Author: Hans "The Ramen Rater" Lienesch

#4164: JTM Food XO Sauce Seafood Noodle – China

#4164: JTM Food XO Sauce Seafood Noodle - China

This is another one I found a couple days before Lunar New Year. The bar code came up with nothing which was a little troublesome, but I did manage to find the website on the packaging. The XO definitely is a reference to XO sauce, and it being blue and pics of the bowl definitely mean it’s gotta be XO sauce seafood. At least, I think so. Let’s check this one out! ...see full post

#4162: I’m E Choice For You Spicy Min Saeng Ramen – United States

#4162: I'm E Choice For You Spicy Min Saeng Ramen - United States

I found this yesterday while looking for Lunar New Year specials at a big Asian grocery store. I immediately knew what I was looking at when I saw the font. These are from eMart. They’re a really big hypermarket chain in South Korea which now is opening stores in the United States. Now, this is a private label product, so one of the big companies in South Korea is making it for them . Not sure which one, but in the past it’s been Samyang. Let’s check it out! ...see full post

#4160: Lin Jia Ya Tou 2x Spicy Salted Egg Yolk Flavour – China

#4160: Lin Jia Ya Tou 2x Spicy Salted Egg Yolk Flavour - China

I’m getting this post ready to go the day before Lunar New Year – – we went to a big Asian grocery just north of Seattle yesterday and shopped for noodles. They usually have some really neat things in store for the special holiday! This is supposed to be an extra spicy salted egg variety – very curious about it – let’s check it out and see if it’s truly ultra spicy! I should note that I had no clue my lens was so greasy – which is a bummer since I did three shows and a mukbang while it was like this… So, forgive me. It’s clean now, although a little late… ...see full post

#4155: Kung Fu Noodles Premium Braised Beef Noodle Soup – Taiwan

#4155: Kung Fu Noodles Premium Braised Beef Noodle Soup - Taiwan

From the folks that brought you the unique goose oil dry noodles, we now have a braised beef variety. This looks really quite fancy – definitely a super premium range. It’s joined also in this range by a Duck Blood Mung Bean Noodle variant which also sounds good – let’s give this one a try from Kung Fu Noodles, a newcomer to the Taiwanese Top Ten. ...see full post

#4153: Nissin Cup Noodles Stir Fry Rice With Noodles Japanese Teriyaki Chicken Flavor – United States

#4153: Nissin Cup Noodles Rice With Noodles Japanese Teriyaki Chicken Flavor - United States

These I’ve been going through slowly – I think this one came by way of James from Lakeside CA, but it may have come from Nissin Foods USA – either way, thank you! Last time I messed with a Stir Fry cup I took 4 of the Korean BBQ flavor ones, pulverized them into powder, cooked them in the microwave, and added them to a pie crust to make a savory Christmas pie. Yeah I know – that’s weird. Well, let’s try this one without trying to make a dessert out of it, as fun as that might be… ...see full post

#4150: 7 Select Tomato Basil Pasta Cup – United States

#4150: 7 Select Tomato Basil Pasta Cup - United States

What an interesting thing! You might be surprised to know that while 7 Eleven stores started in the United States, they’re owned and headquartered in Japan now. 7 Select is a range you see over there quite a bit but here it seems to be a new thing. So, a convenient pasta cup. This sounds like fun. It promises to be the finest… Oh man I still feel like crap… I think we all have the ‘rona. This isn’t fun that’s for sure. But hey let’s check this out! ...see full post

#4145: Prince Katsu Hello Kitty Chicken Noodle Soup – United States

#4145: Prince Katsu Hello Kitty Chicken Noodle Soup - United States

This one came by way of the fine folks at Asha Dry Noodle USA – interesting! When they mentioned it to me, I knew who would be fascinated by this – my daughter. Mimi is into Hello Kitty. Anyways, she’s in the episode of Instant Noodle Recipe Time – so check it out! Let’s give this stuff a try! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Bottom Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2022 Edition

The Ramen Rater's Bottom Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2022 Edition

Most of the time, instant noodles tend to be pretty good. Companies tend to create products that they think people will like; why wouldn’t they? Well, sometimes there’s a product that I can’t believe anyone would like. These are my least favorite varieties out of 4,120 reviews. This is definitely a list you really don’t want to be on. One thing to note is that many of these products have been on the market for awhile, so there’s definitely people out there that enjoy them. Everything on this list is reviewed before adding any garnish. Hope you enjoy The Ramen Rater’s Bottom Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2022 Edition! ...see full post

#4143: Charming Couple Biang Biang Garlic Oil Fermented Tofu – Taiwan

#4143: Charming Couple Biang Biang Garlic Oil Fermented Tofu - Taiwan

Wow – I can’t believe I’m still awake and actually being productive. You see, I did an interview for Arirang Radio in South Korea last night – at 2am and then got up around 5:30am… It’s about 6pm now and I’m sincerely beat. Was worth it though – fun interview! Anyways, Just got done editing images for three reviews and now readying posts. Tomorrow is Friday and seems like I ought to do some reviews, so I think I will. I get ’em ready to go the night before, you see. Well, let’s give this one a try! ...see full post

#4141: Sichuan Baijia Lanzhou Artificial Beef Flavor Noodle – China

#4141: Sichuan Baijia Lanzhou Artificial Beef Flavor Noodle - China

I think I recently did another version of this a little while back – that’s usually means it’s been months. Anyways, pretty crazy here now what with Omicron – so I’ve gotten two emails from the kiddos school district saying be prepared if things get worse they’ll be back home with their school tablets again. That would be incredibly unfortunate; they get so much out of socializing. Then again I don’t want my kids getting sick. My son’s fully vaccinated and my daughter got her first one a day after her 5th birthday just before Christmas. ...see full post

Umai Crate Ramen Noodle Subscription Box – May 2022

Umai Crate Ramen Noodle Subscription Box - May 2022

Umai Crate Ramen Noodle Subscription Box – May 2022

Check this out!  These subscription boxes come straight to your door and have some neat stuff inside! Check out www.japancrate.com and use the coupon code THERAMENRATER to score a sweet discount and get some neat noodles! Here’s the latest unboxing of the March 2022 Umai Crate! ...see full post

#4140: Kang Shi Fu Braised Artificial Beef Flavor – China

#4140: Kang Shi Fu Braised Artificial Beef Flavor - China

I thought I would do three reviews in a row from China. Why? Well, it’s January 3rd here and I just got done with the arduous Christmas and New Year’s happenings and I want to show off my new musical instrument. You can watch the video below and on the next two reviews. Be kind – never played a bowed instrument before in my life and never a traditional Chinese instrument. ...see full post

#4139: Prince Katsu Hello Kitty Spicy Noodle Soup – United States

#4139: Prince Katsu Hello Kitty Spicy Noodle Soup - United States

This is an interesting one. It appears this is a variety made just for the United States by Taiwanese company A-Sha, however it is produced in Vietnam. What’s more interesting is that it’s a Hello Kitty licensed product and it’s spicy – better do a mukbang! How spicy could it be with the cutesy factor? We’ll find out. ...see full post

#4137: Phonomenal Bowl – United States

#4137: Phonomenal Bowl - United States

Here’s one that came by way as a Christmas gift from my friend and esteemed author Matthew Bellah of Port Townsend, Wa. My great thanks and appreciation to you, sir. This appears to be a vegetarian friendly bowl that is made in Vietnam and designed by a fellow here in the Pacific Northwest. Sounds interesting – I’ve seen these locally before, but never tried them. Let’s check it out! ...see full post