Usually, this list comes out in September of every year, but this time around there was a hitch: review#5000. It really ate up all of my time, and so this year is a bit late (making a documentary, a detailed review video and research et al). Also, there won’t be a video this time around. Next year though! This list is essentially the same as last year’s. A final issue I ran into was the lack of reviewables that crossed my desk from Taiwan over the last year. With that, if you’re a Taiwanese noodle company with products I’ve not reviewed, I definitely am interested in reviewing your products. With that, here’s The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time 2025 Edition.
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time 2025 Edition
#10: Hi-Lai Foods Lai Noodle
The noodle comes out just perfectly with a very hearty chew and quality. The flavor is wonderful – notes of Sichuan peppercorn intermingle with soy and this charming Vegan mince that has a sweetness that lingers around the palate and then ducks in and out. Everything I love about Taiwanese dry noodle with a unique addition. Original review
#9: Mom’s Dry Noodle Wasabi Almond Sauce Noodle With Tapioca
This one is truly unique – it could be considered something of a dessert of a salad kind of noodle. The broad noodle is just perfect with wavy edges. The sauce goes between being spicy from wasabi and sweet from an almond paste kind of flavor. The sweet and spicy is augmented with a really nice flavor and texture of boba – large tapioca which are of excellent quality. Truly something completely different and quite delightful. Original review
#8: Little Couples Chicken Rice Flavor Dry Noodle
Another broad noodle variety – this time paired with sauces that impart an excellent chicken rice flavor. This is absolutely excellent stuff and they’ve also come out with a Fish Head Casserole variety which is equally delicious and unique. Original review
#7: Little Cook Thailand Green Curry Chicken
This bowl, in fact, is two bowls. One you steep the noodles in. The second? Drain the broth from the first by poking holes in the lid and pour into it. The noodle is accompanied by a spicy green curry and chunks of vegetable and real chicken. The broth slurping soup worked well too. Original review
#6: NoodleMix Chinese Sesame Oil Lion’s Mane Mushroom Pumpkin Konjac Noodle
This one falls into a category all it’s own. Konjac noodle has the strong tendency to be rubbery and if you don’t get the right gauge, just too rubbery. This one is just right. The broth is indeed a salty sesame affair. What struck me as genius was the inclusion of Lion’s Mane mushrooms; I’d never had them before. The texture of these is so much like chicken I really had to research to find if it wasn’t chicken. If you’re looking for something meatless, this will blow your mind if you’re looking for a meaty texture and a nice noodle. Original review
#5: John’s Braised Scallion Oil Noodles
These noodles are really nice – light on the chew and a great mouthfeel. The flavor is a one two punch of scallion flavor, a bit of spicy, and umami for days. It’s got some flavors in there that just add up to a rich and flavorful experience like no other. Beautiful stuff and a nice surprise. Original review
#4: A-Sha LaoTao Beef & Tendon Noodle
I found the red box version of this range to be my favorite – until I tried this one! This fantastic variety is retaining it’s high place for yet another year. Just lavish and succulent – beef that melts in your mouth and upgraded with tendon meat, the noodle and broth and meat harmonize in a symphony that peaks with a flavorful crescendo. The other two in the range in the red box and the seasonal Wagyu are also absolutely top notch and worth a try. Original review
#3: Kung Fu Noodle Aged Shaoxing Wine With Chicken Drumstick Soup Noodle
This one features an excellent noodle, lots (and I mean lots) of meat and vegetables, and a very deep chicken flavor with cooking wine. The sheer amount of chicken in here is really quite amazing and very good – doesn’t seem like something that came in a box but from your mother’s kitchen. Original review
#2: Mom’s Dry Noodle Surfmama Goose Oil Zhajiang Noodle
Another Mom’s Dry Noodle sure to tantalize the tastebuds. This one has a wide noodle which has a sensational chewiness. The wonder here is the sauce which is like the filling for steamed pork buns. It’s sweet, savory, and works just perfectly. Just wonderful. Original review
#1: A-Sha Meteor Noodles With Hot & Sour Sauce
This noodle was really quite a surprise to me. They use their ‘Meteor Noodle’ – think of a flat noodle but with an extra side to it; like a fin. The chew on them is amazing. The flavor of the sauce is perfect – not too black vinegar, not too Sichuan pepper. This is definitely comfort food. Just as savory and gourmet as can be. Original review
Honorary Mention
Wei Lih Jah Jan Mien – Instant Noodle With Jah Jan Flavour
This particular variety hold some serious nostalgia for me. When I moved near a large Asian market in 2010, this is where I picked up my reviewing. What’s more is that I prepared it incorrectly; not as a soup and separate noodle, but together. I did review it correctly many times and enjoy it very much. It’s actually in my documentary I made for my 5000th review. Wei Lih Jah Jan Mien review
Special Announcements
My 5000th Review
After over 20 years of reviewing, I finally hit my 5000th review. I made a documentary of the events that stick out in my mind during that time, and the story of how I got started. Check it out here.
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All The Indomie I’ve Tried
I’ve reviewed a lot of Indomie over the years. I thought I’d make up a list of all of the varieties I’ve tried, and here it is. Looks like 77 of them if I counted right.
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! Very recently, I released a Definitive Guide To Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup. Future guides will include MAMA Tom Yum, and more. My plan is do feature one or two products from each country.
Ramen Junkies
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