Author: Hans "The Ramen Rater" Lienesch

#1548: Samyang Foods Curry Noodle

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Here’s one my wife got me during my birthday trip to Canada earlier this year! Thanks, Kit! This is a neat one. First, it’s a South Korean brand, but it is definitely for thye Japanese market; everything on the label is in Japanese for the most part, and a curry cup falls in line as well. This line also has a Shoyu cup, another Japanese ramen flavor. As I’m sure all who follow my blog know, I’m a big fan of curry, and so my hopes here are high! Japanese curry is much different from Indian or Malaysian curries; it’s usually not spicy and has a sweetness to it. Let’s see what’s under the hood of this Samyang Curry Noodle! ...see full post

Big News For Mr & Mrs The Ramen Rater

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Today’s a special day for us – five years ago today, we first talked to each other. We were both getting through the murky end of horrible relationships and found each other on an online dating website. She lived to far away – me in northern Washington, she in Northern California. That night we spoke on the phone for a whole 6 hours and all I wanted to do was to talk to her again. It was amazing; we found each other right when we most needed each other. Five years later, I’d like to announce that we’re expecting our first child together! We found out two weeks ago! We’re very excited and can’t wait to start this new adventure. To my wife – I love you and am supremely happy knowing you are in my life everyday. Happy Holidays to all! ...see full post

#1547: Vedan Volcano Spicy Pork Noodle

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Here’s an interesting one which I got some great help in translating from Bobby Y. – thank you as always! I kind of ran into a hitch when I was trying to translate this: 台湾泡面 味丹双响炮 碗装方便面 火山岩烧豚骨汤面110G 6个包邮 and then got this from Google: Taiwan Vedan Pom instant noodles bowl of instant noodles volcanic burning dolphin soup surface 110G 6 个 shipping. Volcanic burning dolphin soup does sound interesting though! Another thing he was able to verify was that there’s a little sachet that is to be enjoyed as a snack while you wait for the noodles to steep and aren’t actually an ingredient – we’ll go more into that in the directions. Anyways, let’s check this one from Taiwan out! ...see full post

#1546: Nissin Demae Rice Vermicelli Beef Flavour

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After going through the big noodle hamper the other day and getting rid of some ancient ones that had expired, I noticed this one that I needed to get to quickly. There’s a urban myth that instant noodles last forever, will survive all forms of apocalypse and deliver great flavor for the next hundred years. While frying noodles extrudes moisture and makes them shelf stable without refrigeration for a much longer time than their fresh counterparts, they do go bad. I also take into account that as a reviewer, it’s only fair to review them if they’re all not expired, hence the culling of the old. Luckily, I have scads of non expired instants to go through! Anyways, let’s check out this rice vermicelli from Nissin – Demae Beef Flavour! ...see full post

#1545: Nanyang Chef Penang Asam Pedas Hot & Sour Instant Noodle

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A while back, I reviewed Nanyang Chef’s Penang White Curry Noodle With Nanyang Chili Paste. Today, it’s a new product from them – Asan Pedas. At first, I thought this would be Asam Laksa, but then I dug a little in Wikipedia and found that Asam Pedas is a stew accompanied by fish. The Asam word refers to tamarind, which lends to the sour nature of Asam Laksa as well as Asam Pedas. Let’s check out this new comer from Nanyang Chef! ...see full post

Friday Video: Instant Noodle

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This is an absolutely perfect short film called ‘Instant Noodle’ about one man’s obsession with finding the ultimate spicy Korean ramyun. It was made by Dreamagine Productions Media. If you’re a fan of spicy instant noodles, you’ll love this! Season’s greetings to all! ...see full post

#1544: Thai Pavilion Pad Thai Instant Rice Noodles & Sauce

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I believe my wife got me this one for Christmas last year – thanks sweetie! What’s so nice about instant noodles is that they have such a long shelf life, and so they can sit in my noodle hamper for a while before I have to get to them. Anyways, here’s one that sounds good today – Thai Pavilion Pad Thai. This one is made in Thailand but made for the US market. Let’s check it out! ...see full post

#1543: Maggi 2-Minute Noodles Hungrooo Masala Spicy

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Hungrooo! This is great – a new noodle word! It evokes a thought of a big monster that’s really hungry, or what a stomach might say. It’s fun to say too – Hungrooo! I recently did a Meet The Manufacturer with Maggi Singapore and have reviewed many varieties from Maggi Malaysia as well. Maggi is a brand from Nestle, a Swiss brand and seems to have many instant noodle varieties catering to the local flavors seen around the world. This one’s from India, and since not everyone’s familiar with Indian food, I thought I’d grab a snippet from Wikipedia about masala: ...see full post

