Category: * Meet The Manufacturer

Meet The Manufacturer: #1442: Maggi 2 Minute Noodles Tom Yam Flavour

Awesome! Tom Yam! Tom Yam soup is a spicy and citrus seafood extravaganza for the taste buds. I really enjoy it quite a bit. Let’s see how this variety tastes! This one’s made in Malaysia. ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Product Samples From Maggi Singapore

Here’s the third package from Maggi Singapore!

Hey these look neat – on the left is Maggi Royale Penang Seafood Curry and on the right, 2 Minute Tom Yam! Thanks! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Interview With Maggi Singapore

Meet The Manufacturer: #1435: Maggi 2 Minute Noodles Assam Laksa Flavour

A while back I reviewed the Malaysian version of this one. This is the one from Singapore – and it says it’s got a ‘new look, better taste’ – sounds awesome! But what is Assam Laksa? Here’s what Wikipedia says: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1433: Maggi 2 Minute Noodles Curry Flavour

More curry! Man, I really like curry – a lot. This is one people refer to as ‘Maggi Mee’ an awful lot. ‘Mee’ or ‘Mi’ means noodles in many Southeast Asian countries. Sounds good to me – let’s check it out! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1432: Maggi Senses Laksa Instant Noodles

Well this looks like a fancy one. This is a new premium laksa from Maggi that’s supposed to be really special. Their goal was to make a laksa with a great ‘just like from home’ kind of feel and flavor. Sounds interesting! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Interview With Maggi Singapore

Meet The Manufacturer: #1431: Maggi Extra Spicy Curry Instant Noodles

Two of my favorite things are well represented on the front of this pack: spiciness and curry. I’ve been really curious about trying Maggi Extra Spicy Curry ever since I received some samples – how spicy is it? On a signed poster they sent, the marketing team at Maggi sent the dare ‘can you handle the hotness?’ I’m definitely keen on finding out today! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Product Samples From Maggi Singapore 2

Maggi singapore wanted to make sure I got their newest prodct – MAGGI Senses Laksa for review during Meet The Manufacturer. They rolled it out in June and here it is! Let’s see what’s inside! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Product Samples From Maggi Singapore 1

A big long box – let’s see what’s within!

Somebody spent a long time crumpling up paper – it was very well packed! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1387: Takamori Red Pepper & Garlic Peperoncino

Well folks, this is it. The last one for this Meet The Manufacturer. I really have enjoyed reviewing all of these fresh noodle varieties quite a bit, and I think it’s finally gotten me to look at the possibility of a The Ramen Rater’s top Ten Fresh Noodles Of All Time list. They don’t exactly fit into the Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time lists as they’re usually on a different playing field; they’re not fried blocks, but fresh pouches. So that might be something coming up in the near future. I’d like to thank Yuji for the help in making these reviews happen – I’ve messaged him plenty of times with questions throughout as there’s no English on any of the packaging, let alone the title sometimes. Let’s have a look at this interesting variety from Takamori Kosan of Japan as we bid them a fond farewell for now. Yuji has mentioned that there will be new varieties coming, so it’s not goodbye, but til next time. ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1386: Takamori Sukiyaki Style Noodle Stew

Well, we’re almost to the end of this Meet The Manufacturer. It’s been a really fun journey through all of these Japanese flavors. Today, I’m going to review a beefy sukiyaki udon stew! But what is sukiyaki? Let’s ask Wikipedia: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1385: Takamori Yaki-Udon Roast Soy Sauce

First things first: Happy Mother’s Day! Don’t forget to call your Mom today!

This one sounds good – yaki-udon is something really new to me and during this Meet The Manufacturer, the first time I’ve tried it. The one I had the other day was really tasty – curious how this one will be! Basically the different between yakisoba and yakiudon is that it’s a wider gauge noodle. Let’s see how this one with roast soy sauce flavor comes out! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1384: Takamori Hiyashi Udon Bonito Sauce

This is another cold noodle dish. Bonito is a fish that is used to flavor broths quite often in Japanese cuisine. The last Takamori cold noodle variety I had was one of the best I’ve ever had – let’s see how this one fares! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1383: Takamori Futomen Yakisoba

During this week, we’ve been reviewing different types of yakisoba – but what is Futomen yakisoba? Futomen is a variety with a slight wider gauge noodle than the regular soba noodle. Also I am told that the flavoring is a little spicier. Let’s check it out! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1382: Takamori Hiyashi Chuka Lemon Sauce

We;ve had some nice sunny days already this spring here in Washington. Had a day that got close to 80 degrees! Was really nice. The review today is on a noodle dish that is served cold. Cold noodles are enjoyed throughout Asia, but it’s really something that isn’t commonly seen in the United States. Let’s have a look at this unique variety. ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1381: Takamori Curry Udon

