Category Archives: * Stars 4.1 – 5.0

#3256 Ramen Hero Classic Tonkotsu Ramen – United States

#3256 Ramen Hero Classic Tonkotsu Ramen - United States

This is the last of the four varieties sent to me by Ramen Hero – I will say I’ve asked if they want to send more. I really love working with this product – it’s a lot of fun for me. Not only that, they’re really quite good. Hopefully it’ll pan out – and I’ll also find out how that fancy seaweed is done up!

I got an email asking if I was interested in trying overnight delivery ramen. Hey – why not, right? So, here we are! Ramen Hero is based in the Bay Area and serves a few surrounding states at the time of this post – check their site for current service area. You pick your ramen, pay, and they’ll overnight you a set of ingredients to make a bowl of ramen at home – including garnish! Not bad. Let’s give this one a try – they send four and since they’re perishable, I’m going to do them over the next couple days.

Ramen Hero Classic Tonkotsu Ramen – United States

#3256 Ramen Hero Classic Tonkotsu Ramen - United States

Here are the labels from the front and back of the packaging (click to enlarge). Contains pork. To prepare, boil the large soup pouch for 10 minutes. when there’s 2 minutes left, boil your noodles in a separate pot, stirring often. Also at the 1 1/2 minute point, drop the bags with the garnish in with the soup pouch to let them thaw (if needed). Finally, drain your noodles, add them to a bowl, empty the pouch of broth into your bowl, garnish, and enjoy!

#3256 Ramen Hero Classic Tonkotsu Ramen - United States

The noodles.

#3256 Ramen Hero Classic Tonkotsu Ramen - United States

The large pouch of broth.

#3256 Ramen Hero Classic Tonkotsu Ramen - United States

Pork belly chashu!

#3256 Ramen Hero Classic Tonkotsu Ramen - United States

Seaweed.

#3256 Ramen Hero Classic Tonkotsu Ramen - United States

Kizami shoga (pickled ginger).

#3256 Ramen Hero Classic Tonkotsu Ramen - United States

Kikurage (wood ear mushroom).

Finished (click to enlarge). In addition to the supplied garnish, I added spring onion, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, shichimi togarashi, and sesame seeds. I forgot to add the seaweed on the last one (shrug) so used it on this one. The noodles – great chew, firmness and mouthfeel. The broth was rich, although a little on the saltier side. Nonetheless, in concert with the included pairings (the kikurage was particularly nice), things were quite good. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars.

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#3255 Ramen Hero Classic Shoyu Ramen – United States

Comments

I usually try to review at least two varieties a day and yesterday I did the last two Ramen Hero varieties and it was a lot of fun. It’s pretty neat to be able to do up all the garnish that came with it – and the printed seaweed was really neat, too!

Ramen Hero Classic Shoyu Ramen – United States

Here are the labels from front and back (click to enlarge). Contains pork. To prepare, boil the large soup pouch for 10 minutes. when there’s 2 minutes left, boil your noodles in a seperate pot, stirring often. Also at the 1 1/2 minute point, drop the bags with the garnish in with the soup pouch to let them thaw (if needed). Finally, drain your noodles, add them to a bowl, empty the pouch of broth into your bowl, garnish, and enjoy!

The noodles.

A large pouch with the broth.

Pork belly chashu!

Calcium printed seaweed. Okay, I need to find out how they do this or where they get it done.

Narutomaki (fish cake)

Menma (pickled bamboo shoots).

Finished (click to enlarge). Aside from the above ingredients I added soft egg, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, spring onion, shichimi togarashi, and sesame seeds. Noodles just keep coming out very nicely. Broth was on point as well and in concert with the supplied garnish was a very nice bowl. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars.

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#3254: Mom’s Dry Noodle / Blue Elephant Red Curry – Taiwan

Two weeks. Two long weeks. I haven’t done a review in two weeks!! Our apartment got remodeled, plus I had a sinus infection that basically knocked out my sense of taste. Yeah – that wasn’t cool at all. But I’m back – back to walking, and today back to reviewing. The remodel is done and I’m enjoying my noodles once again!