#1542: KOKA Noodles Beef Flavour

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Here’s the last one sent by Charles, a serviceman in Afghanistan – thanks! It’s really strange to know that since my last KOKA review that I’ve been in Singapore; never did I expect to visit Asia in my lifetime and now I have. Albeit a short visit (out experience of Singapore consisted of running through Changi airport from travelator to travelator and transferring our luggage from carrier to carrier), it was a truly fascinating blur! Anyways, got some fresh beef yesterday and needed to package it up so though I’d do a beef noodle review. Let’s check it out! ...see full post

#1541: Wu-Mu Steam Pork Flavor Ramen

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Here’s one of these Wu-Mu 4 packs I’ve not reviewed before – steam pork. I think there’s steam, simmered, stewed and maybe another one. That’s quite the array! Anyways, let’s check this one out! ...see full post

#1540: Unif-100 Instant Noodles Artificial Shallot Beef Flavor

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I keep looking at this one in my noodle hamper and then curse at myself for not getting shallots… I mean, they’re cheap and taste really good – why didn’t I get shallots? Well, I kept forgetting to. But fear not shallot lovers! I now have shallots. Beef and shallot lovers, your day has arrived. Let’s delve into the insides of this Unif-100 Artificial Shallot Beef flavor pack from Unif of China! ...see full post

#1539: New Touch Kimchi Noodle

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Here’s one that has been at the bottom of the noodle hamper for a while . Kind of an interesting one; kimchi from Japan eh? Let’s delve into it and see how it tastes! ...see full post

Friday Video: The Most Delicious Ramen ラーメン

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Here’s a half hour documentary about Japanese ramen – enjoy and happy Friday!

#1538: Sau Tao Oat Noodle Tomato Soup Flavored

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I reviewed one of these the other day – the pork ribs flavor. Got my son Andy over here today and he’s been a little more adventurous in trying new flavors. I thought this one might be a good match – I had him choose between duck, mushroom and this. I knew he’d pick the tomato; kind of a no-brainer there. ...see full post

Poster From Thai President Foods

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So when I do a Meet The Manufacturer, I always try and see if I can get the company to autograph a poster for me and send it along. Well, Thai President Foods did! ...see full post

Promotional Items From Thai President Foods

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Yay! A box from Thailand! What’s inside?

Coasters!

Awesome keychains!

They also sent a couple of these t-shirts! Too small for me but not for Kit! Thank you very much! ...see full post

New Penang Asam Pedas Product Samples From Nanyang Chef

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Got a package in the mail today Penang Asam Pedas – a new product from Nanyang Chef!

Asam Laksa is a sour and spicy soup popular in Penang, Malaysia. But what’s the pedas part? ...see full post

#1537: Wai Wai Quick Zabb Chili Paste Tom Yum Flavor Instant Noodles

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Here’s one sent to me by Marvin R. – thanks again! This was one of a series I’ve been looking for for a long time. I kept seeing them online, but only looked to be available in Thailand. These are now available here in the USA and the last one I had (tom yum shrimp) was pretty good. Let’s check it out! ...see full post

#1536: Paldo Vina Koreno Premium Shrimp Flavor

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Paldo Foods is a South Korean company, and it looks like they’ve expanded to Vietnam with Paldo Vina. Been curious about this line for a while now and wondering how they taste. Shrimp ounds good for today – let’s go! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s MyKuali Penang White Curry Pizza

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One thing that really surprised me during our trip was seeing that a lot of the fast food chains that are popular here in the United States are also popular in Malaysia. Burgers, fried chicken and even pizza were well represented by popular chain restaurants over there (I will say that there was no sign of the ubiquitous taco chain here). They all had different ways of serving things to fit with the local taste; like spicy fried chicken with rice or seafood pizza. This got me thinking that maybe a fusion of pizza and MyKuali White Curry might work in some way. I thought about it for a while and decided today was the day. We got the ingredients together and The Ramen Rater’s MyKuali White Curry Pizza was born! Check it out! ...see full post

