During my 2017 trip to Taiwan, I visited a 7-Eleven in Taipei. I pointed out a variety and my friend corrected my speech. I thought for years this brand was Ve Wong – pronounced vee wong. Actually, it’s more like way wong. It appears I was way wrong on this. But now I know! Yeah, poor joke. Roll your eyes and let’s have a look at this neat variety!
Ve Wong Dah Wei Wang Instant Noodles Artificial Premium Garlic Pork Flavor – Taiwan
Detail of the lid (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add in everything and boiling water to 80% of full. Cover for 5 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A dry sachet.
A lot of fine powder.
A wet sachet.
Seasoned oil.
A dry garnish sachet.
Vegetables and other bits.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added boiled pork, sesame seeds, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, scallions, and Kiki Restaurant spicy seasoning. The noodles came out very well – good gauge and feel and really worked well with the soup. The soup was surprisingly rich and had a thickness t it I didn’t expect but thoroughly enjoyed. This one was very true to name – it tasted like garlic and pork that had been stewed and I enjoyed that. In addition, a nice amount of vegetables in there including cabbage was very good. From the package, I didn’t expect this to be very good, however I’m thoroughly impressed. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 4710008217558.
Found this at Dollarama, a dollar store up in Canada. A cup of beef. See the little microwave icon on the lower right? We don’t have a microwave currently. Our old one was 20 years old, give or take a year and I though ‘hey – we should get a new one.’ It seemed to be cooking things inconsistently so we went and ordered a new one. It was all screwed up so we returned it last night. Found another one which was really neat! Got it home, lugged it in, opened it up to see this –
Cracked front. So tomorrow we’ll be heading to the store again to return another stupid microwave. Thanks, Best Buy. Anyways I’ll do this one the old fashioned way. Let’s give it a try!
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge).Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add in sachet contents and fill to line with boiling water. Cover for 3 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added scallions, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, and beef. Noodles are as spongy as can be – maybe instead of 3 minutes these would be better steeped for 5. Soup is incredibly salty. Sorry, no. 0.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 667888287277.
Zenpop (www.zenpop.jp) sends me monthly subscription boxes for review and unboxing videos. They usually have a great selection and are a pretty good deal! Use coupon code RAMENRATER for a discount, and check out the below video to find out more!
Unboxing Time: Zenpop Ramen Subscription Box – June 2019 – Japan
Here’s another one of the Canton Varieties – I found these at the Canadian SuperStore up in Richmond, BC. Let’s crack it open!
Canton Instant Noodles Spicy Tomato Flavour – Bangladesh
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. to prepare, break noodle block into 4 parts and add to 250~300cc boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A dry sachet.
A light powder base.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg and spring onion. Noodles are of a standard gauge and soaked up almost all the 300ml water used. Flavor is of tomato, however the spicy part is lost on me. Nothing spicy about this which is a shame as I think that would have made this one much better. 2.25 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 846656017807.
Oh wow – okay so I’ve been trying to get instant noodles that inmates at jails and prisons were able to buy. You’d think they’d be the same old regular instant varieties everyone can get?
Nope. These are special – specifically packaged for corrections facilities with clear packaging to discourage hiding things in them. I contacted the manufacturer; they weren’t interested in talking about these specific products. I contacted the distributor who said I’d have to be in prison to get any. I told both parties that I really wasn’t looking to be incarcerated in order to get samples of these products.
Wikipedia had this to say – “In September 2013, the incarceration rate of the United States of America was the highest in the world, at 716 per 100,000 of the national population. While the United States represents about 4.4 percent of the world’s population, it houses around 22 percent of the world’s prisoners.[1] Corrections (which includes prisons, jails, probation, and parole) cost around $74 billion in 2007 according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.[2][3]
At the end of 2016, the Prison Policy Initiative estimated that in the United States, about 2,298,300 people were incarcerated out of a population of 324.2 million. This means that 0.7% of the population was behind bars.”
That’s a whole lot of people – I wanna try their ramen! It shouldn’t be that hard, right?
A huge thank you to reader Nick Bizarro. I saw these on eBay and asked folks on The Ramen Rater facebook page if they might buy them (a case of 24 packs of Maruchan Texas Beef) and send a couple. Well, Nick was kind enough to do so. I’ll be doing a couple special reviews of this one soon – involving recipes used by inmates doing time. Let’s have a look.
This is my list of my all time favorites (compiled up to review #3132). These are the best and most memorable varieties – some you’ll be able to find easily, some you won’t. In the images you see, you’ll see garnished bowls of noodles. Note – reviewing is done BEFORE products have anything externally added by myself, and I follow directions on the package – for better or for worse. I should also note that going forward, the official last day for companies to submit varieties to be considered for the annual top ten will be January 31st. That’s enough – let’s have a look at The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2019 Edition!
