Category: * Stars 3.1 – 4.0

#2442: Nissin Cup Noodles Sopa Nissin Hot Sauce Con Camaron

#2442: Nissin Cup Noodles Sopa Nissin Hot Sauce Con Camaron - Mexico - The Ramen Rater - shrimp instant noodles

Here’s one left over from the Meet The Manufacturer I did with Nissin Mexico a little while ago. These are very cool – they have little packets of hot sauce in them! Indeed, I think these should be available in the United States as well. I think they’d do really well! Indeed, who wouldn’t like the Cup Noodles here to come with a little packet of hot sauce? I know I would. ...see full post

#2435: Mum Ngon Lau Tom Chua Cay

#2435: Mum Ngon Lau Tom Chua Cay - Vietnam - The Ramen Rater - instant noodle vietnamese

Here’s another one I found during a November 2016 trip to Taiwan. I found this one at Carrefour in Taipei at the Miramar Entertainment Center. So one thing I found while there was that almost everything (unless you go to a Family Mart of a 7-Eleven) comes in a multi pack. I really didn’t want to get any of those – they take up extra space in luggage and a lot of the time they were really big multi packs. This one’s from Vietnam and looks to be a shrimp variant. ...see full post

#2433: Nissin Cup Noodles Indonesia Mie Goreng

#2433: Nissin Cup Noodles Indonesia Mie Goreng - Indonesia - The Ramen Rater - Instant Noodles

This was sent to me by Ippin, a purveyor of wonderful Japanese items! Thank you again!

Here’s something a little different. So Nissin has a series of Cup Noodles with flavors from around Southeast Asia. Laksa from Singapore, Tom Yum from Thailand and here we have Mie Goreng from Indonesia. I’m very curious how this on will be. Indeed, it looks interesting enough and a decently sized cup. If you don’t know about Mie Goreng, you should! Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about the dish: ...see full post

#2432: Fashion Food Yummy Spicy Rice Soup With Seafood

#2432: Fashion Food Yummy Spicy Rice Soup With Seafood - Thailand - The Ramen Rater - rice soup

Okay first off, this isn’t a noodle review and I know, I know… But this one looks exactly like the other ones they sell that are noodles. FF (Fashion Foods) has these little bowls with lids everywhere, and usually they’re either a wheat instant noodle or instant vermicelli. I looked at it, didn’t recognize it, and popped it in my basket thinking I’ve just found a rice noodle version of their stuff I hadn’t tried previously. Well, this is a broth with rice. I only realized this until I had done the picture of the side panels. ...see full post

#2429: New Touch T’s Restaurant Sura Tanmen

#2429: New Touch T's Restaurant Sura Tanmen - Japan - The Ramen Rater - instant ramen

Went to Uwajimaya, a local Japanese grocery store chain in the northwest the other day. So I found that you can get chashu pork there – it’s really nice for Japanese instants since I can slap one on top! Indeed what I do is get a few packs of it from the deli and then bag them individually  and throw them in the freezer – it’s pricy stuff, but done this way it really stretches it a long way. So $15 or pork will yield me about 18-20 slices and since it’s frozen, it’ll last nicely until I’ve done that many Japanese reviews. ...see full post

#2424: Samyang Foods Cheese Type Buldak Bokkeummyun

#2424: Samyang Foods Cheese Type Buldak Bokkeummyun

Well lookie here – another one from Colin – thanks again! This one’s a cheesy version of the ever popular Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun. This is what people use to do the famous ‘fire noodle challenge’ – although this is the cheesy version. This stuff is hot – real hot. The Ramen Rater’s top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodle Of All Time list kinda hot. Let’s take a look. ...see full post

#2423: Ve Wong Kung-Fu Instant Oriental Noodles Soup Artificial Onion Flavor

Another one sent by Colin. I haven’t had any of this brand in quite some time! I should also say I’ve not had an onion flavor instant in quite a while too. Very curious about this one – let’s have a look! NOTE – I just was looking for info on this one and as it turned out, I reviewed it in 2010! It was review #99. I’ll still slap a new number on this one though. What’s funny is if you look at the packaging on it from back then, it says ‘New.’ It still says new! I’m sorry, but this isNOT new. ...see full post

#2420: Nissin Cup Noodles Spicy Seafood Flavor

#2420: Nissin Cup Noodles Spicy Seafood Flavor - China - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Here’s one sent by Colin from Massachusetts – thanks again! You might be thinking ‘man, this guy reviews a LOT of these Hong Kong CUP Noodles!’ Well, yeah I was sent 57 different varieties form Nissin Hong Kong last year so yeah – lots of them! But this one is actually from Nissin China. The packaging is similar, but different. Here’s a snippet from Wikipedia about Nissin’s footprint: ...see full post

