Got a package in the mail…
Happy Pho! Looking forward to reviewing – thank you!
Over 5,000 Instant Ramen Noodle Reviews Since 2002
Got a package in the mail…
Happy Pho! Looking forward to reviewing – thank you!
As they’d say on Monty Python, ‘and now for something completely different.’ Here are some curry flavor noodles that I got up in Canada during my birthday trip! Curry just sounded good today. This is gonna be one of the few chances to delve into the noodle hamper between Meet The Manufacturer spotlights – got some really interesting ones lined up for ya! Let’s check these curry flavor noodles from Malaysia!
Here’s the last of the varieties that A-Sha sent. This has been a really interesting Meet The Manufacturer – I’ve immersed myself in Taiwan documentaries and listening to music from Taiwan and checking out the architecture. I really never knew anything to speak of about Taiwan, but I must say it looks like an amazing place! Today, I’ll try the original flavor – A-Sha told me it’s their most popular.
The A-Sha Meet The Manufacturer is winding down here is the next to last of the varieties I’ll be reviewing. Spicy and sesame – two words I like! Let’s check it out.
As most of you have probably noticed, I like onions. I usually pick sweet onion since it tends to smell up the freezer a bit less as I get a ton of them, prep them, then put them in a freezer bag. One time I got some at a grocery that were simply called brown onions, and they stunk up the entire fridge! Looking forward to this one by A-Sha – onion oil flavor!
Today we’ve got the thinnest noodles I think I’ve seen in a pack. I was curious about the whole QQ thing so I looked it up and found this on Quora:
When I first opened the box of samples from A-Sha, I was immediately curious about this one. Big, blocky red type on a stark white background. I’ve been told this black pepper flavor is tradition of a dish served at ‘Night Markets’ in Taiwan. A steak with a black pepper sauce and an egg on the side – a very nostalgic Taiwanese classic (here’s what it looks like). Let’s have a look.
I was sitting in the car for a while yesterday and I turned on a streaming radio app I have on my phone. I searched for noodles and found a story about the popularity of cold sesame noodles in the ’60s there and a guy named Shorty Tang whose restaurant was quite popular. Anyways, here’s the radio broadcast.
Here’s the first of seven in-depth reviews of A-Sha products. Wow – they’re wide! They’re also drained and liquid is stirred in – hmmm! So first, what’s ‘hakka?’ Wikipedia had this to share:
Interview * Samples From A-sha Foods * A-Sha Dry Noodle Hakka Noodle – Chili Sauce * A-Sha Dry Noodle Tainan Noodle – Sesame Sauce * A-Sha No. 10 – Mandarin Noodle – Black Pepper Sauce * A-Sha Dry Noodle QQ Thin Noodle – BBQ Sauce * A-Sha Dry Noodle Mandarin Noodle – Onion Oil Sauce * A-Sha Dry Noodle Hakka Noodle – Spicy Sesame Oil Sauce * A-Sha Dry Noodle Mandarin Noodle – Original Sauce
I recently got a nice box of noodles in the mail from a gentleman named Martin from Wales. He has rasked me with trying Marmite, something he has said he hasn’t heard of anyone not native to the UK being able to palate. I’m going to have to try it!
This is a fancy one from Japan sent by the kind folks at MBS Planning! Thank you! From what I could translate and infer, this is a special, premium pack of noodles. Let’s check it out.
I’ve had other macaroni quick serve products before by a different brand. I always thought these were interesting. Usually the only thing you’d find in the United States coupled with macaroni would be cheese, but elsewhere, the options are much different. Let’s check it out.
Here we go with the 28th edition of The Ramen Rater Noodle News! I scour the Internet for articles about ramen and instant noodles and bring them to you! Here are some recent stories you might find interesting!
Yep – another one from Canada. I really like how it says ‘simulated flavor.’ It’s a beef simulator! Let’s try it.
Here one that came from Korea by way of Kristen W. of Arizona! Thank you so much! I’ve wanted to review this one for a long time! Let’s check this unique variety out.
In the last week, I’ve had a lot of traffic from upset Taiwanese that none of their country’s beloved instant noodles made the list. I saw videos like this one and then this angry one. I felt a video message would be appropriate, and here it is.
Another one from my March birthday trip to Canada. I tried to translate this one but no luck – the name I got from the distributor’s sticker, so if anyone knows for sure this is the wrong name, please let me know. Let’s check it out!
