I made some instant noodle the other day with beef balls in them and Kit really thought they were good, so I thought I’d make this one with some beef balls in it for her today! This one was sent to me after my trip to the Thai President Foods European Agent Meeting in May! It was really great – while I’m not a distributor for TF, they were super kind to invited me to come and check out Thailand and their factories. I did a travelogue you can check out here. I found out they don’t only make products in Thailand but have factories throughout the world. This one comes from Cambodia – let’s have a look!
Tag: instant noodles
#1767: MAMA Instant Noodles Shrimp Tom Yum Flavour
Here’s one that should be familiar to instant noodle fans from almost everywhere, and especially those from Cambodia! This one is made specifically for the Cambodian marketplace. I got this sent to me after seeing it at the 2015 TF Eurpean Agent meeting I was invited to check out earlier this year in Bangkok, Thailand! Curious to see if it’s different than the one sold here in the US. Let’s find out!
#1758: Vit’s Duck Instant Noodles
I’m always in a quandry when it comes to duck and here’s why: it’s tough to find duck around here. I mean, why can’t we just go to the grocery store and get a couple slices of cooked duck at the deli counter? Chicken? Sure, no prolem. Turkey, pork, beef? Again, no problem. So on this one, I unfortunately have no duck to go with it, which is unfortunate – I really like duck! Well, let’s check out this one from Malaysia!
#1757: iMee Instant Noodles Beef Flavour
Here’s another one that was sent to me by James B. from The Netherlands – thanks! So this one is made in Thailand but definitely for the Dutch market. It’s an interesting one for sure – seen them online for a few years but never been able to get my hands on any – until now! I like how it says ‘decent noodles’ next to where it says iMee – as opposed to indecent noodles! Let’s check ’em out!
#1722: CarJEN Otentiq Cheezy Curry Instant Noodles
Recently, I reviewed the new CarJEN Otentiq Cheezy Mushroom variety and really liked it. This one is the curry variety – I love curry as anyone who sees my top ten lists can realize rather quickly. What’s neat is that I don’t think I’ve seen cheese curry in an instant before, however I have had cheese curry in an Indian restaurant. Well, let’s see what we have here – it certainly looks nice!
#1713: CarJEN Otentiq Cheezy Mushroom Instant Noodles
So here’s a new one from CarJEN – a new line called Otentiq. You might remember seeing CarJEN’s Nyonya Curry Laksa on this year’s big top ten list in the 4th place spot. I’ve seen very few cheese themed instant noodles in the past, and I believe this is the first one from Malaysia. Very curious how it will be – if the Laksa is any gauge, this could be really good! There’s also a CarJEN Otentiq Cheezy Curry coming soon as well! Let’s check it out!
#1693: MAMA Instant Noodles Coconut Milk Flavour
These noodles are made in Myanmar! This is the second day in a row reviewing an instant made in a country I’ve never tried anything before. The nice folks at MAMA (Thai President Foods) invited me to their 2015 Agents Meeting for European distributors. They had varieties on tables – from all over the world! I asked if maybe I could get some samples and they were more than kind to send me lots of new varieties to review. This one’s particularly curious to me; coconut milk flavor. I’ve found coconut powder in instants really spruces things up; thick and creamy, especially with curries. This however is the first time I’ve ever heard of a coconut milk flavor instant. Let’s have a look!
The Ramen Rater’s Readers Top Ten Instant Noodles 2016 Poll
So here’s the question: What’s YOUR favorite instant noodle? You can answer this question and everyone’s votes will be announced when I announce The Ramen Rater’s top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2015 Edition!
#1650: Ottogi Sesame Ramen Korean Style Instant Noodle
I’ve gotten a good amount of comments about this one. Ottogi Sesame Ramen seems to have filled an interesting niche in the noodle market! It’s pretty neat stuff – it has something called an ‘egg block.’ It is basically dehydrated egg that when introduced to the boiling water springs to life! I’ve had the bowl version (also known as a king cup) before, but never reviewed the pack. Let’s check out Ottogi Sesame Ramen!
