Seems like it’s been a while since I’ve reviewed something from Nongshim. Well, let’s check out this one – and it’s kimchi flavor!
Category: South Korea
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten South Korean Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition
It’s no secret that I eat a lot of instant noodles. Last year alone, I did 320 new reviews! I’m often asked, “when you aren’t reviewing, what instant noodles do you like to eat?” South Korean ramyun is the answer. In 1963, instant noodles were first introduced to South Korea as ‘ramyun.’ People were a little confused at first; they thought it was a textile! They also weren’t super keen on it being chicken flavored; South Koreans prefer rich beef flavors as opposed to lighter poultry tastes. With a little tweaking, the spicy rich beef noodles synonymous with ramyun were born. The thick noodles, rich broth and spiciness keep me coming back for more. This list contains my favorites from the 1272 reviews I’ve done thus far. They are all made in South Korea, and many will be hard to find in the United States, if not impossible. With that, here’s my list.
#1272: Samyang Foods Baked Noodle Spicy Grilled Beef Ramyun
Happy New Year to everyone! Thought after I did my 2.3 mile walk I’d come home and try some South Korean ramyun! This is one of Samyang Foods’ new baked noodle line. 2013 was the 50th anniversary of ramyun coming to South Korea. Let’s see what this new one is like!
#1250: Samyang Foods 三養라면 (Samyang Ramyun) (South Korean Version)
I’ve had lots of different versions of this. Today it’s the South Korean local one – not the export. Sounds really good to me! Let’s check it out!
#1236: emart Dare You! Habanero Ramyun
On my Top Ten Spicy list, the package version of this is #1. Hottest thing ever – hands down! Well, they also sent me the cup version – let’s see how spicy this sucker’s gonna be!
The Ramen Rater Appears In TV Ad For O’Live South Korean Show
So I did a live taping a few weeks ago for a brand new show on South Korea’s O’Live TV network. As far as the guys on the show, I think one is a K-pop star and the other was on South Korea’s Master Chef. Could be very wrong about that though! If anyone knows, clue me in in a comment. The first episode of the show is all about spicy South Korean ramyun. Here it is!
Recipe: Stir Budalk Bokkumyeon
I saw a recipe that sounded interesting a few weeks ago, and decided I wanted to try it. The issue: I only had one bowl of Samyang Foods’ Budalk Bokkumyeon, a fiery and spicy fest whose close relative the package version made the Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2013 list. I emailed Samyang Foods about it and they kindly sent some as well as some other new varieties.
#1198: Samyang Foods Maesaengyitangmyun Baked Noodle
Here’s a brand new one from Samyang Foods of South Korea. They sent instructions on how to cook them as well as a little info about this new variety:
#1194: Paldo Namja Ramyun King Cup (US Version)
Here it is! Now you can get a big cup of Namja here in the states! I reviewed the South Korean Namja King Cup before, and there are differences between the two. If you’re wondering, Namja means ‘men’s’ or ‘guy’s’ – still wondering if they will make a ramyun for the ladies. Let’s check this new one out.
South Korean Samples From Samyang Foods!
Recently I heard about this recipe using Samyang Foods Budalk Bokkumyeon (Hot fried chicken flavor ramyun). I only have one of the bowls so I needed at least onhe more so I could do a regular review as well as try the recipe. I asked a friend at Samyang Foods if they could possibly send some more and I got a yes! Today this box arrived.
#1187: Nongshim Shin Ramyun Cup (South Korean version)
Here we have a Shin Ramyun cup – this one was bought in South Korea and brought back to me by Kristen W. or Arizona – thanks! Let’s check it out!
#1183: Paldo Cheese Noodle
Here’s something new from Paldo of South Korea – cheese noodle! I am a big fan of cheese! I also like noodles obviously, so this should be a nice pairing. Let’s dig in to some cheesy goodness!
#1181: Samyang Foods Star Popeye Ramyun Snack
Whoa hey what’s this? Here’s another snack made from instant noodles! This one’s from South Korea – let’s check it out!
