Since my previous About Me text (which can be found below) was something I wrote up in 2012, I thought perhaps it was time to update things around here. We’ll start at the beginning.
I was born in 195 and grew up in a small fishing town called Anacortes at the northwestern tip of Washington State. Growing up I did some interesting things – I would catch snakes, did a lot of art, built a lot of LEGO contraptions, rode my bike around – pretty typical kid stuff.
My mother would oft times cook up a product called Nissin Roasted Ramen – 2 minutes instead of 3 on the boil, drain. drop in a pan with a little oil, fry until edges were crispy, then drop a scrambled egg in and cook until done. It was really great and a real treat.
Instant noodles come and go, and this Roasted Ramen came and went. Since that was pivotal in the dish, my dad loaded us all up in the 1967 Chrysler New Yorker (mind you this was probably around 84 or 85) and we drove all the way down to Seattle to Uwajimaya, a large Japanese supermarket.
They asked the folks there about what would be comparable to what we’d been using and they directed my parents to Nissin Chikin Ramen. This was the moment I discovered instant noodles and was drawn to them. I saw this aisle with all these different varieties, in different brightly colored packages, all sorts of languages that I’d never seen before. This was a big thing to me, as all these exotic things were now accessible. Anacortes wasn’t really all that exotic; sure, it had beautiful sunsets and beach all around the island it was on, but as a kid, it didn’t really have an outlet for a sense of adventure and the opportunity to try food people in exotic places ate was really something that fascinated me.
Over the years we would head back down to Seattle and the big Japanese supermarket. I’d always get the Chickin Ramen (later I became especially fond of Indomie Mi Goreng Satay), but I’d always get a couple especially interesting looking varieties I found there as well.
About twenty years later in 2002, I thought it would be neat to make a list of what I liked and what I didn’t. It was just kind of a thing to do; not something serious. This is when Ramen Rater was born.
In the beginning, I used a really basic editor called Netscape Composer. built a table with a picture of the pack (often scanned), how many stars I gave it, and an extremely short little blurb about the variety from a very uneducated palate. These comprised the first 50 or so reviews that are still on the blog today.
I abandoned reviewing for quite a while – I started a diet and cut carbs. I started reviewing hot sauces and then Sauce Rater was born. I really did a deep dive into hot sauces – review over 250 varieties before I gave up due to the fact that the bulk of varieties were just vinegar, xanthan gum, salt and cayenne pepper. But the endeavor was well worth it as I met many neat folks in the industry and started making my own small batch hot sauces.
At the tail end of 2009, my life changed for the better. My first marriage ended, which was a very hard time for me, however it was an opportunity to re-invent myself. I got back to my roots, started producing large amounts of art, and moved back to my hometown. I moved into an old friend’s garage and it was there with a little plug in burner I rekindled my relationship with the instant noodle. I did a few reviews while there and changed how I did them – more detail focused,more in ages, and more in depth than before. I also switched from the basic site design to using WordPress to publish reviews.
On December 22nd, 2009 I met someone on an online dating site. She lived in California. In the first 3 days, we spoke on the phone maybe 30 hours – it was definitely meant to be. She invited me to fly down and meet in person on New Year’s Eve. Against the recommendations of friends and family to ‘stay alone,’ ‘be careful,’ and basically continue being lonely during the whole divorce process, I decided to go for it. In April, Kit and I got a place together in Edmonds Washington and 3 months later were married.
We lived about a five minutes walk from 99 Ranch Market – a large Asian supermarket. This was what really brought the reviews back to the forefront. In the past, it was a matter of finding a way to get some noodles to try, which usually involved finding a way to an Asian grocery. Being legally blind and not able to drive a car due to my disability, this involved trying to finagle a ride to an Asian market – something a lot of people weren’t really into. Now I could just walk myself, getting exercise and a huge array of varieties from around the world to try.
I started doing daily reviews, sometime two or three per day. I used an array of cameras during this time; a Blackberry 8500 phone camera, a Sony CyberShot, a Fuji waterproof model, an old Olympus.
I finally was able to through research and means, craft a setup that is perfect. I have a Nikon D5500 DSLR camera mounted on a copy stand. The camera points straight down and is flanked by two diffused lights. The camera is plugged into the computer and so I can get everything set for a picture, see the preview on a large screen, and with a click of the mouse take the perfect shot.
Once I started getting more contents on The Ramen Rater (as well as adding a ‘The’ at the beginning of the site’s title), the blog started getting noticed. A write up in a Dutch tech magazine on a backpage about blogs was neat. An interview over Skype with a Japanese TV show. In 2012 I was interviewed by a local newspaper which was great as well.
Then in 2013 I got a call from a company in Southern California. Nongshim America, manufacturers of the popular Shin Ramyun instant noodles invited my wife and I down to visit their factory.
