor and hint of Sichuan peppercorn that do not overwhelm. The nice part is the inclusion of real beef in here. It should be noted that there is a special version of this that comes out during Lunar New Year which includes Wagyu beef – very expensive at a whopping $15USD per serving!, but very tasty as well. Original review
Updates
Top Ten Lists
Usually, this Taiwan list would have been released 3 weeks ago – the spicy list would’ve been released last month – what gives?! Well, I’ve been busy. With my 3 year old son Miles home from preschool all summer, time has been spent with him a lot more. Setting up a green screen is a lot more difficult with him and his little sister Miriam running around like banshees in our apartment. I’ve been busy with something else as well…
Weight Loss
In October of 2018, my doctor (who is Taiwanese I should mention!) Gave me a talk. It was the talk I’d gotten many times from him and other doctors: you need to lose weight. He said also that my cholesterol was very high. He told me this on the right day at the right time I suppose and I decided to go all in. I did my first The Ramen Rater Diet video in April after I visited my doctor in April, having lost 65 pounds. I’ve kept it up and lost a lot more since then, and the next video will be out towards the end of October – after a year of eating healthy and exercising every day (I walk a lot – up to 25 miles in a day), I’ll do a big update and share more of what I do and how I do it with you. Many folks have taken my advice and are getting healthier as well, which is very humbling. I think if I can make a big change like this, anyone can!
