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Got a box this time from A-sha of Taiwan. They have a lot of different products, but this one is very different. The company is known as a maker of dry noodle products, hence usually no broth. But this looks to have broth – let’s give it a close look.
Just got done with the TTL (Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor) Meet The Manufacturer recently. Now, they’ve come up with a new variety and it arrived today. TTL’s products always have two things – a retort pouch with real meat and a sachet containing liquor. Let’s have a look!
I’ve tried all three of the other Xiao Ban Mian flavors. Their Traditional Shallot & Onion Oil variety hit #2 on the Top Ten Taiwan list last year. I’m stoked to be able to try this one – really don’t know what to expect, honestly. This is completely different from the rest. Let’s dive in!
A little whle back I was asked if I could review some noodles by a Taiwanese instant noodles by a Taiwanese university student working on her master’s thesis. As a thank you, she sent more varieties for me to try including this one. I’m don’t know who this fellow is on the package. It’s a big cardboard box with two servings – and it’s big. Let’s give it a look!
So I did this review the morning that my daughter Miriam was born two years ago today. Happy Birthday, Miri! I thought I’d repost it with a little update.
The second of the Fantastic Noodles varieties getting a look in this Meet The Manufacturer. I’ll be the first to say I really like scallion sauce noodles from Taiwan. Curious how these will fare – only one way to find out!
The first of two varieties for this Fantastic Noodles Meet The Manufacturer series. From what I gather, Spicy Dolar sounds like a Sichuan pepper infused variety with some extras going on. Let’s find out!
Thought today would be a good day for some fried green onions! The kind folks at Wu-Mu sent these over a little while back and I thought I’d better review it! Here’s what they have to say about it –
It is with great thanks and a week of interesting flavors that we bid adieu to the last of the varieties from TTL. This is the packaged version of the pickled vegetable beef variety. I really wasn’t sure how all these liquor-infused varieties would go, but they’ve been really quite impressive. Let’s check out this final variety.
The second review in this series was the bowl version of this one. Steeping vs non-steeped. Let’s take a look!
Well, here we are again. I goit one of these bowls a long time ago and guess what happened? I opened the retort pouch and spilled it all over my leg and on the floor! Was crushed; hard to find this one and I had only one of them. Egad! Luckily, TTL sent all of these for Meet The Manufacturer (thank you again!) and now I can give it another go. I should note I didn’t spill anything this time – let’s give it a go!
Happy to be revisiting this variety, It made The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2018 Edition list this year and with good reason: it’s really, really good. Here’s a little about carbonara from Wikipedia –
Here we have another variety with the hua diao cooking wine. Curious what the pickled vegetables are – guessing mustard stem would be one of them. Time to check out another unique variety from Taiwan!
I thought I ought to start at the beginning. I’m pretty sure this and the rice wine spring chicken varieties are the first that TTL shared with the world and it just made sense to go with those to begin Meet The Manufacturer. Here’s a little about Shaoxing wine, featured in this variety from Wikipedia –
Today, we have a traditional Italian variety – from Taiwan? Yup – Italian noodles from Taiwan! Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about bolognese –
When I think of rice wine, my mind immediately goes to sake from Japan. I was surprised to find that there are many different kinds of rice wine – here’s a pretty extensive list from Wikipedia –
Today we have something special. I’ve been curious about Dongpo’s Pork for a while and this looks like it’d be a good one. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about it –
Here’s the second box of samples from Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor (TTL). Again, I wasn’t completely sure what was in here, but I was definitely keen on finding out what was in this big box! Let’s find out together!
I was really thrilled to get a huge box from Taiwan as always, but I wasn’t exactly sure what this box was at the outset. I really enjoy a surprise as well, so let’s watch as I crack this box open and look at some of the varieties for review in this Meet The Manufacturer series!
Interview with TTL * Product Samples from TTL (1 of 2) * Product Samples from TTL (2 of 2) * TTL Hua-Diao Dongpo Braised Pork Instant Noodle * TTL Sesame Oil Chicken Flavor With Rice Wine Instant Noodle * TTL Bolognese Red Wine Sauce Instant Noodle * TTL Spring Chicken With Hua-Diao Liquor Instant Noodle * TTL Hua Diao Pickled Vegetable Beef Instant Noodle * TTL Carbonara White Wine Carbonara Instant Noodle * TTL Spring Chicken With Hua-Diao Liquor Instant Noodle * TTL Sesame Oil Chicken Flavor With Rice Wine Instant Noodle * TTL Pickled Vegetable Beef With Hua-Diao Liquor Instant Noodle
Today we’ve got something new from Mom’s Dry Noodle with their new shiitake zhajiang. Shiitake mushrooms… Hmmm… Curious if I’ll like this one… I wish I liked mushrooms more – my wife loves mushrooms – so does my buddy from Germany. Shiitake have a strong flavor to them… Curious how that will translate in here. Hopefully well! Let’s find out!
