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This list is coming a bit late this year, but I figure late is definitely better than never. This one’s comprised of varieties made in, and specifically for the US market. Some really tasty stuff here is your backyard if you didn’t know! These are my favorite US varieties out of reviews up to review 4,650 that are currently on the market. Got something I’ve not tried? Hit me up! Anyways, let’s check out The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten American Instant Noodles Of All Time 2024 Edition!
Man, I’ve been itching to get my hands on this stuff for quite awhile and finally it showed up at my local grocery store. This is a pretty good range – especially the sizzlin’ rich pork – that one’s excellent. Let’s see if the Mongols can conquer them all!
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
Well, here’s the last of the big Soba varieties that Nissin Germany sent – thanks again! I’ve got a bunch of other Nissin Germany stuff to review so that will be forthcoming. Let’s give it a try.
So my sister is really into German stuff and when I review these, I save the plastic cups for her knick knack shelf. Just noticed this appears to have a Vegan logo on the lower right there. This morning, my wife is flying to the memorial service for her grandfather in California, so I’ve got a few days solo with the kids which will be nice but we’re already missing her. Her grandfather was quite a guy – I did a slideshow for them with music if you want to check it out. He was a 3 time purple heart recipient and was in WWII. He was a neat guy and will really be missed. Anyways, let’s cook up some yakisoba!
Another one from Pher Engi of Australia – Thank you!! This looks to be a play on Buldak perhaps which usually is nott a good idea. However, you never know. Let’s see how spicy this is.
This looks interesting – haven’t seen this range before, so assuming it’s new! This is from Nissin’s German arm and is a collab between them and different ramen restaurants in Japan – pretty cool. Let’s give it a try!
This is the second of two pack versions of Nissin Fire Wok, this time a beef variant. This one’s supposed be hotter than the chicken one I reviewed prior – I guess we will see.
I was contacted by Nissin USA a few weeks ago and learned about this one and it sounded interesting. Indeed, their Fire Wok bowls are quite good – especially the Sizzlin’ Rich Pork. Pack versions? Interested! So I hit them up and they provided. There’s this one and another. Let’s give it a try!
When Nissin USA contacted me about pack versions, I was very interested – and they were kind enough to send some! Today we’ll unbox – and following this one I’ll share a review of the chicken variety as well as a mukbang, so stay tuned!
Another great one sent by Pher Engi – thanks again! I used to see these very commonly – never this variety though. They’d have ton of them at 99 Ranch Market and now I don’t see them at all. Very strange. Well, this one looks really good so without further ado let’s cook ’em up!
Big thanks to the folks at Nissin Foods Germany for sending this and quite a few others my way! These are really neat cups and now they’re even bigger! That means a lot of yakisoba. Let’s make it!
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp snack box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
Recently, my wife and I inherited an air fryer. We’re pretty late to the ‘revolution’ of a tabletop convection oven on steroids that can make crispy french fries and chicken nuggets like nothing else. But of course, you probably guessed instant noodles wouldn’t be far behind. This is my first attempt, but most certainly not my last. I didn’t do any research – I decided to just wing it after making a few things over the past two days. Let’s see what happened!
Back in 2016, I reviewed this one before my son Miles was a year old. This was my 2000th review at that time, and I found it to be really quite good. It came in a special sunscription box (which I’ll tell you about below), and I figured it was due another look. Nissin Chikin Ramen was the first variety on the market in 1968 – and it didn’t have a seasoning sachet; the seasoning was in the noodle. This one is that way as well, and includes a freeze dried block with egg and other ingredients. This was also the first instant noodle I fell in love with when my favorite at age 8 or so was discontinued (Nissin Roasted Ramen). When my parents took me to Seattle to Uwajimaya, a big Japanese grocery, they asked them what was comparable and they steered me towards Nissin Chikin Ramen. I also saw all the different varieties on hand as well and was instantly transfixed; so much foreign text! Exotic flavors! I’m making this bowl today and going to let my daughter Mimi try it when she gets home from school.
Back in 2017 when the world was young (before I started Instant Noodle Recipe Time), this one graced my desk with its packaging exclaiming ‘more shrimptacular.’ The packaging has changed a bit and I got this one as part of a media kit espousing the virtue of their new Cup Noodles Fish Head Curry (which were quite good, I might add). Nissin Singapore has sent some really quite amazing and well thought out media kits as of late – can’t wait for more of them! Let’s give this new packaging cup a try.
Happy birthday to Nissin Cup Noodles! They originally debuted in 1971. The product came about when Momofuku Ando (Nissin’s founder) noticed travelers on flights along for cups of hot water to add pieces of instant noodle blocks to. Check out all their varieties!
Here’s an interesting one from Japan found in a Zenpop box – check out zenpop.jp and use the coupon code THERAMENRATER for a discount!
Here’s an interesting one from Japan found in a Zenpop box – check out zenpop.jp and use the coupon code THERAMENRATER for a discount!
Well, shoot. We come to the end of the BIG Cup Noodles from Singapore with this one, which saddens me. They were a lot of fun, but I wager they may have saved the best for last. They mentioned this one is very popular. I love tom yam – nice and spicy, seafoody, and full of lemongrass flavor. Let’s give it a try!
