Tag: nongshim

#2203: Nongshim Bowl Noodle Soup Independence Day Limited Edition Spicy Chicken Flavor

I saw this at the local supermarket the other day and just couldn’t pass it up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an instant noodle showing such patriotism before! Also, before anyone starts sending me comments saying ‘how dare they use our flag – that’s made in South Korea,’ I have news for you. Nongshim America is down in Rancho Cucamonga, California and employs a LOT of Americans! Yep – chances are that if you’re living in the USA and enjoy Shin Ramyun or Shin Black or any of the Bowl Noodles, it was most likely made here in the states. Make sure to check out the factory tour video at the end of this post – I went on it in 2012 and it was a blast! Anyways, let’s check this one out! ...see full post

#2161: Nongshim Chal Bibim Myun

After perusing Nongshim America’s website, I saw these noodles I hadn’t heard of before. A quick message to my contact at Nongshim and these magically arrived in a couple days! This is what you would call a Summer variety – the noodles are served cold with a spicy sauce. It’s made in South Korea, but definitely in packaging for the United States. Let’s give it a try! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2016 Edition

Every year, I review a ton of instant noodles – and every year I come out with quite a few lists. This list tends to change the least of all my lists – I’ve had a lot of spicy instant noodles in my time and just seems like nobody’s getting any spicier products to market. Could be that they don’t want to melt people’s faces off perhaps. Anyways, here’s this year’s list – the spiciest varieties out of over 2,100 reviews. Enjoy – if you dare! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups Of All Time 2016 Edition

This is the fourth Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups list I’ve done since 2013 and I just looked at the first one – none of them are still on this list! I will say one thing though – the ones on the 2013 list are all really good too. It’s hard picking a list to be honest; maybe a top fifty? Naw – ten is enough. Maybe when I’ve done 5000 reviews a top fifty might be in order. But for now, here’s the best of the best – my absolute favorite cup varieties from the 2,100+ reviews I’ve done. ...see full post

#2094: Nongshim Champong Noodle Soup Spicy Seafood Flavor

There’s been a lot of hub bub coming out of South Korea lately – all the big companies have brand new Jjajang and Jjamppong varieties it seems. They’re all going a little more premium than their old offerings. This is awesome for me, well – as long as I can get my hands on them. I finally was able to score this one at the local South Korean grocery. Let’s crack it open and see what we’ve got here. ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Reader’s Choice Top Ten Instant Noodles 2016 Edition

A couple days after The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2015 Edition came out, I got to thinking. Every year, a lot of people enjoy my list, a lot also complain. They’ll say things like ‘how can this not be on here,’ or ‘you have no clue of what youre talking about’ – you can guess the rest but it sometimes gets downright rude. I usually tell people to go and review as many instant noodles as I have and make their own list and we can compare notes, but nobody’s ever taken me up on that. At the same time I thought of this, I came to the realization that although they might not agree with me, they’re still people who love their varieties of instant noodles. I thought that they (you) should have a voice. So, I started a poll. I didn’t want to make a list of varieties for people to pick from – that would sway things in those varieties’ favor. I told people to just write in the flavor they liked and what brand made them. A week or so ago, I ended up with a difficult task. See, a lot of them were listed as the brand name but no variety (six people put Maggi, but Maggi what? From India, From Malaysia? Which one?). Some got cut, but most got counted. There were almost 300 votes and here are the results. I’m going to start a new poll tomorrow and this will be an annual thing! Let’s begin! ...see full post

#1969: Nongshim Noodle Soup Seasoned With Real Kimchi

There are a few different iterations of this one – I reviewed one a long time ago and I think I liked it, and then they came out with a newly packaged version that I never ended up trying. Now in it’s (at least) third set of clothes, I think it’s definitely time for a new review. If you take a look at the package from the old review, you’ll notice the nutrition facts are indeed different – a definite mark of being a different recipe. Let’s dig in! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten South Korean Instant Noodles Of All Time 2016 Edition

South Korea has the highest per person consumption of instant noodles in the world. It’s not a surprise that their instant noodle are quite good – usually the noodles (known as ramyun) are thicker and accompanied by a spicy broth. These are my very favorite varieties of South Korean instant noodles – hope you enjoy! ...see full post

#1827: Nongshim Zha Wang (Jjawang) Noodles With Chajang Sauce

Being a superfan of all things instant noodle, I have newsfeeds I check daily on my phone pertaining to them. I saw an article about Nongshim’s Jjawang in the Korea Times New York edition. It mentioned with it’s release, jjajang variants are flying off the shelves in NY and NJ. I figured hey – I better find this stuff! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Easy-To-Find Instant Noodles 2015 Edition

