Category: * News / Noodle News

The Ramen Rater Noodle News #32

Here we go with the 32nd edition of The Ramen Rater Noodle News! I scour the Internet for articles about ramen and instant noodles and bring them to you! Here are some recent stories you might find interesting! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater Ramyun Burger Makes The Front Page!

I got a big envelope int he mail today…

The K Herald is a supplement that goes to certain zip codes in the Los Angeles Times. It came out last Friday! Click here to check out the full article. Thanks to Michelle Y. Cho at K-Herald! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater Tests The Rapid Ramen Cooker

Just wanted to congratulate Chris Johnson on his success with his Rapid Ramen Cooker – his invention that allows you to cook a standard pack of instant noodles in 3-4 minutes in the microwave with 1/2 the sodium. He was on Shark Tank last week and got himself a great deal! Here’s the interview I conducted with him last December and my rigorous test of The Rapid Ramen Cooker – see the video below! ...see full post

South Korean Samples From Samyang Foods!

Recently I heard about this recipe using Samyang Foods Budalk Bokkumyeon (Hot fried chicken flavor ramyun). I only have one of the bowls so I needed at least onhe more so I could do a regular review as well as try the recipe. I asked a friend at Samyang Foods if they could possibly send some more and I got a yes! Today this box arrived. ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time 2013

Earlier this year, people from Taiwan voiced their displeasure with not being included in the 2013 Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time. They came in droves, shouting the praises of their beloved varieties. They were equally unhinged by having two varieties listed in my Bottom Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2013 list. Two were included there. After all of this outcry and seeing the pride and passion about their noodles, I thought it was a must to do a Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time 2013 list; these people are easily as interested in noodles as much as I am! This new list encompasses all of the Taiwanese varieties that I’ve reviewed thus far. So, without further ado, I hope you will enjoy The Ramen Rater’s top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2013 edition! ...see full post

Goodbye 2013 Regular Season

I’m a big baseball fan and today was the last game of the regular season. Just wanted to say let’s go Giants one last time to all my fellow Giants fans out there! Now it gets cold until Spring Training – February 28th, 2014. ...see full post

New Product Samples And More From Nissin Foods USA

My friend Scott A. over at Nissin Foods USA asked me to verify my mailing address the other day – I thought ‘hmmm a package?’ Yesterday, the FedEx guy came to the back deck of our apartment and brought me this! What wonders are within? Let’s see! ...see full post

Samples Of A Fiery Taiwanese Noodle From A-Sha

A package from A-Sha… Hmmm what’s inside?

Ooh what is this? The folks at A-Sha told me this variety is called Hell Spicy Mala and is popular in Taiwan as it is extremely spicy. Sounds like fun! ...see full post

A Donation From New Jersey!

Got a box today from a reader! What’s inside?

Sweet – I’ve been very curious about this one! Thanks to Robert F. from Hoboken, NJ for sending this along! ...see full post

VIDEO: Grand Tsukemen Fest Live Chat

I was invited by Brian over at Ramen Adventures to take part in a Google Hangout to discuss the upcoming Grand Tsukemen Fest in Japan. I’ve never had tsukemen before, but I sure a lot of you have. Tsukemen is different from traditional ramen in that you have a bowl with broth and toppings and then a bowl of (usually) cold noodles. It sounds really good to me! Here is a video of the chat which includes an appearance by the reigning Grand Tsukemen champ! ...see full post

A Wonderful Package From Record China News Of Japan!!!

I did an interview with a news agency in Japan recently called Record China –

  • September 3, 2013 – Record China – 米国のラーメン通、日・中・韓の即席麺を斬る<前編>「欧米人には韓国のものがイチバン」 – Japan Part 1 – Link
  • September 3, 2013 – Record China – 米国のラーメン通、日・中・韓の即席麺を斬る<前編>「欧米人には韓国のものがイチバン」 – Japan Part 2 – Link

They sent a box of amazing goodies from Japan I’ve been hoping to finbd for a while! ...see full post

Happy National Cheeseburger Day

Since today is National Cheeseburger Day (yeah – it’s a real thing), I thought I’d report my ramyun burger recipe. Thought people might like to see it again. ...see full post

The Ramen Rater Noodle News #31

Here we go with the 31st edition of The Ramen Rater Noodle News! I scour the Internet for articles about ramen and instant noodles and bring them to you! Here are some recent stories you might find interesting! ...see full post

Please Vote For The Ramen Rater For Best Food Blog In Western Washington!