#1648: Wei Lih Instant Noodles With Onion Flavour
This is one I got last month on my birthday trip to Canada! What’s interesting is that it’s one I tried to get along with a couple others from one store up there the previous year but there was some kind of thing that to use a card you’d need to spend at least $20 or something, and since the noodles I found were a far cry from that, I skipped it. I really was bummed – this is nowhere to be found here in the USA so thought this time around I’d see if the place had it – and it did! Let’s check out this Wei Lih onion variety.
Friday Video: Instant Noodles Being Digested: So What?
You’ve probably seen the video they’re talking about in this news clip before. Not only that, you’ve probably seen many, many news articles about how horrible this is. I got an email yesterday about the video asking about my opinion. So here goes.
Momofuku Ando’s 105th Birthday
March 5th, 2015 would have been Momofuku Ando’s 105th birthday! Google has honored the inventor of the instant noodle by putting up these alternate logos – I will explain them below.
#1556: Ching’s Secret Hot Garlic Instant Noodles
Have you ever taken a clove of garlic and eaten it straight? I would have to say that I’ve done it with a few different varieties. Some types of garlic are extremely hot and spicy, rivaling chilli peppers. They’re no joke and they burn like fire! I had a bite of this tiny little one once – I think it was a Himalayan variant – and it was so freaking hot! Well, I like spicy things and I like garlic, so this one really piques my interest. Let’s check out this Ching’s Secret Hot Garlic and see if we can find out if the secret is hot or not.
Friday Video: Instant Noodle
This is an absolutely perfect short film called ‘Instant Noodle’ about one man’s obsession with finding the ultimate spicy Korean ramyun. It was made by Dreamagine Productions Media. If you’re a fan of spicy instant noodles, you’ll love this! Season’s greetings to all!
#1534: Vit’s Seafood Instant Noodles
Here’s another one that Thomas from MyKuali got for me while we were on our trip to Malaysia! Thanks again! Vit’s is a brand that’s well known over there, but one I’ve never reviewed before. This looks like a spicy seafood variety – let’s give it a go!
Case Study: Beef Top Ramen & Flamin’ Hot Cheetos
On Friday, I conducted a little experiment: let’s have a look at what happens when we look at 6 months of images from instagram that have the hashtag #topramen. What I found were many comparisons of instant noodles to hair, mentions of poverty and many images of what people liked to pair with their instant noodles.
#1517: Katoz Instant Noodles Spicy Chili
Here’s another one sent to me by a reader in Sweden – thank you! This is a Swedish brand – Katoz and is manufactured by MAT Kompaniet. Swedish instant noodles are a new thing to me; this is the second review I’ve ever done involving instant noodles from Sweden. One unique thing about Swedish instant noodles – they are really into the metric system. Usually on the instruction for preparation, the amount of water is called for by cups (more Western) or cc (cubic centimeter) or mL (milliliter). Well, in Sweden the go with decaliter, which is 100cc. This one requireds 4 dl of water, or 400cc/400ml. I’ve NEVER seen decaliters used before, and the only reason I knew what was going on was from elementary school. Yes kids, I know it seems ridiculous at the time, but you will use this information later in life – especially when making Swedish instant noodles! But I digress. Let’s check out these Katoz Spicy Chili noodles from Sweden!
#1495: Super Instant Noodles Mee Goreng
Here’s another poor cup noodle that got beaten up a bit on the flights back from Malaysia. Could’ve been between Penang and Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur and Taipei, or Taipei and Seattle – probably a combo of all three. Poor foam cup! There was a lot of turbulence last Sunday morning over Japan. Luckily, this is a noodle that gets drained anyways, and so it’ll come out fine. What’s funny is that the cup got banged up, but the noodle block is almost completely intact! Got this one at Econsave in Butterworth! Let’s check this mee goreng out! By the way – you may have also seen ‘mi’ goreng. Mi Goreng and Mee Goreng are the same thing; they both mean fried noodles – there’s also Mie Goreng you may see as well.
The Ramen Rater’s Ten Facts About Instant Noodles 2014
I’ve recently seen a whole lot of misinformation being spewed lately about the instant noodle. Why do I care? Well, primarily because I’m really into instant noodles. I’ve been a fan of them since a child and been reviewing them since 2002. A kind of strange obsession, but there are definitely stranger ones out there. What gets me is information that is presented by news and social media sources often is really quite inept; lack of research and frankly poor quality journalism on their parts. So, I’ve decided to come out with an annual list of ten facts about instant noodles starting today! Ready? Well, here you go.