This was huge for us – I was just trying things I liked and taking pictures and writing my thoughts on them – and people seemed to like that. I was getting samples sent by companies. I started a special series where I’d interview a company with twenty or so questions about their company and products and do a series of up to 15 reviews called Meet The Manufacturer.
It was around this time I thought an app would be nice. I asked if someone wanted to do this and met a developer from Oregon. He started working on the app, but saw that changing the site from being on the free WordPRess.com platform to self hosted and adding advertising as a revenue stream was a good idea. It was like taking the training wheels off. This was a new thing and went for a few months. He paid for the initial hosting, but once the site gained popularity, the hosting fees went up and we parted ways when it wasn’t profitable. This was a tough spot, however trying and switching from one hosting provider to another over the years, I’ve found one that is really great and affordable.
As for the app, I had a developer make a great app for iPhone, but they didn’t update it and so the iTunes store dumped it. Someone else took the reigns on the Android app project and quite recently, a new version should be out about a week after the writing of this new about page on the Google Play store.
In 2014, I was invited by MyKuali – a company in Malaysia for a visit. They flew my wife and I over and we had a great time. I’d been fascinated with Asia for years – I could never afford to visit and didn’t previously know anyone there. Now, a company had invited us over and shared the food culture of Penang and Langkawi with us. This was a dream come true; one that I’d never expected and appreciated in the extreme.
The next year, Thai President Foods, makers of the popular MAMA brand products brought me to Thailand. I needed a pair of eyes to accompany me and this time I brought my sister. She’d had a poster on her wall of Thailand for years and now she got to see it firsthand.
The next year we were invited to Taiwan, and I returned the year after that in 2017. Visiting Asia I have come to the conclusion that this is where I belong. The people, the flavors, the everything – it’s amazing. I eventually want to live there with my family. I don’t know how that will come to be, but it’s a goal of mine to eventually relocate.
In the meantime, I continue to review instant noodles from around the world – in essence, traveling by tastebud. Companies still send me many different varieties all the time. I come out with annual top ten lists which garner a lot of attention.
I’ve focused a lot of attention on producing videos – Instant Noodle Recipe Time is a cooking show and I do a video showing me cooking and garnishing every variety I review now. With text, images, and now video, the content is richer and more complete than ever.
My wife Christine and I also do a new show called The Chocolate Break where we review chocolate products we find. I always felt bad for her – w would go to an Asian grocery store and I would be like a kid at a candy store scanning the shelves for a new instant noodle to try while she kind of stood there looking bored. She likes chocolate and so do I, so now we have something we can review together. We both like different things when it comes to chocolate, so it makes it more interesting.
In October 2018, my doctor told me I needed to make a change. I’d gotten to 365 pounds and had high cholesterol. He said if I continued in this way, I would be prescribed a stain drug and didn’t have a great outlook. So I decided to do something about it. I got a jogging stroller, some flashing lights, a Bluetooth speaker, started diet and exercise while pushing my daughter around. As of late March 2020, I’ve dropped 156 pounds and I’m at 209 pounds, cholesterol is great, blood pressure is great, and my doctor is really happy. I started a series called The Ramen Rater Diet detailing this process when people started noticing my transformation.
Nowadays, life is very busy. I get up early in the morning, get the framework for the day’s review post ready, then exercise before anyone wakes up. Later I do the review and the Instant Noodle Recipe Time show as I cook everything up and take pictures, then put it all together and the rview is done, then do some more walking. As a stay at home dad of a 3 and 4 year old, it’s a busy life. I wouldn’t change anything – maybe a mute button for the kids sometimes and more time for us all to be together. But life is good and the horizons are bright.Time to go out walking. Thanks for reading!
Hans Lienesch
March 28th, 2020
Below is the ‘about me’ from 2012:
Since I was a small child, I have enjoyed instant noodles. I started out with what every other kid in the USA has – Top Ramen. Then, they came out with something called Roasted Ramen, noodles that already had the seasoning within them – no packet!
These were off the market soon though and that’s when everything changed in my instant noodle world. My parents took me south to Seattle and we went to a big Japanese grocery in the heart of the International District. As it turned out, the Roasted Ramen I so enjoyed actually was how they marketed Chikin ramen – Nissin’s first instant noodle in 1958, of which they had a great quantity.
What I noticed (I was about 12 years old) was that there were a ton of different varieties of instant noodles to be had there; with different colored packaging and strange foreign writing I couldn’t begin to understand.
My folks let me sample a few and it was fun – some were almost impossible to cook; what were the instructions saying?
