The Definitive Source For Instant Noodle Reviews Since 2002
Got an email the other day from a fellow named Yukhong from Golden Bay Supply asking if he could send some samples for me to check out. Golden Bay Supply distributes is located in the Bay Area and distributes Thai products. Let’s have a look at what he sent – and thanks!
I’ve been enjoying spicy instant noodles for years now and these are some pretty lethally spicy ones. Personally, I go for savory over ultra spicy, but I certainly like a challenge and these bring that for sure. Got one you think is hotter but don’t see it here? Drop me a line. Also, check out Instant Noodles – The Ramen Rater group on Facebook – lots of great people in there talking about ramen from all over the world. Well, let’s check out the new The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2021 Edition!
Here’s a closer look at some of the sample items sent by Palmetto Gourmet Foods for this special Meet The Manufacturer series! Thank you!
A trip to the grocery store awhile back yielded some nice results. It’s pretty rare I go to our local store and find something new, but I found these Ramen Express cups – which said they were from the United States! This required swift action to reach out and learn more, and that’s how this Meet The Manufacturer was born. A big thank you to Reza Soltanzadeh, CEO & President, Palmetto Gourmet Foods for granting this interview – let’s get started.
We had a great Thanksgiving yesterday – Kit made a wonderful turkey, chocolate chip banana bread too! My buddy Matthew Bellah (the highly acclaimed author) brough over homemade cornbread and traditional stuffing, mashed potaoes, and a loaf of fancy bread.
Today we’ve got another variety from Hong Kong’s Sau Tao. This one pairs the super tasty Tom Yum Kung with their Instant Noodle King noodles – which are really good. Let’s take a look.
Here’s another one from the folks at Exotic Noods. They ship great subscription boxes full of noodles every month – use coupon code RAMENRATER15 for a discount!
Well the holidays are upon us among other things. This time, it’s pretty inadvisable to run to the mall and hang out with tons of people. Well, check out these subscription boxes as gifts – that way they come straight to your door and have some neat stuff inside! Check out www.japancrate.com and use the coupon code THERAMENRATER to get a sweet discount and get some neat noodles!
Here we have one from Japan sent by Zenpop. Zenpop does a few different kinds of subscription boxes you can get and they’re pretty neat! Use coupon code RAMENRATER for a discount at checkout!
I really like tteokbokki – fat finger tubes of chewy rice flour. Well, rabokki is what you get when you take the sauce for tteokbokki and mix it with noodles. Let’s check it out!
The second of two boxed varieties I found locally imported from China. The last one was quite good – let’s see how this one goes.
I’ve got to give it to Taiwan. They’ve really done well with the pandemic, that’s for sure. Just another reason why I love that place; I’ve visited twice and hope I get to again soon. People there are nice, Lots of interesting things going on, and of course… the food! This list is born out of controversy – in 2013 when Taiwan wasn’t on my annual top ten, their media took notice and they got mad. So, I decided to try some ‘noodle diplomacy’ and asked companies to send some samples and they did – and they have been for years now. All sorts of neat innovations, unique styles, and more. If you have a company or a favorite variety you’d like me to review, contact me. Also, I invite everyone to join the Instant Noodles – The Ramen Rater group on Facebook – a large community of people who enjoy noodles and share their thoughts on them. Let’s check out this years shortlist of my favorites from this beautiful and fascinating place.
Well, here’s the first of a whole slew of new Buldak varieties. If you’ve never seen or heard about this range (you’ve probably been under a rock), just know these are probably the most popular spicy range of products around when it comes to noodles. They came out with a Christmas themes variety – meat spaghetti. I’m wondering if this one will be similar? Let’s find out.
If you like instant noodles or know someone who does, these boxes from Exotic Noods are really a nice find. They always do up a nice assortment of varieties from around the world – not just one country. You don’t have to go into a store full of people which is a bonus lately, and you get a box full of noodles and a little pamphlet which gives you lots of info all about them. What’s more, use the coupon code THERAMENRATER and get a nice discount! HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG?! Below I open the November 2020 box and extol it’s virtue. Check it out!
MAMA of Thailand recently sent a big box of noodles – thank you! Lots of neat new varieties to sample including this one. I like curry and crab so I think this will be pretty good. Let’s check it out!
A lot of things have changed in the last year. I decided it would be a great time to come out with the Top Ten American instant noodles list; it’s November 2nd. Tomorrow is the last day to vote in a crucial election – whichever candidate you support, go exercise your right to vote! The video this year is very different. With the pandemic and my kids home from school doing about 25 Zoom meetings a week, my time has been critically limited. This way however, I’ll be able to bring you more top ten lists I think. This list is comprised of my favorite American varieties out of all the reviews up to #3,636, which count 446 varieties. Let’s check out The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten American Instant Noodles Of All Time 2021 Edition!
I grabbed some Halloween-appropriate content from previous years and well, here you go! Enjoy and have an awesome Halloween!
