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This looks very interesting. Check out how thin these noodles are! Sesame and garlic are great flavors to marry together as well. So we’ve seen sesame sauce – the tan colored peanutty kind of stuff and today it’s sesame oil – a much lighter fare. Let’s have a look!
Here’s one I really like. It has what I like to call a ‘back and forth effect flavor.’ It’s like you get one flavor lingering then your palate gets the hint of another flavor, then back to the first. It’s really unique in this way – reminds me of one of my favorite hot sauces – not in the taste, mind you, but this kind of back and forth. Let’s check it out!
During my trip to Taiwan in November of 2016, I had the opportunity to try the three varieties of the new Xiao Ban Mian line. I remember this one in particular; it was really quite good and I only got a bite or two of it – my sister actually scarfed this one down quickly! Now, back in the controlled environment of my noodle lab (sounds more amazing than it is, really), I’m really excited to give this a try. Let’s check it out!
So I remember the first time I tried this one a couple years ago. Indeed, it is spicy! Sichuan pepper is a little different kind of spicy in contrast to a jalapeno or wasabi – here’s a little info about the Sichuan pepper from wikipedia:
Xian Bian Mian is a new line from Howsler Foods. They all use straight noodles and are a bit different from the Mom’s Dry Noodle line. These tall narrow packs have three servings in each. So matcha has become really popular – but what is it? Let’s ask wikipedia:
Here’s one I’ve liked for a while . In fact, it’s on the Taiwanese op Ten list! I really like shrimp as well as onion! I thought since I’ve had the opportunity to try a nice amount of Taiwanese food now, I’d share this info about their food from wikipedia:
So today we kick off Meet The Manufacturer with a unique variety – pepper and sesame sauce. First, this is black pepper, not hot chill. Second, sesame sauce is completely different from sesame oil. Sesame sauce has a more peanut butter kind of texture and flavor whereas sesame oil has that strong sesame scent and saltiness. Let’s dig into this one and get things started!
Since Meet The Manufacturer can be up to 15 reviews, I told Kyle over at Howsler foods that I’d be able to re-review varieties he’d sent before. He was pretty happy about this and so here’s a box of them. So, let’s pop it open!
Interview With Howsler Foods * Product Samples From Howsler Foods (1 of 2) * Product Samples From Howsler Foods (2 of 2) * Mom’s Dry Noodle Pepper & Sesame Sauce Flavor * Mom’s Dry Noodle Onion Oil & Shrimp Flavor * Xiao Ban Mian Sesame Sauce Matcha Noodle * Mom’s Dry Noodle Sichuan Spicy Flavor * Xiao Ban Mian Traditional Shallot & Onion Oil Noodle * Mom’s Dry Noodle Sour & Spicy Flavor * Xiao Ban Mian Sesame Oil With Garlic Flavor Thin Noodle * Mom’s Dry Noodle Vegan Chilli With Sesame Sauce
Here’s another one I found in Taipei – this one was the last instant noodle I bought there.
I think I should explain the symbol in the upper right hand corner before anything else. While the symbol may bring up thoughts of World War II, this actually has nothing to do with oppression; this is a Buddhist symbol denoting that it is safe for those who practice strict vegetarianism. Here’s a little from wikipedia about it:
A few months back I did a Meet The Manufacturer with Love Cook. Well, they’ve come out witha new flavor and sent me some to try! Let’s check it out!
Okay now this – this sounds good. I absolutely love a few things in this world. Curries, Korean BBQ, dim sum… Something new has been anything braised and Taiwanese. We’ve got a little restaurant nearby called Looking For Chai and their braised pork and braised beef is so good – tender and so full of flavor. Just a nice slab of it on a bed of rice and that’s all you need – well, that and a little milk tea. Let’s check out this spicy braised noodle!
Here’s the third of the A-Sha microwavable tray varieties – let’s give it a looksie!
I was contacted by someone from a Taiwanese company called Choumama asking if I’d try their noodles. A few weeks later, these arrived. The packages certainly look fancy – very interested to see how they come out. Let’s give ’em a look!
This is a box I’ve been really excited about – and I think a lot of you will be excited as well. People have been asking me about Tseng/Zeng noodles and where to get them since they were #9 on my annual The Ramen Rater’s top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2016 Edition. They just made #1 on my Taiwan Top Ten list2 days ago. Well, I have it on good authority that they will be available in the United States at 99 Ranch Market in California around Christmas time – that’s all I know for now but if I hear more, I’ll let you all know!
This is the fourth year of The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time lists. The list definitely has had a lot of movement every year – a good sign as those who produce instant noodles in Taiwan are innovating and producing new styles and flavors all the time! Here are my pick of the tastiest and most memorable Taiwanese varieties from my over 2,000 reviews to date.
I thought that after making The Ramen Rater’s top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2016 Edition and winning The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of all Time 2016 Edition, it would be nice to revisit this tasty noodle! What do you think? Let’s dig in!
Here’s another new one from Tseng’s – shallot braised pork. Man, this sounds good – I really have high hopes. As I’ve opined before, Taiwanese braised anything is unbelievably good. Really, it isn’t just my opinion – I would mark it down as fact. If you don’t like Taiwanese braised anything, you just don’t know what tastes good and should have your tongue examined for mold or aliens. Let’s give this one a try and see how it translates to a rice noodle.
