Over 5,000 Instant Ramen Noodle Reviews Since 2002
It’s been a long time since I reviewed a Buldak variety, that’s for sure! I have tried the curry before, but it’s been a very, very long time. The packaging is new, and I’m guessing the recipe is slightly different as well. Below you can see everything about this including my review, a video of cooking it, and then of course, a mukbang. This is the version for export to the United States. Let’s give it a go – hope I can handle it!
Yep – I’m at it again. Who hates pizza? Maybe if you only ate crummy pizza every day for months, sure – that guy would. But I don’t make crummy pizzas, I make interesting ones that are really quite nice to behold and chew on. Today’s pair are no different. I’m using the noodles and sauce as a base for two ‘south of the border’ inspired new varieties from Samyang Foods. Thanks go to Samyang Foods for sending samples as well as MH from the Ramen Junkies group for sending some too! Let’s check out what happens when new Buldak meets pizza!
Here’s the second of the two varieties I’ve rushed out that arrived in the mail from MH from the Ramen Junkie group. So… Four cheese… This one’s interesting. First, this is made in South Korea, but packaged for sale in the United States. Second, Hochi looks like she’s dressed up for Halloween. During my research on this one, I found that it’s been in South Korea as well. I also found people trying this variety four months ago – kind of interesting. I wonder if they’ve just been test marketing these in a limited fashion prior to now. In the mukbang video below, I mention I thought I’d only 2 varieties not tried, however that’s not the case. In addition to the creamy carbo and the rose, there’s a jjamppong and a ‘lovely’ variety. Would like to add them to my reviews if anyone’s got some to donate! I did read that someone thought carnitas would go very well with this, and luckily my wife made some last night so I ended up with some nice garnish. Let’s cook these up – don’t forget to watch the mukbang at the bottom as well!
Well, I’m sure you’ve been curious (or didn’t know) about this one. This is another variety with Hochi wearing some ‘south of the border’ attire. I decided to rush this one out and I’ll be doing the other one tomorrow I think. So much interest in there varieties. This is something different – not the cooking instructions – I’m curious if this is going to be the standard for all of the buldak varieties going forward. Till will tell. I’d like to thank MH, a fellow mod from the Ramen Junkies group for sending this along! Note – this one is made in South Korea and packaged for sale in the United States. Don’t forget to check out the cooking show and the mukbang below! Rushing this one due to popular interest! Let’s give it a go!
Here’s something I bet you didn’t know about! Two new varieties joining the popular Buldak range! Big thanks to MH for sending these along! Well, have a look – people are having trouble finding them, but I’m guessing if you look really hard you will.
Well folks, it’s been a hot summer’s day here in Gallagher’s Corners… Oh wait scratch that. I’m in Kenmore, Washington… Regardless, it hit 94 degrees today and we live in an apartment with an air conditioner, but at 11pm it’s still 80 degrees. Nasty.
One thing I’ve noticed – spicy is in. This list tends to be the most popular on my website The Ramen Rater every single day. People just want to get all the spicy they can get. Why is that? Spicy is intense. Spicy compliments flavor. Spicy will knock you on your butt. The challenge and chase for the endorphin rush that ultra spicy things give people is extremely tempting for many. These are the spiciest varieties I’ve had the opportunity to sample as of my 3,950th review. Ready to burn? Let’s get to The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2022 Edition.
I’ve seen a lot of these Yopokki variants lately and this one definitely piqued my interest and my wife loves tteokbokki and cheese – and then there’s ramen in there too! It’s a win, win, win! Found this at Asian Family Market on Aurora and 130th in North Seattle – rad store – go check it out! Let’s crack this big pack open and see what dwells within!
Here’s one that came via Exotic Noods – check ’em out and use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a discount!
I left it up to the wise folks in the Ramen Junkie group on facebook (you should really join if you haven’t) and of two choices they picked this for me to make into bread. It didn’t go as planned, but it was addictive and tasty and so here it is in all of it’s glorious ingloriousness.
Yeah, after the last attempt at making bread out of South Korean instant noodles, I needed to explore further. Today, I’m going to infuse a loaf with a block of instant noodles, a can of corn, and chicken, and a wallop of sesame seeds! One thing to note – in the video I mention the dates this one will release on YouTube – I made a mistake. It’ll release on September 20th, and it will also release on December 24th – I thought it would on September 23rd. So, that was a mistake. Let’s take a trip down Corn Lane!