#1178: Nongshim Shin Black Spicy Pot-au-feu Flavor Premium Noodle Soup
You might be thinking, ‘hey – didn’t he already review this?’ Nope – I reviewed the Shin Ramyun Black cup from South Korea. This is the one that is manufactured here in the United States in Rancho Cucamonga, California.So what is this ‘Pot-au-feu’ flavor? I consulted Wikipedia and found this:
Cheese Ramyun Samples From Paldo
My pal Moses over at Paldo sent me a message the other day: “I’m sending you something…”
Re-Review: Ottogi Bekse Curry Myon
I’ve had a hankering to re-review this one since I had the cup version and really liked it. Made me think maybe I was a little tough on this one when I reviewed it as #121. But now I’m looking through the archives and I gave it a 3.5/5.0 stars, which isn’t bad, then I re-reviewed it and gave it 3.5/5.0 again. Funny, I didn’t think I’d re-reviewed this one… Well, I guess it’s a re-re-revie; I already took the pictures of everything, right? Let’s give this one another peek.
#1160: Samyang Foods Chacharoni
Gotta love the name. This is a South Korean combination of Jjajang (a black bean dish) and noodles. They usually end up nice and hearty with just a sauce and no broth. Let’s check it out!
Recipe: The Ramen Rater’s Shin Ramyun Black Burger
Recently, I came up with the ramyun slider. I thought since I’ve got some Shin Black on hand, why not a full-fledged ramyun burger? This recipe came out great and really wasn’t that hard to do.
A Nice Surprise From Nongshim America!
Was looking at my posts and found this on that I hadn’t posted for some reason – check it out – it’s from 2013
When we got home from the hospital yesterday, I called the apartment office to see if there were any packages – they said there was one. A mailer from Nongshim America – what’s inside?
The Ramen Rater’s Ramyun Sliders
With the recent popularity of the ‘ramen burger,’ I felt it necessary to try them out, but with a twist. South Korean ramyun is easily available by many brand and the noodles are thicker as well as more plentiful than other country’s varieties. Let’s give this a try!
#1134: Hi-Myon Katsuo Udon
Here’s an udon variety – katsuo udon. So what’s katsuo? Katsuo is also called Skipjack Tuna. Here’s an excerpt from a Wikipedia article:
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All time 2013 Edition
This year, we’ve got some new fiery additions to this list of spicy and burning hot varieties. If you can find them, you’ll be feeling quite the burn! If you think you’ve found anything hotter or noteworthy of being on this list, please comment below or send me an email. Without further adieu, here’s the 2013 picks for the spiciest instant noodles I’ve found after 1,128 reviews!
#1113: Samyang Foods 三養라면 (Samyang Ramyun) (SK Version)
Today, it’s a South Korean classic cup. These guys were the very first to introduce ramyun in South Korea back in 1963! I did a Meet The Manufacturer with Samyang Foods- here’s what they have to say about cups:
#1110: GS25 Gonghwachun Jjajangmyun
This was sent to me by Kristina W. of Arizona – thank you! Jjajangmyun is basically a noodle that is coated in a black bean sauce. Let’s check it out!
The Ramen Rater’s Bottom Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time
So after sampling so many varieties of instant noodles over the years, of course there have been some that I didn’t like. There also were some that are so memorable for how awful they were. After people asked what my least favorites were a few times, I thought I should just make a list of them. I should point out that these are on the list because I couldn’t stand them. I’m pretty sure they are all still in production, and the only reason they would be is that people somewhere find them enjoyable. So who knows – you might have a completely different opinion on these than me, but I found them to be absolutely the worst of the worst. With that, here’s The Bottom Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time, 2013 Edition.
#1105: Nongshim Doong Ji Authentic Korean Cold Noodles With Chili Sauce
Here’s one that I’ve waiting to review for a while. This is a variety specifically marketed for the summer months – cold South Korean noodles! Thought I’d consult Wikipedia to give some more information on South Korean cold noodle dishes:
The Ramen Rater Top Ten Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2013 Edition
After more than a year of pondering and reviewing since the last list, here’s the new top ten instant noodle bowls. This encompasses all instant noodle bowls reviewed up to today, June 15th, 2013. With no further adieu, the top ten instant noodle bowls of all time, 2013 edition.