I tried some from anywhere and everywhere. Then I got kind of bored with it and left it alone. In 1998, I started eating instant noodles again – I found Indomie’s Mi Goreng Satay and was hooked. I would get bags of the stuff and give lots of friends saying ‘you’ve got to trty this stuff.’ I had been trying my hand at webdesign for a few years and one day I thought I’d start a little website with a table of noodle varieties and a picture and a link to the company that made them and a review with one to five stars. This went on until I reached around 50 some varieties in 2003 or 2004. I then got on the Atkins diet, a diet that was certainly not ramen-friendly and decided since I enjoyed the reviewing that I should continue it. Saucerater.com was born out of this and I reviewed a total of 250+ varieties or hot sauce. The Ramen Rater was on the backburner.
Fast forward to 2010. Found the woman of my dreams, true happiness and a spark of interest in instant noodles again. I was living in a converted garage in Anacortes, Washington and bought a little single burner plug-in dealy with which I did a few reviews – here’s one of them.
My future wife and I moved to Edmonds, Washington shortly thereafter. What really made this site happen was WHERE we moved to. I live within walking distance of two rather large Asian supermarkets: a 99 Ranch and a Boo Han Market. Plenty of instant ramen noodles to kickstart this thing into overdrive. Here’s one of those early reviews.
Nowadays, I get noodles from all sorts of places – people send me them personally, online retailers and distributors have sent them, and even big instant noodle corporations have started sending me noodles. As of writing this, I’ve reviewed 715 unique varieties of instant noodles from all over the globe.
People often ask me ‘doesn’t it get boring eating the same instant noodles all the time?’ I wouldn’t know – I eat a different one every day.
– Hans Lienesch
April, 2012
Dude! This is the best. I have a severe ramen addiction and I am glad that there are other’s out there like me. I think ramen is the perfect breakfast food. I eat ramen almost every day for breakfast. I am glad to find this site so I order and try so many other flavors!
My favorite flavor so far is a very simple and cheap brand. Crab flavored by Roland! Delicious!!! I also really enjoy Tom Yum flavors from Malaysia. Oooo yeah! Ok, I better settle down.
I’ll be checking back frequently. Nice site!
TJ –
I must say I’m astounded – I haven’t published it yet but I recently did a review of the roland Beef and it was so freakin’ bland! Do you use less water than the 700ml they call for or is it less on the crab one? Roland has been one of those brands I’ve searched high and low for for ages but only recently gotten a couple from a reader – a chicken and a beef. Tom Yum is real good stuff too!
So I just checked out your YouTube – travel is as good as it gets. I was lucky enough to get to visit Thailand and Malaysia – you still travelling around the world? Let me know if you hit up the Seattle area – you could do an episode on meeting the instant noodle guy lol!
– TRR
Hello, I wonder if you can help me. I’m desparate. I have searched in vain for a Ramen product that I remember from 1991/1992. It was so delicious and different from the other ramen products. I bought it in a big chain grocery store in Southern California in the early 1990s. The packet was the size of all the other ramens available…but instead of coming with a tiny powder-packet inside, it came with 2 little conjoined packets made of clear plastic: 1 packet held oil with chopped ginger/garlic and the other packet had a thick, concentrated liquid teriyaki type sauce. You would cook the noodles, drain them, then toss with the contents of the provided 2 packets. These were so delicious! I think they *could* have been made by Campbells but I’m not positive, they were only on store shelves for a very brief period. IIRC, the ramen packaging had some silver foil on it and maybe one of the flavors had a seafoam greenish color on it??? Sorry I can’t remember all that well.
Any ideas on what this product was? I would love to see a pic of it or just hear the brand/product because I remember it SO vividly (I used to stock up and buy like 10 packets at a time) but I have never been able to find mention of it online.
Thanks!!
This one possibly?
https://www.theramenrater.com/2015/01/04/indomie-mi-goreng/
– TRR
Thank you, the contents look similar – maybe identical – to what I remember. But the look of the packaging is very different from the product that I bought. But that was almost 25 yrs ago, maybe they had a different packaging back then, especially for their foray into the American market. The package I remember was a ramen packet that was dark red, there was some silver foil on the package, and I think some of the writing was in green. I don’t remember any yellow, white, blue – the packaging I remember was more subtle and restrained as opposed to being a riot of color like the current Indomie packaging. Perhaps Indomie licensed their product out briefly to an American brand at that time or something, or maybe it was Indomie ramen but with different look….because the contents really are the same. Thanks so much! I need to get my hands on some of that stuff! Do you think I’ll need to order online or are there stores in the U.S. that sell Indomie Mi Goreng? It’s nice to see those little packets of ingredients again. lol
More like this?
https://www.theramenrater.com/2013/09/24/re-review-saigon-ve-wong-kung-fu-mi-tom-chua-sour-shrimp-flavor-instant-noodles-vietnam-flavor/
– TRR
Or this –
https://www.theramenrater.com/2011/01/23/274-ve-wong-kung-fu-instant-oriental-noodle-soup-artificial-soybean-paste-flavor/
– TRR
Hi, Nope sorry, it looked nothing like either of those.
