The Definitive Source For Instant Noodle Reviews Since 2002
This is great – I saw this at S*Mart and couldn’t resist. I generally resist purchasing multipacks as I usually just need one, maybe two package to do a review. I was thinking though perhaps my daughter might like this one so there will be extras. Definitely made in Taiwan, packaged for US sale. One thing too – you might think this is pronounced Vey-dan – it is not. The ve is pronounced ‘way’. So now you know – let’s cook!
Here’s one of the last ones sent by a Taiwanese university student who has probably graduated by now – thanks again and good luck! This is a really big box – let’s check it out!
Here’s one sent by a reader who found it in the Philippines – thanks! Definitely looks different from the ones found in Taiwan. Export version! Let’s check it out!
This one comes by way of a reader from Taiwan who visited t he Philippines and saw this and a spicy version there. This is most definitely an export version. First, lots of English text. Now, you’ll never see this in the United States as it does contain beef. Casn’t go wrong with braised beef – well, I guess you could if it’s bad, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case here. Let’s find out!
Here’s another one I received from a University student in Taiwan – thanks again! She’s working on her Master’s thesis and wanted info from me on a few products and what I thought of them – an honor! Let’s check out this braised beef variety!
Here’s one of the very last varieties I found in Taiwan during my last visit in November, 2017. Big thanks to Kyle K. for help translating this one! So braised meats from Taiwan are some of the most amazing flavors – anywhere. I’m telling you – find a Taiwanese restaurant and get some braised pork – it’ll blow your freaking mind. Alright – let’s crack this bowl open and get this going.
Alright – this is the last of the reviews for the Uni student in Taiwan – thanks again for sending these – it’s been fun and quite truly an honor that someone going for their Master’s degree is asking me for help!
Alright here’s one of the ones sent by the University student working on her Master’s thesis paper. It’s getting closer to her deadline at the time of writing this, so I am busting out the last three. So – three cup chicken – here’s some info from Wikipedia –
Here’s another one that was sent by a University student working on her master’s thesis. She asked me to review a set of six instant noodle varieties by Vedan. Sure! I’ve tried this before in an export version and really didn’t like it. Let’s give this local variety a try.
Here’s another one I received from a University student in Taiwan – thanks again! She’s working on her Master’s thesis and wanted info from me on a few products and what I thought of them – an honor! Let’s check out this variety with a Korean influence.
Brought this one back with me from Taiwan last year! Time to crack it open and give it a try, that’s for sure. Something about a beef noodle sounds like a good idea today. Let’s do this!
Here’s the last of the Vedan Double Bang varieties I brought home from my trip to Taipei last November. This one’s spicy beef. Let’s do this.
I received some varieties from a woman who was working on her master’s thesis in Taiwan a few weeks ago. Well, I prepared one of them incorrectly. I asked for another and she sent me a bunch of new ones! Thank you! Let’s take a look at this box and what’s inside!
Here’s one sent by a fellow named Jay from Taiwan – thanks! I did see these and another variety at Uwajimaya in Beaverton, OR on our way back from California a couple of months ago. So these are dry noodles. Dry noodles are prepared by cooking, draining, then adding sauce and stirring. Pretty easy to do. These sound interesting – basil! Let’s have a look and give these a try.
With the advent in the popularity of the Taiwanese dry noodles sector, larger companies have entered the fray. For those of your that don’t know, dry noodles basically are noodles with a sauce – dry meaning that they do not include a broth. They’re also not fried but either air or sun dried. They’re gaining popularity – let’s have a look at this mainstream Taiwanese brand’s take on a standard dry noodle variety.
I think I got this one at the Hi Life store at the Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei. This looks to be a pork variety. The Term ‘Double Bang’ refers to the two noodle blocks within. Let’s check it out!
Here’s one I brought back in my suitcase from Taiwan from my November 2017 trip to Taiwan for the Taiwan International Food Expo. I really hope to live in Taiwan someday. No joke – it’s really that neat there. Let’s crack this meaty beast open and see what’s inside. By the way, no, you’re not going to find this in the United States – it’s got a retort pouch full of meat and that kind of makes it off the table for export. Let’s begin.
Brought this back from Taiwan. Pretty much everything I brought back came through the rigors of baggage handling unscathed; but not every single thing did. Alas, this was one of them that didn’t. To be quite honest, it did better than some I’ve brought back before from abroad – a little crushing of noodles isn’t bad – I’vbe had ones whose noodle blocks were reduced to crumbs. Let’s have a look at this one – I found it at RT-Mart in Taipei.