Holiday shopping is going to be a little different this year. What neat about these is you can get someone a subscription for neat Asian foods without going anywhere! They’ll show at your door and provide some monthly fascination. This one came today and we brought it inside set up the lights, shot the video, edited it and boom here it is! Lots of neat stuff in this box! Check it out! Get yours here: http://bit.ly/UmaiCrate
Use coupon code THERAMENRATER for extra discount!
This one came by way of a buddy at www.exoticnoods.com – thanks,man! Use coupon code RAMENRATER15 for a nice discount on one of their subscription boxes.
Pork bone soup is a particular favorite of mine – whether it be creamy tonkotsu or something more like this, I’m usually quite partial to these styled varieties. Let’s see what this one from China holds in store.
Today, we have one that was part of Japan Crate’s Umai Crate. So Japan Crate is a subscription service which has all sorts of different options for you. pretty neat stuff from Japan! There’s a coupon code for you too – just use THERAMENRATER to get a special discount at check out.
I was contacted in July 2020 about a new variety of noodle hailing from Taiwan. I was very interested in trying and gave the company the go ahead. Fast forward to mid September and I’m going to give it a try – they arrived last week. These sound interesting; they’re Vegan friendly and have a minced pork sachet which is made with so protein, mushrooms, white fungus, celery and other vegetables. A chewy noodle and a ‘secret sauce’ with Sichuan pepper is mentioned in the promotional sheet that accompanied these. Let’s give it a try!
A big thanks for this surprise from The Fat Hipster – look him up on YouTube! This one’s saying it’s the hottest in the world. I would wager it’s really trying to challenge as the hottest in South Korea. Let’s find out!
I received a couple of boxes with samples of products for this Meet The Manufacturer series – thank you! These are fresh varieties you’ll find in the refrigerated/frozen section. Let’s have a look at them!
Today, we start a new Meet The Manufacturer! This time its a US company called Myojo USA down in California. They produce fresh ramen, udon and yakisoba varieties. I conducted an interview with Mr. Taku Yokoyama, President of Myojo Foods USA –
Was happy to hear about new varieties coming from Mom’s Dry Noodle of Taiwan! They sent them over for me to try which was nice. Notice the rabbit on the picture above – we’re about to enter the year of the rabbit! Pretty cool – I was born on the year of the rabbit – let’s check these out!
I was curious about a variety that it turns out has been retired, but happily a few new ones are now in the game – Nongshim sent those over! Thank you very much! Let’s have a look.
A while back I got a few boxes of donations from a reader in Lakeside, California named James. Well, he’s struck again and sent another box – thanks! I’m always surprised that even though we’re both on the west caoast, the varieties he’s finding as opposed to the ones here and very different. Let’s have a look inside!
Found this over at India Supermarket in Bellevue, WA. One of many ‘four-in-one’ packs. India. Curry. Let’s do this!
I was contacted recently by a fellow names Cian from Dublin about trying out some store brand instant noodles he found over there. He said they weren’t the greatest, but I am always interested in store brand varieties – so of course I accepted the offer – thank you! First varieties from Ireland to cross my desk! Let’s check ’em out!
Jesse over at Lonolife sent some samples recently to try out of their new chicken and beef bone broth instant noodle cups! 20g of protein per cup is pretty impressive! Let’s check them out!
Shinsegae Mamee makes this Ghost Pepper Chicken Daebak noodle that’s seriously spicy – check out the video to see and watch a video I did two years ago attempting to polish it off!
This yeah has just been rough – for everyone I know. After the hardest part of it for me – the passing of my mother – I took a week off from walking after doing 1,000,000 steps on my Fitbit in June and dove in to working on top ten lists. I did four of them, all current as of review 3545. This list hasn’t been updated since 2017. I’ll be rolling out lists here and there for the next couple of months and maybe do this again a little ways down the road. Here’s The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Rice Noodles Of All Time 2020 Edition.
Hey look – another Unboxing Time With The Ramen Rater! This one came today and we brought it inside set up the lights, shot the video, edited it and boom here it is! Lots of neat stuff in this box! Check it out! Get yours here: http://bit.ly/UmaiCrate
Use coupon code THERAMENRATER for extra discount!
After over 5 days of travel, I was really worried that this big box of noodles just was going to show up thawed and warm – but lo and behold, everything was frozen solid as a rock! Watch me crack this huge box open that started out at 90+ pounds and ended up easily lifted over my head!
Looking for something a little different? Head over to www.exoticnoods.com! Their subscription boxes are from different countries! Not just Japan, you’ll get to try varieties from around the SE Asian region! Plus, use coupon code RAMENRATER15 for 15% off your order! Here’s what you’ll find inside the September 2020 box.
In my ongoing research into what’s hot and what’s not, my latest discovery was a new Extra Spicy Tapatio Ramen! I’ve reviewed all the other varieties, but this one’s new! Let’s check out the unboxing!
Time for a new Meet The Manufacturer! Today, we start with an interview with John Nguyen of Thien Huong Food of Vietnam. This is the first Vietnamese MTM I’ve done with a company, so this is pretty special! Look forward to some neat varieties over the next few days! With that, let’s begin with the interview!