I just remember I bought it at a major grocery store in Laguna Hills, CA and at another big grocery store in Downey, CA back in spring 1992…..and then it disappeared and I could never find it again. It’s hard to accurately describe the package appearance, but it looked a lot more “elegant” than the typical brightly-colored Maruchan & Nissin ramen packages that it sat next to. The packaging was thin plastic foil wrapper, I think there was brick red & teal-green on it somewhere. It did *not* contain a powder packet at all IIRC, just clear plastic packets of thick sweet-soy + oil with onion/garlic…and maybe also a third packet w/ chili oil but I’m not sure.
I guess it will remain a mystery as to what the product was. It certainly was delicious though! I ordered some Indomie Mi Goreng because that appeared to be a very similar concept. Thank you for trying. 🙂
One thing to remember too is that companies change their packaging a lot – 20 years could bring many changes and rebrandings or just plain end of production. I know what it’s like though – hope you enjoy the Mi Goreng!
– TRR
I’ve been a huge fan of this corner of the Internet for years now, and just thought I would drop by and express how much I enjoy reading your reviews. I live in Vancouver (aka. Asian foodie Heaven) and have eaten my fair share of instant noodles. Reading your reviews always helps me decide which noodles are worth my time! Thanks for your dedication to the fine art of eating instant noodles.
Indira –
Hey thanks alot! Glad you like the site! I end up that way once a year or so hunting for new noodles, usually in Richmond, BC. The new top ten list will be coming out the 18th!
– TRR
I love your site and was a.) super excited when I learned you lived in Edmonds (because I do too!) and b.) super disappointed in myself for not knowing there was a Boo Han a mile away from my house. I was just about to ask you where you’ve had luck finding some of the less common brands/flavors (some of the MAMA, GaGa and MyKuali varieties have evaded me time and time again) because I keep striking out at 99 Ranch and H Mart, but then I saw there was another grocery store literally right under my nose that I didn’t know about. Thoughts on the ramen section at Boo Han? I’m also curious how prices compare among the grocery stores up North. I know I could easily walk/drive over there, but for some reason asking you on the internet first seems way easier and in my mind, so much more logical 🙂 Would love your thoughts on which stores you find the best selection at and/or which stores stock up best on specific brands!
Thanks!
Stephanie –
I would say check out the Bellevue Uwajimaya – you will at least find the MyKuali Tom Yum there. As for the MAMA stuff, maybe have a look at the new Asian Food Center on 130th and Aurora – it’s where the old KMart was and has all sorts of great stuff. Sadly, you’ll never find the GAGA stuff here in the USA – pretty much limited to Mi Sedaap and Indomie when it comes to Indonesian stuff, but actually if you haven’t yet, consider visiting Waroeng Jajanan in Edmonds! It’s a little Indonesian market and they’re really nice there. Another place I’d say check out it HT Oaktree Market on 100th and Aurora, and further north on 99 is an Asian grocery next to Lanna Thai – they might still have some White Curry there, but last time I saw anywhere carrying any it was at 99 Ranch – Ibumie CurryMee.
Glad you like the site – I don’t live in Edmonds anymore – we’ve moved to Lynnwood and now Kenmore since then. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!
– TRR
When I was a kid, my step mom used to boil the noodles, drain the water and make the seasoning packet into a sauce with melted butter. Just enough so that the seasoning coats the noodles. As I grew older, other people thought this preparation was strange and unheard of. I thought it was how you ate ramen. Is this a thing? Do other people do this? Have you ever eaten your ramen this way?
Dani –
Hey that’s a great idea! I don’t think I’ve actually ever heard of people doing it this way, but I think maybe they should give it a try! Sounds really good.
– TRR
Love ramen, love your site. Keep it up man! 🙂
OMG your site is awesome! Makes me want to try more ramen!! I sense a new addiction coming. Haha. I’m so happy to live near an Asian supermarket.
Hey thanks – enjoy!
– TRR
I have been a huge ramen fan for a decade now and love experimenting with different brands. Though we don’t get a very large variety in India, I have tried Maggi, Top Ramen, Wai Wai, Mama, Koka, 2pm, Nong Shim, Family Choice and Indomei. Phew. Must say that Indomei is my favorite too. One bite and I was like this is the most delicious ramen ever!! This was about 2-3 years ago. Unfortunately, I never found it in any supermarket again 🙁 Love your site and reviews and the fact that you give me some great garnishing ideas 🙂
June –
Yeah instants from India are pretty good! I recently tried some from a brand called Asian Thai Foods – they’re made in Nepal but sold in India. One was called Krrish – apparently Krrish is a superhero – learn something new every day!