Found this one at Uwajimaya in Bellevue and thought it was worth a try. I do like Worcestershire sauce!
I’m hoping to win! Please vote for my pic – here’s the link – http://bit.ly/ZFilQH – thanks!
This is one you can probably find quite easily in a grocery store here in the United States. Let’s have a look.
Another from my trip to Canada for my birthday. Wow – what a past two days here! The Top Ten 2013 list came out to a clamor of Taiwanese disapproval – Taiwan didn’t make the list. But, hopefully out of it all I’ll get contacted by one of the companies in Taiwan, but so far nothing. On to other things though – that being this interesting bowl by Nongshim. This one’s made in Shanghai, China. Let’s check it out.
So these last two days have been crazy – so many people from Taiwan just coming in droves to the site and declaring their passion for the instant noodles of their country! You should be proud of yourselves; I’m never going to look at Taiwanese noodles the same again, that’s for sure! I’m sure I’ll be reviewing more very soon so keep your eyes on The Ramen Rater!
In the last 24 hours, thousands of people of Taiwan have been coming to The Ramen Rater. I see your displeasure that Taiwan didn’t make the 2013 Edition of the Top Ten Instant Noodles list. I see the pride you have in your instant noodle brands and varieties as well! Any country that has folks like you who feel so strongly deserves attention! That being said, I would be very interested to hear from any and all Taiwanese instant noodle companies that might be willing to send samples of the non-export products that you produce. I do a special ‘Meet The Manufacturer’ spotlight which includes doing an interview with the company and then a series of up to 15 reviews of your products. This gives people a good look at what you make. All I’ve ever tried are the Taiwanese variants available in the United States, but I’m sure there are many I do not have access to here that are quite good as well. I also invite instant noodle companies to this from all countries – represented and not represented on the list. I’ve seen a lot of stories in the Taiwanese news – if anyone from any of these agencies would like to arrange an interview via Skype, please let me know. Please contact me – thank you, and thank you all for visiting The Ramen Rater.
If you watch this from beginning to end, not only proven yourself a true fan of the instant noodle, but also seen pretty much every single instant noodle review and re-review I’ve ever done. Clocking in at an hour and forty-nine minutes, this is pretty heavy duty. Enjoy!
Another one I got while in Canada for my birthday. I’m sure many folks will immediately ask ‘where did you get this’ and ‘where can I get it,’ and I’ll just say I’ve only seen this in Canada. See, they get stuff in the Vancouver area from not only the Nongshim plant here in the states but the one in Shanghai, China. Got a couple more coming down the pipe of reviews soon that hail from China. Let’s check this out!
One of the last that Joe & Gil from the UK sent a while back – thanks again! I like chow mein, but what’s ‘super’ chow mein? Let’s see!
Here’s the last of the three product samples sent by the nice folks at Maruchan – thanks again! Spicy shrimp sounds good – let’s check it out.
Here’s one that the folks from God Of Patena sent – thanks! Very little English on here – searched and translated via UPC code and kept coming up with ‘chanpon’ over and over so I’m calling it that. Also found it called ‘champon’ too, but more often than not it was ‘chanpon.’ Most things show it as a seafood broth, but as you can see on the package, it looks like ham or smoked pork. I also saw mention that this was a borrowed noodle soup from Chinese culture; like jjamppong perhaps? Let’s check it out!
Time for some extremely spicy noodles! This is another one from eMart, makers of Dare You Habanero Ramyun. Dare You weighs in at 5,930SHU (Scoville Heat Units) – the hottest I’ve had thus far. This one’s 3,960SHU – not as fiery hot, but definitely not to be trifled with! Jjampong is a seafood soup. You ready?
Another one from my Canada trip! Needed something I could make quickly today so thought this would do the trick. Let’s check it out!
Here’s another one found in Canada on my birthday trip there. I’ve had Sichuan flavors before and not a big fan, but I’ve been pretty happy with Wei Lih’s products in the past – looks interesting! Let’s check it out.
Here’s another one from my birthday trip to Canada in March! Let’s check ‘er out.
Check this sucker out – this is one huge Cup Noodle! Scott from Nissin got this one for me during a recent trip to Asia – thanks! Let’s see what’s going on here…
I reviewed the instant in a smaller pack quite a while ago. It’s got a few seasoning packets and this one only has one big packet. Definitely not instant as the instructions ask for an interesting preparation method. Let’s dig in!