Time for another one of these HaiChiJia broad noodle bowls. The last one was extremely good. Hoping this one’s got a good balance – too strong of Sichuan peppercorn kind of puts me off. We shall see…
Category: Other
#4948: Maruchan Yakisoba Chili Cheese Flavor – United States
Hey look – a new one! Big thanks to Maruchan for sending – they sent me a nice assortment of these – maybe time to do a Definitive Guide on these hmmm… This one sounds like fun – let’s do it up.
#4943: Chun Noodles Rich Sesame Flavor – Taiwan
Found this one at S*Mart in Bellevue, Washington. Who doesn’t like noodles? Well, these have been interesting to research and so far no great luck. I think we expected this to be onion oil flavor, but I’m getting flax and sesame (sesame seems more likely) upon searching and translation. Let’s give it a go!
#4939: Bashu Family Biang Biang – China
I’m pretty sure there’s no panda in this. I’m a big fan of biangbiang – wide sauce noodle. Let’s give it a try.
#4935: Vifon Asian Style Instant Rice Noodles “Phnom Penh” Style – Vietnam
Found this one at Evergreen Asian Market in Everett, Washington. I found quite a few Vietnamese varieties there I looked up in my archives, found a bowl version of this which was my fifth review. Those early early reviews are definitely out of order, but it was definitely one of the first 30 I tried back in 2002-2003. Well, let’s give this one a try.
#4933: Haichijia Instant Broad Noodles With Sesame Paste – China
Hey look at this! I’ve reviewed the large cups before with pics of Bobby Yip on them. Found these larger sized bowls at S*Mart in Bellevue, Washington recently. Sesame paste broad noodle sounds quite nice – let’s give it a go!
#4932: Omachi Instant Noodles With Tomato Sauce – Vietnam
Here’s one I found over at Evergreen Asian Market in Everett, WA! I’ve had this many years ago and never simply found it in the ‘wild.’ My buddy Stumpy, who now resides in North Little Rock, AR found it for me while living in Everett in 2012. Here’s that review. Twelve years ago – not The Beforetime, but quite a while ago. Let’s check it out – by the way I found plenty more from this brand today and that was really exciting – been wanting to find stuff from these folks for awhile.
#4931: MAMA Oriental Style Instant Noodles Chand Clear Soup – Thailand
Found this one at S*Mart yesterday. I remember a very short time ago a person asked me if I’d review this one again. It’d been a great while, So I just thought I’d look and see how long it had been. The last time I reviewed this is when it was review #35! The date on it is June of 2009! My God! I haven’t reviewed this since The Beforetime. The Beforetime was the time before I met my wife Kit; when the universe was darkness. As I remember, I made the decision that IO wanted to move my website from being like this and transcribing the posts to the blogger platform. Then, I decided to migrate the site over to WordPress.com. I think that this is when I did that – back in 2009. This review could have been done between 2002 and 2009, most likely around 2004 is my guess. But today I’ll try this one again – definitely with much more experience. Let’s give it a try.
#4930: Ottogi Yeul Ramen – South Korea
I think I’ve mentioned recently being almost out of instant noodle varieties to review. Well, I went to HMart today. It’s a Monday. That doesn’t usually happen as it’s probably a two hour or more walk each way. Anyways, I went with my wife, the lovely Kit. See, she got a tooth pulled that was giving her trouble on Friday. Then she had to go back because they missed a couple bits on Saturday. It’s been pure hell for her. Today, we went back to the dentist to look – was worried about dry socket (nope) and infection (nope) – but they gave her more meds and other stuff so hoping that helps. Anyways, got to spend the day with her as she works in a call center and talking on the phone all day when you have trouble opening your mouth as it hurts… This is one that should hurt pretty good – I’ve been wanting to do this spicy one for quite a long time. Well, let’s give it a go!
#4924: Pamana Champorado Chocolate Rice Porridge – United States
Here’s one that you might find on an instant noodle aisle. It was sent by James from Lakeside, California. It looks like I’m just about out of varieties to review at this point here in February 2024… Hmm… That kind of works out alright as tomorrow is Friday and I’ve done 3 varieties a day every day this week and a couple days last week, trudging towards the big 5000. Chocolate rice porridge is most certainly not ramen, but it’s worth a look. So let’s look.
#4923: Nongshim Baehongdong Jjoljjolmyeon – South Korea
This one was found at HMart. So let’s delve into jjolmyeon – here’s Wikipedia’s info –
#4919: Nissin Cup Noodles Campfire S’mores Ramen Noodles In Sauce – United States
Well, here we go again – and I like that. This is a fascinating newcomer to the range of unique Cup Noodles for customers in the United States. Pumpkin Spicy, Breakfast, Everything Bagel, and now some s’mores. I really enjoy these new varieties to try – they’ve been popping off with new and unique varieties in Japan for years – neat to see new stuff here in the USA! I’m really curious how this one will be. Let’s give it a go.
