I’ve reviewed many fresh varieties in the past and this is a new variety from a brand I’ve never reviewed any products from before! What’s more, it’s a company in the United States. I must say that the packaging is rather striking; it’s thick cardboard and the little cut out of the bowl and steam coming out above it is really neat.
Tag: usa
Meet The Manufacturer: Product Samples From Blount Fine Foods (2 of 2)
I really wasn’t happy with the photos I took of the coconut bowl when I took them, so I asked if they’d be able to send another. They were really nice and did! Thanks!
Meet The Manufacturer: Product Samples From Blount Fine Foods (1 of 2)
A big box – a big box that’s cold! Let’s see what’s inside.
Product Samples From Blount Fine Foods – United States
A foam cooler.
#2578: Nissin Cup Noodles Chicken Vegetable Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup (New Recipe)
I think this is the last of the new versions of the Cup Noodles from the USA. They changed the recipe last year to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Cup Noodles. Here’s a little from Wikipedia about the history of Cup Noodles –
#2569: Yamachan Yokohama Tonkotsu Shoyu
So this is the last of the three fresh varieties sent to me by Yamachan – thank you again! First off, Yamachan is pretty easily found in the United States – I’ve not only seen their products in Japanese/Asian supermarkets but at higher-end domestic grocery stores. Here’s a little from Wikipedia on Tonkotsu and Shoyu Ramen –
#2557: Yamachan Sapporo Miso Ramen
I contacted Yamachan a couple of weeks ago and they had new varieties for me to review! I did a Meet The Manufacturer with them a long time ago and their stuff is really great. Let’s see what Wikipedia has to say about miso –
#2563: Yamachan Tokyo Shoyu Ramen
Here’s another fresh variety from Yamachan. Yamachan’s in Southern California. So this is a fresh noodle (must be refrigerated) and is a shoyu variety. Shoyu translated to soy sauce, but it’s definitely not just a soy sauce flavor. Here’s a little from Wikipedia on Shoyu style ramen:
#2544: Lipton Cup-a-Soup Chicken Noodle With White Meat Instant Soup
Okay so I’m guessing what you are thinking right now. He must be out of varieties to review. Nope. Actually, I saw this on the shelf and thought about the uncountable times that people have called domestic instant noodles Cup-a-Soup. This could be due to the fact that Nissin Cup Noodles here in the USA were called Cup ‘O Noodles up until 1993. Yep – sounds kind of alike, doesn’t it?
#2541: Nissin Cup Noodles Very Veggie Spicy Chicken Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup
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.
#2538: Nissin Cup Noodles Very Veggie Beef Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup
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?
#2535: Nissin Cup Noodles Very Veggie Chicken Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup
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.
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten American Instant Noodles Of All Time 2017 Edition
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.
#2611: Meet The Manufacturer: Nona Lim Tokyo Ramen + Miso Ramen Broth
Thought it would be logical to try these Tokyo Ramen noodles with the Miso Ramen Broth – I mean, it makes sense. These noodles and broth are Vegan, however, I’m going to lay it on thick with some toppings that will not be so Vegan. Let’s give it a go!
#2607: Meet The Manufacturer: Nona Lim Hakata Ramen + Miso Ramen Broth
I thought it a no-brainer to pick Hakata Ramen to try with the miso. The other I’ll try with it will be the Tokyo Ramen. Anyways: Hakata Ramen. What is it, Wikipedia?
#2470: Myojo Udon Japanese Style Noodles With Soup Base Hot & Sour Flavor
Here’s one that comes by way of a reader named Colin from Massachusetts – thanks again! So I’ve reviewed a slew of these packets of udon in the past. It’s been a while though – don’t know that I’ve ever seen this hot and sour either. Udon is a lot different when it comes to noodles than your standard instant – here’s a little from Wikipedia –
Re-Review: Sapporo Ichiban Japanese Style Noodles & Beef Flavored Soup
There are some varieties that I hear people raving out about a lot and I start thinking ‘I should re-review this one.’ Well, today’s the day. I even have a little story about these which is sort of funny.