I left it to the folks over at the Ramen Junkie Facebook group to pick which #ramenbread would be next for me. I really wanted to do something that incorporated a South Korean variety – last time I tried that though, it was a big fail as I tried to make flour with the noodles. I’ve learned that is definitely NOT the way to go, but using cooked noodles and bread flour in a good mix makes for a nice moist cake and crisp crust. Well, here it is! Best loaf yet and infused with chashu, cheese, and egg. Let’s see what happens when I try to put a ton of stuff in a little loaf of bread with a big block of ramen in it!
Well, it’s been another year of reviews and these are my favorite bowl varieties out of reviews #1 to #3790. All sorts of bowls from all over the world have been tried. It’s been a crazy year and it seems (at least in this neck of the woods) things are starting to mellow which is truly wonderful. It’s been a crazy month too – today is Memorial Day, May 31st, 2021. I’ve walked over 1 million steps this month, and on Friday did my personal record – 33 miles in a day. Yes, my feet hurt. Anyways, if you have varieties you want to see reviewed whether they be bowls, cups, packs or otherwise, please contact me. With that, let’s check out this Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2021 Edition.
After one very turbulent year, The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time is back. My mother died, we had an auto accident, the kids missed in-person schooling, and of course the pandemic. It’s been a really rough go but we’re back. Vaccines are rolling out everywhere and hopefully we can all get back together someday son. One thing I’ve found inspiration and enjoyment from during these times is a book I’d been hoping to find was sent to me by a noodle company exec called Momofuku Ando Speaks. It’s a book of quotes (kind of like the Ferengi Rules Of Acquisition if you’re a Star Trek fan) by the inventor of the instant noodle. I’ve been reading one on my show Instant Noodle Recipe Time every day – a lot of fun and a very interesting perspective. Little things like that have been really important as of late. Today, I’m proud to announce the show hits its 1000th episode!
I’ve been enjoying spicy instant noodles for years now and these are some pretty lethally spicy ones. Personally, I go for savory over ultra spicy, but I certainly like a challenge and these bring that for sure. Got one you think is hotter but don’t see it here? Drop me a line. Also, check out Instant Noodles – The Ramen Rater group on Facebook – lots of great people in there talking about ramen from all over the world. Well, let’s check out the new The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2021 Edition!
Well, here’s the first of a whole slew of new Buldak varieties. If you’ve never seen or heard about this range (you’ve probably been under a rock), just know these are probably the most popular spicy range of products around when it comes to noodles. They came out with a Christmas themes variety – meat spaghetti. I’m wondering if this one will be similar? Let’s find out.
Well, well, well. Here we are yet again. Just not hot enough for you, eh? Well, maybe this will do it for you. I mean look – Hochi (the Buldak mascot) is right there, tears streaming, breathing fire… 3x Spicy – so what it 1x spicy? Well, 4,400 SHU (scoville heat units). 3x would be 13,200 SHU – I guess we’ll have to see if that’s spicy. I know it will be. Time to burn!
Bowls, cups, , trays, packs, and boxes. Well, I haven’t done a list of boxed or tray-style instant noodles – maybe that will come soon. But I think that separating these is important. The experience that a cup is meant for is different than a cup or bowl. Cups are more for a snack on the go, packs for when you’ve got a stove, and bowls are, well, for lunch. Although in the finished shots of these you’ll see them plated here, generally people will be looking at the bowl they came in, possibly using the plastic fork they came with, and tossing everything once they’re done. These are my favorites, current as of review #3545. Let’s have a look at The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2020 Edition.
You ready? Watch below to see something that’s going to blow your head off!
First off, let me say that I did a mukbang with this one an it’s at the bottom. Definitely the spiciest one I’ve done in quite some time.
