I haven’t done a mee goreng variety in some time – at least it seems like it. This one sounds really good – I love curry and mee goreng as well so this should be good. Found this one in a shop at Lansdowne Centre up in Richmond, BC. Let’s get started!
INA Pan Mee Goreng Dried Curry Flavour – Malaysia
Detail of the outer packaging (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, boil noodles 5 minutes and drain. Add sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A dry sachet.
A wet seasoning.
Guessing sweet soy sauce.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, coriander, baked chicken with NuTek Salt For Life, tofu puff, fried onion. Noodles came out superbly – just perfect. Flavor is a spicy and sweet curry I could eat on that famous lonely deserted island for quite a while. Impressed. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9555123500735.
I’m truly stoked on this one – another one found again at that Smart N Save up in Richmond, BC Canada. This is one I decided not to get last time I was in Taiwan that I saw at Carrefour because, well, it was such a big package and I had limited space. What’s great is that they’ve got quite a few varieties up there so I’ll be trying more – and they’re cheap!
The region of Malacca summons images from my youth time and time again. There used to be a TV commercial I would see almost daily for Malacca Rattan Furniture in the Vancouver, Canada area. Now, I’ve never lived in Canada, but I lived close to the border, which meant that we got lots of Canadian TV stations. I’d be watching Star Blazers, there’d be a commercial break, then this African guy in a white suit and top hat would come on and talk super cool about this furniture. It just seemed s interesting and cool. Well, in 2014 I was awestruck as I was on a ferry with my wife travelling across the Strait of Malacca. Where I grew up, ferries went between the various islands in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Not only that, Penang is an island joined to the mainland by bridge – and so was Fidalgo Island where I grew up. So far away, but so many parallels. Anyways, let’s give this laksa a try!
INA Pan Mee Perisa Sup Laksa Nyonya Melaka – Malaysia
Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Contains fish and crustaceans. To prepare, add everything to 350ml boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
One of four packages inside the outer wraps. Watch the episode of Instant Noodle Recipe Time below to see everything opened up and used.
The noodle block.
A wet sachet of paste.
Dry soup base powder.
Dry non-dairy creamer.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg, Dodo fish balls, fried tofu, coriander, chili flake, and Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts. The noodles in this one are great. Nice chewiness and gauge for sure – really happy about them. The only issue here is that the amount of time vs the amount of water. Five minutes with 350ml cooks everything down so much that you really don’t end up with a broth but more of a sauce. This doesn’t make me unhappy by any means, but doesn’t make garnishing all that nice. But the broth/sauce/gravy is a nice curry, somewhat monotone, but pretty darn good. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9555123500841.
Here’s one of the new ones from MyKuali. I’ve enjoyed MyKuali’s stuff for years, with multiple appearances on the top tens. Here’s a new flavor – gaeng som – and a little something from Wikipedia to explain –
Kaeng som or gaeng som[1] (Thai: แกงส้ม, pronounced [kɛ̄ːŋ sôm]) or Thai sour curry[2] is a sour and spicy fish curry or soup with vegetables popular in central Thailand.[3] The curry is characteristic for its sour taste, which comes from tamarind (makham). The recipe uses palm sugar (Thai: น้ำตาลปี๊บ, namtan pip) to sweeten the curry.
The versions using shrimp instead of fish are more popular; kaeng som with shrimp and cha-om omelet is now a standard dish in Thailand. Other types may include pineapple or seafood. The common point, however, is that coconut milk is not used in this sour curry.[7]
Sounds good – let’s give it a try!
MyKuali Penang Gaeng Som Noodle – Malaysia
Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Contains fish and crustaceans. To prepare, boil noodles for 5~6 minutes and drain. Add sachet contents to 380ml boiling water and combine. Add in noodles. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A wet sachet of paste (see contents on the episode of Instant Noodle Recipe Time below).
