Author: Hans "The Ramen Rater" Lienesch

Meet The Manufacturer: Interview With Vit’s Noodles

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Vit

Interview With Vit’s Noodles * Product Samples From Vit’s Noodles * Vit’s Instant Noodles With Chicken Flavour * Vit’s Taste Of Malaysia Penang Hokkien Mee Fried Instant Noodle * Vit’s Curry Instant Noodles * Vit’s Taste Of Malaysia Penang Asam Laksa Ramen * Vit’s Taste Of Malaysia Penang White Curry Fried Instant Noodle * Vit’s Mi Goreng Pedas Chewy & Springy * Vit’s Taste Of Malaysia Penang Hokkien Mee Ramen * Vit’s Taste Of Malaysia Penang Asam Laksa Fried Instant Noodle * Vit’s Tom Yam Instant Noodles * Vit’s Taste Of Malaysia Penang White Curry Ramen ...see full post

#1832: Yum Yum Instant Flat Shaped Noodles Boat Noodles Nam Tok Flavour

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Here’s one of the last ones I got during my trip to Thailand to visit the nice folks that make MAMA noodles in May. It was really great over there – really hot, but wow – the 7-11 next to the hotel was a treasure trove as far as instant noodles I can’t source here are concerned! Let’s check this one out. ...see full post

#1831: Kuriki Plum Mayo Ramen

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Okay so you might be wondering – plum mayo ramen – that couldn’t possibly mean… Yes – plum and mayonnaise flavor. Where did I get it? ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1830: Zeng Noodles Sichuan Pepper Flavor

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Today, we finish off this trifecta by Zeng Noodles with a straight Sichuan Pepper variety.

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add noodle block to 800ml boiling water and cook for 5 1/2 minutes. Drain. Add in contents of sachets. Stir and enjoy! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1829: Zeng Noodles Hu Sesame Flavor

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I think when people here in the United States usually think of something sesame flavor, they think immediately of sesame oil. In Taiwan, sesame is something much different; sesame paste like tahini and peanut combine. The first time we found this out was when my wife got some noodles a few years ago that said sesame flavor and were like this – she’s not a fan of peanut butter, so it didn’t work out so well for her. Very curious about this one though – let’s check it out! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1828: Zeng Noodles Scallion With Sichuan Pepper Flavor

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In the past year, I’ve tried quite a few varieties with Sichuan Pepper in them and really gotten a feel for this kind of flavor. In a way, Sichuan Pepper has almost a minty taste to it; it’s really quite different and unique. Let’s check it out! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Product Samples From Zeng Noodles

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A big box from Taiwan!

Fist thing – an envelope!

Meet The Manufacturer interview answers! Thank you! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Interview With Zeng Noodles

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Interview With Zeng Noodles * Product Samples From Zeng Noodles * Zeng Noodles Scallion & Sichuan Pepper Flavor * Zeng Noodles Hu Sesame Flavor * Zeng Noodles Sichuan Pepper Flavor ...see full post

A Gift From My Wife: Prison Ramen

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My wife got me a gift off of Amazon. She didn’t say what it was. I immediately mentioned I’d emailed a publisher of a book asking for a review copy. Then I got the look. ...see full post

#1827: Nongshim Zha Wang (Jjawang) Noodles With Chajang Sauce

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Being a superfan of all things instant noodle, I have newsfeeds I check daily on my phone pertaining to them. I saw an article about Nongshim’s Jjawang in the Korea Times New York edition. It mentioned with it’s release, jjajang variants are flying off the shelves in NY and NJ. I figured hey – I better find this stuff! ...see full post

#1826: MAMA Instant Noodles Stewed Beef Flavour

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I made some instant noodle the other day with beef balls in them and Kit really thought they were good, so I thought I’d make this one with some beef balls in it for her today! This one was sent to me after my trip to the Thai President Foods European Agent Meeting in May! It was really great – while I’m not a distributor for TF, they were super kind to invited me to come and check out Thailand and their factories. I did a travelogue you can check out here. I found out they don’t only make products in Thailand but have factories throughout the world. This one comes from Cambodia – let’s have a look! ...see full post

Indomie Samples From Eastland Foods

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Got an unexpected box from Michael C. over at Eastland foods today!

An Indofood reusable shopping bag! ...see full post

#1825: Sichuan Baijia Broad Noodle Chili Oil Flavor

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It’s always awesome when I go to the store with my poor vision and my wife sees something and asks me if I’ve tried it. Sure enough, this was one of those occasions. I recently had the Sichuan Baijia Artificial Spicy Fei Chang a couple of weeks ago – it had been on my bottom ten list for years and really kind of one of the main reasons I wasn’t reviewing Baijia stuff so much. After not trying it in 5 years, I found that my tastebuds had done a bit of a metamorphosis. Where I found this more traditional Chinese flavor horrible before, I found it much more to my liking. So now at the store, I’m looking at Baijia in a different way. Today, I’ll try something I’ve not seen before – a broad noodle. I’ve seen broad noodles before, but not this broad – you’ll see what I mean. I want to thank Bobby Y. for helping me decipher the cooking instructions – hope the Blue Jays did good in the ALCS and won the World Series! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Easy-To-Find Instant Noodles 2015 Edition

