
Another day, another box! Today it’s the Umai Crate from Japan Crate.
Over 5,000 Instant Ramen Noodle Reviews Since 2002

Another day, another box! Today it’s the Umai Crate from Japan Crate.

Note – so I originally reviewed thios one using the ‘dry’ method. This time after some outcry, I’ll be reviewing it made with the instructions for a soupy noodle. One should note however that the ‘dry’ method is the one that’s listed before the soup version.

I rarely come out with any special news or anything like that, so I direct you to watch the video below. Thank you for watching.

Here’s one sent by Javier over at Box From Japan. At Box From Japan, you can receive boxes of instant ramen from Japan as well as different subscription boxes like Japanese candy! Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? What’s more, in the two years I’ve been reviewing these, I’ve not ever received one that I’d reviewed before! So what is this Yokosuna all about? Well, I could be wrong, but it looks like Yokozuna is an echelon attained by Japanese sumo wrestlers. The Yokozuna are the best of the best. Let’s check it out!

Found these up in Canada at the Osaka market in Yaohan Centre. So I’ve seen this on instagram a few times and been wondering what the big deal is. Moreover, what is Licca? Here’s something from Wikipedia –

Recently we headed up to Canada for a nice meet up with new friends and to find some noodles. This one spoke to me and said ‘Halloween’ – I mean, bone soup made from boiling pork bones is a very traditional kind of thing – heck, it could be also seen as something Thanksgiving style where after the meal the carcass of the turkey is boiled to pull out all of that great flavor. But the black and green big letters and all just kind of screamed skeletons! Trick or treat! Spooky!

Happy Friday! Today we have a box from the nice folks over at Gourmet Ramen Club, a newcomer to the subscription instant noodle box world.

Hot and spicy Korean fried chicken. Hmm – where have I heard that before? Well, I definitely like the real thing that I’ve had in the past – K-fried chicken is really the bomb – especially the spicy – and if you get a chance to try it you’ll be pretty happy about it I think.

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.

Here’s another one sent by Colin from Massachusetts – thanks again! So this is a Hong Kong variety. Let’s see if I can find something on Wikipedia about Ho Fan –

Today, I’m happy to be unboxing some samples from Maruchan!
Maruchan has recently come out with some new additions to a couple of their ranges. Two new bowls from Taste Of Asia and a new Instant Lunch. Check out the video as I unbox them for your viewing pleasure! Thank you very much to Maruchan Consumer Affairs for sending these my way – really appreciate it!

Here’s one from a brand I’ve never tried before. I also must say that I really love exclamatory instant noodle names. Yippee! is probably about the happiest name I’ve come across. It seems that the closer to the end of the alphabet they get, the more interesting they are. Not only that, but someone on YouTube recommends I try them and there is one in my hamper, so I think hey – what better time to try? I got these at a local Indian supermarket in Bellevue, Washington. Let’s check ’em out!

Here’s the second and final product of this Meet The Manufacturer review series of Blount Fine Foods products. So this is one you’ll find in the refrigerated section at the supermarket and looks very fancy. Indeed as I said in the last review, I really like the little cut out on the front as seen above with the steam coming off the bowl.

I’ve reviewed many fresh varieties in the past and this is a new variety from a brand I’ve never reviewed any products from before! What’s more, it’s a company in the United States. I must say that the packaging is rather striking; it’s thick cardboard and the little cut out of the bowl and steam coming out above it is really neat.

I really wasn’t happy with the photos I took of the coconut bowl when I took them, so I asked if they’d be able to send another. They were really nice and did! Thanks!

A big box – a big box that’s cold! Let’s see what’s inside.

A foam cooler.

This is the third of the rice vermicelli (bihun) varieties that MyKuali has come out with in cups. I was very surprised yesterday – happily so. They now have them at the 99 Ranch store near me – all of their pack range, the rice vermicelli bowls and the cup versions as well. Pretty surprised to see them actually – but it’s a good thing since it seems Malaysian flavors are really making a big punch into the outer world.

So in late August 2017, a fellow named Jay from Taiwan told me about a very spicy noodle I should try. I had recently put out the new Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time for 2017 and was definitely keen on trying anything and everything spicy of course to begin the search for newcomers for the 2018 list.

Here’s one sent by Javier over at Box From Japan. At Box From Japan, you can receive boxes of instant ramen from Japan as well as different subscription boxes like Japanese candy! Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? What’s more, in the two years I’ve been reviewing these, I’ve not ever received one that I’d reviewed before!