#2412: Shirakiku Sanukiya Udon Japanese Style Noodles Shrimp Flavor

#2412: Shirakiku Sanukiya Udon Japanese Style Noodles Shrimp Flavor - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Here’s one I recently received by way of a reader named Colin from Arlington, Massachusetts – thanks again! So you might find these in either a refrigerated or non-refrigerated area at a grocery store. Indeed, I’ve always found this to be a bit of an oddity; why would it be in both places? Well first off, it doesn’t require refrigeration. However, sometimes this style of noodle is called ‘fresh noodles’ and so when you couple that with a refrigerated section, it gives it a little more premium feel. Anyways, here’s a little about udon from Wikipedia: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #2411: Mama Pat’s Chicken Fajita Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles

Meet The Manufacturer: #2411: Mama Pat's Chicken Fajita Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - UUnited States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Today, we bid a fond farewell to Mama Pat’s Foods as the Meet The Manufacturer will be ending. Chef Ron informed me though that there will be cups and new flavors coming, so we’ll just say until next time. So chicken fajitas – here’ Wikipedia on the fajita: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat’s Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles

Meet The Manufacturer: #2410: Mama Pat's Lamb Stew Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Today, it’s lamb stew! So I really never have had lamb stew, nor really cooked lamb very often. I thought though I ought to at least make an attempt, and so today I’m going to sous vide up some lamb to go along with the noodles. But as for stew, let’s see what wikipedia has to say: ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #2409: Mama Pat’s Seafood Gumbo Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles

Meet The Manufacturer: #2409: Mama Pat's Seafood Gumbo Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

One of the first things I learned about Mama Pat’s foods was when I saw a video of Chef Ron making gumbo at a store demo. He used big bags of shrimp, tons of crab and other really great ingredients. He didn’t hold back and definitely went for the gusto. I’m a fan of seafood but haven’t had a lot of seafood from the USA as of late since it’s usually found slathered in white sauces or copious amounts of butter. I definitely got spoiled in Malaysia and Thailand trying all that seafood from there – amazing stuff! Gumbo however is something different. It’s full of seafood and has a nice strong taste  – something I really like. I have high hopes for this one; it sounds good, but will it be? Let’s give this seafood gumbo a look! ...see full post

Meet The Manufacturer: #2408: Mama Pat’s Chicken Taco Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles

Meet The Manufacturer: #2407: Mama Pat's Chicken Taco Flavor Instant Ramen Noodles - United States - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

To kick off this Meet The Manufacturer, I thought I’d start with a flavor that just about every instant noodle company makes. Chicken. Indeed, it’s a kind of universal flavor – one that everyone can identify with. Well, unless your vegetarian. This is a very unique instant noodle insofar as it comes with a free drink – something I’ve never seen before in my well over 2,000 reviews thus far. So let’s check out Mama Pat’s Chicken Taco! ...see full post

#2397: Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkummyun Cheese Flavor (Black Bowl)

#2397: Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkummyun Cheese Flavor (Black Bowl) - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - instant noodles

Wait a second – this looks familiar. So there are two versions of the Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkummyun cheese flavor bowls. Indeed there are two versions of the packs as well. Here’s the orange version I reviewed – #2291. What’s the difference? I’m going to guess that they came out with the black one first and people mistook it for the regular version and were annoyed. Kind of makes sense since the black one definitely looks like the standard Buldak Bokkummyun bowl. Well, except for the chicken with the cheese. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about the original variety: ...see full post

#2387: Nissin Demae Iccho Sesame Oil Flavour Instant Noodle

#2387: Nissin Demae Iccho Sesame Oil Flavour Instant Noodle - Hong Kong - The Ramen Rater - instant noodle

This one is a left over from the Nissin Foods Hong Kong Meet The Manufacturer – thanks again for sending so many! So lately I’ve noticed quite a few of the Demae Iccho varieties in local stores around where I live. I’ve also found them in the past in Canada including this one. What’s the difference? Well, it all comes down to meat. ...see full post

#2383: Nissin Cup Noodles Beef Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup (New Recipe)

#2383: Nissin Cup Noodles Beef Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup (New Recipe) - The Ramen Rater - USA - instant noodles

Okay so here’s another one of the new recipe Cup Noodles from Nissin Foods USA – thanks again for sending ’em over! I did a kind of experiment a while back – one that ended pretty well. See, on Instagram I often see people enjoying their instant noodles alongside a beer as well as some form of Chee-Tos, whether they be regular, Flamin’ Hot or Flamin’ Hot Limon. What’s kind of funny about it is that it sort of makes sense. See, Chee-Tos kind of have the same effect on instant noodles as tempura. Weird but true – they’re crunchy but also work well in broth. It’s alright if you think I’m crazy, but I do find this somewhat poetic. Let’s check it out. ...see full post

#2380: Pulmuone Non-Fried Ramyun With Spicy Beef Broth

#2380: Pulmuone Non-Fried Ramyun With Spicy Beef Broth - South Korea - The Ramen Rater

So here’s something new I found at HMart. This is going to be battle for me, however you might wonder why. Well, much of the package is shiny gold colored. Unfortunately, shiny gold and silver packages are evil. I mean, not really, but really at the same time. Indeed they look nice, but they add a bit of an issue to my process. Indeed, scanning gold or silver foil packs presents a real problem. No matter what, there are wrinkles in the packaging, and ones I usually can use Photoshop to get rid of. However, these wrinkles when in a shiny foil wreak havoc with the scanner and the images come out extremely light and dark in spots. Anyway, just a little behind the scenes on what I do when putting out a post. ...see full post