– TRR
You mean “In 1988,” not “In 1888.”
it would be nice to get an native asians perspective. Granted you have tons of years of experience, but for what it’s worth, I’m not totally convinced simply because you weren’t raised to eat asian flavors. please dont take offense. As im’ sure this will start a huge response from your fans.
Heh well I can’t do much about the fact that I’m not Asian. One thing is that since instant noodles come from all over Asia, I think Indonesian instant vs Vietnamese instant would be a tough one comparison by one of one or the other country if that makes sense.
I will try being more Asian though, I promise!
– TRR
just stumbled on your site after eating a new ramen flavour and was trying to figure out the ingredients and flavour! We have Indomie brand all the time here and it’s also one of the cheapest. You can get it in five packs at all the grocery stores. I live fairly rural so we are a bit limited on variety though. A few weeks ago we went to Sydney and went to a grocery store in china town and half of the shop was dedicated to Asian food and they had a WHOLE AISLE of noodles! My son, who is a huge noodle fan, went mad. We got a few different kinds. One of our faves was KimChee flavoured ramen. Today I had one called Mie Sedaap and the flavour was Rasa Soto which was translated as Java Spicy Chicken flavour. I added some Bok Choy, coriander, sping onions, and roast chicken. It was divine. I hope you get a chance to try it. It has four flavour packs – the bumbu, chili, the oily stuf like in Indomie, and one more. The serving suggestion also included egg and tomato, fresh chillies and a slice of lime. I had lime so I did that. MMMM. Fragrant, spicy, and light. I really enjoyed the flavour of the soup base. The noodles were a bit smashed up and maybe not so great, but I think i will recreate that soup using the plain Ayam noodles – as soon as I can find a recipe! Anyway, great site. Cool idea. And yes, I called my noodle fan son up and he immediately made himself of Indomie with a fried egg. hehe
cheers
carm
You know if I were in Australia and found a grocery store such as the one you describe, I would look for anything by Koka/Tat Hui. They make some tasty stuff! Plus there are a lot of IndSedaap varieties available here that aren’t found here, so if I was in an Australian grocery aisle I would be probably buying everything IO could get my hands on!
Glad you enjoy the site and hope you continue to check it out – always something new!
– TRR
Wow! I am blown away by your blog. I like ramen too and your concept is really fresh and unique. I live in the Philippines and we also have a wide variety of noodles in here. I hope you will be able to try it out. I am glad I found your blog! Cheers!
Hey glad you like the blog! Yeah I’ve tried a lot of instants from the Philippines – I like the Payless Xtra big ones a lot… hoping to find more Pinoy grocery stores here as I haven’t reviewed much from there in a while….
– TRR
wow great! Based on your reviewing, the top #1 instant noodle is from indonesia. Even my self (i’m from indonesia), didn’t recognize how delicious it is. I prefer eat instant noodle from korea (shin ramyun) to indomie. But, seems like i have to start to like everything my country produce such as indomie. Besides, indomie is the top branded in indonesia. It’s awesome that you have tasted many different various flavor of instant noodle! That’s achievement!! 😀
Oh yes – Indonesian instant noodles are top notch! Indomie, Mi Sedaap, Super to name a few.
– TRR
Hi, I was just wondering if you’d tried the “Naked Noodle” ramen noodle snack? It’s a UK product in a really snazzy box. http://www.symingtons.com/news-and-press-single.php?id=49&sub_title=Latest
Nope not yet – I tried the Mug Shot one that comes in a pouch – a lady was nice enough to send some from England in the past. Unfortunately, we don’t have anything like that over here.
– TRR
Dude. Just had some Indomie Mie Mi Gorengs for the first time. Jesus. Changed my life. When I pulled out 5 different spice packets I knew I was in for a treat. I am now going to order a 30 pack of the “Special Fried Curly Noodles” from Amazon as it seems our taste buds agree. I am fortunate to have a sizable Vietnamese grocery store not far from me in White Plains, NY that has hundreds of varieties. I picked up about 20 different variations today based on your top ten list. I emailed your site to all of my friends and told them to stop messing around! First time I cracked an egg into the simmering water as well. Delicious! You are the man. I will be getting crazy with the pickled ginger and bock choy as well. Life is good!
Hey awesome – glad you’re enjoying the noodles! Hey ya should send a pic of some noodles you make for the Show Your Noodles thing!
– TRR
Have you ever tied Saimin? It’s a Hawaiian dish made from Ramen noodles most of the time, you can get it everywhere there, but t you can also buy then online as well such as: http://www.hawaiianfoodonline.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=176 . I personally prefer Saimin to ramen, but love ramen also!
