Over 5,000 Instant Ramen Noodle Reviews Since 2002
Every month, the folks at www.exoticnoods.com send me over a box so I can show you what they’ve got going on. There’s some really great stuff in this month’s box and I’ve alkso got a coupon code for you – it’s BOOM! Use it to get a discount! Let’s see what’s in here!
Today, we head to the second half of this series with the shrimp pack version. Cups and packs, packs and cups. As you may remember, I was pretty impressed by the cup version. I’ve tasted shrimp flavor instant noodles in a few different ways. Sometimes, it’s kind of like as buttery broth which doesn’t taste like shrimp, but one that shrimp may go well in. – kind of the way that oyster sauce doesn’t taste like oysters. The cup version with this brand has a nice sweetness that you find in shrimp. Let’s see how it translates to the pack version.
Alright, so I reviewed this one back in October of 2011. This was review #529- well over 2000 reviews ago. Just saying 2000 reviews ago seems crazy. Anyways to be blunt, I really didn’t like this one back then., My wife said it smelled like cooked asparagus. I’m curious whether it’s not going to be something I enjoy; about 7 years later. Hope I do! Let’s take a look.
Time for some chicken! Actually, there are quite a few chicken varieties in this range and they’re about to start showing up in this review series. Today,m we’re going to start off with their chicken instant ramen cup. Sounds like a plan – just so you know, the last time I tried this was way back at review #405! Let’s get to it and give it a try!
Beef flavor isn’t usually something I think of when I think about ramen. I generally think of pork, chicken, fish, seaweed, etc. Beef leads me more towards ramyun to be honest. But these are varieties catering to the taste of the United States – and beef is definitely a western kind of flavor as well. Let’s see how a beef noodle goes in this variety. Looks like I did a re-review ion 2017 and the first time I reviewed it was #205 in 2010! Okay – let’s get to it!
Here’s one of the four fancy varieties from Sapporo Ichiban – their miso ramen variety. Miso is a fermented soybean paste. Here’s a little about it from Wikipedia
Sapporo Ichiban offers four standard pillow pack style noodles, four special varieties, and four cup varieties. It makes it easy to do a different one every day during this Meet The Manufacturer series. I have, however, reviewed them all before, but it was a very long, long time ago. I usually don’t like to do re-reviews, but I think in this case I’m very happy to make an exception. I’ve been wanting to do a Meet The Manufacturer with Sanyo Foods America for years and getting the chance to has been a lot of fun!
Thought starting things off with the original variety would make sense. So they told me that original flavor indeed was soy sauce, which also is known as shoyu ramen. Here’s a little about shoyu ramen from Wikipedia
Sanyo Foods Corp Of America sent two boxes of their Sapporo Ichiban products. In fact, these two boxes contain each and every variety that they produce here in the United States. I like it when I can do a Meet The Manufacturer series and sample each and every variety that they make. Let’s look in this, the second box.
Was really happy to get samples directly from Sanyo Foods Corp Of America for this Meet The Manufacturer series. As I said previously, one of my goals has been to do Meet The Manufacturer series with all the instant noodle companies in the United States. Let’s see what’s inside!
Interview With Sanyo Foods Corp Of America * Product Samples From Sanyo Foods Corp Of America (1 of 2) * Product Samples From Sanyo Foods Corp Of America (2 of 2) * Sapporo Ichiban Japanese Style Noodles & Original Flavored Soup * Sapporo Ichiban Japanese Style Noodles & Original Flavored Soup * Sapporo Ichiban Shrimp Flavor Oriental Noodle Soup * Sapporo Ichiban Miso Ramen * Sapporo Ichiban Japanese Style Noodles & Beef Flavored Soup * Sapporo Ichiban Chicken Flavor Oriental Noodle Soup * Sapporo Ichiban Japanese Style Noodles Hot & Spicy Chicken Flavored Soup * Sapporo Ichiban Japanese Style Noodles & Shrimp Flavored Soup * Sapporo Ichiban Original Flavor Oriental Noodle Soup * Sapporo Ichiban Shio Ramen Japanese Style Noodles * Sapporo Ichiban Japanese Style Noodles & Chicken Flavored Soup * Sapporo Ichiban Beef Flavor Oriental Noodle Soup * Sapporo Ichiban Chow Mein * Sapporo Ichiban Tonkotsu Ramen White Chicken Broth
Hey look – Top Ramen got a facelift! They’ve been changing recipes all over their ranges – getting rid of artificial flavoring and MSG. They’ve also been changing names. This used to be picante beef. To be honest, I haven’t had the first variety in years and it’s nice to be able to have it again fresh. Let’s give it a look!
