Today my wife asked me if I had any non-spicy noodles without much broth. It’s pretty rare for her to ask me to make her some noodles; she’s not the biggest fan of them, and really doesn’t like broth – she’s usually game for yakisoba or mi goreng as long as it isn’t spicy. I looked around through my stores of noodles – the ones in my son’s room, the ones under my desk, the ones that arrived the other day that are sitting in boxes in front of the fireplace. So this is the one I thought she might like. These are by a company that ranked high on my top ten Taiwanese instant noodles list that I contacted, asking if they could possibly send some varieties I couldn’t get here – and they did. Let’s see how we like them.
Category: Pork
#1577: MAMA Pork Flavour Whole Wheat Noodle
Here’s an interesting one made in Thailand by Thai President Foods. Why’s it interesting? Well, aside from being a whole wheat noodle, it’s definitely for the Scandinavian market. I think it’s interesting how many companies have popular products both in their home countries and abroad, but especially in Scandinavia. Let’s have a look at this product from MAMA!
4th Annual Momofuku Ando Day: #1567: Nissin Emergency Cup Noodle
Having an emergency? Well then, hunker down in your shelter and boil some water! This is a fine dinner for two of Nissin Cup Noodle in a neat metal can, sealed for long life.
#1564: A-One Mì Ly Instant Noodles Mì Thịt Xào Pork Flavor
Last spring, I remember my son and I took a walk to the local Asian grocery when we were living in Edmonds, WA. We were getting something for my wife for Mother’s Day I believe! Anyways, as always I like to take a stroll down the instant noodle aisle (no big shock, right?). I found a few different varieties of these A-One cups and got them. This is a pork flavored one – from Vietnam. Let’s check out what’s inside!
#1547: Vedan Volcano Spicy Pork Noodle
Here’s an interesting one which I got some great help in translating from Bobby Y. – thank you as always! I kind of ran into a hitch when I was trying to translate this: 台湾泡面 味丹双响炮 碗装方便面 火山岩烧豚骨汤面110G 6个包邮 and then got this from Google: Taiwan Vedan Pom instant noodles bowl of instant noodles volcanic burning dolphin soup surface 110G 6 个 shipping. Volcanic burning dolphin soup does sound interesting though! Another thing he was able to verify was that there’s a little sachet that is to be enjoyed as a snack while you wait for the noodles to steep and aren’t actually an ingredient – we’ll go more into that in the directions. Anyways, let’s check this one from Taiwan out!
#1541: Wu-Mu Steam Pork Flavor Ramen
Here’s one of these Wu-Mu 4 packs I’ve not reviewed before – steam pork. I think there’s steam, simmered, stewed and maybe another one. That’s quite the array! Anyways, let’s check this one out!
#1535: Sau Tao Oat Noodle Pork Rib Flavored
I used to a lot of barbecuing a few years back and one thing I always liked to grill up were pork ribs. I would often have a couple of friends over and we would drink a few beers and exclaim ‘spicy pork ribs’ in a strange overdone Southern accent which would end up sounding more like Boss Hogg from Dukes Of Hazzard screaming ‘spassy poke relbs.’ I always liked to get the boneless ‘country style’ ribs in bulk and then do a nice dry rub. Nowadays, I don’t barbecue as much (mainly because I don’t have a barbecue) and my wife’s Uncle Joe has a really snazzy barbecue rig that you can control wirelessly and slow cook/smoke meats for hours effortlessly. His stuff comes out just amazingly – so now I leave it the pros. American barbecue ribs are generally a lot different than what you’ll find in Asia. Sau Tao is a company out of Hong Kong which makes a lot of different varieties of noodles. Today it’s oat noodles. They’re non-fried and have a nice texture to them (at least the ones I’ve had in the past did). Let’s check out Sau Tao’s Oat Noodles with Pork Ribs flavor!