I’ve heard of it and think I’ve seen the noodles at a local Asian grocery. Spam, eh? Actually that sounds good!
– TRR
Bravo, this is amazing! After years of avoiding instant noodles I am back on the bandwagon, and enjoying every second of it. Your site has inspired me. Thank you!
On another note, I am happy to see that ramen is breaking through the food scene here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Shops are slowly opening up and seem to be building their customer base! Yayyy!
Hey glad you like the site – and the noodles! Ramen is where its at 🙂
– TRR
Yeah, Mr. Noodles. They’re one of the less expensive brands here, not a personal favorite, but I could definitely send you some. I’m not sure if you can contact me via email through my wordpress account. It should be linked to my email address somehow. Or let me know your email address, and we can communicate that way. I was thinking I could even take some pictures of the noodle aisle at T&T here in Vancouver (HUGE Asian supermarket) and maybe send you some noodles you’d like to review if you’re interested. If you ever make it up to Vancouver, you’ll have to check out Motomachi Shokaido on Denman, best ramen restaurant ever. Kintaro is pretty good too, just up the street. Big Japanese population here, so lots to choose from.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Awesome yes please do! I emailed you the info. Thanks!
– TRR
RR,
Have you ever come across an instant noodle called “Instant Beehoon”? I used to eat it all the time here in Vancouver, and I never see it anymore. I can’t remember who made it but I know that was the name. It was a small block of very fine transparent rice or bean noodles with a very spicy oily broth. Simple but delicious! Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Jonathan
Hello Ramen Rater,
I just found your site tonight via Serious Eats. Great site, you’ve done a very comprehensive survey of Ramen-land. I’ve loved ramen since I tried Nissin Cup-O-Noodles at a friend’s house in the late ‘seventies. My mom never bought instant noodles until I started asking her to buy Ichiban packets, still a favorite of mine, especially the Original (used to be called “Oriental” !) flavor. I’m lucky to live in Vancouver and over the years have sampled some great ramen. We have some incredible fresh noodle restaurants here which have somewhat supplanted my instant noodle consumption. I have a couple questions:
1. Do you think MSG is addictive? I find it kind of relaxes me and I feel a bit hung over the day after eating instant noodles. But when I eat them I feel almost high. Does this sound familiar? I don’t get a headache or anything, but I think the MSG has some effect on brain chemistry.
2. Have you ever come across a small packaged noodle called “Instant Beehoon”? I can’t remember anything else but I know that was the name. I used to eat it all the time. A rather small block of transparent rice or bean noodles with a very spicy, oily broth. They were delicious, and even at T&T here in Vancouver I haven’t been able to find them. I can’t remember where they are from.
Keep up the good work. You rock.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Jonathan –
Glad you’re enjoying the site! Nothin like some good instant noodles – let me answer your questions:
1. I don’t know if MSG is addictive per se, but I would lean towards the no side of it. I haven’t had a pack of instant noodles since last Tuesday. I’m not feeling anytihng but guilt that I’m not doing my ramen a day reviews – no withdrawals, etc. I suppose it’s as addictive as any flavor is like chocolate or pizza. MSG is a flavor enhancer like table salt except it has a bit less sodium and more gluten. It gets a pretty bad rap but as long as you don’t overdo it shouldn’t be a problem. Also if you take potassium pills it counteracts the effects of higher sodium foods! I’ve not experienced the headaches the day after – only heartburn after instant noodles and bad stomach upset if I eat instant noodles and immediately eat something like a Reese’s peanut butter cup – ugh that can be ugly!
2. Gotcha covered – https://www.theramenrater.com/2011/04/07/343-super-bihun-goreng-instant-fried-rice-noodles/ That the stuff?
Hope you can find it!
Thanks,
– The Ramen Rater
Thanks for the reply! I’ll have to start taking potassium tablets!
As for the noodles I was talking about, I think that’s basically them. I think the one I had might have been meant to be eaten as a soup, but I can’t remember exactly. That’s how I ate it, anyway. They translated it as “beehoon” but it would just be a phonetic version of an Indonesian word. Angel hair sounds right, as in very fine noodles. Goreng means fried. I lived in the Netherlands for a time, and there is a large post-colonial Indonesian community there. Nasi goreng (fried rice) was one of the only things I could find while I was there to satisfy my craving for anything remotely Asian. Thanks for the tip. I will continue the search for the elusive bihun, or beehoon. I’m sure it’s just as delicious whatever you call it.
Right on – glad I could help! By the way – you’re in Canada? Any chance you’d like to hit up a Walmart and get some Mr Noodles to donate? For some reason, nobody’s ever sent that one and from what it sounds like, Mr. Noodles is one of the most common instant noodles up there. Would send ya some stickers as thanks!