This one’s got horns and flying saucers on the packaging – something that denotes… Well, horns and flying saucers I suppose. I guess it more likely denotes ‘hey look at me – I’m on the store shelf!’ The double bang is for the two noodle blocks. The other variety I reviewed in this series had two in it as well and called for (like this one) 700ml boiling water. Guess we will see how this one goes as well! I remember seeing these on store shelves – I think I got all but one of the varieties (sniff) but hey – got some pretty fascinating ones. Taiwanese beef noodles, it is your time to shine.
I’m sure you can guess – I found this one in Taiwan. Got this at RT-Mart, a huge grocery and department store in November of 2017. So XO sauce – here’s a little about it from Wikipedia –
Here’s one I brought back from Taiwan in November 2017. There are four different ones with different illustrations of different expressions – they’re pretty interesting. Now,m there’s scant few characters on this bowl I can read, so I’d like to thank everyone on Facebook for the help in translation! Much appreciated! So double bang – why double bang? Well, there’s two noodle blocks. Bang! Noodles! Bang! Noodles! Makes sense to me. Really excited as this isn’t the first one I brought back from Taiwan I’ve reviewed, but this is the first Taiwanese variety I’ve brought back from Taiwan I’m reviewing – let’s have a look!
So here’s one I found while coming back from our big family drive to California this summer. I found it in the Beaverton Uwajimaya actually. I got about 10 varieties or so there during our pit stop on the way home.
Got an email from a guy named Jay in Taiwan a couple weeks ago about a spicy variety I hadn’t tried he wanted to send. He also sent some other stuff too! Thank you so much! Let’s have a look!
So today it’s the fifth annual The Ramen Rater’s Bottom Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time. On my other lists, I exclude varieties that no longer are on the market. On this list, everything’s fair game for the bottom ten. As I say in the video presentation, if you like some of these, there’s nothing wrong with you – I just find these detestable personally. These are my least favorite varieties of the over 2400 varieties posted to date. Without gurther ado, the bottom ten.
The last one from the trip we took to Canada for my birthday. This is a Taiwanese variety I found up there. I see a picture of a chicken on the package, but that’s as far as it goes as the serving suggestion doesn’t look very ‘chickenny.’ Let’s see how it goes!
Here’s one we found up in Canada during my birthday trip earlier this year. This one’s a little tricky to figure out; the distributor/import sticker mentioned shiitake, but another site I saw mentioned carrot, and indeed there’s a carrot on the package. Anyways, this one looked kind of interesting so let’s have a look.
Here’s one I got a couple weeks ago on my birthday trip to Canada! I’ve had a few varieties by Vedan before but this one sounds really good. Hot beef is always a good bet. I think I’ll try it with some Chinese sausages in the mix! Let’s check out this Vedan Wei Wei A Hot Beef flavor!
Here’s an interesting one which I got some great help in translating from Bobby Y. – thank you as always! I kind of ran into a hitch when I was trying to translate this: 台湾泡面 味丹双响炮 碗装方便面 火山岩烧豚骨汤面110G 6个包邮 and then got this from Google: Taiwan Vedan Pom instant noodles bowl of instant noodles volcanic burning dolphin soup surface 110G 6 个 shipping. Volcanic burning dolphin soup does sound interesting though! Another thing he was able to verify was that there’s a little sachet that is to be enjoyed as a snack while you wait for the noodles to steep and aren’t actually an ingredient – we’ll go more into that in the directions. Anyways, let’s check this one from Taiwan out!
Here’s another that was sent to me by Michelle L. of New York. This is something I’ve never had before – Wei-Wei brand. Wai Wai yes, Wei-Wei, no. The packaging is interesting – note the guy with the suave hat in the upper right. He’s there; on the scene – purchasing noodles . Let’s see if these noodles rock. Note the economical 49 cent price tag!
Got an email a week or so ago from Michelle L., a fan of the blog. She asked if I wanted to try some varieties she could get in the New York area – you know it!
These look really different. I think I had some Vedan noodles a really long time ago and gave them an extremely low rating – hope it’s better this time!
After spending a few days on it, here’s the list. If you have anything you think should be added, please let me know – II’d love to make this the most complete list on the Internet of instant noodle information! You can find it in a tab on top of the site as well.