A lot of people have come to my site from the United States, knowing only a couple varieties, those usually being chicken or beef, pack or cup. If that’s you, this is kind of a beginner’s guide to exploring the different brands and varieties that are pretty easily sourced here in the States. You can find many of these in your local grocery store, although some might require a trip to the Asian grocery, or to Amazon. But all of them can be found here, unlike many I review that only are sold in their local countries. Many of these have even been on my top ten lists, past and present – so get ready to have some of my favorite and most memorable varieties that you can easily find here in the United States! ...see full post

#1824: Nongshim Soon Veggie Noodle Soup

I’ve seen this one online a few times recently, but never in the store – until a couple of weeks ago, that is! I really liked the pack version of this one – made the 2014 Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time list – the first vegetarian one to do so. The pack was made in South Korea – but this cup is made here in the United States at Nongshim America down in sunny Rancho Cucamonga, California. I went and visited Nongshim America in 2012 – was really neat – big factory and nice people! Let’s check out this cup and see how it compares to the pack version. ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2015 Edition

As many might know, I started The Ramen Rater (click to see the old site) in 2002 and did about 60 reviews. Then, I turned my attention to spicy hot sauces with The Sauce Rater. In 2010, I resumed my instant noodle reviewing. I’ve long been a fan of the spicy side of things – strong heat and good flavor are a couple of my favorite things. Let’s have a look at the absolutely hottest varieties I’ve found in my over 1,700 reviews of instant noodles from around the world in this year’s The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2015 Edition. ...see full post

#1678: Nongshim Shin Black Spicy Pot-Au-Feu Flavor (New Edition)

It’s been a long time since I’ve reviewed Nongshim Shin Black – and it’s gotten a packaging facelift. This is made here in the USA in Rancho Cucamonga, California! This is the ‘flagship’ of their new line of ‘Black Class Noodle Soup’ varieties. This one’s got neww clothes – but is it still the same underneath? Let’s have a look at this dressed up pack of Nongshim Shin Black noodles! ...see full post

#1630: Nongshim Korean Clay Pot Ramyun

This is one you probably won’t find in the United States (I got it up in Canada). It’s made by Nongshim’s Chinese plant in Shaghai. I’ve found that sometimes the same product can taste a little different in different regions. This one’s interesting in that the packaging look is very much like Nongshim Ansungtangmyun, but the characters are very different. Let’s have a look at this Nongshim Korean Clay Pot Ramyun! ...see full post

#1622: Nongshim Quick2 Hot & Spicy Noodle Soup With Habanero & Lime

Quick2 is a new one from Nongshim America. The 2 has to do with the cooking time of two minutes. I find this one interesting; kind of a departure from their more premium lines and if you notice the color and lines, it more resembles a pack version of a Nongshim Bowl Noodle in graphic design. Let’s have a look at Nongshim Quick2 and see what’s inside! ...see full post

#1601: Nongshim Jinjja Jinjja (New)

A big thank you to reader Anders E. of South Korea for sending this along!For a long time, Nongshim Jinjja Jinjja was my absolute favorite ramyun from South Korea. They even made it here in Rancho Cucamonga, California for a while with the subheading of ‘flamin’ hot and nutty.’ Jinjja Jinjja means ‘really really.’ Well, they stopped making them. I’m not exactly sure why; some people said that South Koreans aren’t big fans of pork broth. Nevertheless, Nongshim has brought Jinjja Jinjja back – here’s a little something I found on Nongshim’s South Korean website: ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten South Korean Instant Noodles Of All Time 2015 Edition

The Ramen Rater’s top Ten South Korean Instant Noodles Of All Time made it’s debut last January and I thought this would be a good day to release the new one for 2015! South Korean instant noodles (known as ramyun) are characteristically thicker and chewier than most instants. Spiciness is a common trait as well as beef flavors. Here are my top picks of the South Korean varieties I’ve reviewed of my 1,573 reviews to date. ...see full post

#1515: Nongshim Neoguri Udon Seafood & Mild

It’s a really cold day today and I think a big bowl of seafood noodles sound good. This is a Nongshim Neoguri I got up in Canada. It’s made in South Korea and it’s the milder version of Neoguri. Raccoons I say raccoons! Why do I say raccoons? Well, check out the video at the end of the post – it’ll all become clear I think. Let’s dig in to some Nongshim Neoguri! ...see full post

#1503: Nongshim Bowl Noodle Soup Shrimp Habanero Lime Flavor

It’s been so long since I’ve reviewed a new Bowl Noodle! I remeber a few years ago I was hunting high and low for certain varieties, many long gone. I remember the beef anfd ginger flavor was pretty good! Then they switched over to these microwaveable versions instead of the foam bowls – and I like them better! Curious how this one will be. ...see full post

