Been lagging on doing top ten list editing – my apologies. The weather’s been really good for walking, and in May I did over 500 miles. I included a special post at the bottom about it. I also included something of a change from how I’ve been doing things as well involving AI. Anyways, this is the annual The Ramen Rater’s Global Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls – these are my favorite varieties out of review up to #4440 which are in the bowl style. Hope you enjoy! Top Ten Cups and Bottom Ten lists should be coming soon!
The Ramen Rater’s Global Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls 2023 Edition
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A visual presentation of The Ramen Rater’s Global Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls 2023 Edition.
The Ramen Rater’s Global Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls 2023 Edition
#10: You Us GS Retail Omori Kimchi Stew Ramyun – United States
A great noodle paired with a tangy broth. The included kimchi works very well and is of good quality. Made in South Korea and packaged for the US market, this variety is a crowd pleaser. People have posted their thoughts on this one in the Ramen Junkies group quite a few times. Original review | Get it here
#9: Sau Tao Laksa Flavour Trolley Noodles – Hong Kong
A fresh shelf-stable noodle is paired with Sau Tao’s one two punch powder and paste laksa base which deliver a great taste and thickness to the broth. This one is joined with their tom yam flavor and works really well also. Original review
#8: New Touch Chicken Shio Ramen – Japan
The noodles are just perfect – great chew and gauge. The broth imparts a very savory chicken flavor with a very rich shio style and lot of hints of other things. The included garnish – the chicken meatballs are just out of this world. They impart a freshness unexpected in an instant. Vegetables hydrated perfectly. Original review
#7: Myojo HYBRID X Scallop x Chicken NOODLEVOICE Rich Scallop Soba – Japan
The noodles are quite nicely hydrated. The have a sturdy chew and good quality – very good there. Broth is definitely a marriage of chicken and scallop and works well. I particularly likes the aroma of the hot broth as it filled my nose. The chashu was tasty, but as always there’s never enough. Included bits of onion were quite good – all around a nice premium bowl. Original review
#6: Seven&I Premium/Myojo Ryu Shanghai Spicy Miso Ramen – Japan
This was a colossal bowl, worthy of song and tribute. The noodle is absolutely gorgeous – perfect gauge and chew and hydrated to a T. The broth, when augmented with a little stir of that reddish blob in the middle, becomes nice and spicy and gives incalculable benefit to the base red miso broth. The little sachet f seaweed gives everything another layer of flavor. This is pretty epic stuff – the narutomaki and chashu were on point, and menma is ubiquitous. Original review
#5: Nongshim K*Army Stew Style Noodle Soup – United States
Budae Jjigae is a fusion of American and Korean cuisine. Take a tangy broth with kimchi notes and wrangle it with beans, macaroni, SPAM and other Army ration staples and you’ve got budae jjigae. I love this stuff and everyone I’ve introduced it to does as well. Original review | Get it here
#4: Soupply Filet & Brisket Pho Bowl With Real Meat & Collagen – United States
This is exemplary. I didn’t use room temp water so the noodles didn’t hydrate all the way (later I made on correctly and they came out fine). Rice noodles are soft with a nice gauge. The broth tastes like pho you might find at a shop down the road – and the beef adds in so much. I think cooking it with the meat in with it goes a long way to flavor the broth. The hoisin and Sriracha are authentic touches. This is superb and by far and away the best instant pho I’ve ever had. Chicken version is excellent as well. Original review | Get it here
#3: Nongshim Tonkotsu Ramen Premium Noodle Soup – United States
Extremely happy about this one – this is super good. This variety is microwaved. The noodles came out just perfect – even a nice chew on them. The broth is a milky and luxuriant tonkotsu – deep and tasty. The nice part is it comes with a spicy sachet, so you can make it spicy or non spicy tonkotsu, depending on your taste/mood. One of the best tonkotsu varieties I’ve had. Original review | Get it here
#2: Sapporo Ichiban Meiten no Aji Tenkaippin Kyoto Noukou Toripaitan – Japan
Noodle was very premium – nice tooth. The broth is as luxuriant and thick as can be and imparts a very nice chicken flavor – thick and rich broth. Included meaty bits and veg really added. Superb. Original review
#1: Little Cook Thailand Green Curry Instant Noodle – Taiwan
Wow – I’m so freaking impressed with this one. First, there are two bowls. Peel back the lid of the first bowl and add boiling water. After a short time, you poke holes in the lid and drain the liquid into the second. A sachet of soup base is added and you have a soup with lots of corn and herbs. Next, a huge sachet with chicken and vegetables boasts a great spicy green curry flavor which mixes with the noodle. A really amazing product which is unique and delicious. Original review
Special Announcements
The Return Of The Ramen Rater Diet
A few years back, I started a diet after my doc told me I should. So I did – lost 160lbs with a combo of walking and eating less. Well, after my mom died and getting COVID, I slacked off. Then I visited my doctor and started back up. Here you can see info on what I did and maybe it can help you too. By the way I tell you how I did it in the first 20 seconds.
Artificial Intelligence Meet Instant Noodles
I’ve been having a lot of fun creating images with Dall-E 2. I thought that maybe I could make some that could be useful for what I do, and sure enough, I could. Starting June 19th, 2023, the backgrounds I’m using (for the most part) have all been created using Dall-E 2 and different text prompts. It’s really neat having more of a hand in the backgrounds I use. I’ve even used them in concert with Adobe Photoshop Beta’s ‘Generative Fill’ feature. You’ll start seeing these new backgrounds in images I share soon and currently in the graphic and thumbnail for this top ten list.
A Petition To Benefit Those In Need
For the last few years, a thought has been bouncing around in my head. Why is there a spot to donate a dollar to elections on tax returns? I think that little spot can be better by donating a dollar or some set amount to Veterans who are living in poverty. At the end of tax season, the donations can go to all who qualify. I think that would be a good thing. I started a petition to do this, and if you’re in the USA, you can sign it here and please feel free to share it around! Thanks!
Definitive Guides
This year, I’ve decided to do a special series called Definitive Guides. Recipes, trivia, history, and more on some of the most loved and fascinating varieties of instant noodles around the world! So far, I’ve got one on Nongshim’s Shin Ramyun, and Indomie’s Mi Goreng and Nissin Foods’ Cup Noodles Pumpkin Spice! Future guides will include MAMA Tom Yum, and more. My plan is do feature one or two products from each country.
Ramen Junkies
Ramen Junkies is a Facebook group devoted to the love of instant noodles. People share their recipes, thoughts, ideas and humor Join the conversation today – over 70,000 members strong!
The Ramen Rater App For Android
The Ramen Rater App for Android has been given a whole new look and functionality. You can scan bar codes to see reviews I’ve done while at the store, peruse the top ten lists, and do simple searches. It’s really great – even a dark mode! Best of all it’s free and currently ad-free.