I think the fact that I love curry is probably on my sleeve. This is something I am very fascinated with – a collaboration between a Thai company and a Taiwanese company. How’s it going to taste? I’ve not a clue, but if it’s anything like Mom’s Dry Noodle has put out before, I know I’m in for a treat. Let’s find out!

Mom’s Dry Noodle / Blue Elephant Red Curry – Taiwan

Detail of the outer packaging (click to enlarge). Unsure if it contains meat – check for yourself. To prepare, boil noodles for 6 minutes. Drain. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!

Inside the large outer package are three individual servings.

Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge).

The noodle block.

A wet sachet of red curry.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added sauteed beef, red and green bell pepper, white onion, pineapple, and fresh basil. Noodles are soft and a very large quantity. They’re a perfect match for the red curry which is aromatic and tasty, however not overwhelming. A very apt pairing with an elegant balance. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 4717011158304.

Moms Dan Dan Dry Noodle 17.36 Oz.

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#3253: Ramen Hero Classic Miso Ramen – United States

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Ramen Hero Classic Miso Ramen – United States

Here’s the labels from the front and back (click to enlarge). Contains pork. To prepare, boil the large soup pouch for 10 minutes. when there’s 2 minutes left, boil your noodles in a seperate pot, stirring often. Also at the 1 1/2 minute point, drop the bags with the garnish in with the soup pouch to let them thaw (if needed). Finally, drain your noodles, add them to a bowl, empty the pouch of broth into your bowl, garnish, and enjoy!

Fresh ramen noodles.

A large pouch of miso ramen broth.

Chashu pork belly!

Neato seaweed!

A special ground beef.

Pickled bamboo shoots (menma).

Finished (click to enlarge). Aside from the included garnish, I added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, spring onion, corn, soft egg, and black sesame seeds. Noodles are great – definitely nice to have fresh ones here – and thy come out just right. The broth is a tasty miso – just rich enough. The included garnish was great – especially that ground beef which added a little sweetness. Bamboo shots were crisp, chashu was tasty too. I really loved the seaweed having the print on it – that was really fun to work with. Putting everything together was pretty simple too. 4.75 out of 5.0 stars.

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#3252: Shin Horng Lukang Thin Noodles Ginger & Sesame Oil Flavor – Taiwan

I often end up at 99 Ranch Market to pick up mung bean sprouts, other produce, and other things once every week or so. It’s a chain of Asian markets that started on the west coast but after looking at their site, they’ve popped up all over the United States – which is good – they’ve got lots of neat stuff.

It’s neat because The Ramen Rater and 99 Ranch Market have some special history. When I first started the site, I lived far from any Asian grocery stores. I got about 60 reviews in and had a five or six year hiatus. When I met my wife and I moved to Edmonds in 2010, we lived about a five minute walk from one. That rekindled my flame for instant noodles and reviewing and really was the reason you’re seeing this review today; if we hadn’t moved to that spot, I’m unsure the site would’ve ever gone forward.

I see new products popping up there all the time in the noodle aisle. Taiwanese products in particular. I saw this one last visit and thought ‘this looks interesting.’ Never seen this brand before and ginger sesame sounds good. So I got it. The hunt for the noodle is something I really love. The obscure, the never before seen. Honestly, it’s a thrill for me – perhaps in the same way some people spend their kids’ college savings at the racetrack. On the upside, this gamble is not going to break the bank. Anyways, yeah it’s something I thoroughly enjoy and here is the fruit of my search – something new.

Shin Horng Lukang Thin Noodles Ginger & Sesame Oil Flavor – Taiwan

The import/distributor’s sticker (click to enlarge).

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, boil noodles 1~2 minutes. Drain. Add 70ml water. Add sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!

This was a nice surprise – shelf-stable fresh noodles.

A large wet sachet.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added sauteed beef, egg, scallion, pickled ginger, sesame seeds, and pepper flake. I used a pair of kitchen scissors to make two crosscuts of the noodles. The noodles are indeed thin with a sturdy tooth. The flavor is just excellent. A strong showing of both ginger and sesame oil taste – super savory and delicious. Hard not to put this one down. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 4710575369995.