#4912: Nongshim Ramyun Wang Kim Tong KKae – South Korea
Here’s another one from my recent visit to HMart. In English, this is Instant Noodle with Seaweed-Sesame Flavor. Makes sense now, eh? This is part of a new range I saw at the store. Let’s check it out!
#4910: Ginding Cuanki Express – Indonesia
Big thanks to Pher Engi for sending this one! Okay you’re probably wondering what cuanki is and I can say that I want to visit Indonesia and give it and try it. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about it –
#4909: Pulmuone Doenjang Stew Ramen – South Korea
Had a great day yesterday – went and walked all the way to my wife’s work for the first time which was fun, going through forest, construction areas galore and under/over passes. Then we hit Costco and then HMart! Found this at HMart which was very cool. Haven’t heard of doenjang jjigae – a regular popular stew from South Korea before. Let’s give it a try!
#4908: Nongshim Noodle Salad With Sesame Vinaigrette – United States
Hooray for cold noodles! Nongshim has flirted with a few cold noodle varieties – they had a buckwheat zaru soba a few years ago. I think their Doong Ji is really good as well. This one’s new and I am guessing somewhat akin to a hiyashi chuka soba. Let’s give it a whirl.
#4906: MAMA Oriental Style Instant Noodles Mi Goreng Flavor – United States
Yes, made in Thailand but most definitely packaging for export to the United States. I reviewed this waaaaaaay back – September 2010. I’m guessing a few changes have occurred in the last 13+ years. Let’s give it a try as I see people trying this from time to time.
#4901: Sapporo Ichiban 70th Anniversary Goma Miso Ramen Cup – Japan
Well look at this. Wow. Only 99 reviews until I’ve tried 5000 varieties. That’s crazy! Now I have to figure out what I’m doing for the 5000th review. Has to be something awesome. Well, here goes with 4901!
#4899: Myojo Ippai Manzoku Shoyu Noodle – Japan
Here’s one that came in a subscription box – here’s what they had to say about it – ‘Satisfy your noodle cravings without breaking your stomach with Myojo Shokuhin’s “Ippai Manzoku Shoyu Noodle”! This one’s all about living a balanced life. Whether you’re a student, working, and looking for a quick, satisfying meal (満足, manzoku, satisfying), these noodles have got your back. And it’s not just any noodles; it’s the “Myojo Ippai Satisfaction Soy Sauce Flavored Noodles.” They’re designed to give you just the right amount of happiness without overdoing it. It’s all about enjoying a balanced life, one tasty slurp at a time. So make sure you’ve got your chopsticks in hand, because these noodles are ready to make your mealtime an “ippai” (full) experience. Delicious and oh-so-satisfying – what more could you ask for? 🍜’
#4898: Myojo Shigoku no Ippai Miso Ramen – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
#4896: Sapporo Ichiban Pokémon Noodle Consommé Shoyu – Japan
Here’s one that came in asubscription box – here’s what they had to say about it – ‘Sapporo Ichiban re-released their classic Consommé Soy Sauce instant ramen in a new Pokémon collaboration. ⚡ The dish is simple, taste, well-balanced and comes with the umami of chicken! Even the noodles are slightly seasoned so that every slurp bring you some flavors. On the topping side you’ll find some cabbage, minced meat, onions and carrots 🥕 What’s new, is the original Pokémon packaging and a new series of stickers to collect! Keep them safe, they might be worth gold in the future!’
#4895: Maruchan Men-no-suke Tategata Kamodashi Soba – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop box – here’s what they had to say about it – ‘Toyo Suisan delivers a symphony of flavors and ingredients with this duck, bonito based ramen cup. The soba noodles are a perfect transistor for the tingle of the seven spice chili seasoning. But this tingle dances upon not only the elegant fatty duck flavor, but also the umami of shiitake and seaweed. Duck based stock is known to be a healthier alternative in Japan, though we won’t promise any effect in that department… That said, the amount is very satisfying, especially coming in a convenient cup!’
#4892: Acecook Super Cup 35SHU no Spice de Shiageru Negi-Shio Yakisoba – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box. Here’s what they had to say about it – ‘Do you like spices? This cup is for you. Acecook went big for their 35th anniversary of Super Cup (スーパーカップ), and they used just as many spices for this delicious serving of yakisoba. It’s perfect for those last few days of summer, with refreshing flavors of lemongrass, rounded noodles that are a perfect match for the sauce and all those unique aromas. 🍋 The seasoning has a solid salt base, together with a mix of chicken, pork, and garlic. They opted for something simple so that the 35 spices could really do their job and magnify all the flavors. All of them have been blended in an original furikake (ふりかけ) that’ll leave you a lovely aftertaste in your mouth. The dish is topped with fragrant sesame, a sprinkle of green onions, and red pickled ginger.’
