April 21, 2014 By The Ramen Rater

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition

4 Replies

Well folks, it’s that time again. Since the last list, I’ve reviewed another 335 varieties – almost one a day This list reflects the ones I’ve reviewed in the last year as well as those reviewed before that – 1,365 varieties in all. It seems to get tougher each time – so many good ones! Here’s this year’s list – the best of the best. With that, I present to you The Ramen Rater’s top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition.

#10: Mama Instant Noodles Yentafo Tom Yum Mohfai Flavour – Thailand

Yentafo (aka yong tau foo) has a spicy and sweet flavor. The sweetness is derived from hoisin sauce and the spiciness from chillies. Seasoned brown noodles are complimented by these unique flavors as well an a nice bit of heartiness from oil. Original review here

#9: Nongshim Soon Veggie Noodle Soup – South Korea

This is the first instant noodle on the top ten to be marketed towards vegetarians. What surprised me about it was the broth had such a full flavor to it; deep and satisfying. The noodles are slightly larger in gauge than your run of the mill instant, which is common of South Korean ‘ramyun.’ Magnificent stuff! Original review here

#8: Prima Taste Singapore Chilli Crab La Mian – Singapore

Prima Taste’s third appearance in the top ten. Chilli Crab is considered the signature dish of Singapore. This is a brothless variety – excellent, chewy noodles and a sweet sauce that has a sweet, spicy and buttery taste. If you like crab, this is one to try. Original review here

#7: Mamee Chef Curry Laksa Flavour – Malaysia

This one was a pleasant surprise. Touting Mamee’s ‘Mi Tarik’ technology to approximate the same texture as hand pulled noodles, they chewiness and gauge are really quite special. The broth has a beautiful hit of cumin that adds a richness I found delectable. Garnish included small bits of tofu puff! Original review here

#6: Paldo Cheese Noodle – South Korea

These noodles – wow. I think the best addition to South Korean ramyun has to be cheese. Well, not only is cheese included here but it’s got just the perfect notes of spiciness and strong, rich flavor. The little guy with the sign that says cheese noodle rocks as well. Original review here

#5: Samyang Foods Maesaengyitangmyun Baked Noodle – South Korea

Last year was the 50th anniversary of ramyun in South Korea, pioneered by Samyang Foods. Samyang decided to try making something new – SBN, a baked noodle. What’s really neat here is that the noodles smell like bread! The broth is a lot like gomtang, a traditional beef soup. To shake it up, maesangyi is added – kind of like seaweed spun into a cotton-like consistency. The finished product is quite delectable; almost like a chowder! Original review here

#4: Sapporo Ichiban Otafuku Okonomi Sauce Yakisoba – Japan

I’ve always really loved yakisoba and this is the best I’ve found in an instant form yet. Otofuku is a brand of yakisoba sauce that can be found almost anywhere, and it’s inclusion in this one is just perfection. What’s more, the noodles are garnished with green laver (flaked seaweed) and a little mayonnaise packet! Original review here

#3: Prima Taste Singapore Curry La Mian – Singapore

Premium chewy noodles are given the opportunity to swim in some of the best curry broth I’ve ever had. The real difference here is that there are two sachets – curry paste and a ‘premix’ which is primarily coconut powder. Sheer delight! Original Review / Special 2014 Re-Review

#2: Prima Taste Singapore Laksa La Mian – Singapore

Prima Taste’s La Mian noodles are just pure wonderful, and their paste and coconut powder sachets are brimming with rich flavor. This one is a little spicy and has strong shrimp flavor. Little beads of chilli oil dance around the top of the broth like miniature rubies. Spectacular! Original review / Special 2014 Re-Review

#1: MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodle – Malaysia

The ultimate! The noodles are just the right texture and gauge – not too wide or too narrow with a chewiness that is perfection. The broth is amazing – extremely spicy (hit #7 on the 2013 Spiciest Instant Noodles list), and features a strong curry flavor and a hearty finish. I am truly impressed with this one and would consider it to be the one I would love to eat every day. Bravo! Original review / Special 2014 Re-Review

Products cooked according to package instructions. Product reviews done prior to adding any additional ingredients.

April 23, 2014 By The Ramen Rater

#1367: Sawadee Instant Noodles Vegetable & Mushroom Flavour

Comments

Here’s one that is made in one country for sale in another. This is made in Malaysia, but most easily found in the UK. Anyways, let’s check this one out!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but have a look for yourself. To prepare, boil 250ml water. Put the noodle block and seasoning sachet content in a bowl and cover with boiling water and a lid. After 4 minutes, open it up and stir. Enjoy! Alternatively, you can just boil 250ml water in a pot then take it off the heat and add the contents and put a lid on it – that’s what I do.

Here’s the noodle block – very straightforward and standard insofar as size.

The soup base powder sachet.