#1485: Nongshim Spicy Tonkotsu Noodle Soup

Here’s a new one and it’s made here in the United States. Yep – there’s a Nongshim plant here in the US! I was able to visit them a couple years ago and it’s really neat – if you get a chance, you should check out their plant tours! Tonkotsu is a very standard variety of Japanese ramen, however this one’s got a spicy twist to it. Usually tonkotsu broth is made with pork bones that are boiled for a long time and this one does in fact contain pork. Let’s have a look! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time Made In The USA 2014 Edition

The instant noodle originated in 1958 in Japan, but since that time, they’ve expanded in popularity all over the world, including of course, the United States. Seeing this, instant noodle companies thought it wise to start building plants here in the 1970s. Since then, many brands operate factories here in the US, mostly in southern California. This is a list of my favorite varieties produced here, encompassing my 1,461 reviews to date. With that, here’s your top ten, America! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition

THE TOP TEN SPICIEST INSTANT NOODLES OF 2015 HAS BEEN RELEASED, REPLACING THIS LIST – SEE IT HERE

If you like it hot, you’re in for a real treat here. These are the spiciest instant noodles you can get that I’ve reviewed from my 1,446 reviews thus far. If you can’t handle spicy foods, these definitely aren’t for you – these are serious! Many of these were so hot, I couldn’t finish the bowl – and I can handle a decent amount of heat! I used to review hot sauces! Anyways, Hope everyone is having a great summer and here are the spiciest instant noodles of all time for 2014! ...see full post

#1443: Nongshim Harmony Korean Spicy Noodle Dish With Chipotle

Here’s a new one from Nongshim, and it’s definitely unique. It’s a stir noodle, which means that there’s no broth, but a sauce that it stirred in to coat the noodles. Another unique thing is that it can be served hot OR cold! I was thinking of using a special divided bowl I have, but one side is bigger than the other and so I came up with an idea: since they sent a few packs, I’ll make one hot, sample it and then make one cold and sample it – easy enough. Something else I found interesting was on the right and left sides of the package. It says “NONGSHIM BLACK CLASS NOODLE DISH.” The final interesting this about this one is the inclusion of chipotle. Chipotle? Now that’s different – don’t think I’ve come across that being used in an instant before. Well, let’s open this one up and see what’s inside! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups Of All Time 2014 Edition

Yeah – it’s that time of year again! Cups are interesting; they usually hold a lot less water than a bowl, so the steeping process is a little different and so are the noodles. I’ve had some horrendous cups over the years, but then there are some that are really quite good. This last year has been a great one where cups are concerned! Let’s have a look at the best of the best! The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups Of All Time 2014 Edition! ...see full post

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2014 Edition

Bowls of noodles. They’re made all around the world and are a great option for those with access to boiling water and are ‘on the go.’ Some are basic and have very little imagination to them or perks, while others are really full meals that include meat and vegetables, seafood and other niceties. I’ve review 1,410 different noodle varieties and of those, many have been bowls. Here’s a list of the best, most memorable bowls I’ve come across is my adventure in tasting. ...see full post

#1366: Nongshim Sir Long Tang Creamy Beef Noodle Soup

Here’s something new and different from Nongshim. The name might seem a little odd, but it’s a play on the name of a traditional South Korean beef soup called Seoulleongtang, which has a broth which is simmered for a long time with ox bones. I’ve liked non-spicy South Korean beef noodle soups in the past – let’s see how this one fares! ...see full post

#1308: Nongshim Soon Veggie Noodle Soup

Here’s a new one from Nongshim for the vegetable crown. At first, I thought it would be a tofu based variety; the reason was that I’ve gone to a local Korean restaurant and ordered ‘Soon Tofu’ a few times, which is a spicy soup with tofu in it. Well, ‘soon’ translates to ‘soft.’ Well, tofu is a vegetarian friendly construct, so I thought I’d give it a try today with this new one. A few people have been asking about this one, so with that, let’s check it out. ...see full post

#1290: Nongshim Sain Sain Garlic Teriyaki Fresh Cooked Udon Pasta

In March of 2012, I tried this new Garlic Teriyaki Udon by Nongshim – review #683. It was really great stuff – my wife Kit absolutely loved it (she doesn’t usually go crazy like I do for noodles, but this one was her fave). Well, a little while later, it was discontinued. Well, now it’s back and a little different. The first one had a whopping 3040mg of sodium per pack, but this new one has only 720mg for the whole thing. Let’s see how this one stacks up against the old version. ...see full post