#4890: Pamana Ube Champorado Ube Rice Porridge – United States
Here’s one that came by way of James from Lakeside, California – thanks again! These can be found with the instant noodles however certainly aren’t. These are made in the US but for the Filipino crowd here. Let’s get it started.
#4888: Sapporo Ichiban Cup Star Miso Ramen – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box . This one came in a special ‘triple box’ from Zenpop. It didn’t come with descriptions of everything, but Cup Star is a popular range from Sapporo Ichiban – and they’re generally pretty good. Let’s miso it up!
#4887: Daikoku Akagi Chuka Soba – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box. Here’s what they had to say about it – ‘There’s plenty of hearty ramen bowls in this box so we’re happy to introduce you to this taste breaker! Chuka Soba focuses on a more crisp soy based soup that goes well with the chewy thin noodles. This combo creates a refreshing nostalgic taste that takes you back to the origin of Ramen in Japan. The toppings include green onion, bright egg, Naruto-maki, bamboo sprouts and even freeze dried grilled pork!’
#4878: Maruchan Gekimen Kouhaku Mochi Ramen – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box. Here’s what they had to say about it – ‘We’re entering the celebration season and for Gekimen Wonton noodles, it’s not just new years that’s cause for celebration! It’s the 45th anniversary of this product, so Toyo Suisan is releasing a special version which you are looking at in your box! This special wontonmen is topped with red and white mochi to create a feeling of festivity, as both the colors and mochi represent just this. And we haven’t even mentioned the taste yet! Gekimen is all about young people living passionately, and this bowl embodies this with a hearty stock and honest crunchy and flavorful toppings like green onion, bamboo shoots and Naruto.’
#4877: Mee Mee Chili Wantan Mee – Malaysia
This is the last of the varieties from Meet Mee – they were all pretty good! This one sounds good too. It’s so cold here – walked 3+ miles in it – definitely less than my usual outing but it’s really quite cold and my finger were burning. Anyways, this should be nice and warm – let’s give it a try!
#4876: Saymyeon Kimchi Noodle Soup – United States
Here’s one I think came by way of James from Lakeside, California – thanks! This is the second of two from this brand. Sounds good – let’s give it a go.
#4873: Sapporo Ichiban Cup Star Curry Udon – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
#4871: Snapdragon Spicy AF Ramen Super Spicy Noodle Soup – United States
Okay so yes, these are made in Vietnam but made for the US market. Interesting name for starters – kind of surprising. That aside, I’m kind of curious about thsi one. I’m guessing it isn’t going to be AF’ing spicy as the nomenclature connotes. I am noticing in the ingredients this stuff employs capsicum oleoresin which is extractive of peppers. Let’s find out – an eating video at the bottom.
#4867: Seventeen EatsOn Sweet & Spicy Topokki – South Korea
Looks like we have a Korean boy band with a ton of dudes. Yep. There’s a lot of these tie-ins in Korean varieties. There used to be one that was called DJ Doc which was a tteokbokki and ramyeon variant that was really great – that was the first one I’d seen. Anyways, can’t complain about tteokbokki, that’s for sure. Let’s give it a try!
#4864: Maruchan Ore no Shio – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
#4855: Ibumie Penang LadMee – Malaysia
So here’s one I reviewed way way way back – here’s the last time I tried it, review #923 – from November 20212. That’s a while back! Curious what I’ll think of this this time around. Let’s find out!
#4854: Baijia Shanghai Onion Oil Dry Noodles – China
I thought this one sounded interesting while I perused the noodle aisle at the Edmonds, WA 99 Ranch Market. I suppose it could be full of Sichuan peppercorn, either oil or dry powder, but I tend to doubt it. But, the proof is in the tasting – let’s give it a try.
#4852: Saymyeon Janchi Noodle Soup – United States
Big thanks to James from Lakeside, California for sending this along! Never heard of this brand before, nor this variety. Let’s give it a try!
#4851: Maruchan Tounyu Goma Miso Udon – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
#4849: Tokushima Seifun Kin Chan Noodle Tenshinmen Fu – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
#4845: Men-No Sunaoshi Miso Ramen – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – here’s what they had to say about it – ‘Miso is a paste created by fermenting soybeans with other ingredients. So if you think about it, as the bean “dies” in the process of returning to life as tasty miso, it’s almost like the Zombie of the soy world! …what, no? A bit of a stretch to fit the Halloween theme, perhaps? No matter, the taste of the miso speaks for itself. This bowl is very portable and has wakame seaweed topping, really adding to the volume of ingredients.🎃’
#4842: Maruchan Men-no-suke Sukiyaki Flavored Udon – Japan
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!