#1535: Sau Tao Oat Noodle Pork Rib Flavored

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I used to a lot of barbecuing a few years back and one thing I always liked to grill up were pork ribs. I would often have a couple of friends over and we would drink a few beers and exclaim ‘spicy pork ribs’ in a strange overdone Southern accent which would end up sounding more like Boss Hogg from Dukes Of Hazzard screaming ‘spassy poke relbs.’ I always liked to get the boneless ‘country style’ ribs in bulk and then do a nice dry rub. Nowadays, I don’t barbecue as much (mainly because I don’t have a barbecue) and my wife’s Uncle Joe has a really snazzy barbecue rig that you can control wirelessly and slow cook/smoke meats for hours effortlessly. His stuff comes out just amazingly – so now I leave it the pros. American barbecue ribs are generally a lot different than what you’ll find in Asia. Sau Tao is a company out of Hong Kong which makes a lot of different varieties of noodles. Today it’s oat noodles. They’re non-fried and have a nice texture to them (at least the ones I’ve had in the past did). Let’s check out Sau Tao’s Oat Noodles with Pork Ribs flavor! ...see full post

Friday Video: “The God Of Cookery”

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A friend on facebook referred me to this film – thank you! This comedy is really quite good and made it’s debut in 1996. Stephen Chow has been in quite a few ‘God Of” films, including a series called God Of Gamblers. You’ll want your subtitles on – no overdub. Enjoy and happy Friday! ...see full post

#1534: Vit’s Seafood Instant Noodles

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Here’s another one that Thomas from MyKuali got for me while we were on our trip to Malaysia! Thanks again! Vit’s is a brand that’s well known over there, but one I’ve never reviewed before. This looks like a spicy seafood variety – let’s give it a go! ...see full post

#1533: Miliket Sate Flavor Instant Noodle

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Okay so first off, I want to thank the person at the company who made the decision to use paper as the material for the outer packaging. One of the big tasks I have for the reviews is to do a lot of editing in Photoshop, mostly removing glare from packaging. Since they’re plastic wraps usually, they pick up the lighting and so angling the packs to get  the least glare and reflection is key, but then sometimes it’s just not possible to get rid of all of it. Then I have to scan the packages and there’s always a good amount of glare there. This will be the first review I’ve ever done of Miliket instant noodles, so let’s check therm out! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Re-Review: Lucky Me! Instant Pancit Canton (Chow Mein) Extra Hot Chili Flavor

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Today, we say farewell to the Monde Nissin Meet The Manufacturer! It’s been really neat to try all of these different varieties one right after the other – this is the 15th review! I do up to 15 in a row during an MTM. I thought today would definitely be fitting for something hot and spicy. Why you ask? ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Re-Review: Lucky Me! Special Instant Pancit Bihon With Kalamansi

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Rice vvermicelli isknown by many names in the world; bihun, beehoon, bihon – it’s all the same thing! One thing though – these noodles are made with corn starch! But pancit – let’s see what wikipedia has to say: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Re-Review: Lucky Me! Supreme Bulalo Artificial Bone Marrow Flavor Instant Noodles

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Bulalo sounds interesting – a beefy soup. I think I need more info though – here’s what wikipedia had to say: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Re-Review: Lucky Me! Instant Pancit Canton (Chow Mein) Sweet & Spicy Flavor

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There are quite a few varieties of these Pancit Canton – and in the past this one’s been my favorite. It’s been quite a while – sounds really good today. ...see full post

Friday Video: How to Cook Cebu Lechon

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So when I post my reviews on instagram, I use hashtags. I usually try to find ones that are decent, relevant and get the most eyes on the reviews of course, and I then look at the pics others post and like them, in hopes that hey will look and like the ones I have posted or even follow. Pretty basic method of growing a viewer base. Well, I also look at the hashtags that those people use, and I saw an interesting one – #lechon. Wasn’t sure what Lechon was, so I looked at a bunch of people’s pictures and found that it was roast whole pig. I decided to take this to YouTube and have a look. After perusing quite a few, I found this video about how Cebu Lechon is made. I’ve never tried this, but I think I would love to give it a taste someday. Anyways, enjoy and Happy Black Friday! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Re-Review: Lucky Me! Beef Na Beef Instant Noodles

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I think a lot of people will say that Lucky Me! Beef Na Beef is one that they’ve seen many times when visiting an Asian grocery in the USA. Beef, like chicken, is one of those flavors you see about every instant noodle manufacturer out there making. Everyone knows what beef and chicken flavors taste like (well, maybe not everyone – hi vegetarians!). The weather here is quite cold and rainy lately and nice beef flavored broth sounds really good. One thing though; the Philippines isn’t a place known for it’s chilly climate. Would a beef instant translate well for colder places that’s been made there? I think I’ll have to see! Let’s revisit Lucky Me! Beef Na Beef! ...see full post