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Despite all the tumultuous and unnerving events of our current age,, I am happy to announce that I’ve got a new list for our year, 2020. In the past fe hundred reviews I’ve done this past year there have been some real standouts and of course many have remained. These are my absolute favorites of reviews 1 through 3487. It’s hard – I feel like I should be doing a top 20, or even a top 50 at this point, but the sheer amount of time that would take with being a stay at home father of two while trying to get in a few hours of exercise every day just isn’t in the cards. I’m hoping in the coming months to come out with the regular top tens and maybe some new ones, but it’s a tough juggle these days.
Well, Merry Christmas! Hochi has her Santa hat on for this one. Meat spaghetti, huh? Sounds interesting. Christmas is over, but they must have had some leftovers – got these last week and thought hey – maybe some burning would do me good. Let’s give this new variety a try!
Look! A new spicy one from Samyang of South Korea! Meat spaghetti with a Christmastime motif. Check it out!
Special thanks go out to Normalgorl for shooting this over! Much obliged! So what the heck is this? Corn?! I’m thoroughly fascinated. Let’s check it out!
Here’s the last of the Aloha! bowls. I figured I’d just run through them and then tomorrow a last one from the last box from Samyang. Let’s give this kimchi variety a try.
Here we have the latest in the long line of Buldak varieties from Samyang Foods. This is Buldak Light – so let me explain. This one has only 375 calories. The noodles are not fried, so all that oil used in frying isn’t present. But not only is it lighter on calories, it’s lighter on heat. It’s 40% less spicy than original Buldak Bokkeummyun clocking in at 2,600SHU compared to the original’s 4,400SHU.
So this is an export variety from the company that brought you the fire noodle. I’m not exactly sure why the Hawaiian theme, but that’s kind of cool. Let’s give it a try!
I’m going to take a wild stab at something here – that this one contains…. EGGS! I like noodles and eggs quite a bit – I’ve been curious about this one but didn’t know if Samyang was going to send this but I decided to hold of in case. So, I finally got it at 99 Ranch Market! Let’s check it out!
Yeah wait, what? Buldak Corn? The mukbang will be out December 27th! Stay tuned!
I thought today would be a fun day to include Miles in on an episode of Instant Noodle Recipe Time (see below). I figured hey – he’ll leave the stove alone… Well, he did which was good and it was nice having a co-host! Job well done, Miles!
It’s summer right now (I wrote and reviewed this on the last day of July) and one thing that happens during the summer months is that South Korean brands put out their cold noodles. This one is a play on bibimbap – instead of rice, it’s noodles. Here’s a little about bibimbap from Wikipedia –
Been interested in fire noodles, but one with less calories, less fire? Check out this unboxing – with the famous Mimi!
Two days in a row of varieties with long names! This one does NOT include noodles, however it’s topokki. What’s that? Wikipedia, if you please –
Usually, this is a summer list, coming out late July or early August. No more. Why? A couple of reasons – first, I’ve been busy. The whole diet and exercise thing has kind of taken over my life – which is good and a pain at the same time. I do a LOT of walking – often 15 miles in a day. This takes a lot of time and so there’s that. The other reason is that I’ve heard many ask why this list doesn’t come later in the year when it’s colder.
Oh wow okay so I’ve been kind of hanging on to this carbonara topokki for a little while. Today seemed like a god day for this one. Is it? Well, let’s find out!
I’m sure there are some folks out there figuring this is going to violently spicy. Well, that’s just not the case. Not everything that Samyang Foods makes has an angry little chicken on it! Let’s see what we have inside this big bowl!
No, this is NOT noodles. But it’s a tie in that’s for sure. These are little surimi (fish) sausages to enjoy as a snack, flavored like Buldak Bokkeummyun. I’ve seen these all over recently in different ways – some packs call them ‘Kid’s Bong’ and they come in a variety of flavors. These sounded interesting! Couldn’t resist. Let’s take a look!
Okay, alright. It’s another Buldak spicy thing and this time its not topokki and ramen, it’s just topokki. What’s exciting about this is that this is the export version. I’m usually not happy about getting export versions; I want the local versions; te ones that people in their respective countries find at the store. But what’s cool is that this is now available in the United States – and I’ve seen it here recently. This is original Buldak Bokkeummyun flavor – there’s also a Carbo version as well. For those of you who are asking ‘what’s a topokki?!’ here’s a little info from Wikipedia –
So mornings can suck sometimes. Waking up 2 hours late for example. With that, I better get a move on!