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A lot of people have come to my site from the United States, knowing only a couple varieties, those usually being chicken or beef, pack or cup. If that’s you, this is kind of a beginner’s guide to exploring the different brands and varieties that are pretty easily sourced here in the States. You can find many of these in your local grocery store, although some might require a trip to the Asian grocery, or to Amazon. But all of them can be found here, unlike many I review that only are sold in their local countries. Many of these have even been on my top ten lists, past and present – so get ready to have some of my favorite and most memorable varieties that you can easily find here in the United States! ...see full post

#1824: Nongshim Soon Veggie Noodle Soup

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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. ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Add-Ons Of All Time 2015 Edition

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In the last few years, I’ve seen a large amount of articles with titles like ‘Best Ramen Hacks,’ ‘Pimp Your Ramen’ and so on. These titles fall under the category of clickbait – using hipster terminology and such to entice one to click on them. Usually, they’re all things people know about already; vegetables, oils and such. This is a list of my favorite add-ons and garnishes. While some may be familiar to you, others may not be. It’s also geared to help you navigate the Asian Grocery, a place many find to be alien to them but I have found to be one of the most vibrant and wonderful places I visit very regularly. Finally, I also included some tips of storage and how long these products last for those on a tight budget. In no particular order, here’s this new list! ...see full post

#1823: MyKuali Spicy Fried Noodle MeeKuali Goreng Pedas

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So every product MyKuali has come up with so far had made it into the big annual Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time list. It’s pretty mind-blowing; their products are so good, diverse and high quality. Well, today I’m going to check out a new one – a mee goreng offering. During our trip, I got to try some local hawker mee goreng last October in Penang. ...see full post

#1822: Mie Sedaap Instant Mi Kuah Rasa Baso Spesial

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Sweet! An Indonesian variety I’ve not tried! I wish there were more that I could get around here. I rarely get any from Indonesia – one reader sent a couple of packages a while back full of all sorts of wonderful varieties – maybe someone will again? I hope so! Let’s check out this one from Mie Sedaap. ...see full post

Check Out The Ramen Box, An Instant Noodle Subscription Service

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I’ve been finding out about a lot of great new instant noodle box subscription services lately and here’s the latest find: The Ramen Box. Let’s have a peek inside. ...see full post

#1821: Myojo Udon Japanese Style Pre-Cooked Noodles With Soup Beef Flavor

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My wife and I were at the grocery store the other day and she saw this series by Myojo. ‘Have you tried these yet?’ she asked. It’s funny – she finds lots of varieties for me that I never even notice – it’s pretty awesome! Since she’s a fan of udon, I thought I would make her some today. Let’s check ’em out! ...see full post

#1820: Ten-In Veggie King Buddha Jump Instant Noodles

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Here’s one I got from the folks at Exotic Noods, the first subscription instant noodle service I’d heard from! It’s one big bowl, that’s for sure – and heavy, too! I looked into Buddha Jump on wikipedia and found this – ...see full post

#1819: Yum Yum Premier Bowl Instant Noodles Suki Flavour

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This is one I found at 7-11 in Bankok, Thailand dur the trip in May. I wish there were instant noodle tie-ins with 7-11 here in the United States – it would be really awesome! I think if you’re lucky, you might find 3 or 4 instant noodle variants by the same brand in 7-11’s here. Anyways, this one looks interesting. I read that this is sukiyaki flavor, however the Thai have a twist on the Japanese version. Thai Suki as it is known has more flavor closely knit to Thai traditional tastes. Let’s have a look! ...see full post

#1818: Sugakiya Foods Nara Tenri Shoyu Ramen

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Here’s another one that was sent to me by Javier over at Box From Japan – thanks! Box From Japan is a subscription service – you can get a box sent to you every month with some great noodles within! This one says got Chinese cabbage with a sweet soup and a deep flavor which is from something called ‘rajan,’ a strong and spicy red pepper seasoning fermented with rice koji. Let’s check it out! ...see full post

Samples Of Nissin Imports – Now Available On Amazon

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Got a very unexpected knock on the door this morning and the FedEx guy was there!

I wonder what they could be? ...see full post

#1817: Hao Way Penang Vegetarian Prawn Instant Bowl Noodles

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Prawn Mee as it is called in Penang, Malaysia is a very popular dish. Mee means noodles by the way. A broth that’s sweet and absolutely jam packed with prawn flavor is the norm, but in this one, we have a vegetarian option. Let’s see how well vegetarian elements can come together to mimic a full-bodied prawn mee! ...see full post

#1816: Vifon Asian Style Instant Noodles Artificial Beef Flavor

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This one came by way of Michael over at EastLand Foods – thanks! I haven’t reviewed a Vietnamese instant noodle in ages it seems like – let’s see what we have here! ...see full post

#1815: Nakaya Shouten Hingya no Shio Ramen

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This one came from Shinichi over at Ramen Mania, a new monthly subscription box you can check out! They have special regional Japanese ramen varieties – good stuff so far! Thanks! So today it’s a special shio ramen. What’s shio you ask? Shio translates to salt. Here’s a little more on shio from Wikipedia: ...see full post