#1513: MAMA Instant Noodles Tom Yum Pork Flavour
Last night was my son’s teacher conference. I remember when I was a kid – I always dreaded these, knowing I’d probably get a lecture or something. Well, I am proud to say my son is doing absolutely wonderful in school this year. He’s had some problems in the past, but they look to have really gone by the wayside and I couldn’t be prouder of him. We love you, Andy – keep up the good work! You rock!
#1502: JinMaiLang Artificial Pork Flavor Noodles
JinMaiLang is an interesting brand. I’ve found their logo on a lot of seasoning sachets that are in different branded packaging – Golden Wheat comes to mind first. This is known as ‘private labeling’.’ Basically, say I wanted to have a The Ramen Rater brand instant noodles, but I didn’t want to have a factory. I could call on a company and say ‘hey – I like this variety you make – can you make it but use these graphics for the outer packaging?’ Boom – private labeling. Usually if you see something like ‘made for [company] by [company]’ that’s a clear indicator. Anyways, these look interesting. There are certain colors that seem to be designated for different flavors where Chinese noodles are concerned. Chicken is yellow, beef is red, seafood is blue and pork is green. Also, purple seems to be the color of sauerkraut! Anyways – let’s check this one by JinMaiLang out!
#1496: Master Kong Mianba Pork Ribs Flavor Instant Noodles
Here’s another one sent by a kind reader in Sweden! Thank you! Master Kong is really popular in China and what surprises me is that there are no places that I’ve seen that you can get their products here in the United States. Luckily, people send them to me from time to time, but it seems to me that I really need to figure out a way to contact them and do a Meet The Manufacturer with them. The Chinese consume billions of packages of instant noodles a year and I’ve never done a Chinese Meet The Manufacturer yet! It’s about time. Well, let’s check out these pork ribs Master Kong instant noodles!
#1485: Nongshim Spicy Tonkotsu Noodle Soup
Here’s a new one and it’s made here in the United States. Yep – there’s a Nongshim plant here in the US! I was able to visit them a couple years ago and it’s really neat – if you get a chance, you should check out their plant tours! Tonkotsu is a very standard variety of Japanese ramen, however this one’s got a spicy twist to it. Usually tonkotsu broth is made with pork bones that are boiled for a long time and this one does in fact contain pork. Let’s have a look!
Meet The Manufacturer: #1477: MAMA Instant Noodles Moo Nam Tok Flavour
Moo Nam Tok – this sounds familiar… It looks like I reviewed a rice vermicelli version a while back. So, what’s Moo Nam Tok? Let’s consult Wikipedia:
#1462: Wei Lih Steam Instant Noodle Korean Salt & Rib Soup Flavor
Today I opened up my big hamper of noodles and this one popped into view. To be honest, I don’t know exactly when I got this one – Canada trip I think. Definitely has an interesting name – Korean Salt & Rib Soup. The closest thing I can think of that they might be referring to would be galbitang, which is a South Korean soup with short ribs and made with ox bone broth. Sounds interesting – let’s see what we have here.
#1419: Vifon Ngon-Ngon Mi Tom Yum Thịt Băm Tom Yum Minced Pork Noodle
Here’s one with an interesting name. ‘Ngon-ngon?’ What could that mean? So I plugged ‘ngon-ngon’ into Google translate and it came up with ‘delicious’. I thought it interesting that only one ‘ngon’ came up with ‘tasty.’ I thought then, well hey – what about a trifecta of ‘ngon?’ Well, ‘ngon ngon ngon’ comes up with ‘delicious delicious.’ Anyways, it sounds like these Vifon minced pork tom yum noodles should be delicious. I hope they are! Let’s have a look.
#1412: Chewy Non-Fried Ramen Noodles Taiwan Roast Pork Flavour
Here”s another one from a birthday trip to Canada. This one isn’t fried and really low fat. But will it be low on flavor? It seems that many companies are now offering options for those interested in low fat instant noodles. Let’s see how this one comes out.