Gol Bim Men Recipe – Paldo Bibim Men with Bai-Top Shell
Today, I’m trying a new recipe sent to me by the folks at Paldo! Summer is right around the corner and this cold noodle dish is great to enjoy during the warmer months of the year. It was first introduced on a South Korean TV show on the KBS network called ‘Happy Together’ (click here to see the video). It uses some ingredients I’ve never heard of before, but I’m sure the folks in South Korea are very familiar with them – Cho Gochujang and Bai-Top Shell. Cho Gochujang is a gochujang infused with vinegar. But what’s bai-top you ask? Sea snails! Never had snails from the sea or otherwise before. Thank you to Moses over at Paldo America for sending me everything to make this! Always excited to try something new.
#1070: HoMyeonDang Premium Noodle House Pork & Seafood Flavor
Here’s one of the leftovers that didn’t get reviewed during the Samyang Foods Meet The Manufacturer. I review up to 15 varieties max in an MTM and they sent over 20 kinds! Awesome! Let’s check it out – I think there’s something neat inside…
#1048: Ottogi Cheese Bokki
Here one that came from Korea by way of Kristen W. of Arizona! Thank you so much! I’ve wanted to review this one for a long time! Let’s check this unique variety out.
#1037: emart Dare You Habanero Jjamppong
Time for some extremely spicy noodles! This is another one from eMart, makers of Dare You Habanero Ramyun. Dare You weighs in at 5,930SHU (Scoville Heat Units) – the hottest I’ve had thus far. This one’s 3,960SHU – not as fiery hot, but definitely not to be trifled with! Jjampong is a seafood soup. You ready?
A Neat Donation From Nongshim America!
The FedEx guy knocked on my window the other day with a package!
Holy cow – a flat of Neoguri and a flat of Chapagetti! I did a review of Chapaguri a couple weeks ago and to say thanks, they made sure I can make it whenever I like! Thanks!
Meet The Manufacturer: #1031: HoMyeonDang Premium Noodle House Don Ramyun
Today is the last review of the Samyang Foods Meet The Manufacturer spotlight. Rest assured, there will definitely be more of their products reviewed in the future – I only do a maximum of 15 reviews in a row for a company during a Meet The Manufacturer and they sent more than 15, so lots of neat stuff coming! I want to thank Samyang Foods for their samples and everything else – really nice people!
Meet The Manufacturer: #1030: Samyang Foods Assorted Vegetables (60 Ingredients) Ramyun (SK Version)
So here in the US, this is simply called Assorted Vegetable – although I think the 60 Ingredients is definitely important. I’d love to know what all of the ingredients are… Let’s check this one out!
Meet The Manufacturer: #1029: Samyang Foods Nagasaki Crab Jjampong
Most people who are keen on South Korean ramyun have heard of the craze for ‘white broth’ ramyuns. Nagasaki Jjampong was Samyang Foods’ entry into the white broth realm, but they made another variety – Nagasaki Crab Jjampong – that has a milder taste. Let’s check it out.
Meet The Manufacturer: #1028: Samyang Foods Buldalk Bokkeummyeon (Hot Fried Chicken Ramyun)
Well this one looks to be extremely spicy. Samyang Foods sent some instructions along as everything on the back of these packages are in Korean. Well, they also added a little advice:
Meet The Manufacturer: #1027: Samyang Foods Yukgaejang Beef Ramyun
Meet The Manufacturer: #1026: Samyang Foods Bajirak Kalgugsu
Okay folks – here’s something I’ve never seen before. This is bajirak kalgugsu. I’ve had kalgugsu before, but this has a special ingredient: actual clams in shells! Here we go!
Meet The Manufacturer: #1025: Samyang Foods Hot Chacharoni
Okay so what’s Hot Chacharoni? Well, its a form of jjajangmyeon. What’s jjajangmyeon? Wheat noodles with a black bean sauce! Pretty much every South Korean instant noodle company has their own take on the popular dish, but this is the only one that I’m aware of that is spicy! Let’s check it out.
Meet The Manufacturer: #1024: HoMyeonDang Premium Noodle House Tofu Fried Noodle
Here’s another of the HoMyeonDang private label varieties. This is a stir noodle – drain the noodles after cooking and add the sauce and stir. Let’s check it out.