Hey it’s curry time! Japanese curry is much different from other curries around the world. Often with a sweet and less spicy hit, it’s really excellent stuff to behold and taste. I’m really curious about this one – let’s dig in! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1380: Takamori Chanpon

I thought today I’d diverge from the yakisoba for something with a broth. Chanpon is great stuff in my experience so far. Pork and seafood – can’t beat that! Here’s what wikipedia has to say about chanpon – ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1379: Takamori Shio Yakisoba

This was a welcome surprise – shio yakisoba! Shio is a popular variety of ramen, but I’ve never heard of it as a version of yakisoba before. Shio translates to salt in English, but that doesn’t mean that it”s just flavored with salt. Wikipedia has this to say about Shio ramen: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1378: Takamori Yakisoba

I’ve always liked yakisoba. It’s a brothless soba noodle that’s fried in a skillet with some meat, veggies, and a nice Worcestershire sauce flavor. It’s great stuff! I’ve always been curious though, how Worcestershire sauce made it into Japanese culinary culture. I dug around and found this on Wikipedia: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1377: Takamori Yaki-Udon Mild Spicy Sauce

On the menu today is something I’ve been very curious to try – yaki-udon! As you might surmise, the yaki prefix means fried. Yakisoba are fried soba noodles, and so yaki-udon are fried udon noodles; simple! Anyways, it sounds really interesting – let’s have a look at this one. ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1376: Takamori Katsuo Dashi Udon

Udon is a very popular noodle in Japan and around the world. It’s characterized by being really thick. My wife’s a big fan of udon – they’re her favorite noodles! But what is katsuo dashi? Well, katsuo is the Japanese name for Skipjack tuna, a variety which is popular all over Asia. Dashi on the other hand is a little less simple. Here’s what Wikipedia had to say ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1375: Takamori Tomato Spaghetti Napolitan

Thought a neat one to start with would be this. It’s kind of like a twist on yakisoba and spaghetti and sounded really neat. Let’s have a look! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Product Samples From Takamori Kosan

A week or so ago, Yuji contacted me with a tracking number – samples were on the way! I saw the mailman drive by and ran outside and got this package. ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: Interview With Takamori Kosan

Meet The Manufacturer: #1362: Mamee Mi Segera Perisa Kari

Today’s the last of the Mamee Double-Decker Meet The Manufacturer. It’s been really neat trying all these varieties – not a single re-review – really shows how few of their products I’d tried previusly. Today I thought I’d go with one of my favorite all time flavors in the world – curry. There are so many different takes on curry in the world – Malaysian, Singaporean, Japanese, South Korean, Indian and British to name a few. Let’s check this one out as we bid a fond farewell to this 15 day journey through some of Mamee’s products. ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1361: Mamee Chef Creamy Tom Yam Flavour

This Meet The Manufacturer has been a lot of fun. Over the last year, I’ve been finding myself enjoying curries and tom yum varieties a lot more, and Mamee makes some great ones. Thisd is the last of the Mamee Chef varieties I have to review – the pack version of the Creamy Tom Yam. I reviewed the cup version a week or so ago. Let’s see how this one fares. ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1360: Mamee Monster BBQ Flavour Snack Noodle

Mamee Monster is a snack noodle. Snack noodles are instant noodles that aren’t cooked, but rather crushed into snack bits and enjoyed as a crunchy snack. I’d always wanted to review them and I got my first chance to try them a few days back when I reviewed the chicken flavor variety. First I’ll show your this, the ten pack and then the individual pack. Let’s check this one out! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1359: Mamee Chef Curry Laksa Flavour

The other day, I reviewed the pack version of this one and found it to be absolutely excellent. Today, I’m going to try the cup. I’m glad I had two different versions as I found something on Mamee’s page that I was really excited about. ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1358: Mamee Mi Segera SLLRRRP! Perencah Asam Laksa

I’ve tried a couple of laksa varieties now and thought I should have a look at this one. There are a few different types of laksa, this one being asam laksa – but what’s asam laksa all about? I consulted Wikipedia and here’s what it had to say: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1357: Mamee Mie Goreng Indonesia Spicy Sambal Flavour

This is the second of the two Mie Goreng Indonesia cup varieties Mamee Double-Decker sent me for Meet The Manufacturer. The first one was really good! This one sounds good too. Sambal is spicy stuff! I like spicy. Today before I do the review, I’m going to trek up to our local Indonesian grocery Waroeng Jajanan. They clued me in about a couple of great additions to mie goreng – Kerapuk Aci and BonCabe! Kerapuk Aci is a big round Indonesian cracker made with tapioca and other ingredients. It’s crunchy and goes really well with mie goreng when I’ve made it in the past. BonCabe is a spicy chilli seasoning – bits of chilli powder, flake, some salt and crunchy bits as well as other spices are in it and it’s great stuff! Off I go to the Indonesian grocery to find some additions… ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1356: Mamee Chef Spicy Chicken Shiitake Flavour