Hey everyone! Thanks to those who have voted so far! The contest is the KING5/Evening Magazine BEST In Western Washington – an annual list of the best of the best of Western Washington state here in the USA. I would be extremely thankful if everyone would vote for me – this would really help the site out a lot! Click on the above image or here to vote. I was on Evening Magazine (a local TV show) earlier this year – Jim Dever and a cameraman came into our little apartment and set up a miniature film studio here in Edmonds, WA (the clip is below). ...see full post

Recipe: The Ramen Rater’s Shin Ramyun Black Burger

Recently, I came up with the ramyun slider. I thought since I’ve got some Shin Black on hand, why not a full-fledged ramyun burger? This recipe came out great and really wasn’t that hard to do. ...see full post

A Nice Surprise From Nongshim America!

Was looking at my posts and found this on that I hadn’t posted for some reason – check it out – it’s from 2013

When we got home from the hospital yesterday, I called the apartment office to see if there were any packages – they said there was one. A mailer from Nongshim America – what’s inside? ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Ramyun Sliders

With the recent popularity of the ‘ramen burger,’ I felt it necessary to try them out, but with a twist.  South Korean ramyun is easily available by many brand and the noodles are thicker as well as more plentiful than other country’s varieties. Let’s give this a try! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Made In The USA Of All Time 2013 Edition

The instant noodle originated in 1958 in Japan, but since that time, they’ve expanded in popularity all over the world, including of course, the United States. Seeing this, instant noodle companies thought it wise to start building plants here in the 1970s. Since then, many brands operate factories here in the US, mostly in southern California. This is a list of my favorite varieties produced here, encompassing my over 1,100 reviews to date. With that, here’s your top ten, America! ...see full post

Special August Advertising Promotion On The Ramen Rater

Happy August! The Ramen Rater has entered the advertising game! This chart (click image to enlarge) shows have many impressions (page views) have accumulated per month since October of 2010. The Ramen Rater keeps getting more popular. We feel that it is the best place for grocers that sell instant noodles as well as manufacturers of instant noodles to advertise – people who come to The Ramen Rater are looking for information on instant noodles or where they can find them. Why not tap into that? With more people browsingh the site come new expenses like hosting. Advertising with The Ramen Rater not only helps get the word out and bring people to your company website but also helps support The Ramen Rater continue to bring you daily reviews. ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All time 2013 Edition

This year, we’ve got some new fiery additions to this list of spicy and burning hot varieties. If you can find them, you’ll be feeling quite the burn! If you think you’ve found anything hotter or noteworthy of being on this list, please comment below or send me an email. Without further adieu, here’s the 2013 picks for the spiciest instant noodles I’ve found after 1,128 reviews! ...see full post

Setting The Record Straight: Rampant False Rumors About Instant Noodles

7/31/2013 – UPDATE – I’ve been getting quite a few comments about wax in noodles again, so I thought it would be a good idea to repost this. Recently, an article outlining reasons not to eat instant noodles came out which perpetuates these rumors and false claims. ...see full post

Greetings Indonesia!

I noticed lots of visitors to the website tonight from Indonesia – it looks like they’re happy that thje Indomie cup was the #1 on the Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups Of All Time 2013 Edition! Well, I’ve been asked if I’ve reviewed more Indomie varieties, and so here is a link to an interview I did with Indomie CBP and lots of links to local varieties – enjoy! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater Noodle News #30

Here we go with the 30th edition of The Ramen Rater Noodle News! I scour the Internet for articles about ramen and instant noodles and bring them to you! Here are some recent stories you might find interesting! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups Of All Time 2013 Edition

Cups were the second instant noodle innovation that really took the world by storm. Nissin founder Momofuku Ando of Japan decided that a cup would be a really handy way to have instant noodles on the go. His creation came to the market in 1971. Forty-two years later, the instant noodle landscape is filled with many different cup designs and contents – some all inclusive only needing hot water,m and some requiring a little more with packets – and some even with forks! Of all the varieties I’ve tried to date, here are my favorite ten. ...see full post

Interview With The Ramen Rater On NTD TV!

A couple days ago, I was interviewed via Skype on NTD TV about the recent uproar over The Bottom Ten List as well as what I do. It was a lot of fun and I would like to thank NTD TV for this great opportunity! Thank you! Here’s a direct link to their site. ...see full post

A STATEMENT REGARDING THE TAIWANESE RESPONSE TO THE RAMEN RATER’S BOTTOM TEN INSTANT NOODLES OF ALL TIME 2013 EDITION

NOTE: Another site has translated this for Chinese readers – see it here.