Was contacted recently about a new product called Simply Shredz. Basically, it’s marinated and shredded pork that you can put on just about everything! Well, probably not breakfast cereal… But your could put it on congee! Anyways, let’s open it up and give it a little test run!
Since 2013, A-Sha Foods USA has been sending samples of their products. A-Sha Dry Noodle is located in Taiwan, and they make all sorts of products. Let’s crack open this really big box and have a look at what is inside!
Today is the last of this great series! I want to thank the mighty nice folks at Mike’s Mighty Good for facilitating this Alright it’s beef pho. Very curious about what this one will be like. Let’s find out!
So this is the second pork tonkotsu variety offered by Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen – this being the non-spicy version. Let’s see what Wikipedia has to say about this style of ramen –
Here’s another vegetarian friendly variety from Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen. This one’s inspired by Korean kimchi. Here’s a little about it from Wikipedia –
Last time it was fried garlic chicken and this time it’s just chicken. Let’s give it a try!
So today’s variety is one I’ve been curious about. This is a pork tonkotsu from the United States – something I don’t usually think is going to be great. But if it does as well as everything else has, I think it’s going to be good. Here’s a little about tonkotsu from Wikipedia-
Alright so today it’s a Vegetarian variety. To be honest, I used to enjoy a lot of condensed soup and this was my favorite flavor. So, I suppose it has a bit to live up to as far as the name. Let’s have a look inside this cup and see what lurks within!
Okay now I’m seeing a pattern. The cups exclaim that they have rich broth while the packaged versions contain insanely rich broth. All I can say is in the last two, I liked the broth. Now to the topic of miso – here’s a little from Wikipedia –
So Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen also comes in cups. Spicy beef sounds good. I’ve been a spicy fan for a long time. I just noticed on the pack reviewed yesterday it mentioned ‘insanely rich broth’ whereas today we have ‘rich broth.’ With a slightly mellower tone, let’s pop the lid and look within.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Usually, the first instant product a noodle company will put out will be chicken flavor. In fact, the first instant noodle product that was ever produced was chicken flavor. Chicken is just about universally palatable, and most don’t have a religious rule against it. A chicken instant noodle is the beginning and so that’s where we will start today. Fried garlic chicken sounds really good, and on the package, it promises an ‘insanely rich broth.’ Alright – the proof is in the noodle – let’s give it a try!
After I had quite a few people asking me if I’d tried or had any information on Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen, I decided to reach out to the company. They were receptive to doing a Meet The Manufacturer series and so that’s what we have going on today! Here’s the unboxing of the samples that they sent for review.
Interview With Mike’s Mighty Good * Product Samples From Mike’s Mighty Good * Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen Fried Garlic Chicken Flavor Ramen Soup * Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen Spicy Beef Flavor Ramen Soup * Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen Savory Miso Ramen Soup * Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen Vegetarian Vegetable Ramen Soup * Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen Spicy Pork Tonkotsu Ramen Soup * Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen Chicken Flavor Ramen Soup * Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen Vegetarian Kimchi Ramen Soup * Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen Pork Tonkotsu Ramen Soup * Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen Beef Pho Ramen Soup
Another month, another box from Exotic Noods! The March Green Box drops with a neat assortment of instant noodles – this one represents many countries and flavors you might have net tried before! Let’s crack it open and have a look at what’s inside!