#2460: Daifuku Bowl Katsuo Udon / Katsuo Bowl Udon
I think I found this one at HMart a little while back. Indeed, I must say the nomenclature is pretty interesting; I mean, c’mon – commit to a name already! Alright so this is a katsuo udon variety – let’s ask Wikipedia about katsuo udon –
#2431: Dream Kitchen Udon Japanese Style Fresh Noodle
Here’s a bowl we found a little while back at Uwajimaya. So udon is definitely different from instant noodles – it’s a lot thicker. Let’s see what Wikipedia has to say about it:
#2412: Shirakiku Sanukiya Udon Japanese Style Noodles Shrimp Flavor
Here’s one I recently received by way of a reader named Colin from Arlington, Massachusetts – thanks again! So you might find these in either a refrigerated or non-refrigerated area at a grocery store. Indeed, I’ve always found this to be a bit of an oddity; why would it be in both places? Well first off, it doesn’t require refrigeration. However, sometimes this style of noodle is called ‘fresh noodles’ and so when you couple that with a refrigerated section, it gives it a little more premium feel. Anyways, here’s a little about udon from Wikipedia:
Meet The Manufacturer: #2411: Mama Pat’s Chicken Fajita Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles
Today, we bid a fond farewell to Mama Pat’s Foods as the Meet The Manufacturer will be ending. Chef Ron informed me though that there will be cups and new flavors coming, so we’ll just say until next time. So chicken fajitas – here’ Wikipedia on the fajita:
Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat’s Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles
Today, it’s lamb stew! So I really never have had lamb stew, nor really cooked lamb very often. I thought though I ought to at least make an attempt, and so today I’m going to sous vide up some lamb to go along with the noodles. But as for stew, let’s see what wikipedia has to say:
Meet The Manufacturer: #2409: Mama Pat’s Seafood Gumbo Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles
One of the first things I learned about Mama Pat’s foods was when I saw a video of Chef Ron making gumbo at a store demo. He used big bags of shrimp, tons of crab and other really great ingredients. He didn’t hold back and definitely went for the gusto. I’m a fan of seafood but haven’t had a lot of seafood from the USA as of late since it’s usually found slathered in white sauces or copious amounts of butter. I definitely got spoiled in Malaysia and Thailand trying all that seafood from there – amazing stuff! Gumbo however is something different. It’s full of seafood and has a nice strong taste – something I really like. I have high hopes for this one; it sounds good, but will it be? Let’s give this seafood gumbo a look!
Meet The Manufacturer: #2408: Mama Pat’s Chicken Taco Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles
To kick off this Meet The Manufacturer, I thought I’d start with a flavor that just about every instant noodle company makes. Chicken. Indeed, it’s a kind of universal flavor – one that everyone can identify with. Well, unless your vegetarian. This is a very unique instant noodle insofar as it comes with a free drink – something I’ve never seen before in my well over 2,000 reviews thus far. So let’s check out Mama Pat’s Chicken Taco!
#2403: Goku-Uma Yakisoba Japanese Style Noodle
We recently took a trip to Asian Food Grocery in 130th & Aurora and found this one. My wife likes yakisoba a lot and so I like to make it for her. This one has a little interesting thing though. On the sticker, it mentioned ‘This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.’ Wait, what? So I took a look at the ingredients list and found something I’d not seen before – an ingredient called Rebaudioside A. I looked that up and wikipedia had this to say:
#2389: Gefen Noodle Soup Imitation Chicken Flavor
I was at the store the other day and looking in the ethnic section. As it turns out, they’ve got a Kosher section and lo and behold, I find something I’ve not reviewed before. Indeed, there are a lot of Kosher instant noodles out there. So, what makes something Kosher? Here’s some info from wikipedia:
#2383: Nissin Cup Noodles Beef Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup (New Recipe)
Okay so here’s another one of the new recipe Cup Noodles from Nissin Foods USA – thanks again for sending ’em over! I did a kind of experiment a while back – one that ended pretty well. See, on Instagram I often see people enjoying their instant noodles alongside a beer as well as some form of Chee-Tos, whether they be regular, Flamin’ Hot or Flamin’ Hot Limon. What’s kind of funny about it is that it sort of makes sense. See, Chee-Tos kind of have the same effect on instant noodles as tempura. Weird but true – they’re crunchy but also work well in broth. It’s alright if you think I’m crazy, but I do find this somewhat poetic. Let’s check it out.
#2379: Nissin Cup Noodles Hot & Spicy Shrimp Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup (New Recipe)
Well, this is it. Right now, I’m listening to the inauguration of Donald J. Trump. It’s January 20th, 2017 and kind of a weird day. I thought it would be fitting to review something from the United States today. Finally, after decades of sticking with the same recipe, Nissin has decided to go with something new. On Cup Noodles’ 45th anniversary here in the USA, they’ve changed it to make it healthier. Some changes are no added MSG and no artificial flavors. Furthermore they’ve lowered the amount of sodium in these cups from the previous versions using potassium chloride. So, let’s give this Hot & Spicy Shrimp a try!
#2327: Nissin Cup Noodles Spicy Lime Shrimp Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup (New Recipe)
Okay so here’s another one of the new recipe Cup Noodles from Nissin Foods USA – thanks again for sending ’em over! The new recipe features reduction in sodium as well as no added MSG and no artificial flavors. Let’s have a look!
Ramen Posters & Stickers By Fanny Chu
I was contacted last year by Fanny Chu, a California artist with a true love for ramen. In fact, she designed a ramen poster, highlighting many of the different varieties of ramen in Japan. Well, she’s done a big update to the poster and now it includes a whopping 42 different varieties. They can be bought here. Let’s have a look!