This one comes by way of a reader from Taiwan who visited t he Philippines and saw this and a spicy version there. This is most definitely an export version. First, lots of English text. Now, you’ll never see this in the United States as it does contain beef. Casn’t go wrong with braised beef – well, I guess you could if it’s bad, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case here. Let’s find out!
One of the waning few I dragged back from Taiwan with me from my 2017 trip! This is a fascinating variety – it’s one that has a soup and a noodle. Wait, how? What?
Here’s another one I received from a University student in Taiwan – thanks again! She’s working on her Master’s thesis and wanted info from me on a few products and what I thought of them – an honor! Let’s check out this braised beef variety!
Here’s one of the very last varieties I found in Taiwan during my last visit in November, 2017. Big thanks to Kyle K. for help translating this one! So braised meats from Taiwan are some of the most amazing flavors – anywhere. I’m telling you – find a Taiwanese restaurant and get some braised pork – it’ll blow your freaking mind. Alright – let’s crack this bowl open and get this going.
Here’s the second fancy boxed variety from Kiki that came out recently. This sounds really good – here’s a little about Mapo Tofu from Wikipedia –
Recently, I had the chance to try Kiki’s aged variety and liked it quite a bit. I really don’t know much about vinegar to be honest. Here’s a little about it from Wikipedia –
Was really looking forward to this one – product samples from Mom’s Dry Noodle. A couple new ones in here – a meat one from Xiao Ban Mian and a new flavor from the Mom’s Dry Noodle line! Let’s get to it and take a look!
Another year gone by – hard to believe. As usual, many, many Taiwanese varieties have crossed my desk. This list comes as I’m about to hit 3,000 reviews as well. Pretty crazy. These are my favorite Taiwanese varieties out of all my reviews up to #2,943. As always, if you want me to try something I’ve not – drop me a line. With that, let’s check out The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time 2018 Edition!
Alright – to start off, wow. This is huge. This box screams fancy, that’s for sure. I’ve had a few of Kiki’s dry noodle varieties, but recently this and a Mapo Tofu variety came out as well (which of course I’ll be reviewing soon). Beef Noodle Soup is exceedingly popular in Taiwan – here’s a little about it from Wikipedia –
Alright – this is the last of the reviews for the Uni student in Taiwan – thanks again for sending these – it’s been fun and quite truly an honor that someone going for their Master’s degree is asking me for help!
Alright here’s one of the ones sent by the University student working on her Master’s thesis paper. It’s getting closer to her deadline at the time of writing this, so I am busting out the last three. So – three cup chicken – here’s some info from Wikipedia –
A-Sha’s US distributor messaged me a little while ago about these new varieties about to hit the US market that are very popular in Taiwan right now. Guanmiao noodles hail from southern Taiwan in the agricultural heartland. Hotter weather and lot of noodles! Let’s crack it open and have a look!
Here’s another one that was sent by a University student working on her master’s thesis. She asked me to review a set of six instant noodle varieties by Vedan. Sure! I’ve tried this before in an export version and really didn’t like it. Let’s give this local variety a try.
This is one I found at RT-Mart in Taipei, Taiwan. That place was so amazing – I mean, that was the biggest instant noodle aisle I’ve seen in my life – it was epic and beautiful. If I could, I’d go there right now a do a strange dance. Anyways, let’s crack this one open and have a look inside!
Here’s another one I received from a University student in Taiwan – thanks again! She’s working on her Master’s thesis and wanted info from me on a few products and what I thought of them – an honor! Let’s check out this variety with a Korean influence.
Here’s one of the six varieties sent by a Taiwanese university student. She asked if I could review a specific set of varieties as special research for her master’s thesis and I said absolutely. I’m not sure about this variety – insofar what Dynasty Beef is. I did some looking, but it seems that the word dynasty kind of takes precedent in search results and so that’s not very helpful. Anyways, let’s have a look at this fancy one from Taiwan.
Here’s a new one from Taiwan by A-Sha Foods. This is Dan Zai flavor – one of their new range of more high end products. Some differences are instead of a 75g block it’s 90g. Lots of sauce/paste too.
It’s been a long year, let me tell you! I have been asked countless times about this list and what’s new. I’ve done numerous taste tests and endured lots of heat! Ready to burn? Check out the list and look down at the bottom for a way to get a great selection of some of the spiciest and tastiest varieties in one low-cost box! Indeed, it is time – here’s the official top ten – your spiciest instant noodles for 2018 from almost 3,000 reviews to date!