Meet The Manufacturer: #1455: Nissin Premium Instant Noodles XO Sauce Seafood Flavour
XO Sauce is an interesting thing; I think this Wikipedia snippet is a good way to start –
Developed in the 1980s in Hong Kong for Cantonese cuisine, XO sauce is made of roughly chopped dried seafoods, including scallops, dried fish and shrimp, and subsequently cooked with chili peppers, onions, and garlic. This dried seafood-based sauce bears similarity to the Fujianese Shacha sauce. Spring Moon, the Peninsula Hong Kong‘s Chinese restaurant is often credited with the invention of XO sauce, although others claim the sauce’s origin in the urban area of Kowloon.[2]
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition
THE TOP TEN SPICIEST INSTANT NOODLES OF 2015 HAS BEEN RELEASED, REPLACING THIS LIST – SEE IT HERE
If you like it hot, you’re in for a real treat here. These are the spiciest instant noodles you can get that I’ve reviewed from my 1,446 reviews thus far. If you can’t handle spicy foods, these definitely aren’t for you – these are serious! Many of these were so hot, I couldn’t finish the bowl – and I can handle a decent amount of heat! I used to review hot sauces! Anyways, Hope everyone is having a great summer and here are the spiciest instant noodles of all time for 2014!
Friday Video: The Most In-Depth Instant Noodle Documentary. Ever.
If you’ve wanted a really in-depth documentary about the instant noodle, this is a great one. From past to present and beyond, this documentary follows the journey – from Momofuku Ando’s process of inventing the instant noodle, to how it’s developed in different cultures.
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.
#1404: Thai Choice Instant Noodles Seafood Flavour
Here’s another one sent by Charles – a serviceman stationed in Afghanistan – thanks! Looks like most of them will be coming back to the states soon. I thought seafood sounded good today. Let’s see what’s inside this little cup!
#1391: Shan Shoop Instant Noodles Chicken Flavour
Okay so there’s this grocery store I wanted to check out for a while now. My friend Matt B. was over from out of town and said let’s check it out. The place is called Imran’s Market. I was hoping maybe there would be some interesting instant noodles inside. Well, right when I was about to give up, there they were – the noodles! These will be the second variety I’d ever tried from Pakistan! Let’s give it a look.
#1389: Tiger Tiger Traveller’s Choice Thai Red Curry Flavour Instant Noodles
Here’s one that Joe B. and Sarah B. sent me from Nottingham, UK – thanks! Very curious about this one as I really like curry. But it’s from the UK – will it be strong or weak? Let’s check it out.
#1367: Sawadee Instant Noodles Vegetable & Mushroom Flavour
Here’s one that is made in one country for sale in another. This is made in Malaysia, but most easily found in the UK. Anyways, let’s check this one out!
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition
Well folks, it’s that time again. Since the last list, I’ve reviewed another 335 varieties – almost one a day This list reflects the ones I’ve reviewed in the last year as well as those reviewed before that – 1,365 varieties in all. It seems to get tougher each time – so many good ones! Here’s this year’s list – the best of the best. With that, I present to you The Ramen Rater’s top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition.
Meet The Manufacturer: #1362: Mamee Mi Segera Perisa Kari
Today’s the last of the Mamee Double-Decker Meet The Manufacturer. It’s been really neat trying all these varieties – not a single re-review – really shows how few of their products I’d tried previusly. Today I thought I’d go with one of my favorite all time flavors in the world – curry. There are so many different takes on curry in the world – Malaysian, Singaporean, Japanese, South Korean, Indian and British to name a few. Let’s check this one out as we bid a fond farewell to this 15 day journey through some of Mamee’s products.
