The Definitive Source For Instant Noodle Reviews Since 2002
Here’s something different – Cucumber Bibim Men! Bibimbap is a common Korean dish involving a sauce with mixed vegetables and rice. The ‘Men’ here is pronounced ‘main’ as in chow mein as in noodles. So what this is is a cold noodle deal – you boil the noodles and veggies, drain and rinse with cold water a few times, add the liquid packet and stir it together. Curious if I’m going to like this – I’ve had Bibim Men a long time ago, but my tastes have changed so we’ll see.
Finally after a long wait, Kkokkomyun has come to the United States as Kokomen! This is the instant that brought about the whole ‘white broth’ craze in Korea. Here’s an excerpt from my interview with Paldo:
Wow check this out! Paldo sent me this prototype of a new product – a bowl of instant noodles that only takes a minute and thirty seconds to cook. Pretty amazing – but how does it taste?
I asked my wife Kit to pick which pack of noodles to begin Meet The Manufacturer: Paldo week and she picked this one. Sounds like a great place to start!
I got a couple of large boxes from the folks at Paldo America today! Wonder what’s inside?
I’m very happy to announce that today begins Meet The Manufacturer Week: Paldo~ There will be many reviews and information about this great South Korean company. Here, we shall start with the interview. Enjoy!
This rather unassuming package of ramen came from Bo H. of China. I don’t know if this is exactly what this is called, but I hope it comes close to its name in taste. Potatoes aren’t something commonly found when it comes to instant noodles; there’s sweet potato noodles and potato noodles, but really nothing that involved potato flavor.
Been a while, but here we go with the 16th edition of The Ramen Rater Noodle News!
I search the ‘net for interesting news and view on instant noodles and beyond. Here you go!
Today is probably the hottest day we’re going to have in Western Washington this summer. Right now it’s 88 degrees! I thought a nice bowl of spicy noodles would go well with it. I mean, isn’t it hot in Thailand too?
This is one that came from Courtnay N. of Surrey, BC – thanks! Maruchan makes lots of instant noodles that can be found in the USA, but of course they make varieties that are only available in Japan – this is one of them.
Here’s another that was sent by my friend in Jakarta, Indonesia – thanks again! Next week, I’m starting up a new Meet The Manufacturer spotlight and so I thought I’d have something very different from what I’ll be sampling. Let’s give it a try!
Here’s a list of odd instant noodle-isms.
We have the British to thank for these bacon instant noodles. Pair ’em with eggs and toast and t’s actually pretty great stuff. But, you should know, the rest of the day your burps will taste like bacon. This one was sent to me by a Ramen Rater fan in England who also included about two dozen other fascinating packs with flavors such as Curry, Sweet & Sour, and Southern Fried Chicken.
Got this one at a grocery store in Livermore, California called Nob Hill. Pretty rare these days that I find something I haven’t tried in a grocery store!
Back in Washington! We had a great trip down to the Bay Area – saw the San Francisco Giants play (and win) at AT&T Park, went to Six Flags in Vallejo, CA and lots of other fun things. On the way home, we stopped at the Uwajimaya in Beaverton, Oregon. Found ten new varieties I’d never seen before and here’s one of them. Sounds good! Gonna give it a try.
Good news and bad news. Bad news: no reviews for about a week (we’re going on vacation). The good news: I will leave you with the first ever bacon monstrosity!
I’ve wanted to re-review this one for a while. Just has a kind of weird name, ya’know? Here’s what the Nongshim site says about it:
See? it really says it right there – stewde chicken of mushroom! I think this has to be one of my favorite misspellings yet! My sister brought me this back from Canada earlier this year. Let’s have a look!
* UPDATE * See here.
A couple of days ago, I received an email from a man who was angry. He was angry that the instant noodles he bought said that they were spicy Chicken flavor but weren’t spicy whatsoever and that I needed to change the seasonings ASAP. Every once in a while, I get a comment or email from someone who thinks that I make instant noodles or am affiliated with an instant noodle company. I decided to reply and do a review of the product he had problems with, adding some hot spices, sauces and peppers from around the world to really heat it up. It then occurred to me that a lot of people really like spicy instant noodles and that there’s really no list of the hottest ones out there. I figured I’d better do something about that, and so here’s the Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time!
Got this one ages ago – thought something mellow after the fiery onslaught I endured earlier. Beef. Let’s do this.
Spicy beef! This was sent by Bo H. of China! Thanks again! These have all been a lot of fun and quite good! Let’s see how Master Kong’s Spicy Beef goes.
Yep – another new one from Indonesia that was sent by my friend in Jakarta! Thank you very much! I haven’t tried this brand’s noodles before, but I am familiar with ABC’s Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce).
Here’s another one that Moo Hee-Wi from Korea sent me. she was the one who wrote the JoongAng Ilbo article about The Ramen Rater last month! Thanks again! So this is what you would find in the Korean superkarket if you wanted to get some Mild Neoguri. A while back I reviewed the US version. Let’s give this one a try!
Exactly one year ago as I type this, we were taking a break from Disneyland and doing a couple other things. Well, one thing we did was go to a little market and I got this instant noodle bowl.
Here’s another one from a friend in Jakarta, Indonesia! Thank you! So what is Rasa Ayam Bawang you ask? Simple: Garlic Chicken Flavor! Sounds awesome! Oh, but wait – when I translate onion to Indonesian it says bawang too. Uh oh – I’m confused. Can anyone make a comment as to this? It would be greatly appreciated! UPDATE – Just got the comment I was looking for:
So the last one of these I had was super salty. hoping this one isn’t going to be like that; I couldn’t really eat the last one because of it.
Here’s one that Michelle L. of New York sent a while back. Looks like it should be good!
Here’s another one of the Master Kong variants sent to me by Bo H.! Thanks again! This one is the the first Master Kong large noodle bowl I’ve tried.
Welcome to the 15th installment of The Ramen Rater Noodle News!
Here’s a slew of stories I found online in the past week or two – enjoy!
Hey now this sounds good – fried noodles with chicken sauce? Bring it on!
Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge).
Here’s the last of the packs that Carter B. sent from his time in Mali. Hot & sour shrimp sounds awesome – so let’s give it a try.
Here it is – number 800! Gonna hit that four digits sooner or later. Thanks go to Mark K. and Erika L. for getting these to me! I had to decide on an appropriate variety for today’s big 800, so I though Canadian chicken (simulated flavor) instant noodles was fascinating enough to do the trick! So, here we go!
Here’s a big cup my sister brought me back from Canada this year. Sounds good on a nice sunny day.
Here’s the last of the Golden Mie varieties sent to me by Carter B. from his travels in Mali. These noodles actually are from Dubai! Awesome!
Click to enlarge. Today is Independence Day. I think Andy has independently decided that kimchi is not for him. Happy Fourth!
Here’s one from Vietnam. My sister found it for me up in Canada earlier this year. Vegetable? Kimchi? Sounds good to me.
Here’s another one that Bo H. sent me from China! Thanks again! So what are Dan Dan noodles? here’s what Wikipedia says:
Here’s another one that a friend in Indonesia sent – thanks again! Curious how this one will be; I translated it to what looks like Koya lime flavor soup.
Here’s another pack of these Canadian instant noodles ! Thanks go to Mark K. and Erika L. for getting these to me! This is the first spicy one I’ll be trying – curious how it’ll be!
The 200th review I did was the old version of this stuff! Over 500 reviews later, we come to the new version. So far, these new ones have been quite good.
Here’s one I got a while ago at Uwajimaya in Seattle. It’s big, Japanese and tonkotsu flavor – sounds much better than the last one I had!