#1814: Koh Thai Island Of Flavours Tom Yum Instant Noodles Soup

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Another one from James B. over in The Netherlands – thanks! I thought this one looked really interesting; it’s made in Singapore specifically for Koh Thai brand in The Netherlands. Let’s crack this one open! ...see full post

#1813: Nissin Soba Fried Noodles Curry

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Here’s another one James B. sent me from The Netherlands – thanks again! I’ve reviewed these varieties in cup form, but not the packs and I’m really pleased to be able to. These come from Nissin Germary! Let’s have a look! ...see full post

Donations From A Long Time Reader In Hong Kong (2 of 2)

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Got an email a couple months ago from Casey P. in Hong Kong. He’s been following the blog for years and wanted to send some thing for me to review! Thank you so much! He sent two boxes – here’s the second one. ...see full post

Donations From A Long Time Reader In Hong Kong (1 of 2)

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Got an email a couple months ago from Casey P. in Hong Kong. He’s been following the blog for years and wanted to send some thing for me to review! Thank you so much! He sent two boxes – here’s the first one. ...see full post

#1812: Master Kong Mushroom Instant Noodle

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There’s a new Asian Food Center on 130th & Aurora – went there hunting for some of the fruit I got to try in Thailand and found mangosteen – and quite a few instant noodle varieties, this being one of them. It’s pretty far and few between that I find Master Kong varieties – always kind of a treat! I want to thank Bobby Y. from Canada for help in translation on this one! Let’s have a look at this one from China! ...see full post

#1811: Conimex Oriental Noodles Oosterse Groenten

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Here’s another one that was sent to me by James B. from The Netherlands – thanks! First off, this one is oosterse groenten, which translates to oriental vegetable. These are from The Netherlands and made by Unilever. Let’s check ’em out! ...see full post

#1810: MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodle (New Version)

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As most of you should know, thishas been one of my all time favorites in the past couple years. When it came out, it was a real game-changer; so much so that over 20 different manufacturers started making their own white curry variants to compete. MyKuali has decided to standardize their packaging and now this is how the product looks. Let’s have a look inside and see if anything else has changed. ...see full post

#1809: Marutai Nagahama Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen

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Here’s another one that was sent to me by Javier over at Box From Japan – thanks! Box From Japan is a subscription service – you can get a box sent to you every month with some great noodles within! From what I’m reading, it sounds like this one has a tonkotsu broth – with pork bone flavor! Let’s check it out! ...see full post

#1808: MAMA Vegetarian Instant Cup Noodle Tofu & Shiitake Flavour

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This is one I saw posted on facebook by one of the nice folks I met at MAMA in May. I was very curious about it and so I asked if I could get some samples – thank you! This one and the vegetarian tom yum are made specifically for October. Why? Well, there’s a special Vegetarian Festival in Thailand during October! Here’s a little about it: ...see full post

#1807: Wai Wai Tom Yum Goong Flavour Instant Noodle

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Here’s one I found at the 7-11 next to our hotel when we visit Thai President Foods in Bangkok back in May! I think the first time I tried a tom yum flavored instant, I didn’t like it. Through the years, I’ve gained a serious love for the flavor – the chilli, the shrimp, the lemongrass. It all comes together so well and the place where I had some of the best of course was in Thailand. Really hope to return someday with my sons and have them try all the amazing foods there! Anyways, let’s check out this cup! ...see full post

#1806: Cintan Mi Segera Mmm… Perisa Goreng Ala Indonesia

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So this is the last one that I got during my trip last October to meet the folks at MyKuali in Malaysia. We took a ferry from Georgetown, Penang over to Butterworth, Penang and went to an Econsave where I got to get a ton of instant noodles! It was a real blast for sure. Almost exactly a year ago today we were on our way home – probably was over the pacific at this point! Wow – truly was an amazing trip. I want to thank them for their kindness and for showing us such a good time! Let’s check out this last one that I brought back. ...see full post

#1805: MAMA Oriental Style Instant Noodles Tandoori Flavour

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Here’s another one that the nice folks at Thai President Foods in Thailand sent me after my trip in May. These are made in Bangladesh by their factory there! Tandoori flavor though – what’s that? Wikipedia had this to say: ...see full post

Vote The Ramen Rater For Best Food Blog!

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Image by Steven C. - Thank you!

Hey everyone! I’m hoping you have been enjoying the website and my reviews! I was hoping you could do me a huge favor. There’s a yearly contest (longtime followers of the blog will remember it from previous years) called KING5’s BEST Of Western Washington. Basically, it’s a local contest where people can vote for their favorites. I’ve been in the Best Food Blog category for a couple of years now and hoping this year could be a little different – I really want to win this! The only downside is that you have to sign up and give your email address. Well, this year you can do so and tick a box during the process to ‘opt out’ of receiving any junk mail from them. It would mean a great deal to me if you could spend a minute and vote! It doesn’t matter where or what country you’re in, and if you’re a manufacturer, get everone at your factory to vote, please! You can do so by clicking here. Thank you very much! ...see full post