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2014 Edition
Bowls of noodles. They’re made all around the world and are a great option for those with access to boiling water and are ‘on the go.’ Some are basic and have very little imagination to them or perks, while others are really full meals that include meat and vegetables, seafood and other niceties. I’ve review 1,410 different noodle varieties and of those, many have been bowls. Here’s a list of the best, most memorable bowls I’ve come across is my adventure in tasting.
#1396: Oyatsu Baby Star Snack Noodle Yakisoba Flavour
Here’s another one of those snack style instant noodles! This one came from a birthday trip to Canada this year. Let’s have a look inside!
Meet The Manufacturer: #1380: Takamori Chanpon
I thought today I’d diverge from the yakisoba for something with a broth. Chanpon is great stuff in my experience so far. Pork and seafood – can’t beat that! Here’s what wikipedia has to say about chanpon –
#1364: Golden Wheat Korean Style Stew Pork Flavour Noodle Soup
Today we have a big bowl of noodles! These were found up in Canada for my birthday trip – last year. I must say that the shelf life of instant noodles is really quite amazing and helpful – especially when I review one every day. I’ve got quite a lot of instant noodles here, which should be no surprise! I remember in November of 2012 – I was in a bit of a panic. I did a bunch of re-reviews and had a real problem finding new varieties. Then boom – found tons and got a bunch sent to me. Anyways, let’s have a look at this big pork bowl!
#1307: Nissin Cup Noodle Cheese Curry
This one was sent to me by Abbie C. of Hong Kong – thank you again! Curry – and cheese? Been very curious about this one, that’s for sure. I like curry a lot – one of the flavors that’s always strong and varies so much from culture to culture. Let’s see how it pairs with cheese and noodles in this cup.
#1304: Nissin Demae Ramen Shoyu Tonkotsu Artificial Pork Flavor
#1287: Kimura Kumamoto Tonkotsu Ramen
Hey check this happy looking guy out! I’m thinking he’s happy because today’s my sister’s birthday! Happy Birthday Sue! This looks like one she’d probably like. Last year, I made her some birthday noodles – maybe I’ll see if she wants to have some again this year! The happy guy on the package’s name is Kumamon, a mascot that the government of Kumamoto, Japan invented. Let’s check these out.
#1281: Tokachimen Koubou Jet Black Sesame Oil Pork Tonkotsu
This one came by way of Courtnay N. of British Columbia, Canada – thanks! Got help translating from Scott A. – thank you! This looks like an interesting one – let’s check it out!
#1275: Wu-Mu Ramen With Stewed Pork Flavor
Our weekend of trying some of the bigger packaged noodles continues with the one Andy’s gonna try. I figured this shouldn’t be spicy and shouldn’t have any kind of flavor an 8 year old would find too offensive. Let’s check it out!
Christmas Review: #1263: Nissin Cup Noodle Curry X Gunpla RX-78-2 Gundam
I’ve been really wanting to review this one before now but I decided to do it for the Christmas review quite a while back. I don’t usually barge in with a different review during Meet The Manufacturer, but it’s Christmas so here it is. The ABC President Meet The Manufacturer will continue after Christmas. For now, let’s check out this cup. I’ve had cups that have come with little doo dads before; a ticket for a contest, a sticker, a little card… But this is something completely different. A little model kit! Let’s check it out!
#1251: MAMA Instant Noodles Tom Saab Flavour
Here’s something I’ve never heard of – ‘tom saab.’ Sounds like someone named after a car… But what is it? looked around online and found that it is a hot spicy soup popular is northern Thailand. Usually contains pork. Sounds interesting – let’s check it out!
#1247: Maruchan ‘I Want To Eat Ramen’ Pork Tonkotsu Flavor
Wow thank you to Scott A. and Mari S. for help in translating the name of this one! Making this one for the kid – he’s unsure about it, but hopefully he’ll want to eat it! Let’s check it out.