Meet The Manufacturer: Interview With Mamee Double Decker
Interview With Mamee Double-Decker * Product Samples From Mamee Double-Decker * Mamee Instant Vermicelli Tom Yam Flavour * Mamee Mie Goreng Indonesia Original Flavour * Mamee Chef Curry Laksa Flavour * Mamee Monster Chicken Flavour Snack Noodles * Mamee Mi Segera SLLRRRP! Perencah Kari Berapi * Mamee Instant Noodles Vegetarian Flavour * Mamee Chef Creamy Tom Yam Flavour * Mamee Instant Vermicelli Chicken Flavour * Mamee Chef Spicy Chicken Shiitake Flavour * Mamee Mie Goreng Indonesia Spicy Sambal Flavour * Mamee Mi Segera SLLRRRP! Perencah Asam Laksa * Mamee Chef Curry Laksa Flavour * Mamee Monster BBQ Flavour Snack Noodle * Mamee Chef Creamy Tom Yam Flavour * Mamee Mi Segera Perisa Kari
Meet The Manufacturer: Product Samples From Mamee Double-Decker
Pinky sent me a tracking number and I waited. Packages containing food products from overseas are often scrutinized by the Department of Agriculture, and more than once I’ve found they’ve not made it through. Happily, this big, awesome box of goodness came through! Let’s see what’s within!
#1324: Ruski Instant Noodles Stewed Beef Flavour
I’ve been trying to figure out what I’d add to this one, and how this Thai variety might taste. It’s require digging through the freezer for some good stuff to go with it – beef, of course, but what else? I guess you’ll just have to see down below. Let’s give this one a try.
#1320: MAMA Instant Noodles Cup Seafood Flavour
My nose is running, my throat is sore and I feel pretty crummy. Sneezing, sore eyes and sore everything – I’ve got a cold and a bad one at that. Not a fun day, that’s for sure – it’s raining and windy outside as well which makes taking our dogs out a real chore, especially when they’re pugs. Pugs don’t like to get wet; they (at least the pugs we have) aren’t very rugged creatures; they like to sleep and be constantly comfortable.
#1319: Adabi Mi Segera Kari Ayam Instant Noodles
Here’s one that Annie T. from MyKuali sent me from Malaysia – thanks again! It’s been a lot of fun trying varieties from Malaysia and Singapore in the last year. Usually they’re pretty hard to come by where I live, so new stuff is always welcome. I’d never heard of Adabi brand until a couple of months ago. The first one I tried was #1276: Adabi Mi Bandung Prawn Mee – and it was really good! I’m curious if this is going to be your standard chicken curry or something a little different. Let’s have a loot inside!
#1315: Sainsbury’s Chicken Flavour Instant Noodles
Here’s one that Joe B. and Sarah B. sent me from Nottingham, UK – thanks! This is a common variety you would find at a store called Sainsbury’s. Sainsbury’s is a chain that can be found throughout England which sells pretty much everything by the looks of it. British varieties usually tend to be on the blander side, as is the way with a lot of food from over there, but sometimes they’re really good. Let’s see which end of the spectrum this one falls into.
#1294: Thai Choice Instant Noodles Chicken Flavour
Here’s another one sent by Charles – a serviceman stationed in Afghanistan – thanks! Let’s check it out!
#1291: A-One Mì Ly Instant Noodles Mì Tôm Shrimp Flavor
My son and I walked to the store the other day for some flowers and kamaboko. Of course, I can’t resist the noodle aisle and found 6 different styles of these little plastic noodle cups! Thought I’d try this one today. Let’s check it out!
The Ramen Rater’s 3rd Annual Momofuku Ando Day
Momofuku Ando (安藤 百福) – (March 5, 1910 – January 5, 2007)
Today is January 19th, 2014 – and you know what that means? Momofuku Ando Day! In 1958, Momofuku Ando invented the very first instant noodles and started Nissin Foods. I do a special video every year to commemorate the occasion (see below). First, here’s what the Nissin Foods USA website has to say about the man:
#1285: Lucky Me! Supreme Chow Mien Seafood Flavor Instant Stir-Fried Noodles
Don’t see new Filipino varieties often these days, so was very pleased to come across this one. Wondering about the spelling? Well, it’s spelled many ways – mein, mien, mian… Basically, mien means noodles. Anyways, let’s check this one out!
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Japanese Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition
It’s only a few days until Momofuku Ando Day, and what better time to introduce the very first Japanese Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time list? In 1958, Momofuku Ando initially brought these convenient products to the world. At first seen as an overpriced novelty, they’ve grown in popularity; 100 billion instant noodle products were enjoyed in 2012! Here are my favorites, manufactured in the instant noodle’s birthplace of Japan.