Tag: south korea

#1601: Nongshim Jinjja Jinjja (New)

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A big thank you to reader Anders E. of South Korea for sending this along!For a long time, Nongshim Jinjja Jinjja was my absolute favorite ramyun from South Korea. They even made it here in Rancho Cucamonga, California for a while with the subheading of ‘flamin’ hot and nutty.’ Jinjja Jinjja means ‘really really.’ Well, they stopped making them. I’m not exactly sure why; some people said that South Koreans aren’t big fans of pork broth. Nevertheless, Nongshim has brought Jinjja Jinjja back – here’s a little something I found on Nongshim’s South Korean website: ...see full post

#1580: emart Dare You! Habanero Ramen (New Edition)

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This was sent to me by Anders E. from South Korea – thank you very much! For some time new, eMart’s Dare You! Habanero Ramen has topped The Ramen Rater’s Spiciest Instant Noodle Of All Time lists. There’s a really good reason for this too – it’s violently hot. Heat is measure in SHU – Scoville Heat Units. Here’s what wikipedia has to say about the Scoville test: ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten South Korean Instant Noodles Of All Time 2015 Edition

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The Ramen Rater’s top Ten South Korean Instant Noodles Of All Time made it’s debut last January and I thought this would be a good day to release the new one for 2015! South Korean instant noodles (known as ramyun) are characteristically thicker and chewier than most instants. Spiciness is a common trait as well as beef flavors. Here are my top picks of the South Korean varieties I’ve reviewed of my 1,573 reviews to date. ...see full post

Re-Review: Paldo Teumsae Ramyun Noodles With Soup Mix

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I thought it was about time to re-review this one. When people ask me about hot and spicy instant noodles that they can possibly find at a local Asian grocery, I usually steer them towards Teumsae Ramyun. Many consider this one to be the ultimate spiciest, although I have had one or two I think that have been hotter. That’s not to say that this stuff won’t challenge even the staunchest of spicy fans. This is mean. Real mean. If you ate a spicy pepper, the best thing to get rid of the heat would be a crunchy chip – when you chew, it scrapes the heat off your palate. Or milk, or sugar. The last thing would be beer or water. Well, this is soup. It sinks that spicy heat right down into your taste buds even deeper! Let’s revisit this spicy Paldo Teumsae Ramyun again and see why it’s been on the Top Ten Spicy List since the list’s inception. ...see full post

#1523: Paldo Jjamppong Seafood Noodle King Bowl

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Here’s a new Jjamppong King Bowl from Paldo. The king bowl is yet another instant noodle form factor. There are cups, king cups, bowls and king bowls. I think the main different between cups and bowls are really the portability factor. I think a king cup and a king bowl hold the same amount of liquid though; I’ll have to compare them some day. But I digress. This is Jjamppong – here’s a little from Wikipedia about Jjamppong who are unclear about what it is: ...see full post

#1515: Nongshim Neoguri Udon Seafood & Mild

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It’s a really cold day today and I think a big bowl of seafood noodles sound good. This is a Nongshim Neoguri I got up in Canada. It’s made in South Korea and it’s the milder version of Neoguri. Raccoons I say raccoons! Why do I say raccoons? Well, check out the video at the end of the post – it’ll all become clear I think. Let’s dig in to some Nongshim Neoguri! ...see full post

#1498: Samyang Foods Sogokimyun Hot Flavor Noodle Soup

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This Sogokimyun is a bit interesting. It looks to be a re-branding of another one. I just looked through everything and found this one from September of 2010 – that’s one old review! What I remembered was seeing the windmills on the packs. The difference though is that this version and the older one – this one doesn’t include a vegetables sachet, only the powder one. Wow – 1,378 bowls of noodles ago. I guess if you do something every day, it does tend to add up! Just about to the 1,500th review; I knew I’d hit it at some point. Next will be the big 2k. Anyways; let’s check this one out! ...see full post

