The Definitive Source For Instant Noodle Reviews Since 2002
Here’s another one, sent by Javier over at Box From Japan. So boxfromjapan.com is a subscription service where you can get a box with four different instant ramen bowls sent to you directly from Japan every month! Rarely have I found a box from them with varieties I’ve reviewed before, and never have I seen varieties available here in the USA. Definitely worth a look if you’re a big fan of Japanese varieties.
Here’s one that Kamran from Ramen Regret Rater sent over from Australia – thanks again! He got this one on a recent trip to Bali. It’s crazy – everything is so far away from here but all sorts of awesome places are just a quick hop from Australia.
Rounding out the Cup Noodles Very Veggie range is Spicy Chicken. All I can say is that if it’s anything like the other two this will be a no-brainer. I still am beside myself on these; these are just about the best thing I’ve seen come from the United States in a long, long time. So Very Veggie has 1/2 cup – which is one full serving – of vegetables. Let’s check it out.
Today we’ve got yet another one from the massive amount of varieties left over from the Nissin Hong Kong Meet The Manufacturer. Seems like I just keep pulling them out of the hamper again and again! It’s a good thing though – the more the merrier and these days, it is getting harder to find varieties locally to review. So gotta make sure to give everything a try. Tonkotsu is a classic Japanese ramen variety. Most of all, tonkotsu is famous for it’s milky pork bone broth. Next, a little more info from Wikipedia:
This is the second variety I’m trying of the Very Veggie range from Nissin Foods of America. Soon as I heard about these products I was extremely curious. Will they have enough vegetables? Will these vegetables be good?
Here’s one I believe I’ve reviewed before – but with a new recipe. Indeed, being more shrimptacular denote more stuff in there! I like that. Let’s see if it’s more shrimptacular!
When I read about this new product line in my news feeds, I was very curious. For years, I’ve though that the amount of vegetables included with instant noodle varieties in general was way too slim. Of course, vegetables cost money to put in there and so that’s something to consider.
Got a box from Nissin Singapore yesterday – thanks! They’ve been updating recipes and so I reached out to them for some samples. Let’s have a look!
Here’s one sent by Javier from www.BoxromJapan.com. Box From Japan is a ramen subscription service – they have boxes of neat Japanese candy too! This one was a little tough to translate. Think I got it though. Here’s a little about Onomichi from Wikipedia –
After a few years, I thought I ought to update this list. I thought I even ought to change the name a little. Honestly, not a huge amount of instant noodles from the United States cross my desk these days and of those that do, not many are 5 stars. Nonetheless, there are some changes in the past few years that I thought were noteworthy and so here you go! These are the best instant noodles from the United States out of the 2,500+ varieties of instant noodles I’ve reviewed thus far.
I saw an article mentioning a new product from Nissin Foods America which focused on a lot of vegetables and thought ‘it’s about time.’ I’ve had a ton of instant noodles in my time and honestly very rarely have I been satisfied with the amount of vegetables in them. I dropped a line to my contact over there and boom – a day later here are samples. Let’s see what’s in this box!
So here we have one that’s on the 2017 Top Ten list – under two names. It was originally Straits Kitchen and they re-branded it as Straits Reborn. Literally no different in recipe – just the name. However I thought it would be good for me to do a review just so you could see. Here’s some info about laksa from Wikipedia –
So Nissin Mexico’s Gourmet Caldo De Camaron was #1 on this year’s The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups Of All Time 2017 Edition – and well deservedly so. Big shrimp, lots of veggies and a broth to die for as well as some great noodles in these cups. Well, they were enthused and wanted to thank me, so they sent me a couple of cups.
Okay before you start swinging your fists around and marching in the street screaming ‘these aren’t instant noodles,’ Well, for the instant noodles version of this, go to the last review. These are potato chips infused the the same seasoning! Sounds good to me – here’s a little about black pepper crab from Wikipedia –
So this is one they’ve had before however now it has more angry crab! I love angry crab! Actually, black pepper crab is good stuff and I don’t know anyone who would argue with more crab in there. Let’s check it out!
So for the past few years I’ve been thinking about putting out a top ten list for Singapore. It took me a while though; I wanted to have a TON of Singaporean varieties that I’d tried before doing so. Well, I’ve tried a TON of them now and I felt it would be nice to put out a new list. I’m posting this on Singapore’s National Day – thought it would be fitting. If you’re not familiar with the half lion half fish image in the picture above, that’s a Merlion. It’s the national symbol of Singapore. Here’s a little more about it here. Well, it’s time. These are my favorite varieties that come from Singapore from the over 2,500 reviews I’ve done to date. All these Singaporean varieties are most definitely shiok – so grab your favorite beer (mine’s Tiger) and check it out!
Well folks, the United States has started to see the light. There’s nothing I love to see more than a tie-in/crossover product and this is something I’ve seen zillions of times overseas but really never before here.