So this is definitely a first – I don’t think I’ve ever heard of laksa from Taiwan! It sounds good – I mean hey, I make laksa here in the United States quite often but I’m sure my neighbors haven’t a clue what they’re smelling ‘must be some off kind of Hamburger Helper’ probably going through their minds. But laksa is a seriously tasty thing and I’m keen on seeing what Tseng has come up with for us. Let’s have a look!
Today started well, then got a little crazy then got better – I started at 5am with reviewing some noodles. Then the power went out around 7am for over two hours! A bit later, the mailman knocked on the door with a big package of Taiwanese noodles! Tseng was in The Ramen Rater’s top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2016 list this year – and they have some new products! Let check them out!
The next edition of The Ramen Rater’s top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time will be coming out in about a month, and so I’ll be cramming in as many late ones to arrive as possible. Today, one of a trifecta by A-Sha Dry Noodles – microwavable trays! Definitely something I’ve not seem out of Taiwan before that I can think of. Anyways, let’s give it a whirl in the ol’ microwave!
Today, we bid a fond farewell to Jingqi at the end of this Meet The Manufacturer. Lots of great flavors and the noodles! Well, let’s delve into this final variety!
For thje past four days, I’ve been enjoying a noodle lunch with my son Andy – today’s our last one for this Meet The Manufacturer, He’s really been enjoying them a lot! Let’s check out the sesame flavor sauce and original noodle in the thinner gauge.
I liked the black eyes beans noodle version of this one with the basil sauce quite a bit, however I’ve been excited to try it with this style noodle as well! Let’s check it out!
The Top Ten Taiwan list is coming late September and a few Taiwanese companies are sending me their latest products ! Let’s see what A-Sha Dry Noodle has to offer!
Now I’ve tried all the different sauces with one type of noodles – now we’ll go through and see how they work with the other noodle! Today it’s the cyanobacteria noodle once again – good stuff! Instead of the wider lasagna-like gauge, this is the thinner one. Ginger oil sauce too! Let’s check it out!
In the last review of this style of noodle, I really liked its breadth and thinness. Curious to see how it plays with a sesame sauce. Let’s find out!
I always like looking at the purple sweet potato noodles when I come across them. Something interesting about eating food in a shade of purple. Spicy and purple? Sign me up! Let’s check these out!
Not often do I come across a noodle product with the word ‘bacteria’ in the title, but I am definitely not fearful of it. I found this post about cyanobacteria, also known as spirulina/blue green algae. Very interesting! Let’s give it a try!
As there are 2 kinds of noodles and 4 flavors of sauce, I’ll be alternating back and forth between the noodles during this Meet The Manufacturer to keep things lively! This one looks interesting – the noodles are infused with pumpkin and comes with a thick basil sauce. Let’s check it out!
A very large box arrives!
Very nicely packed!
Lot sof varieties!
Here are three of them (click to enlarge) Looking forward to trying them all – thank you!
Interview with Jingqi * Product Samples from Jingqi * Jingqi Black Eyes Bean Pumpkin Noodles With Basil Sauce * Jingqi Aloe Vera Guan Mian Cyanobacteria Noodles With Ginger Oil Sauce * Jingqi Black Eyes Bean Purple Sweet Potato Noodles With Spicy Miso Sauce * Jingqi Aloe Vera Guan Mian Original Noodles With Sesame Sauce * Jingqi Black Eyes Bean Cyanobacteria Noodles With Ginger Oil Sauce * Jingqi Aloe Vera Guan Mian Pumpkin Noodles With Basil Sauce * Jingqi Black Eyes Bean Original Noodles With Sesame Sauce * Jingqi Aloe Vera Guan Mian Purple Sweet Potato Noodles With Spicy Miso Sauce
So far, I’ve tried Oni Hot Pot’s Ghost Pepper, XO Sauce and Seaweed and Pepper varieties. This one is a bit of a departure though – I think the only tun aflavored instant noodles I’ve had in the past were the Skipjack Tuna varieties from Indonesia. Well, let’s check this one out!
Been a little while since I’ve done a snack noodle review, so here we are. This one is by Wei Lih and hails from Taiwan. Let’s give it a look.
Here’s something from Taiwan today. A-Sha makes quite a few different sauces and styles of noodles and this is one I don’t see very often. They’re very thin as you’ll see, and they come with the original sauce which has a nice soy sauce component. Let’s check it out!
I’ve been getting a LOT of boxes lately! Here’s one I wasn’t expecting!
Two new varieties (click to enlarge)! I’ve reviewed the two on the top, their ghost pepper and xo sauce flavors. On the botton are the new tuna and seaweed flavors! Thank you – looking forward to checking these out!
Here’s the second variety I was sent by the folks at Oni Hot Pot of Taiwan – thanks again! The first variety was a spicy one – this sounds a little more on the seafood kick. Let’s have a look, shall we?
Here’s another one that I haven’t had in an extremely long time. I remember I did like it, but that’s about all I remember. Just found it – review #101 – from August 8th, 2010! Yeah almost 6 years ago. I started reviewing instant noodle in 2002, but I only got to around the 60th review by June of 2010 – that’s when I really got back into it and started reviewing again. Let’s have a look!
A-Sha’s noodle come in a few different gauges, this one being the thickest, Hakka style. They’re wide, flat and chewy. I looked in the hamper and immediately thought this sounded good today. Let’s check it out!