I’ve reviewed the pack version of this one and now it’s time for the bowl. A few months ago I did a series of seriously spicy reviews for my guide to this series. Let’s see if my palate still can handle the heat!

The second of two I found recently at Uwajimaya in Bellevue, Washington. The last one was good so I’m hoping this will as well. Here’s a littler about Tantanmen from Wikipedia –

This variety comes by way of Colin, a reader from Massachusetts – thank you! It was originally said by Oscar Wilde: ‘Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.’ I have often found this to be true for the most part. Indeed, why would someone want to imitate exactly what you do unless they want to attain something that you did prior? Well, sometimes it just seems like it takes a bit of a spiral from flattery to pure copying.

I think this is the last of the new versions of the Cup Noodles from the USA. They changed the recipe last year to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Cup Noodles. Here’s a little from Wikipedia about the history of Cup Noodles –

I’ve tried a lot of these instant noodle snacks from GGE (aka Everybody Loves Good Good Eat). They come in little cubes, loose noodle style, round little cylinders and these strips. Let’s bust open this bag of GGE ramen snack and see what’s going on inside!

Well, I found quite a few of these new packaged versions recently at an Indian market in Bellevue, Washington. Now, this is what they call ‘Desi Chinese’ food. What’s that? Let’s ask Wikipedia –

Today we have Song Song Kimchi Ramen. Kimchi varieties out of South Korea are among my favorites. I really like the tangy as well as bright, spicy flavors. Kimchi is interesting; it’s cabbage as well as many other ingredients that is allowed to ferment for an amount of time.

Here’s one that came by way of the guys over at Exotic Noods. Thanks! You can subscribe and get great boxes of different noodles every month – they also have The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Box! Definitely take a look. So today it’s udon from Japan. Kitsune udon comes with some fried tofu – which is really good stuff. Udon is a very thick noodle, but what is a nabeyaki? Here’s a little from Wikipedia –

Here’s one I picked up in Taiwan last November. I’d always seen these but never really thought they existed. I’ve seen the design on t-shirts and other things. Ripe and dry sounds like a fart, too! So this one is soy sauce flavor – which would be known as shoyu in Japan. Let’s look up shoyu ramen on Wikipedia –

Here’s one from KOKA left over from the KOKA Meet The Manufacturer series earlier this year. This one certainly looks like an export version. How can you tell? A big giveaway is a number of different languages on the packaging. Not a lot of German-speaking folk in Singapore. Let’s have a look at this one and give it a try!

So I haven’t done a review of this company’s products before, however I have had therm in the past. Tao Kae Noi is pretty well known for their crunchy seaweed snacks. They make them in quite a few flavors – my favorite are their tom yum flavored ones – spicy and tasty.This pack comes with a couple pieces of their snack seaweed. Let’s see a little from Wikipedia about Tom Yum Kung –

So this is the last of the three fresh varieties sent to me by Yamachan – thank you again! First off, Yamachan is pretty easily found in the United States – I’ve not only seen their products in Japanese/Asian supermarkets but at higher-end domestic grocery stores. Here’s a little from Wikipedia on Tonkotsu and Shoyu Ramen –

So I have a new contact named Danny at Nongshim Korea – one of the guys from Happy Souper helped me get a hold of him via email – thanks! Danny was kind enough to send along these new Mr. Bibim varieties. They’re dry noodles with a liquid base and kimchi included. Here’s a little about kimchi from wikipedia –

A reader named Jon was kind enough to send along some ultra spicy noodles. They beat me down before – watch the video below to find out all about them.

Here’s one sent by Javier over at Box From Japan. At Box From Japan, you can receive boxes of instant ramen from Japan as well as different subscription boxes like Japanese candy! Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? What’s more, in the two years I’ve been reviewing these, I’ve not ever received one that I’d reviewed before! This one has a unique flavor – let’s see a little more from Wikipedia –

So here’s one of the new Nissin Hong Kong straight noodle variants. I had to do a little looking to find what ‘aka tonkotsu’ was. Mainly the ‘aka’ part wasn’t something I’d heard of before. As it turned out, ‘aka’ refers to the spicy cod roe (eggs) in this one. Sounds interesting! Here’s a little about the tonkotsu style of broth from Wikipedia –

I’ll be the first to admit – I’m not particularly keen on mushrooms. I mean sure – they’re alright sometimes in with other things, but I’m just not a big fan of fungus. I always try to give them a good chance as with any kind of food -= and the same with instant noodles that are mushroom flavored. Let’s see how this one is.