So what we have here is something from the United States I haven’t really delved into much. I reviewed their Cup-A-Soup on review #2544. I thought this was a Cup-A-Soup, however, it’s a Soup Secrets variety. It’s getting cold outside – better eat your soup! Wait I shouldn’t have told you that because it’s a secret… The soup secret. Don’t tell anyone… Let’s have a look.
I’m happy to announce that in cooperation with Gourmet Ramen Club, the availability of a new box of noodles! This box has a fiery mix of the hottest of the hot – the spiciest instant noodles in the world! So have a look at the video and get yours today!
Here’s a special one! Got contacted by a company about some fancy new bowls with a familiar flavor. See, I’ve been reviewing instant noodles for a long time, but there was a gap of about 5 years in the middle where I reviewed hot sauces. Tapatio is a popular hot sauce here in the United States – so I’m sure you’ll be excited to see this one!
Today, I have a box that came a couple days ago to show you – the latest offering from Exotic Noods. You can buy a single box or subscribe to their boxes monthly. They offer varieties from all over the world. Let’s have a look inside and see what’s going on here!
So this is one that the company sent to me – thanks! So this is one of the new Taste Of Asia series, a range that has some really great varieties. I really liked the Sukiyaki Beef from their first three kinds and then they came out with this one and also a Tom Yum which I would say is my favorite so far.
Well, it’s been a while since I’ve had a version of Neoguri to review. Actually, wait – not that extremely long – they came out with the Neoguri dry stir noodle one recently. So this is one I got up in Canada a couple of months ago.
Well, this is something completely different. Definitely a departure from their usual line . Maruchan’s Instant Lunch range is very popular in the United States. The flavors are generally in the domestic flavor profiles ranging from your standard chicken to California Vegetable to Cheddar Cheese.
When I saw this one I was extremely interested. I’ve had tom yum soup many times in Thailand and in Malaysia as well. I’ve reviewed tom yum instant noodle varieties from throughout Southeast Asia – tons of them. I’ve NEVER had one however from the United States. Not only that, this one is a microwavable tom yum. I must admit these are definitely uncharted waters. I’m really hoping this is good. With an open mind and palate, I delve into this bowl.
I’ve been asked many, many times to go try restaurant ramen by my readers. Well, Merry Christmas! As Gurney Halleck once said in the novel Dune, “Behold, as a wild ass in the desert, go I forth to my work.”
Here’s something new! A start-up company in San Francisco called Snackoo asked if I would like to check out their boxes – and of course, I said yes. This is the second box I’ve had to look at – hope you enjoy!
Today a combo – an unboxing and a book review!
I heard about this book a while back. They emailed me and mentioned The Discovery Of Ramen was on Kickstarter. I thought hey – I would like to check out a kid’s book on ramen – so I did a post about it. That was months ago and they’d said they would send me a copy once it came out. Well, they did! I should note I did the video before reading the book – here are my thoughts on it.
So today is the first review I’ve done in a month! This was the first time since 2010 that I thought I’d take a little time off of reviewing. The main reason being that I’m so far ahead of myself – 110 reviews ahead in fact. I must say it’s nice to have such a buffer. Anyways, here we have a Myojo Udon bowl – honestly I can’t remember where it came from – someone either sent it (thank you) or I got it at the store. Myojo Udon sounds pretty good. Here’s a little information about udon from Wikipedia –
As you might remember, I recently did a Meety The Manufacturer series of the Blount Bowls – at the time they had a chicken and a coconut chicken variety. Well, they now have rice bowls and asked if I would show them. So here we go!
Laksa noodles paired with a curry broth – I can’t really think of anything so well matched. Although I usually think of Laksa a little further south of Thailand in places like Malaysia and Singapore, all the flavors from that area of Southeast Asia play very well together. Let’s give it a try!
