Over 5,000 Instant Ramen Noodle Reviews Since 2002
So a reader sent me an image of the 2016 Toip Ten list image that was at a grocery store in Columbus, OH called Saraga. They hadn’t asked to use it and so I got on their case a bit, although asked if we could work together. As a kind gesture, they sent some Korean noodles!
Yamachan let me know about some new varieties! They sent some on ice – let’s check ’em out!
Okay, okay. After being bombarded with people disagreeing with the odrer of the ranking on my The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles list, I thought I’d give this one another go-round.
Time for chicken! I would have sworn I’d reviewed this one before, but apparently not. If I had, it wasn’t this new package version at least. CarJEN has changed their recipes in the past and so it’s reasonable to think that this one could be a new taste. Well, let’s have a look at this chicken variety by Malaysian company CarJEN.
Today we have the second of the Kiki Noodles products – the scallion oil and soy sauce. Definitely a lighter and more mild taste than a Sichuan peppercorn. These noodles come from Tainan in the south of Taiwan. Here’s some background on the city from Wikipedia –
Kiki has two products – this one and a scallion oil variety. Sichuan spicy – that’s an interesting kind of peppery taste. Here’s a little about the pepper from Wikipedia –
Another box! What’s inside?
Bubble wrap!
Small wrapped items…
Hey great (click to enlarge)! Both kinds of seasonings! Thank you!
So the samples in the first box got a little banged up, so they sent some more. I see the tape of doom… Let’s see how they did!
A package! Let’s open it up!
Two packages (click to enlarge)!
A pack of the spicy variety (click to enlarge).
Here’s one Samyang Foods sent me recently – thank you! It sounds good to me, but I know one person who would not like this. My son Andy really doesn’t like kimchi. Oh yeah – my friend Matt B. doesn’t like it either – in fact, I opened a big jar of it and tried to get him to taste it, but when he smelled it when opened. He recoiled and started yelling. I dunno why; I think its good! Here’s a little about it from Wikipedia –
Here’s one from Javier over at www.BoxFromJapan.com – thank you! So Box From Japan is a subscription service – every month, you can get a different four bowls of instant ramen from Japan – pretty awesome! This one’s dandanmen – let’s see what Wikipedia has to say about this variety –
Last moth I was looking for a specific variety at a local Korean grocery called Boo Han Market in Edmonds, Washington. Much to my chagrin, they have changed their instant noodle section! It used to be way in the back and kind of lackluster. Now it’s right up front and they’ve got an even better selection than before. That’s where I found this interesting instant noodle snack.
These came by Way of my sister Sue – thanks! She found them up in Canada – I believe at PriceSmart Foods in Richmond, BC. Been a couple of years since I made the trip north in search of instant noodles for my birthday. The way I look at it, I have to lay off Canada for a little while to let the big stores up there percolate; then they’ll have new stuff I’ve not tried. Well, hopefully. Last time I found a lot of the same stuff from the time before.
Okay so first off, what’s GGE? Well, it stands for Good Good Eat. I’ve reviewed other varieties that were simnply called ‘Everybody Loves Good Good Eat.’ The little girl with the big hair is usually on the packaging (I think she’s the mascot) and usually has a somewhat happy expression, although I have seen her looking wistful or depressed at times.
After years of reviewing, I’ve seen them all. Well, not every single instant noodles (definitely not every single Cup Noodle(s)) but quite a few.
Here’s one that comes by way of a reader named Colin from Massachusetts – thanks again! So I’ve reviewed a slew of these packets of udon in the past. It’s been a while though – don’t know that I’ve ever seen this hot and sour either. Udon is a lot different when it comes to noodles than your standard instant – here’s a little from Wikipedia –
Here’s one of the packs left over from the Tat Hui Meet The Manufacturer. They sent around 36 kinds and I only do a max of 15 varieties for a Meet The Manufacturer series. I looked at Wikipedia for some words on curry in Singapore, however got this about Malaysia – they’re neighbors so hope that’s alright –
Here’s a new one – sent by Javier at Box From Japan! Thankj you! So Box From Japan is a subscription service. Indeed, you can lay out a few bucks every month and get a box with four really decent instant ramen from Japan to your door – definitely one to check out if you’re into Japanese food and culture
This one was sent by Anders and Ji-Min from South Korea! Thanks again! So here’s Paldo’s new extreme foray into the uber spicy class of instant ramyun. I really enjoy seeing these – especially how neat the packaging looks.
This pepper duck variety was sent by Colin from Massachusetts – thanks again! It really took me a long time to warm up to duck. I think honestly the reason being was the fact that I never had the real thing until I went to Asia. Indeed, I’ve had duck in Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan and it’s definitely been a highlight of those trips. It’s got a strong flavor which is definitely one a lot of people might not be familiar with (like myself in the past). I would say that the best term for it is rich.
s
Here’s one that Colin from Massachusetts sent – thanks again! So this one looks a lot like the Hong Kong versions, however this is the Chinese version. Here’s a little about XO Sauce and what it is from Wikipedia –
Here’s a bowl I got at a local Korean store – Boo Han Market – in Edmonds, Washington. I was looking for something else and found this. So there’s a company that makes this style but in instant noodles, not udon. Curious to see how they differ insofar as the heat and flavor. Indeed, let’s give this one a go!