Mama Lieu’s Kitchen: A Cookbook Memoir of Delicious Taiwanese and Chinese Home Cooking for My Children

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#3251: Hokkaido Furano Ramen Tomikawa Ramen – Japan

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This one was in a Ramen Trunk subscription box.These boxes are full of extremely high end varieties that you’ll never find in the United States or anywhere outside Japan! Check out this link and use coupon code RAMENRATER20OFF for 20% off any single box or subscription!

Here’s what they had to say about this particular variety – “Tomikawa ramenprimarily contains a shoyu (soy sauce) based broth but the recipe here involves the complex combination of chicken stock, seaweed, and a balanced hint of sardine essence combined perfectly to deliver a beautiful golden broth. Topping off the delicate bowl of ramen is a pack of fragrant chicken oil. Use at you discretion and taste preference. The noodles contained in this pack are a common medium thickness with a high protein content. As a recognition for Furano Ramen’s dedication to finding the perfect balanced taste, this Tomikawa ramen was listed in the Michelin Hokkaido Guide 2012.”

Sounds neat let’s hit it!

Furano Ramen Tomikawa Ramen – Japan

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Unsure what meat is in here, but sure there’s meat. To prepare, boil noodles for 5~6 minutes. Drain. Add sachet contents to 300ml boiling water. Add noodles and soup to a bowl. Finally, stir and enjoy!

The noodle block.

A large wet soup base sachet.

Looks like a dry sachet of onion.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg, chashu pork, spring onion, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, habanero togarashi, and black sesame seeds. Noodles were on point with a unique chew which worked well. Broth was fantastic and tasty. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4571327730070.

Hokkaido: A History of Ethnic Transition and Development on Japan’s Northern Island

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#3248: Samyang Foods Tsuyu Soy Sauce Udon – South Korea

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So mornings can suck sometimes. Waking up 2 hours late for example. With that, I better get a move on!

Samyang Foods Tsuyu Soy Sauce Udon – South Korea

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Unsure whether it contains meat – check for yourself. To prepare, boil noodles in 550ml water for 5 minutes. Add in sachets. Finally, stir and enjoy!

A large noodle block.

A wet sachet (no open pics today – just no time – watch the video for more)

A dry flake sachet.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added habanero togarashi, bbq pork, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, and spring onion, Noodles came out very tasty and chewy. They really complimented the broth which had a rich flavor of soy and sweet with just a tiny amount of spicy. The included garnish was on point. Very happy with this. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8801073113916.

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#3247: Mitukura Okinawa Soba – Japan

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#3247: Mitakura Okinawa Soba - Japan

Here’s what they had to say about this particular variety – “Okinawa prefecture is a group of islands in the south of Japan. Well known for its tropical weather and beautiful beaches. However, equally well known is the unique Okinawa Soba produced on these islands.

Okinawa Soba is a noodle soup with thick wheat noodles reminiscent of udon noodles and are slightly flat. Definitely a deviation from typical thin ramen noodles but just as delicious.

The soup is a pork based broth flavored with kombu (seaweed) and bonito (fish flakes) adding to a lighter and more delicate taste.'”

Sounds good – let’s check it out!

Mitakura Okinawa Soba – Japan

#3247: Mitakura Okinawa Soba - Japan

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Unsure but most likely contains meat and fish products – check for yourself. To prepare, boil noodle for 4 minutes. Add sachet to 220ml hot water. Finally, combine drained noodle with broth and enjoy!

#3247: Mitakura Okinawa Soba - Japan

One of the two servings of noodles.

#3247: Mitakura Okinawa Soba - Japan

A wet sachet (click here to enlarge).

#3247: Mitakura Okinawa Soba - Japan

Concentrated liquid base.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added sesame seeds, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, chashu pork, kizami shoga, fish cake and spring onion. Noodles are exemplary with a great thickness and chew. Broth is as advertised – a porky bonito. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4900674003450.