Truly, this is a powder – extremely light and fluffy.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added sweet onion, corn, leek, peas, carrot and BonCabe Level 10 chilli seasoning. The noodles were lackluster; crumbly. The flavor had a mushroom component, but didn’t really remind me of vegetables to speak of. 1.5 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 5023751102040>.

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Malaysia - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture (Kindle Edition)

By (author): Victor King

Curious about Malaysia? Check out this book!
Kindle Edition:	Check Amazon for Pricing Digital Only

I don’t know why, but I’ve always found mushroom farming fascinating.

Products cooked according to package instructions. Product reviews done prior to adding any additional ingredients.

April 22, 2014 By The Ramen Rater

#1366: Nongshim Sir Long Tang Creamy Beef Noodle Soup

Comments

Here’s something new and different from Nongshim. The name might seem a little odd, but it’s a play on the name of a traditional South Korean beef soup called Seoulleongtang, which has a broth which is simmered for a long time with ox bones. I’ve liked non-spicy South Korean beef noodle soups in the past – let’s see how this one fares!

Here are the side panels (click image to enlarge). Contains beef.

Detail of the lid (click image to enlarge). To prepare in the microwave, remove lid and empty the sachet contents into the cup. Add room temperature water to the inside line and microwave for 3 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

The noodle block.

The single soup base sachet.

A nice fluffy beef scented powder.

The vegetables are already in the cup. Here are some of them.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added some thin sliced sukiyaki beef. The noodles have a decent gauge and instead of being round like most ramyun, they are flat. They have a light chewiness and are soft. The broth has a very nice and rich beef flavor and is indeed creamy. The vegetables were nice – especially the slices of garlic that hydrated perfectly. A great stick-to-your-ribsy kind of noodle soup. 4.25 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 031146025947.

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Nongshim Sir Long Tang Creamy Beef Noodle Soup, 2.6 Ounce (Pack of 6) (Grocery)

New From:	$15.99 USD In Stock
Used from:	Out of Stock
Release date February 3, 2014.

A neat video showing how Shin Ramyun Black cups are made!

Products cooked according to package instructions. Product reviews done prior to adding any additional ingredients.

April 21, 2014 By The Ramen Rater

Top Ten 2014 Re-Review: MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodle

1 Reply

Last June, I’d never heard of Penang, nor really had tried many varieties of Malaysian instant noodles for that matter. I had no clue what to expect and was absolutely elated with this one – my core interest in reviewing instant noodles is that I want to try new things every day. This was definitely something new to me. Let’s look inside the package and see why it’s on the 2014 top ten list!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Contains crustaceans. To prepare, boil 380ml water and cook noodle block for 3 minutes. Add in contents of sachets, mix well and enjoy!

The noodle block.

The seasoning powder sachet.

Has a nice seafood scent.

The paste sachet.

Wow – such a strong and bright curry scent!

The non-dairy creamer sachet.

A very light powder.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added mint, prawn flavor fish balls, sweet

onion, tofu puff and Chinese long bean. The noodles are excellent – perfect gauge

and chew. Quantity was just right, too. The broth is a luxuriant escapade for the

palate – a strong curry with ferocious heat. Definitely not thin either – it’s

quite hearty. It’s so neat – I’ve reviewed so many different instant noodles and the industry never fails to come up with something new and revolutionary that makes the taste buds sing! Fantastic stuff! 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 9555655005197.

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Penang Adventure: A History of the Pearl of the Orient (Paperback)

By (author): Raymond Flower

Here’s a book on Penang’s history and what it’s all about.
List Price:	$21.75 USD
New From:	$33.41 USD In Stock
Used from:	$30.04 USD In Stock

A news story mentioning how these noodles placed in The Ramen Rater’s Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2013!

Products cooked according to package instructions. Product reviews done prior to adding any additional ingredients.

By The Ramen Rater

Top Ten 2014 Re-Review: Prima Taste Singapore Laksa La Mian

Comments

There’s a reason there are three Prima Taste products are on the top ten list – they’re amazing. Two big sachets with serious ingredients and noodles that are so nice and tasty. I’ve really enjoyed the products they’ve made and hope they make lots of more noodle varieties in the future! Let’s give this one an up close and personal look.

First though, what is laksa? I’m sure most folks in the United States have never heard of it – but that should change as it’s so good! Wikipedia had this to say:

Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup from the Peranakan culture, which is a merger of Chinese and Malay elements found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Short and to the point – and now you know! Let’s continue on.

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Contains crustaceans. To prepare, add the sachet contents to 2 cups of water and mix well. Bring to a boil, add in noodle block and reduce heat. Cook for 7 minutes and enjoy!

The noodle block – round noodles with a wide gauge.

The paste sachet – very large.

Has a strong scent of shrimp and spices.

The dry powder premix sachet.

A light powder – mainly coconut.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added bean sprouts, shrimp, mint, sweet onion and tofu puff. The noodles are nice and chewy with a great gauge and premium feel. The broth is spectacular with a nice heartiness and deep flavor; well-balanced richness and spiciness caress the taste buds lovingly. Wonderful! 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 013934067995.