This is the third of four varieties which came in a big Cup Noodles bucket from Singapore! The bucket is really quite large which is pretty neat. This one sounds interesting; I do quite enjoy cheese as well as curry – let’s give it a try!
Here’s another one that came out February 2nd – a big Seafood cup! This and three others arrived in a special media box from Nissin Singapore early February – thanks again! Let’s give it a try!
Here’s an interesting one from Japan found in a Zenpop box – check out zenpop.jp and use the coupon code THERAMENRATER for a discount!
This came out of a special media kit box from Sinigapore’s arm Nissin Foods – thank you! They send some pretty cool stuff from over there and this is no exception. It debuted February 2nd of 2023 as well as their BIG Cup Noodles Seafood Flavour as well. Let’s give this one a try!
Quite a few years ago, July 8th, 2013 to be precise, I came out with my first The Ramen Rater’s Bottom Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time. I got the idea from a guy who worked at one of the world’s leading instant noodle companies. He asked ‘you have top tens, why not a bottom ten?’ I weighed the idea carefully. I could really piss off a great deal of people with my list. But what the hell – I do that already with my top tens – people are always disagreeing, and that’s fine. Ten years later, it’s time for my tenth installment of The Ramen Rater’s Bottom Ten Instant Noodles list. These are the worst (in my personal opinion) varieties I’ve ever had – mind you this is out of 4,400 reviews. Definitely not a list anyone wants to be on. What companies like I’m sure is when a product falls off the list and a new one gains my ire. This time it’s a horror show theme, done up with AI. Well, let’s check them all out – and remember, if you like some of these, that’s fine with me – just don’t expect me to eat them with you.
Here’s an interesting one from Japan found in a Zenpop box – check out zenpop.jp and use the coupon code RAMENRATER for a discount!
First off, thanks to Daniel over at Exotic Noods for sending this and a few others over recently – check out his website!
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
Back in mid 2018, I reviewed this right after their ‘new recipe’ change for review #2910. Around that time, it seemed that US manufacturers decided to change the product names of economy pillow packs that were initially known as ‘Oriental’ flavor to Soy Sauce. The term ‘Oriental’ has come under fire in recent years, hence the change. What does Oriental mean? Basically it derives from Latin, meaning ‘of the east’ – the opposite being Occidental being ‘of the west.’ From what I’ve gathered from running the Ramen Junkie facebook group for a while as this has come up from time to time is that many things and businesses will use the term; ‘insert city name here’ Oriental Market for example, however it isn’t a term to be used for people, at least that’s what I found. I read an L.A. Times article about this very subject that I thought was very interesting – you can read it here. One particular quote from the author I found fascinating was ‘A funny thing I noticed is that my Caucasian colleagues, not my Asian colleagues, are most eager to remove Oriental from public discourse.’
The other day I did the competitor’s tray noodle – that was teriyaki beef as well. Been years and years since I’d reviewed either of them. They’re both economy tray varieties and they both dwell on the soup aisle. Let’s give this one a try.
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
A long time coming, this one. A reader named Cian sent me this one (thanks again!) as well as a few other Brazilian varieties. He sent the chocolate version of this which was a real score – but this one led me down a research rabbit hole, but yesterday I caught the rabbit. Beijinho is a Brazilian treat – see those little balls in the bowl? Beijinho is basically condensed milk and powdered sugar mixed with unsweetened coconut, chilled, made into balls, and then rolled in more unsweetended coconut and topped with a clove. Problem is the cloves alone were kind of spendy and all the coconut you find here is sweetened. It seemed that making it myself would be a little tricky as well as expensive. I asked in local groups and people mentioned Kitanda, a Brazilian cafe/bakery/mini store in Kirkland, Washington. First time we went, no dice – they only had the chocolate ones. The second time, however – they had what I was looking for, but sans clove and that’s what I’ll be using for garnish. So, let’s do up this 4500th review!
Pretty stoked – found this locally in Kirkland (no, not Costco, but the city of which is where Costco started, actually) at a coffee shop/store called Kitanda. What’s kind of a bummer though is that caldinho de feijao is a creamy black bean soup and what it appears is a standard garnish is nothing I have in my kitchen. Hmm… Well, I’ll make do with what I’ve got .
This came out of a box from Frank over at 5amRamen! Check out his stuff over at www.instantramen.jp – use the coupon code THERAMENRATER for a discount! Super premium stuff!
I’m very happy to say that I found this one locally! Brazilian instant noodles only a town over! So, I’m trying to find something specific to go with review #4500 – abd the only place I can get it is a coffee joint called Kitanda. Really great place with coffee and acai smoothies and a baklery and a small grocery selection – all Brazilian. They’ve got instant noodles! What I’m looking for is something called Beijinho – so that’s a giveaway for what it’s going to be. Anyways, let’s do up this one which is flavor of young hen.
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
This came out of a box from Frank over at 5amRamen! Check out his stuff over at www.instantramen.jp – use the coupon code THERAMENRATER for a discount! Super premium stuff!