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#3243: Sapporo Ichiban Pickles Kimchi Chige Ramen – Japan

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#3243: Sapporo Ichiban Pickles Kimchi Chige Ramen - Japan

Today we have a Zenpop.JP variety – so what’s Zenpop? They’re a subscription service for all things Japanese! Definitely, check them out. By the way, use coupon code RAMENRATER to get $2 off! Here’s what they had to say about this one – ‘Kimchi chige flavor soup is made up with savory seafood, veggies, and bonito broth. Plus added garlic so that you can feel some umami in the spicy soup. Sourness and spiciness of kimchi goes well with the soup and soft texture of tofu toppings to whet your appetite.”

O’m unsure about the pickles reference; I think it has to do with the kimchi aspect as I found Pickles Corporation and it looks to be about things ‘pickled’ perhaps. Let’s check it out!

Sapporo Ichiban Pickles Kimchi Chige Ramen – Japan

#3243: Sapporo Ichiban Pickles Kimchi Chige Ramen - Japan

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains shrimp, squid. To prepare, add boiling water to line and cover 3 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!

#3243: Sapporo Ichiban Pickles Kimchi Chige Ramen - Japan

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

#3243: Sapporo Ichiban Pickles Kimchi Chige Ramen - Japan

The noodle block.

#3243: Sapporo Ichiban Pickles Kimchi Chige Ramen - Japan

Loose seasoning and solid ingredients.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, spring onion, chashu pork, black sesame seeds, habanero togarashi. Noodles hydrated great in 3 minutes. Broth has a great kimchi flavor to it and is augmented with a plethora of tofu and kimchi floating around. A hard one to not devour. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4901734035756.

#3243: Sapporo Ichiban Pickles Kimchi Chige Ramen - Japan

Sapporo most cup Stars curry Nanban 84g ~ 12 pieces

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#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup – United States

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#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup - United States

A few months ago I did a Meet The Manufacturer series on Vite Ramen, but the packs I tried were prototypes and not this, the finished product for version 1.0 (version 1.1 will be coming soon and I’ll be giving that a try when it comes out). It’s a neat concept brought to life by Tim & Tom Zheng.

A lot of people found the idea of a healthy instant noodle very compelling – so much so that they netted a quarter of a million dollars on their Kickstarter campaign. What we have here is the culmination of lots of work by them.

These packs have a myriad of benefits, including lots of vitamins and minerals, 30g of protein, low sodium, low fat, and is an excellent source of fiber.

It also has something that’s hard for people to get – potassium. You can a decent amount in a banana, but eating enough bananas to meet the goal of potassium intake per day is going to have some side affects aside from the amount of sugar.This pack includes 25 percent of that.

As many of you know, I’ve been on a diet. I’ve been overweight most of my life. My doctor told me on October 18th, 2018 that I had high cholesterol, and pushed me to change my diet and exercise; something I’ve been told by doctors many times before. But I guess it was just the right time to do something about it. We got a jogging stroller and I started walking my daughter Miri on days my son has all day preschool. I also started using a fitbit and the My Fitness Pal app to track my intake and calorie burn.

I started slow; trying to get my step goal and trying to stay under the recommended calories for the day. It was hard at first, but I put myself in a good mindset and pushed forward. I started at 365lbs. I go back to the doctor on April 26th, 2019 – about 6 months afterwards for another blood test and cheup to see how I’ve done, and I think my doctor is going to be shocked. I haven’t weighed myself, but I’ve gone down 6 pants sizes. I had to skip walking a couple days after last week too – Monday I walked 9.5 miles, Tuesday 10.5 miles, and Thursday I walked almost 15 miles and hit 30,000 steps. I guess I need to get some walking shoes that are better than the ones I get at Walmart in Richmond BC for $30CAD! I really jacked up my feet…

But in a couple weeks, I’ll find out how much I weigh at the doctor and report on that. I’m pretty stoked – I’m down to around 1200~1500 calories per day and it’s no problem at this point. As far as when I review, I have the tiniest amount of noodles and broth to sample – the rest goes down the drain. But I think today I’ll figure one of these packs into my regime and see how it goes. Let’s get started.

Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup – United States

#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup - United States

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Take a look at the nutrition facts panel – it’s pretty monumental. Contains chicken. To prepare, add noodle block to 2 1/2 cups boiling water and cook 2 1/2 minutes. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!

#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup - United States

The noodle block.

#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup - United States

A dry sachet.

#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup - United States

The soup base.

#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup - United States

A second dry sachet.

#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup - United States

This is the ‘noodtrients’ powder. This is where the vitamins, minerals, and protein come into play.

#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup - United States

A wet sachet.

#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup - United States

Canola oil.

#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup - United States

A clear garnish sachet.

#3239: Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Instant Noodle Soup - United States

A vegetable mixture with 8 different varieties.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, baked chicken, black sesame seeds, and spring onion. I’m definitely seeing a difference in this from the prototype. The noodle has a nice chew and texture – a unique one which worked well. The broth is on the light side; it’s not a salty bomb, however it has a good thickness and gives a taste of actual chicken broth that I liked. Very happy with the changes in addition to all the protein, low sodium, fiber, and vitamin benefits. Innovative and fresh. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. No bar code.

Vite Ramen Soy Sauce Chicken Flavor Instant Noodle Soup

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#3237: Samyang Cheese Ramen – South Korea

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I’ve mentioned a few times recently how much I’ve really been into Samyang Ramen in the last year or so. It’s really quite good – has a ham flavor, nice level of spiciness. It’s just got a good all around comfort food thing going on. Well, here’s the same thing – but now it’s got a cheese component. I’ll admit it – I like cheese. There. That feels better. Load off my mind. I usually add cheese to South Korean ramen, so let’s see how this one with a cheese component included goes.

Samyang Cheese Ramen – South Korea

Detail of the package (click to enlarge). Contains fish. To prepare, add noodles to 500ml boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!

The noodle block.

A dry sachet.

A lot of powder. Notice the little light specks in there.

Another dry sachet.

A light cheese powder.

Finished (click to enlarge). Added spring onion, uncured ham, and pepper flake. The noodles are thick and have a typical Samyang tooth to them which I thoroughly enjoy. They’re meaty. The broth was not as I expected initially but is quite good. A standard spicy Korean style ramen hit to it – and being Samyang Ramen it’s got a ham flavor. But the cheese is a combo of cheddar, camembert and goude, so it has a smoky element which although unexpected was quite welcoming. Small fishcake were strewn about. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8801073114111.

Samyang Ramen, 4.23-Ounce Units (Pack of 20)

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#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles – Malaysia

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#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles - Malaysia

Hey look at this! What is it? Well, their standard Spicy Sakura Prawn has been ranked #2 on the 2018 and 2019 The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time lists. This one has two kinds of noodles – both air dried too so they’re healthier for you. I’m a big fan of prawn mee (that’s what they call it in Malaysia) and I’m ready to have a prawn freakout. Let do this!

Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles – Malaysia

#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles - Malaysia

Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Contains fish and crustaceans. To prepare, boil noodles in 400ml water for 2 minutes. Drain. Add sachets and noodles to 270ml boiling water. Finally, stir and enjoy!

#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles - Malaysia

Wheat noodles on the left, rice vermicelli on the right.

#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles - Malaysia

A dry sachet.

#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles - Malaysia

A light powder.

#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles - Malaysia

A wet sachet.

#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles - Malaysia

Has a strong and sweet prawn scent.

#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles - Malaysia

Another dry sachet – garnish this time.

#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles - Malaysia

Fried onions!

#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles - Malaysia

Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, fried tofu, shrimp, bbq pork, spring onion, and mint leaf. Wow. The combination of the two noodles here is masterful – and authentic as this is what you’ll find in hawker courts in Malaysia. Broth is strong, however just a tad less so than the standard pack version. Included crispy onion garnish is just so spot on it hurts. Prawn freak-out achieved. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9556145137015.

#3236: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles - Malaysia

Penang Heritage Cookbook: Yesterday’S Recipes for Today’s Cook

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