Finished (click to enlarge). Added shrimp, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, coriander, fried onion, and fried tofu. The noodles came out well, although a little on the softer side compared to their fried offerings. The broth has a sour and spicy bite to it somewhat like a tom yum of a different style. 4.25 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9555655005852.
After years of resisting the common practice of naming these lists after the year ahead, I’ve finally decided I’d conform with societal norms and start doing this with this list. So, there won’t be a 2019 edition (although between you and me that’s what this is as it’s coming out in 2019 and not 2020, but whatever). All lists going forward will be this way. My brain will be okay with it eventually, kind of like how I used to lose my mind when people would pronounce sriracha ‘sirracha,’ which IS the correct way to do s. Time heals all chunks of illogic I suppose. But anyways, these are my favorite and most memorable cup varieties from my reviews up to number 3,180. Let’s take a look at The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups Of All Time 2020 Edition.
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups Of All Time 2020 Edition
Video Presentation
A special video showcasing The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups OF All Time 2020 Edition.
The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups OF All Time 2020 Edition
#10: Maison De Coree x Samyang Ramen Gout BBQ Coreen – France
A collaboration of Samyang of South Korea and Maison De Coree of France bring this neat variety. A thick and chewy noodle is married to Korean BBQ sauce – a sloppy umami bomb which really is quite delicious. Original review
#9: Nissin Cup Noodles Alitas Hot – Mexico
Part of their Intensos spicy range, Nissin Mexico brings Alitas Hot – ho wings flavor. The heat level is very tame, however the flavor is off the charts with a very tasty grilled chicken taste. A really nice surprise in this one – worth a try. Original review
#8: MyKuali Penang Red Tom Yum Goong Noodle Authentic Taste – Malaysia
A show stopper, this variety has a super savory broth which is thick and flavorful. Strong tomato and lemongrass notes are present and couples with a great noodle and vegetables sachet. Tastes almost identical to tom yum I tried in Langkawi. Original review
#7: Nissin Cup Noodle Nice Rich Pork Shoyu (New Version) – Japan
This low calorie cup is not low on flavor. A different kind of noodle which has a very good mouthfeel is couples with a strong broth and included garnish which are second to none. At 176 calories for the cup, it makes one wonder why they don’t make all Cup Noodle varieties with this style noodle. Original review
#6: Mamee Chef Curry Laksa Flavour – Malaysia
These noodles are produced using Mamee Chef’s ‘Mi Tarik’ technology which emulates hand pulled noodles. The broth has a rich and luxuriant curry flavor and is augmented by a myriad of garnish including little tofu puffs. Original review
#5: Miandom Tasty Asia Green Curry Shrimp Flavoured Instant Noodles – Singapore
With a very unique wheat noodle whose mouthfeel is different from any other on this list, this one has a strong green curry flavor. It’s unique from top to bottom and really delivers a nice green curry experience. Original review
#4: Maruchan QTTA Curry Ramen – Japan
QTTA (pronounced coo-tah) translated to ‘I’m full/satisfied.’ A cup full of rich curry and thick noodles, with a lot of different included garnish. It definitely should fill you up. Original review
#3: Nissin Cup Noodles Very Veggie Spicy Chicken Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup – United States
Here you see the Very Veggie Spicy Chicken variety, but truly the whole range which includes beef, chicken, and soy sauce flavors hold this spot – they’r equally good. The sheer amount of vegetables work with the base to create just about the most savory broth you could imagine. Really something that should be experienced by every noodle fan. Original review
#2: MyKuali Penang Hokkien Prawn Noodle Authentic Taste – Malaysia
If you like prawn like I like prawn, and I really like prawn, you’re going to be exceedingly enthused about this variety. The sheer amount of prawniness is just wonderful – a thick, sweet and spicy broth, great noodles, and included fried onlon just come together so well. Original review
#1: Nissin Cup Noodles Gourmet Sabor A Caldo De Camaron – Mexico
While other images in this list show the product with additions I’ve made, this one does not. What you see is what you get, and you get a seriously wonderful thing here. A vibrant prawn broth with Mexican flavor, ample garnish (including those reasonably sized shrimp there) and great noodles come together in this one. An absolutely incredible topper to this list. Original review
Hey look at this! What is it? Well, their standard Spicy Sakura Prawn has been ranked #2 on the 2018 and 2019 The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time lists. This one has two kinds of noodles – both air dried too so they’re healthier for you. I’m a big fan of prawn mee (that’s what they call it in Malaysia) and I’m ready to have a prawn freakout. Let do this!
Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Rice Vermicelli & Noodles – Malaysia
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Contains fish and crustaceans. To prepare, boil noodles in 400ml water for 2 minutes. Drain. Add sachets and noodles to 270ml boiling water. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Wheat noodles on the left, rice vermicelli on the right.
A dry sachet.
A light powder.
A wet sachet.
Has a strong and sweet prawn scent.
Another dry sachet – garnish this time.
Fried onions!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added soft egg, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, fried tofu, shrimp, bbq pork, spring onion, and mint leaf. Wow. The combination of the two noodles here is masterful – and authentic as this is what you’ll find in hawker courts in Malaysia. Broth is strong, however just a tad less so than the standard pack version. Included crispy onion garnish is just so spot on it hurts. Prawn freak-out achieved. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9556145137015.
I’m starting to feel like with the sheer amount of products I’m finding lately that a list for vegetarian people might not be too far off. But we’ll see. A lot of companies (including MyKuali as you can see here) are getting on board with catering to the Vegetarian folks. Let’s see what the differences are going to be with this one.
MyKuali Vegetarian Penang White Curry Noodle – Malaysia
Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Says it is Vegetarian. To prepare, cook noodles for 5-6 minutes. Drain. Add sachet contents and noodles to 380ml boiling water. Finally, stir and enjoy!
These aren’t individually packaged. Interesting.
The nodle blocks are non-fried.
A dry sachet.
Non-dairy creamer.
A wet sachet.
A lot of paste!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, tofu puff, and coriander. Noodles were a departure from MyKuali’s norm as they’re non-fried. They were pretty good. The broth was however very much a departure from the norm insofar that I really didn’t like it. I made it twice to see if it would grow on me but no – just not my thing, and I’ll stick with their original lgendary white curry. 1.5 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9555655005784.
Well look here something brand new from MyKuali! I think the last new thing they introduced was their fried noodle – their mee goreng. This one though – I’ve never heard of this before. Let’s look at Wikipedia and see what we can find –
Kaeng som or gaeng som[1] (Thai: แกงส้ม, pronounced [kɛ̄ːŋ sôm]) or Thai sour curry[2] is a sour and spicy fish curry or soup with vegetables popular in central Thailand.[3] The curry is characteristic for its sour taste, which comes from tamarind (makham). The recipe uses palm sugar (Thai: น้ำตาลปี๊บ, namtan pip) to sweeten the curry.
The versions using shrimp instead of fish are more popular; kaeng som with shrimp and cha-om omelet is now a standard dish in Thailand. Other types may include pineapple or seafood. The common point, however, is that coconut milk is not used in this sour curry.[7]
Wow this sounds very interesting – a sweet and sour kind of curry – I’m definitely interested. Let’s check out this new cup from MyKuali!
MyKuali Penang Gaeng Som Noodle – Malaysia
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains fish and shrimp. To prepare, add in sachet contents and boiling water to line. Cover for 4~5 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, coriander, shrimp, tofu puff. Noodles are thin and have a nice crumble. Broth is kind of like a tom yum, but then again not like a tom yum. Doesn’t seem to be sweet either as mentioned in the Wikipedia entry I read – all that being said, I really like it! I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but this works quite well. Sour, spicy and tasty. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9555655005807.