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2019 Edition
Video Presentation
A special presentation of The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2019 Edition.
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2019 Edition
#10: Indomie Real Meat Mi Instan Goreng Rendang – Indonesia
The first Indomie variety on the list in years and it’s really amazing. Basically take their Mi Goreng Rendang and include a sachet of real rendang in a retort pouch. This comes after recently hearing that Indomie Rendang is hard to find here in the United States, something I was surprised to hear since it’s such a popular product and such a good one. Original review
#9: Sau Tao Tom Yum Kung Flavour Ramen – Hong Kong
I’ve become enamored and thrilled with the straight ramen noodle varieties in recent years – especially ones from Hong Kong which have been on the last two The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time lists. This is Sau Tao’s first appearance on the list. A Thai flavor is delivered masterfully – broth has a great richness and crispness of tom yum kung – spicy and lemongrass and shrimp notes play together very well. Original review
#8: Mom’s Dry Noodle Dan Dan Noodle – Taiwan
It’s second year on The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time, Mom’s Dry Noodles’ Dan Dan Noodle is just wonderful stuff. A broth-free offering with gourmet Taiwanese dry noodles, and myriad sauces that harmonize, salty, spicy, sweet and other flavors masterfully. Flavorful and deep. Original review
#7: Red Chef Green Tom Yum Soup Noodles – Malaysia
Another one returning to The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time list, Red Chef’s Green Tom Yum Soup Noodles feature a fried noodle with a great mouthfeel and quantity. They work well with the broth which is like a mashup of tom yum and green curry. The spiciness and flavors are just great – it might seem like a strange gimmicky kind of thing but definitely not. I love the new and this is a new flavor for the instant noodle world. Original review
#6: Prima Taste Singapore Curry Wholegrain La Mian – Singapore
Since a very young age when my mother would cook curried chicken livers over rice, I’ve absolutely loved curry. This one is just mind blowing and has been on the top ten for years and years. The noodles are thick and chewy – and have a rustic kind of feel to them. Marry that to the broth which comes from a large sachet of curry paste and one full of coconut milk powder, you end up with a rich, luxuriant experience you’ll love. I should note they also have a version with non-wholegrain noodles which is also very impressive. Original review
#5: CarJEN Nyonya Curry Laksa – Malaysia
Back again with their rich curry noodle, CarJEN brings something very special to the table in their Nyonya Curry Laksa. You dip the paste seen on the spoon into the broth to flavor it and it has little bits of shrimp in there that really are a nice addition. Sweetness, spiciness, richness from coconut milk powder, and a nice plump noodle makes this so tasty and memorable. Original Review
This is the highest position a Taiwanese variety has achieved in The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time before – congratulations, Taiwan! For a long time, I’ve really enjoyed this style of noodle from Taiwan. It’s wide, with a center line which is thicker, and the sides are thinner – which gives them a very unique and wonderful mouthfeel. I’ve also always thought that these would just sing is in a broth (usually they are presented with a combination of sauces but no broth). The soup is rich with a strong beef flavor and hint of Sichuan peppercorn that do not overwhelm. The nice part is the inclusion of real beef in here. It should be noted that there is a special version of this that comes out during Lunar New Year which includes Wagyu beef – very expensive at a whopping $15USD per serving!, but very tasty as well. Original review
#3: Liangchengmei Biang Biang Men – China
My wife Kit saw this while we were up in Canada and it piqued my curiosity so thought hey let’s give it a try. Noodles are very broad – over an inch. The flavoring is just superb – to use a word I normally don’t, this is yummy. What’s interesting too is that they included meat – at least I thought it was meat – it’s made from soy protein! Unique, delicious, and the highest a Chinese variety has achieved on The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time to date. Congratulations! Original review
#2: Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Noodles – Malaysia
Let the prawn-slaught begin! Returning to the #2 spot this year, we have a Red Chef variety that just gives and gives when it comes to sweet and savory prawn flavor. This umami bomb has a nice chewy noodle that is complimented by just the sweetest, strongest prawn broth with an excellent thickness and just the right amount of spiciness. What’s more they include a sachet of crispy onions to put on top that round things out so well. If you want to have a prawn freak out, this is an indispensable tool. Original review
#1: Prima Taste Singapore Wholegrain Laksa La Mian — Singapore
For the fourth year in a row, Prima Taste wins with it’s excellent Wholegrain Laksa. If abandoned on an island with only a life supply of instant noodles, I’d want them to be these, period. Hearty artisan noodles which are thick and of good quantity are combined with a broth which has a strong flavor and richness from coconut milk powder. A flavorful and striking noodle dish. Original review
What’s New
Instant Noodle Recipe Time
In the last year, I’ve decided to start doing videos for each on of my reviews and as of April 3rd, I’ve done 295 episodes. You can watch me cook and garnish everything as I sit at my stove. People have commented ‘why do you sit?’ Well, it’s a lot easier to record the show that way. Why do you wear sunglasses all the time? I’m legally blind and light sensitive. I answer a lot of questions about what I do from reader questions as well as talk about what I’m up to and give opinions and chatter about anything that crosses my mind. The show comes out every single day at 2pm Seattle time. Check out the show here.