#2372: Liu Quan Instant Spicy Rice Noodle

Today we have a variety I found locally. Specifically,I got them at Asian Food Center on 130th & Aurora in Seattle. In any event, this store is actually kind of new and pretty awesome. What’s more, we got to see a shoplifter try to escape a security guard and slink out of her coat and backpack to make a getaway! Exciting, yes – but stupid. I don’t understand why people go and do this. Understandably, many people are poor, but this kind of action will result in more problems. In fact, stealing drives up prices for everyone. Hence, let’s crack open this Liu Quan bowl and see it’s innards! ...see full post

#2368: Samyang Foods Cool/Ice Type Buldak Bokkeummyun

#2426: Samyang Foods Ice Type Buldak Bokkeummyun - South Korea - The Ramen Rater

Part Of The Ramen Rater’s Definitive Guide To Samyang Foods’ Buldak Bokkeummyun

HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen Cool/Ice Type / 쿨불닭볶음면 / Cool/Ice Buldak Bokkueummyun Launch 2016.8 / SHU 4,404

Today it’s the cold variety. Indeed, cold noodles with spicy sauce have long been around in South Korean ramyun varieties. However I’m guessing while cold in temperature, these will probably surpass most other in their hot flavor. This particular one is the export version, sent by a reader named Colin from Massachusetts. I noticed that the liquid sachet didn’t say ‘ice’ but ‘cool.’ Was this to be the original name? Well, I asked! ...see full post

#2367: Samyang Foods 2x Spicy Haek Buldak Bokkeummyun

#2425: Samyang Foods Haek Buldak Bokkeummyun - South Korea - 2x spicy - hot fried chicken

Part Of The Ramen Rater’s Definitive Guide To Samyang Foods’ Buldak Bokkeummyun

GET AN ASSORTMENT OF THE SPICEST INSTANT NOODLES IN THE RAMEN RATER’S SPICY PACK FROM GOURMET RAMEN CLUB – CHECK IT OUT HERE!

2X Spicy HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen / 핵불닭볶음면 / Hack/Haek Buldak Bokkueummyun / Launch 2016.1 / SHU 8,808

Alright. Today’s the day. I heard about the double spicy Buldak Bokkeummyun a couple of months ago. After hoping to simply find it at the store with no luck, I received a few of these packs – first, I got one from Anders from South Korea which is a reader who’s sent varieties in the past – thank you! Since I wanted to try these as soon as possible, I (for the first time) ordered some from an eBay seller called 1theKorea – they’ve got all sorts of neat South Korean varieties, and lots of the spicy ones that aren’t the easiest to find or are unavailable in the USA. I also got a ton of varieties from Samyang Foods – including the bowl versions of this one and the Stew as well as a couple snack variants. ...see full post

#2364: Samyang Foods Cheese Buldak Bokkeummyun

#2422: Samyang Foods Cheese Buldak Bokkeummyun - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - Fire Noodle Challenge

Part Of The Ramen Rater’s Definitive Guide To Samyang Foods’ Buldak Bokkeuymmyun

HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen Cheese / 치즈불닭볶음면 / Cheese Buldak Bokkueummyun

Launch 2016.3 / SHU 2,323

This one came by way of eBay seller 1theKorea – they’ve got all sorts of neat South Korean varieties, and lots of the spicy ones that aren’t the easiest to find or are unavailable in the USA. . ...see full post

#2363: Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun (New Packaging)

#2363: Samyang Foods Buldak Bokkeummyun (New Packaging) - South Korea - The Ramen Rater - fire noodle challenge

Part of The Ramen Rater’s Definitive Guide To Samyang Foods’ Buldak Bokkeummyun Series

HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen / 불닭볶음면 / Buldak Bokkueummyun

Launch 2012.4.16 / SHU 4,404

This one came by way of eBay seller 1theKorea – they’ve got all sorts of neat South Korean varieties, and lots of the spicy ones that aren’t the easiest to find or are unavailable in the USA. This is the variety that set off the Fire Noodle Challenge. In reality, Buldak Bokkeummyun is spicy fried chicken flavor. In South Korea as well as many places in Asia, fried chicken is extremely popular. Korean fried chicken is great; double coated and comes in violently spicy, regular and honey garlic to name a few. ...see full post

#2362: Chuan Wei Wang Bowl Instant Noodles Artificial Spicy Beef Flavor

#2362: Chuan Wei Wang Bowl Instant Noodles Artificial Spicy Beef Flavor - China - The Ramen Rater

Here’s another one from a reader named Colin from the east coast – thanks again! It amazes me how many varieties he can find from the other side of the USA that I can’t get here. Fascinating; you’d think you could get most things anywhere but apparently companies distribute different things in different places. Anyways, this sounds good – spicy beef! Let’s check it out. ...see full post