#1237: MAMA Instant Noodles Creamy Tom Yum Minced Pork Flavour
Hey something from Thailand! Sounds good to me! Lime, pork, spiciness… Let’s get to it!
#1235: Nissin Demae Ramen Miso Tonkotsu Artificial Pork Flavor Ramen Noodle
I was pretty surprised my son wanted to try this one; he asked if it was spicy or bitter. I told him I wouldn’t imagine so. Well, I guess we’ll find out!
#1229: Kumamoto Tonkotsu Ramen MEGA Dragon
Wow look at that! Huge, isn’t it? This is probably the largest noodle package I’ve ever seen! It was sent by the folks in Japan at God Of Patena. Let’s see what’s in this mega ramen package!
#1220: Nissin Ultraman Instant Noodle Pork Flavor
This was sent by Abbie C. of Hong Kong – thank you! She offered to find a Pokemon cup for my son but couldn’t find one, so this is an Ultraman cup! Awesome! It’s really small – smallest sized noodle cup I’ve tried yet! Let’s check it out!
#1208: Golden Wheat Korean Style Stew Pork Flavour Cooking Noodle
I’ve reviewed a bunch of these – got them up in Canada during my birthday. They’re really big! Let’s check it out.
#1205: MAMA Instant Noodles Pork Flavour With Black Pepper
Here’s one that was sent from Germany by a fellow named Samonporn – thank you! I am really happy to be trying these since it’s been a few days since I had any pork on hand to pair anything with. Let’s check it out!
#1200: Men-Sunaoshi Tonkotsu Ramen
Review #1200! Wow – only 800 to go to #2000! By the way if you’ve got a second, can you vote for The Ramen Rater in the Best of Western Washington contest? Trying to get first place in the food blog category! Here’s the link. So here’s an interesting one I picked up in Canada. Took a bit of figuring to tell what it was for sure – let’s check it out!
#1197: Nissin Cup Noodle Chili Tomato
Robert F. of Hoboken, NJ was kind enough to send one of these – thanks! Very curious how it will be… Only one way to find out!
#1192: Wu-Mu Ramen With Simmered Pork Flavor
Here’s another one I got at T&T Supermarket up in Canada. I find it interesting; I got three pork varieties there – stewed pork, steamed pork and simmered pork! I asked my wife which one I should have as I couldn’t decide. She told me to simmer down and so here we are. Let’s check it out!
#1190: Sanrio Hello Kitty Hakata Shoyutonkotsu Ramen
Check this out! This is one I got from Mira at Record China news in Japan! Thank you! I’ve been desperately seeking noodles that have Hello Kitty on them. You might be thinking, ‘dude, really?’ Yeah – it’s true. My wife really likes Hello Kitty stuff (her nickname is Kitten after all). Let’s check out this Hello Kitty laden variety that comes with a reusable bowl!
#1189: Acecook Comet Mori Yukino Tan-tan Men
Here’s one sent from Japan by Ichiro Yamoto of Yakantei! Thank you! This one was a little tricky to translate – I want to thank Courtnay N. of Canada and Mari S. of Tennessee! Tan tan men is more widely known as dandanmian. It heralds from China and is named after a pole street vendors would use to carry their wares. It’s usually a spicy broth with oil and minced pork affair. After some research, I figured out who the woman on the lid is. She’s part of AKB48 – here’s what Wikipedia says about them:
#1188: Chencun Noodles Braised Pork Ribs
Here’s another from the trip to Canada my wife took me on for my birthday – thank you, Kit! Pork. Ribs. Let’s do this.
#1168: Nissin Donbei Curry Udon (West Japan Style)
First I want to thank Ken P. from twitter and Mari S. on facebook for help withe translation! Donbei is a kind of personalized donburi. The east is usually more of a salty flavor than the west as well. Many little difference! Pretty neat! Let’s have a look.