The Chocolate Break
What began as something to try once has become a project my wife Kit and I do regularly. The Chocolate Break is where we try chocolate from around the world – and give our opinions on them. I’m proud to announce that www.thechocolatebreak.com is up and has rundowns of every single episode! Check it out and let us know what you think!
Big Changes For Me
Some of you have been noticing I’ve been losing weight – thank you! In fact I’ve been working hard on that. Reviews I do are usually involving me eating maybe 5% of a bowl of noodles, if that. Everything else goes down the drain.
I keep my regime to around 1200~1500 calories a day. I’ve also been doing a lot of walking with my daughter Miriam. With her stroller decked out with lots of lights and a really loud speaker (I usually play a lot of Primus, Herbie Hancock, Sepultura, Deodato, and Tobacco), we walk all over town. My feet hurt, too! If you put together our walking from April 1st and April 2nd, it comes to 21.12 miles (33.989km)! No, that is NOT a typo. My doctor told me I had high cholesterol back in October and I decided to make some changes. I’ll find out how I’ve done later this month and let you guys know how I’ve done so far.
I’ve been working hard on weight-loss and exercise for the last 6 months. Part of that is making sure I’m getting all the right nutrients and vitamins. Well, Tim and Tom Zheng over at Vite Ramen have something really cool – a pack of instant noodles that are very different from what you’re probably used to seeing. These have vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber – even low sodium! Let’s take a look!
Vite Ramen: Health Conscious Instant Noodles – United States
Oh yeah – I’m going there. Maruchan Ramen is pretty versatile as are most instant ramen varieties – and now you can live the dream with is recipe for Maruchan Ramen Burritos!
Just follow along as I cook these up. Enjoy with a loved one!
Here’s one I found up at the Osaka market at Yaohan Centre in Richmond BC, Canada. I found this a few weeks before Christmas and usually like to peruse the interesting specials this store has around that time. They had some really interesting things like sake flavored Kit Kats and other things. Kind of expensive. But I did find this, and it wasn’t too pricy. Let’s hit it!
Micoem Cung Dinh Kool Mi Tron Trung Muoi – Vitenam
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains egg. To prepare, add in vegetable sachet contents and boiling water (about 400ml) and cover for 4 minutes. Drain using spout. Add in remaining sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg, lime, shrimp, coriander, and crushed fried garlic. Noodles have a very good chew and carry the flavor well. Flavor is definitely salted egg and it’s not bad. Would have liked to have seen more garnish though. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8936010680999.
I got a nice email asking if I’d like to try some South Korean noodles a reader hadn’t seen me review yet. Here they are – big thanks to Donald! Let’s crack this open and look inside!
South Korean Atomy Instant Ramen Noodles from a Reader
I think this is the last of the Canton varieties I found at the Real Canadian Superstore up in Canada a few months back. That’s a neat place – in Richmond, BC – they’ve got all sorts of neat things there! Haven’t been to Canada in a little while. Need to visit again! Let’s check this one out!
Canton Instant Noodles Vegetable Flavour – Bangladesh
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add noodle block (broken into 4 parts) to 250~300ml boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes and add seasoning sachet. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A dry sachet.
A light speckled powder.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, sesame seeds, coriander, and fried tofu puff. The noodles were about what you’d expect in an instant with a slight fluffier texture. The flavor – and it just kills me – movie theater butter flavored microwave popcorn. I’m serious. It’s not bad actually and I found it enjoyable, but that’s definitely what I get out of this one. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 846656017784.
Here’s one that was sent to me by the man who runs this company! He sent a very nice letter along with these – check out the Unboxing Time video to hear more! This one’s satay flavor and has been around now for over 30 years! Wow! Let’s give it a try!
Double Mountain Xiamen Instant Noodles Satay Flavor – China
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Unsure whether it contains meat – check for yourself. To prepare, add noodles to 500ml boiling water and cook 3 minutes. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A dry sachet.
A granular mixture.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added spring onion, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, fried garlic, shrimp, and chicken. The noodles are very good – gauge and mouthfeel are great. The broth has a very tasty satay flavor which works extremely well. Very impressed and would love to try more from this range. 4.25 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 6943004000017.
Watch me cook this up on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!
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Oh yeah – I’m going there. Maruchan Ramen is pretty versatile as are most instant ramen varieties – and now you can live the dream with is recipe for Maruchan Ramen Burritos!