Here’s another one of the Mamee Chef line – spicy chicken shiitake. These are their premium line of products, designed in concert with celebrity Dato’ Chef Ismail. Let’s have a look! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1355: Mamee Instant Vermicelli Chicken Flavour

Looks like today is going to be one of the nicest weather-wise yet this year. Here in the northwest, it’s been raining. A lot. We had the wettest March on record last month, which has hindered my exercise. I usually take a mile or two walk everyday, but that’s fallen by the wayside as of late. Definitely have been feeling the effects of not walking… So off I go! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1354: Mamee Chef Creamy Tom Yam Flavour

In the last year, I’ve got to say I’ve had the fortune to learn about and try a lot of new additions to instant noodles. Most of them have been seafood related – which I’m really lucky to have access to. I’ve gotten many emails asking where to find kamaboko or fish cake etc – I always thought all of those things were easily accessed by all, but as it turns out, I’m lucky to live in an area with lots of Asian grocery stores that specialize in such things. The latest I’ve been really enjoying are fish balls, particularly ones from Singapore that I get at a store that’s a short walk away. I usually only buy a couple, and the seafood counter guys usually look at me a little funny; “5 pounds?” they’ll ask. “No – just five fish balls.” My son and I walked over a couple of weeks ago and he wanted to buy me a whole pound of fish balls which I thought was very nice of him – and so I let him ask them himself. Then, my eight year old boy kind of puffed out his chest and exclaimed “excuse me – I would like one pound of those fish balls please!” Definitely a proud moment for me – sounded so authoritative! When we got home, I boiled some up and let him try – I received a resounding “yuck!” and a look of disgust. At least he tried them – he’s more a fan of macaroni and cheese and pizza, but I try to get him to try new things as much as possible. But I digress. Today’s noodle review will include the last of the fish balls from that trip to the store. I’m going to also follow the microwave instructions for this one, something I don’t usually do. Let’s see how it goes! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1353: Mamee Instant Noodles Vegetarian Flavour

Today we have a bright green package – vegetarian flavor. It seems most product lines have at least one variety that’s vegetarian. The approximations of what a general ‘vegetable’ tastes like however has differed from brand to brand, from the vile to the exalted tasty treat. This one’s made with the ‘Mi Tarik’ technology at Mamee’s factory. This is where they emulate the technique of hand-pulling noodles with their equipment. Hand pulling noodles is interesting; the chef starts with a long thick roll, doubles it up, flours it, then swings it around a bit. This is repeated, doubling the amount of strands every time until there are a couple hundred noodles. I’ll put a video at the end showing someone doing this. Anyways, let’s give these vegetarian noodles a try! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1352: Mamee Mi Segera SLLRRRP! Perencah Kari Berapi

Mamee makes two extra spicy curry varieties – this one and one called Xtra Pedas which I reviewed a short while back. Of the two, this Berapi is not as spicy, but looks like it’s pack a punch! Curry sounds good – let’s dig in! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1351: Mamee Monster Chicken Flavour Snack Noodles

Mamee Monster is Mamee’s line of snack noodles. I’ve been really wanting to try these for a long time. Snack noodles are noodles that are seasoned and crushed and eaten without any cooking; kind of like potato chips or corn chips. I’ve seen these online quite a few times and always though hey – look it’s a blue monster and it’s instant noodles – rad!! So let’s have a look at this popular Malaysian snack. ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1350: Mamee Chef Curry Laksa Flavour

The 2013 top ten list I did was highlighted by two flavors at the very top: laksa and curry. Here we find both together! This is one of Mamee’s new Mamee Chef line of premium instant noodles. They use a technology that emulates ‘la mian,’ or hand-pulled noodles. I went to the store yesterday to see if I could find some nice acompaniments for this special pack – let’s check out how laksa and curry play together! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1349: Mamee Mie Goreng Indonesia Original Flavour

Mie goreng is one of my favorites – – noodles with a sweet, salty and spicy flavor. To be honest, it was mie goreng that really got me fanatical about instant noodles many years ago. Let’s have a look at this Malaysian take on an Indonesian standard. ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #1348: Mamee Instant Vermicelli Tom Yam Flavour

I felt like something seafood today and thought this would fit the bill. One thing I’ve always wondered about – so what’s the difference between Tom Yam and Toom Yum, if any? Here’s what Wikipedia had to say about it: ...see full post