– TRR
Dear Ramen Eater,
This blog is simply brilliant! I am ramen enthusiast in search for ramen heaven and you have just become one of my idols! Back home we only had like two or three brands of noodles in most supermarkets but now that I live in the US there’s a whole new variety for me to try 😀 the possibilities are endless!(kind of :p). Your pictures are awesome too, everything looks so delicious. I look forward to reading your reviews, please never stop doing them.
Best,
Shantts
Glad you like the site! Where’d you used to live before?
– TRR
Dominican Republic! beautiful country…not that many asian stores though :p
Shantts
hello,did you try korea’s “SamYang” company’s new product “Nagasaki Jamppong?” This became popular in Korea.
Also, there is Paldo’s new product “KoKomeon”. It would be great if u try these products and write reviews!
http://www.amazon.com/NEW-Nagasaki-jjamppong-10pcs-noodles/dp/B006H1BEV0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329770271&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Myun-Myeon-10pcs-Chicken-Noodle/dp/B005Z3E5WG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1329770271&sr=8-3
Would love to try them but they’re not locally available. If someone wants to donate, then I’d be happy to try them.
– TRR
Wow you’re amazing! I’m asian and I haven’t even ate as much varieties of instant noodles as compared to you. I’m gonna try some new flavours after reading your blog! 😀
P.S: Shouldn’t have read this at night,it makes me hungry! xD
Hello Ramen Rater!
Every ramen review post I read from my feed reader feels like I’ve eaten the ramen myself. I’m a huge noodle fan, and this gives me the “kick” without having to eat/buy them myself. You, sir, are a genius.
One question I have is, how are you getting all these noodles? I’m amazed that you have a huge selection of instant noodles from the Philippines. I looked for my personal favorites, and you did not disappoint (Payless Xtra Big Chilimansi and Lucky Me Pancit Canton Chilimansi). More power to you and your site!
Hey thanks for the nice words! So as to where I get all my noodles. Locally! I am in a very fortunate position here in the northwest. I live about 20 minutes north of Seattle . In the town I live, there are quite a few Asian groceries, primarily Korean, that have nice lnog noodle aisles. Further south there are Japanese and Filipino groceries abounding as well as a Vietnamese one that plays loud techno! It’s pretty safe to say that I’ll be doing this reviewing for quite a while. And now people have started to send me stuff they’d like me to review, so that’s a new source too.
– The Ramen Rater
Hello, Raman Eater!
Sorry for the delay in writing to you to tell you: YOU HAVE THE BEST-TASTING, HEALTHY NOODLES I HAVE EVER EATEN!
I sampled your product (and perhaps met YOU!) at a Natural Products Show in Anaheim 1 or 2 years ago. I kept your brochure to remind me to purchase it because you had not launched in stores yet:(. My entire family is excited to try it…now that we have seen your beautiful photos and compelling posts. Where can I find your GreeNoodle with Moroheiya? I live in Encinitas California.
SO happy to finally contact you with praises:)
Blessings to you and your supportive staff!
Heather Gervasi
Well, I hate to break it to you, but I am not the person you are looking for, nor did I find the GreeNoodles that I have sampled thus far to be very palatable at all. I would recommend searching elsewhere as I do not sell anything. They should have them at 99 Ranch Market I would think.l
The Ramen Rater
Great job on this blog and all the reviews! The pictures look so tasty. I love Asian instant noodles, maybe even an obsession actually but felt bit embarrassed to admit it since they’re generally considered not very healthy foods, and I haven’t came across anyone so open about it like you 🙂 Now I don’t feel so odd and that it’s ok to love these instant meals 🙂
I went to the Uwajimaya store in Bellevue during a short trip to Seattle and love it too. So many cool Japanese foods and snacks that I wanted to try. I am from Toronto and although there are plenty of Asians here, we do not have many Japanese people and food stores here.
I came across this blog while looking up the Sau Tao brand noodles. I think I’m starting to prefer this brand as they sell ‘healthy’ and ‘non-fried’ noodles, which I can feel better consuming 🙂
Right on – you know though I would highly recommend trying the Wu-Mu stuff – its awesome with flavors like BBQ pork and sesame oil – really excellent stuff!
Glad you like the blog and thanks for the kind words,
The Ramen Rater
Dear Ramen Eater,
I love your blog. I am an avid ramen eater myself but will not have the dedication to post pictures and let alone write reviews on them.
Please do take vitamins, plenty of h2o and veggies to balance your diet though.
Renatta .B.
Thanks, I do take vitamins and eat vegetables and hydrate myself accordingly. Contrary to popular belief, eating instant noodles isn’t such a bad thing.
The Ramen Rater
Dear Ramen Eater,
I love your blog. I am an avid ramen eater myself but will not have the dedication to post pictures and let alone write reviews on them.