This is one that Kamran R. of Ramen Regret Rater sent me from Australia – thanks! I believe this is the first variety I will review from Nissin Indonesia. Looks like it will be spicy – rasa pedas means ‘spicy flavor,’ and it has a big angry pepper in the picture on the front of the package. Indeed, Indonesia has a lot of spicy instant noodles on the market – and for the most part I’ve enjoyed them very much.
Got an email from Samyang Foods asking to verify my address for a shipment of samples a week or so ago! Today the box arrived in all it’s glory! Wonder what’s inside? Let’s see!
This is one I was sent by Daniel of Exotic Noods, a subscription service specializing in instant noodles. I should note that this was something special he put in after a recent trip to Taiwan – thanks again! So these are manufactured by Wei Lih for TTL. TTL stands for Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor. Tobacco and liquor – what?! Indeed, this is a boozy noodle. It contains rice wine, something apparently that goes well in noodles and cooking. Ireviewed the bowl version of this a few weeks back.
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2017 Edition is a list of the best bowls I’ve tried of the over 2400 reviews posted to date. Bowls are interesting insofar as they often contain extra things, since there is more room for sachets, spoons, fork, etcetera. As always, I implore instant noodle manufacturers to contact me – I would love to review your products and all it costs is sending some samples and your time! So sit back, grab a bowl, some hot water, peel back the lid, stir – and enjoy!
Seems like a little while since I did a pack instant ramen from Japan. This is one I found during my trip to Taiwan last November at the Carrefour in Taipei by the Miramar Entertainment Park. I tell you – they had quite an impressive instant noodle aisle – like 4 aisles really. So this one is a shio instant ramen. Here’s a little from Wikipedia about shio –
There are some varieties that I hear people raving out about a lot and I start thinking ‘I should re-review this one.’ Well, today’s the day. I even have a little story about these which is sort of funny.
I think I found this one at HMart a little while back. Indeed, I must say the nomenclature is pretty interesting; I mean, c’mon – commit to a name already! Alright so this is a katsuo udon variety – let’s ask Wikipedia about katsuo udon –
Way, way, way back, I had one of these packs. I bought it at a local Asian grocery and never reviewed it. That was 15 years back and it has been haunting me ever since.
My friend Javier over at www.BoxFromJapan.com sent over the new ramen box for June! Thank you! Box From Japan is a purveyor of not only monthly subscription boxes of instant ramen bowls but you can also get neat boxes of candy and other neat stuff! Let’s see what’s within!
This one was a surprise. Okay, so one question people ask me from time to time is ‘where can I get the noodles, but not the seasoning?’ Indeed, there actually are many many ways one can do trhis. Here’s yet another. So I’ve had sari ramen in the past as well, however it was with a different name. Sari ramen is (you guessed it) a single pack of instant noodles and no flavoring.
About a year ago I was contacted by a man in South Korea. He was very interested in knowing my story – he also wanted me to help him and contribute to a book he was writing. He seemed like a nice guy so I figured hey – sounds like fun!My only stipulation was that when done, that he would send me three copies.Well, the book is finished! It’s in Korean and I can’t read it unfortunately, but I’m hoping someone will be able to help me out on that soon.
I don’t think I’ve had a satay flavor variety in a long time so this should be interesting. Indeed, we should see what Wikipedia has to say about satay –
Today we have something I find interesting. I’ve heard before about the popularity of ‘Singapore Noodles’ in Britain, and that they’re not actually from Singapore. Here’s a little about that from Wikipedia –
I often remember my experience with corn in Southeast Asia in the past, however it wasn’t involving a creamy soup. First off, you don’t see corn very often – definitely nowhere near as much as you see it here in the United States. What I did see what in the Penang International Airport, they had a little snack stand. I think they had ice cream, beefburgers (they call them that because ham is not taken by so many people over there and just calling it a beefburger makes sure there’s no confusion), and corn in a cup. Here, we have corn on the cob. However over there I saw this corn in a cup – I asked our host what this was all about. Basically, it’s not popcorn, but yellow corn in a cup with butter and seasonings.
Today we have a rice noodle variety. Pho is a noodle soup that hails originally from Vietnam – here’s a little about it from Wikipedia –
I’ve always found that sesame seeds get stuck in my teeth. Yeah, they do. However, I still like them. I think I like pretty much anything sesame – especially sesame oil. I also like spicy things. Sounds like a slam dunk here but I suppose we will have to see.
Previously, I reviewed the package version of Laksa Singapura – the Delight version. The Signature and Delight ranges have a couple of key difference in that the Delight is non-fried whereas the Signature are fried.