#1491: Ottogi Potato Ramen

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Woot woot – potatoes! These sounded good today – potato ramen… I really like the little Ms. Potato Head on the packaging. Ottogi makes some interesting varieties – I reviewd many of them waaaay back when I moved to Edmonds, WA. I would walk every day and pick up a single pack and bring it home, cook and review. Those were in the #100-#300’s. Seems like forever ago! These noodles are made primarily with potatoes, which give them an extra chewiness. Let’s check out Ottogi Potato Ramen! ...see full post

#1485: Nongshim Spicy Tonkotsu Noodle Soup

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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! ...see full post

#1480: Paldo Jjol Bibim Men

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Here’s a new variety of Paldo’s Bibim Men line to come out recently. Jjol means ‘chewy.’ Bibim Men – now this is slightly trickier but isn’t that hard. Bibimbap is a mix of vegetables, meat and an egg topped with gochujang (a spicy sauce) over rice. It’s one of my favorite Korean dishes, often served in a stone bowl and sizzling like nothing else! Well, the ‘bap is rice. In Jjol Bibim Men, the Men is the same as -myun or myeon, which means noodles. So what you have here is a cold, spicy, chewy noodle dish. I’m hungry – let’s get to it! Bring on the Jjol Bibim Men! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition

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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! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups Of All Time 2014 Edition

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Yeah – it’s that time of year again! Cups are interesting; they usually hold a lot less water than a bowl, so the steeping process is a little different and so are the noodles. I’ve had some horrendous cups over the years, but then there are some that are really quite good. This last year has been a great one where cups are concerned! Let’s have a look at the best of the best! The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups Of All Time 2014 Edition! ...see full post

#1430: Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkummyeon (Hot Fried Chicken)

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Samyang Foods’ Buldak Bokkummyeon. I’ve had the pack form and did up a recipe a while back involving a way to cool the heat. This is the bowl – and a fiery bowl at that. This stuff doesn’t mess around; there’s no broth. The noodles have a violently hot coating that really means business! It’s so hot that people challenge each other to devour a bowl as fast as they can on YouTube all the time! Let’s open up this bowl and see how fiery this one is! ...see full post

#1418: Ottogi Ppushu Ppushu Noodle Snack Grilled Chicken Flavor

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Sweet – another noodle snack! I think we’re pretty close to an annual noodle snack top ten list soon – just trying to figure out a good time to release it… Halloween perhaps? Superbowl time? If you have an idea, shoot me a comment below! Anyways, here’s another one of Ottogi’s Ppushu Ppushu line. This is the first one I’ve seen that’s chicken flavored that I can remember from them. Let”s have a look! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2014 Edition

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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. ...see full post

#1400: Pulmuone Nature Is Delicious Non-Fried Ramyun Noodle (Spicy Flavor) (New Version)

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Pulmuone is a South Korean company that makes products using their LOHAS philosophy. They really like the sustainable agriculture/green/etc thing over there. There’s a video at the end of this post that extolls their virtues. I thought I’d reviewed this one before but noticed that there were a couple minor changes in the nutrition facts as well as new packaging, so thought maybe I’d give it a try today. It’s called Nature Is Delicious, but it doesn’t say it on the packaging like the old version does, which is kind of weird. Well, actually it says it in Korean, and the only way I could figure it out was by comparing the UPC codes from the original review and this one. I’m kind of curious about how they got the name Pulmuone… Hmmm… Anyways, let’s see how low calorie instant ramyun tastes! ...see full post

#1394: Paldo Mild Kokomen (Prototype)

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Hey look – another prototype! Thanks, Moses of Paldo America! Kokomen is one of Paldo’s signature products. It’s a spicy chicken and jalapeno broth accompanied by a nice amount of noodles and a garnish that includes these little strips of chicken. Good stuff. This is a milder version. Let’s see how this one compares! ...see full post

#1388: Paldo Barbecue Ramyun (Prototype)

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I got a message from my pal Moses over at Paldo America while back asking if I’d like to review some instant ramyun that hasn’t been put out yet but is being sampled with college students to see what they think. I was absolutely rceptive to the idea – prototype instant noodles sound very interesting! Let’s see how barbecue ramyun tastes – this is the first of two versions, the other I’ll try soon. ...see full post