Please do take vitamins, plenty of h2o and veggies to balance your diet though.
Renatta
This website is brilliant. It’s nice to know there are other people out there who love instant noodoes. You’re awesome!
Auden –
Thank you very much! What a nice thing to say, especially on my birthday! I hope you continue to enjoy the website!
Again, thanks!
– The Ramen Rater
You’re missing out Vietnamese ramen ‘coz those taste the best :).
I’ve been eating a lot of ramen in my entire life and in my opinion, korean and jap ramen are not as tasty as the vietnamese kinds.
Check them out at those vietnamese market in china town in seattle. Really close to Uajimaya!
Strange… I’ve reviewed a TON of Vietnamese instant noodles – right now I’m doing a series of Vina Acecook – look again.
Viet Wah looks like a good bet.
Are you pretty dedicated to Asian-style ramen noodles? I admit I haven’t looked through your entire blog yet, but it seems to be mostly focused on that.
Oddly enough, I lived in Poland for a while, and got addicted to trying their very interesting takes on Ramen noodles. While they market some asian-inspired flavours… lime and cilantro, chinese five-spice, thai crab etc. they also have very distinctive Polish flavours. Barszcz, zurek, various mushroom flavours, as well as very odd ideas like donner kebab and mozzarella. As I’m sure you can imagine the creativity does not always pay off, but sometimes it does and it’s very interesting at least!
If you have access to some Polish shops, I suggest browsing around. If not and you’re genuinely interested, drop me an email and I’m sure I can post some over to you.
Yeah all we really have here in the states are asian style; at least where I live. I’ve seen a few of the doner kebab and pot noodle things on other websites – looks very interesting. would love to try some of that if you really want to send some over – email me at hanslienesch@hotmail.com.
This is brilliant. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood in the noodle aisle of my local Asian market and been tempted by all the ramen, but had no idea where to start. Thanks for all the research!
http://www.girlnamednick.wordpress.com
Ramen Rater,
Your site is rather interesting and I admire your dedication to ramen noodles. I am working on a team marketing project for an MBA class and our topic is ramen noodles. We have begun an extensive search for anything ramen and I would like to know if you are aware of any sources that provide data that rate the different ramen noodle brands – we’re particularly interested in the brands that are most popular in the U.S. such as Nissin, Maruchan, and Sapporo Ichiban. We would also value your expert opinion on Nissin vs. Maruchan vs. Sapporo Ichiban.
Would you agree that there is a rivalry between Nissin and Maruchan? Do you have any loyalties to a particular brand?
We would much appreciate your feedback as it would be helpful in our research efforts.
Thanks!
Dale
Ramen Rater,
Your site is rather interesting and I admire your dedication to ramen noodles.
Thank you – very kind!
I am working on a team marketing project for an MBA class and our topic is ramen noodles. We have begun an extensive search for anything ramen and I would like to know if you are aware of any sources that provide data that rate the different ramen noodle brands – we’re particularly interested in the brands that are most popular in the U.S. such as Nissin, Maruchan, and Sapporo Ichiban. We would also value your expert opinion on Nissin vs. Maruchan vs. Sapporo Ichiban.
Perhaps some information gleaned from grocery store chains? Perhaps some form of data could be obtained from a major market research group like Nielsen would be useful (of course expensive to obtain). As far as my opinion, these three are very different companies. Nissin is the founding father of the instant noodle and Cup Noodle. Sapporo Ichiban is a close second, and Maruchan is third. As far as the United States goes however, it’s a tough one . Maruchan seems to come out with stuff like Chili Lime noodles – something that would appeal towards the filipino and latino markets. Cheap noodles. Nissin has done a little experimenting but has really stuck to its main brands of Top Ramen. Sapporo Ichiban I would imagine most would see slightly more unapproachable with consumer questions like ‘what’s that mean’ and ‘hmm different…’ I must admit that I find the Nissin ramen that is marketed overseas to be a million times more appealing than the domestic stuff. Curry Demae ramen, yakisoba with a little mayo/mustard squirt pack – thats some tasty fare!
Would you agree that there is a rivalry between Nissin and Maruchan? Do you have any loyalties to a particular brand?
I try to be impartial, and as such can’t say I am ‘loyal to any brand – If I could find some new brands I haven’t tried I would be on them immediately! Happily so! I must say though that my personal taste buds find Indomie Mi Goreng Satay when garnished with a couple fried eggs with runny yolks and a little kizami shoga to be one of life’s greatest pleasures.
We would much appreciate your feedback as it would be helpful in our research efforts.
No problem – ask me more please! Make sure to add The Ramen Rater to your facebook and share it with everyone you know. I’m an attention junkie I suppose and would like to have everyone everywhere enjoy the site.
– The Ramen Rater
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