Now for the third year, I’m coming out with the latest Top Ten Instant Rice Noodles list. Rice noodles have some benefits as opposed to their fried wheat counterparts. First, they’re virtually fat-free. Also, they’re not fried. Rice noodles are gluten-free by nature, although the ingredients in the sachets that come with these varieties might not be. People ask me for a gluten-free list often, but that would be rather difficult as I’d have to pore over every ingredient list on every review to do this. Well, let’s have a look at these great rice noodle varieties – the best instant rice noodles varieties of the almost 2,500 reviews to date!
Here is where we part ways with Nissin Germany – this is the fifteenth review of Meet The Manufacturer. It’s been a lot of fun trying these European takes on instant noodles! Let’s give this final variety – spicy beef – a try.
Spicy! I like spicy things; it’s pretty obvious I think. This Cup Noodles purports to be spicy and I’m hoping it is! Let’s check it out!
Here’s the last of the Soba varieties I’ve got here. I’m very curious about Thai; is it tom yum? Is it full of basil? This Soba is short for yakisoba – a little on yakisoba from Wikipedia –
Well, there’s always going to be a chicken variety. Here it is! I really don’t know how else to introduce it or what else to say! Here’s a little something about the history of Cup Noodles from Wikipedia –
I think it only makes sense for cabbage to have some kind of standing in Germany. I mean, sauerkraut is pickled cabbage after all. Never tried kimchi before? Here’s a little information from Wikipedia –
Ahhh curry! I love curry from everywhere in the world. Indeed, I’ve not met a curry I’ve disliked to be honest. I do like some more than others of course. A German curry… Fascinating! Let’s check it out!
Many, many years ago, there was a company that made an instant noodle called Smack here in the United States. This is completely unrelated – although great to know the name still is around and in a new form! This one’s supposed to be spicy – let’s find out!
Here’s another new variety of the Soba line – yakitori chicken. Here’s a little something about yakitori from Wikipedia –
I’ve started noticing a theme to these Demae Ramen varieties form Germany. For the Thai Tom Yum one, there was Thai lettering in the background. This looks to be Vietnamese, so I’m guessing it’s styled after pho or something like that. I definitely like chicken and garlic is a favorite of mine. Let’s give this one a look – garlic chicken sounds very good today!
For years, I’d avoid duck flavor instant noodles. I always thought that they tasted kind of funny – until I actually ate duck. Duck is to me like curry – something really great and above everything else. Indeed, I consider duck to be a kind of exalted food. I’ve had it in Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan – but never European style. Very curious if there will be a difference… Let’s find out!
This isn’t something I expected – a Thai Tom Yum from a German company? Yep! This makes me incredibly curious; will it taste like tom yum? Here’s a little about tom yum from Wikipedia if you’ve never tried –
I’m really stoked – Nissin Germany sent a few new Soba varieties! I like these – not only are they really good, they have neat plastic cups with draining lids. But Sukiyaki Beef – let’s see what Wikipedia has to say about sukiyaki –
There’s always a spicy. There has to be! Spicy tasting things are popular around the world. But have you ever wondered why? Here’s some info from Wikipedia on spiciness –
Here’s one of the Cup Noodles varieties by Nissin Germany – shrimps! My friend Raffael of Happy Souper said that German Nissin products reflect German tastes. Here’s a little about the Nissin Cup Noodle and it’s history from Wikipedia –
The first variety for this Meet The Manufacturer is Tokyo Soy Sauce. Soy sauce ramen is known in Japan as ‘shoyu.’ Here is some information about shoyu ramen and the other four main varieties of Japan from Wikipedia –
This box just didn’t want to seem to show up – but it did, thankfully! Let’s see what’s inside!
After years of reviewing, I’ve seen them all. Well, not every single instant noodles (definitely not every single Cup Noodle(s)) but quite a few.
s
Here’s one that Colin from Massachusetts sent – thanks again! So this one looks a lot like the Hong Kong versions, however this is the Chinese version. Here’s a little about XO Sauce and what it is from Wikipedia –
This is one that Kamran R. of Ramen Regret Rater sent me from Australia – thanks! I believe this is the first variety I will review from Nissin Indonesia. Looks like it will be spicy – rasa pedas means ‘spicy flavor,’ and it has a big angry pepper in the picture on the front of the package. Indeed, Indonesia has a lot of spicy instant noodles on the market – and for the most part I’ve enjoyed them very much.
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2017 Edition is a list of the best bowls I’ve tried of the over 2400 reviews posted to date. Bowls are interesting insofar as they often contain extra things, since there is more room for sachets, spoons, fork, etcetera. As always, I implore instant noodle manufacturers to contact me – I would love to review your products and all it costs is sending some samples and your time! So sit back, grab a bowl, some hot water, peel back the lid, stir – and enjoy!
Way, way, way back, I had one of these packs. I bought it at a local Asian grocery and never reviewed it. That was 15 years back and it has been haunting me ever since.
Here’s one left over from the Meet The Manufacturer I did with Nissin Mexico a little while ago. These are very cool – they have little packets of hot sauce in them! Indeed, I think these should be available in the United States as well. I think they’d do really well! Indeed, who wouldn’t like the Cup Noodles here to come with a little packet of hot sauce? I know I would.