#1366: Nongshim Sir Long Tang Creamy Beef Noodle Soup

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Here’s something new and different from Nongshim. The name might seem a little odd, but it’s a play on the name of a traditional South Korean beef soup called Seoulleongtang, which has a broth which is simmered for a long time with ox bones. I’ve liked non-spicy South Korean beef noodle soups in the past – let’s see how this one fares! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition

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2014_4_21_tta_001

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. ...see full post

#1347: Paldo Bulnak Bokkummyun Spicy Fried Octopus Ramyun

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Today I’m trying something really interesting. This is Paldo’s new spicy octopus ramyun! I thought I couldn’t make this stuff without adding some octopus, but I’d never cooked it before and was a little reserved and slightly nervous. Octopus? Hey, why not! I went to the Korean grocery and picked some up. It was a bit of a surprise how many different kinds of packaged octopus there are. I settled on frozen baby octopus. Let’s see how it turns out! ...see full post

#1316: Ottogi Japchae Vermicelli Noodle

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Ottogi sent me a box of noodle samples a while back in hopes of doing a Meet The Manufacturer series. Unfortunately, timing and language barriers made that hard to come to fruition, so I figured I ought to review some of the varieties they’ve sent over time. This one’s Japchae – a traditional South Korean dish of clear noodles, vegetables and meats. Good stuff, at least what I’ve tried in a restaurant! Let’s have a look to see what this is like. ...see full post

#1308: Nongshim Soon Veggie Noodle Soup

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Here’s a new one from Nongshim for the vegetable crown. At first, I thought it would be a tofu based variety; the reason was that I’ve gone to a local Korean restaurant and ordered ‘Soon Tofu’ a few times, which is a spicy soup with tofu in it. Well, ‘soon’ translates to ‘soft.’ Well, tofu is a vegetarian friendly construct, so I thought I’d give it a try today with this new one. A few people have been asking about this one, so with that, let’s check it out. ...see full post

#1298: Good Tto Leu Foods Lightning Beef Bone Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup)

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Thanks go to James K. of KoreAm for translation help as well as educating me on this one! Ramen? Nope. Ramyun? Nope. Udon? Nope. This is tteokguk! Tteok is South Korean rice cake. They’re flat and chewy! It’s often served on Lunar New Year and other special holidays. Let’s give it a try – Happy Lunar New Year! ...see full post

#1278: Ottogi Ppushu Ppushu Noodle Snack Bulgogi Flavor

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I did an appearance on a show called Cam Fu & Friends which was recorded at Microsoft on January 7th, 2014. Cam the host and I met because of instant noodles a while back. He did instant noodle reviews on The Noodle Freak for a while and then went on hiatus from it, telling folks to come check out my site, a real honor. So we actually met in person the first time the other day. He really was hoping I’d do a review on the show, and so I had to come up with something to review. Well, this one fit the bill; easily prepared during the taping! Further below, you can watch the video! Let’s check this one out. ...see full post

#1290: Nongshim Sain Sain Garlic Teriyaki Fresh Cooked Udon Pasta

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In March of 2012, I tried this new Garlic Teriyaki Udon by Nongshim – review #683. It was really great stuff – my wife Kit absolutely loved it (she doesn’t usually go crazy like I do for noodles, but this one was her fave). Well, a little while later, it was discontinued. Well, now it’s back and a little different. The first one had a whopping 3040mg of sodium per pack, but this new one has only 720mg for the whole thing. Let’s see how this one stacks up against the old version. ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten South Korean Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition

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It’s no secret that I eat a lot of instant noodles. Last year alone, I did 320 new reviews! I’m often asked, “when you aren’t reviewing, what instant noodles do you like to eat?” South Korean ramyun is the answer. In 1963, instant noodles were first introduced to South Korea as ‘ramyun.’ People were a little confused at first; they thought it was a textile! They also weren’t super keen on it being chicken flavored; South Koreans prefer rich beef flavors as opposed to lighter poultry tastes. With a little tweaking, the spicy rich beef noodles synonymous with ramyun were born.  The thick noodles, rich broth and spiciness keep me coming back for more. This list contains my favorites from the 1272 reviews I’ve done thus far. They are all made in South Korea, and many will be hard to find in the United States, if not impossible. With that, here’s my list. ...see full post