注:另一幅为中国读者翻译 – 在这里看到它 ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Bottom Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time

So after sampling so many varieties of instant noodles over the years, of course there have been some that I didn’t like. There also were some that are so memorable for how awful they were. After people asked what my least favorites were a few times, I thought I should just make a list of them. I should point out that these are on the list because I couldn’t stand them. I’m pretty sure they are all still in production, and the only reason they would be is that people somewhere find them enjoyable. So who knows – you might have a completely different opinion on these than me, but I found them to be absolutely the worst of the worst. With that, here’s The Bottom Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time, 2013 Edition. ...see full post

The Ramen Rater Top Ten Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2013 Edition

After more than a year of pondering and reviewing since the last list, here’s the new top ten instant noodle bowls. This encompasses all instant noodle bowls reviewed up to today, June 15th, 2013. With no further adieu, the top ten instant noodle bowls of all time, 2013 edition. ...see full post

Interview On ‘The Morning Fishbowl’ KWLE ‘The Whale’ 1340AM Anacortes, Washington

Here’s an interview I did this morning! Thanks to Glen & Amber for having me on – check out The Whale here. Anacortes is my hometown so being on was pretty special. ...see full post

The Ramen Rater Noodle News #29

Here we go with the 29th edition of The Ramen Rater Noodle News! I scour the Internet for articles about ramen and instant noodles and bring them to you! Here are some recent stories you might find interesting! ...see full post

Great Donation From The UK!

I recently got a nice box of noodles in the mail from a gentleman named Martin from Wales. He has rasked me with trying Marmite, something he has said he hasn’t heard of anyone not native to the UK being able to palate. I’m going to have to try it! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater Noodle News #28

Here we go with the 28th edition of The Ramen Rater Noodle News! I scour the Internet for articles about ramen and instant noodles and bring them to you! Here are some recent stories you might find interesting! ...see full post

A Message To The People Of Taiwan From The Ramen Rater

In the last week, I’ve had a lot of traffic from upset Taiwanese that none of their country’s beloved instant noodles made the list. I saw videos like this one and then this angry one. I felt a video message would be appropriate, and here it is. ...see full post

Final Nongshim Contest Entry = Please Vote For Me!

I’m hoping to win! Please vote for my pic – here’s the link – http://bit.ly/ZFilQH – thanks! ...see full post

Top Ten List: The Past Two Days Have Been Amazing!

So these last two days have been crazy – so many people from Taiwan just coming in droves to the site and declaring their passion for the instant noodles of their country! You should be proud of yourselves; I’m never going to look at Taiwanese noodles the same again, that’s for sure! I’m sure I’ll be reviewing more very soon so keep your eyes on The Ramen Rater! ...see full post

A Special Message To Recent Taiwanese Visitors

In the last 24 hours, thousands of people of Taiwan have been coming to The Ramen Rater.  I see your displeasure that Taiwan didn’t make the 2013 Edition of the Top Ten Instant Noodles list. I see the pride you have in your instant noodle brands and varieties as well! Any country that has folks like you who feel so strongly deserves attention! That being said, I would be very interested to hear from any and all Taiwanese instant noodle companies that might be willing to send samples of the non-export products that you produce. I do a special ‘Meet The Manufacturer’ spotlight which includes doing an interview with the company and then a series of up to 15 reviews of your products. This gives people a good look at what you make. All I’ve ever tried are the Taiwanese variants available in the United States, but I’m sure there are many I do not have access to here that are quite good as well. I also invite instant noodle companies to this from all countries – represented and not represented on the list. I’ve seen a lot of stories in the Taiwanese news – if anyone from any of these agencies would like to arrange an interview via Skype, please let me know. Please contact me – thank you, and thank you all for visiting The Ramen Rater. ...see full post

The Ramen Rater Movie: Almost Two Hours Of Instant Noodles

If you watch this from beginning to end, not only proven yourself a true fan of the instant noodle, but also seen pretty much every single instant noodle review and re-review I’ve ever done. Clocking in at an hour and forty-nine minutes, this is pretty heavy duty. Enjoy! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2013 Edition

It’s been over a year since the last Top Ten List came out and it’s time for a new one. You’ll see some from the old list and some new ones! With that, Welcome to the new Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time – 2013 Edition! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater On Japan’s MBS TV Show ‘God Of Patena’

Ealier this year, I got a call from Japan, asking if I would like to be interviewed for a TV show. I answered in the affirmative! They were interested in my Top Ten list, but something shorter. I picked three varietiesand did the interview via Skype. The guy interviewing me is Charles V. Lee. He told me he’s the most popular comedian in Japan. He’s originally from Oregon! So how the show works is a random topic is picked and a question is asked. Then they find someone who knows the answer and they interview them. The term ‘patena’ means random. With that, here’s the video! ...see full post

Nongshim America Photo Contest Week Two

Please vote for my photo – here’s the link: http://bit.ly/10NsnP3 – Thank you very much! ...see full post