#2315: Goku-Uma Ramen Noodles Miso Flavor
Here’s one of a line I’ve been kind of on the fence about lately. I tried their tonkotsu and was a little disappointed and hopeful that this miso will be a different story. Shall we have a look?
#2298: Nissin Cup Noodles Spicy Chile Chicken Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup (New Recipe)
Finally, after decades of sticking with the same recipe, Nissin has decided to go with something new. On Cup Noodles’ 45th anniversary here in the USA, they’ve changed it to make it healthier. Some changes are no added MSG and no artificial flavors. Furthermore they’ve lowered the amount of sodium in these cups from the previous versions using potassium chloride. So, let’s give this Spicy Chile Chicken a try!
#2277: Goku-Uma Ramen Noodles Soy Sauce Flavor
Some days I really need to wake up before I get started. Case in point, today I deleted the above image after I had taken pictures of what was inside of the bowl! If you didn’t, know, you cal ‘undelete’ files – lots of utilities out there that do it. So there it is. Let’s crack it open figuratively and check it out!
#2276: Nissin Cup Noodles With Shrimp Ramen Noodle Soup (New Recipe)
After decades of sticking with the same recipe, Nissin has decided to go with something new. On Cup Noodles’ 45th anniversary here in the USA, they’ve changed it to include no added MSG and no artificial flavors. Let’s give this a try!
#2267: Shirakiku Karami Ramen Spicy Chili Flavor Japanese Style Noodle With Soup Base
Here’s another one sent by a reader named Colin from the east coast – thanks again! I’m giving this one not a re-review but a full new review. I tried it in the past – it was review #125. Why a new review and not a re-review? Well, I don’t see anything on the old one mentioning non-fried noodles and think that maybe this has changed. The packaging has changed, but unsure if that’s denoting a difference. The brand Shirakiku is one of Nishimoto. Basically, kind of think of Trader Joe’s – they source foreign/domestic brands and re-brand them for sale in the USA under their name. That’s the case usually with Shirakiku. Let’s have a look!
#2262: Dream Kitchen Curry
Here’s one we found when in Renton, Washington’s Uwajimaya a while back. From what it looks like on the label, this is a private label for a big distributor here in the USA by a company in Singapore.I love curry but have been a little confused by this series. Let’s give it a looksie.
#2259: Farmer’s Heart Pho Beef Flavor Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup
Let’s start with the brand name of this one – Farmer’s Heart. I think many of you will be surprised that it’s a translation of a brand that’s very well known – Nongshim. Usually Nongshim’s flavors lean towards Korean flavors – logically. But this one’s definitely Vietnamese. I’m really curious about it also because not only are these rice noodles, but they can be made in the microwave. Let’s check it out!
#2248: Nongshim Shin Noodle Soup
Every year in January I come out with a Top Ten list of South Korean varieties. Much to the disappointment and anger of many people, this will never be on that list. Why? Simple. It’s made in the United States. People have debated me into the dirt on it too ‘so, why does it matter?’ Well, if I put Nissin top Ramen on the Top Ten Japanese list that would be a little ridiculous, wouldn’t it? The differences between the Nongshim Shin Cup manufactured here and manufactured in South Korea might be only geographic and packaging, but those are the rules. This could be on the Top Ten Made In The USA list at some point (I haven’t come out with a new one of those lists in a while – maybe next year perhaps). I’m working on getting some South Korean varieties soon, so I guess we’ll see this January!
#2239: Nissin Cup Noodles Chicken Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup (New Recipe)
After a few decades, Nissin decided they wanted to make some changes to one of their flagship products here in the United States, Cup Noodles. They’ve lowered sodium and now there is no added MSG and no artificial flavors. I thought this was kind of interesting as last year they came out with these new cups, but it looks like they’re not available anymore. Let’s have a look at this iconic domestic instant noodle in a cup.
#2227: Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup Sriracha Chicken Flavour
Time for a new domestic variety! found this one a while back down in Renton, Washington at the Uwajimaya there. It’s right next to where they have Pokemon League at a card shop. Anyways, it was kind of a shock since I found this one, their new chipotle chicken cup, and a few new bowls they came out with recently. I think this is the last of the new stuff. Let’s give it a look!
#2208: Roland Ramen Japanese Style Quick-Cooking Alimentary Paste With Chicken Artificially Flavored Soup Base
A big thanks to Colin for finding and sending me this one! Okay, so I have been trying to get this one for a while; anything by Roland honestly. I called them, emailed them, and always got the same reply – ‘we don’t send sample.’ I really love it when companies have such a rigid policy against basically what amounts to free advertising. This one is made in Singapore for Roland company here in the USA, and I have a feeling it’s a private label by Tat Hui/KOKA – all boils down to one aspect which is a giveaway. Let’s check this one out and I’ll show you what that is.