I was contacted by Red Chef and told they have changed their recipe for this one and that they’d like to send samples. Well, here’s one of them! Really curious how it will be. But first thing s first – what’s pandan? Here’s a bit from Wikipedia –
In India and Sri Lanka it is called Rampé and in Bangladesh it is called pulao pata (পোলাও পাতা ), along with the other variety of pandan there (Pandanus fascicularis), and is used to enhance the flavor of pulao, biryani and sweet coconut rice pudding, payesh if basmati rice is not used. It acts as a cheap substitute for basmati fragrance as one can use normal, non-fragrant rice and with the help of pandan the dish tastes and smells like basmati is used. It is called Ambemohor pat in Marathi; Ramba in Tamil, Biriyanikaitha in Malayalam, pandan wangi in Indonesian, hsun hmway (ဆွမ်းမွှေး) in Burmese, pandan in Visayan languages and Tagalog, ใบเตย bai tooey in Thai, rampe in Sinhala, ស្លឹកតើយ sleuk toi in Khmer, Daun Pandan in Nonya cooking,[3] Dứa thơm/lá nếp in Vietnamese, 七葉蘭 (Pinyin: Qi Lan Ye) in Chinese and बासमतिया पौधा ([bɑːsmət̪ɪjɑː pɑʊd̪ʱɑː]; “fragrant plant”) in Magahi and Bhojpuri due to its fragrance.
The leaves are used either fresh or dried, and are commercially available in frozen form in Asian grocery stores of nations where the plant does not grow. They have a nutty, botanical fragrance that is used as a flavor enhancer in Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Burmese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Khmer, Laotian, Thai, Singaporean, Bruneian, Malaysian, Indonesian and Filipino cuisines, especially in rice dishes, desserts and cakes.
The leaves are sometimes steeped in coconut milk, which is then added to the dish. They may be tied in a bunch and cooked with the food. They may be woven into a basket which is used as a pot for cooking rice. Pandan chicken, (Thai: ไก่ห่อใบเตย, kai hor bai toei), is a dish of chicken parts wrapped in pandan leaves and fried. The leaves are also used as a flavoring for desserts such as pandan cake and sweet beverages. Filipino cuisine uses pandan as a flavoring in buko pandan fruit salad, as well as rice-based pastries such as suman and numerous sweet drinks and desserts.
Alright – let’s give this pandan white curry new recipe a go!
Red Chef Pandan White Curry Noodle (New Recipe) – Malaysia
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Contains crustaceans and fish. To prepare, add noodle block into 400ml boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Add sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A dry sachet.
Soup base seasoning.
Another dry sachet.
A dry powdered non-dairy creamer.
A wet sachet.
The pandan white curry paste.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Dodo fish ball, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, coriander. Noodles are very good – nice tooth to them and really take on the flavor of the broth. Broth has a lot of elements – pandan, spicy, curry, hearty – it’s very full and flavorful. Impressive! 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code EAN bar code 9556145231010.
Here’s another one from Mohd – the last of the ones he sent (please feel free to send more varieties and thank you again!) – this is a collaboration between Malaysian company Mamee and South Korean style company Shinsegae. This is a spicy kimchi soup – let’s hit it up!
Mamee / Shinsegae Daebak Spicy Kimchi – Malaysia
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add sachets to 500ml water and bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook 4~5 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A wet sachet
A thick red sauce.
A dry sachet.
Lots of vegetables.
Finished (click to enlarge). Noodles were really great – gauge and chew were large and hearty. The broth was a very tasty kimchi with a good level of sweetness to it. The spiciness? Definitely much more subdued than the dry version of Daebak. This one has a really great taste to it and I was very impressed. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 9555022305905.
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.
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 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 a fan of Red Chef’s stuff for quite a while now – their regular Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Noodle hit the Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2018 Edition at #2 and that’s pretty amazing. Today we’ve got a new version – this one has two different kinds of noodle in it – wheat AND rice vermicelli! Let’s crack it open!
New Red Chef Sakura Prawn With 2 KINDS OF NOODLES – Malaysia
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