Consider The Ramen Rater This Black Friday / Cyber Monday

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Just q quick note! If you’re buying on Amazon this season, think about using this link. When you are referred by The Ramen Rater, you help keep the site up and running! It costs you nothing and it’s truly appreciated! Happy Holidays! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1532: Lucky Me! Special Instant Noodles Jjamppong Flavor

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Well everyone, today is Thanksgiving! I thought I’d like to thank everyone who visit The Ramen Rater every day – your attention and interest inspires me to continue on in my journey to find the best instant noodles in the world and let you know about them! I wanted to also thank you for buying things using the Amazon links I provide. These aren’t products directly from me, but from people/companies selling them on Amazon, and I get a little something every time one of you uses a link and either buys the item shown or browses and finds something else they’d like. This really helps us out, especially around the holidays. If you’re planning on doing holiday shopping on Amazon, consider something from the Noodle Shop or simply go to the Noodle Shop and click on the Amazon logo. You’ll be helping keep The Ramen Rater running ! Thanks, and Happy Thanksgiving! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1531: Lucky Me! Special Instant Sopas Chicken Flavor

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Thought this would be one my son would like. He’s been keen on trying new things, and I doubt he’s ever had any Filipino soups before. Sopas is basically chicken soup, but has a Filipino twist to it. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about Sopas in the Philippines: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1530: Lucky Me! Spicy Beef Mami Instant Noodle Soup

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Lucky Me! Spicy Beef Mami is a newer product I’m pretty sure. A couple neat things about this one is tyhat they use Labuyo pepper. It’s also known as Bird’s Eye chilli as well a cili padi (chilli paddi) in Indonesia and Malaysia. What’s more, this is another instance of instant noodles being referred to as ‘mami.’ As far as I know, this in a purely Filipino thing; never seen instant noodles called mami anywhere else (although there is a Malaysian company called Mamee, (a play on mee and MAMA) and a Thai brand called MAMA (for the same reason). I thought I’d see what Wikipedia has to say about the various meanings of mami and got this list: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1529: Lucky Me! Special Instant Curly Spaghetti With Yummy Red Sauce

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I have tried a few quick spaghetti in the past – from South Korea, Japan and Indonesia, but never from the Philippines! I had a look to see if there’s a particular way in which spaghetti is enjoyed in the Philippines and as it turns out, I found some recipes that included hot dogs. Interesting! Well, let’s have a look at this unique instant variety = Lucky Me! Curly spaghetti! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1528: Lucky Me! Supreme Pinoy Chicken Instant Noodles

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As you can see, Lucky Me! not only makes packaged instant noodles but cups as well (they also produce bowls). This one is a variety called Supreme Pinoy Chicken. From what I gather, these are supposed to be adobo chicken flavored instant noodles. What’s adobo chicken? Let’s ask Wikipedia: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Re-Review: Lucky Me! Instant Pancit Canton (Chow Mein) Original Flavor

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Pancit Canton is a Filipino favorite whose roots began in China. It is also very much like Mi Goreng, an Indonesian dish. Basically, noodles and cooked, drained, and then combined with a dry powder and oil and sauce combination to create a tasty broth-free dish. These Lucky Me! Pancit Canton come in a variety of flavors, this being their original flavor. I’ll be reviewing more of these during Meet The Manufacturer as well, since it’s such a prominent product of theirs. Let’s check out Lucky Me! original Pancit Canton. ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Friday Video: Food Journey Philippines

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Here’s a documentary dealing with the food culture of the Philippines! I thought it would be very fitting to explore the foods of the Philippines while reviewing foods from a Filipino manufacturer! Happy Friday! More reviews coming tomorrow! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Re-Review: Lucky Me! Chicken Na Chicken Instant Noodles

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Chicken instant noodles are known the world over. In fact the first instant noodles ever sold were chicken flavored! Seems like chicken is a very accessible flavor for people. I reviewed this one over 3 years ago the first time – let’s see how Chicken na Chicken by Lucky Me! fares this time around! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1527: Lucky Me! Special Baked Mac Style Instant Macaroni

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Macaroni is used in a lot of Filipino cuisine. One I’ve tried in instant form is Sopas, a soup with macaroni in it. The weather here is really quite cold (at least for Washington). It’s gotten down to as low as 26 degrees Fahrenheit the last few nights. This looks like a nice warm stick-to-your-ribsy kind of thing. Let’s check it out! ...see full post