Over 5,000 Instant Ramen Noodle Reviews Since 2002
Here’s another one from James – thanks! So, Smoko? Hmm – Gemini says…
‘A “Smoko character” is a character from Smoko, an LA-based company that sells cute and whimsical products, such as plush toys and office supplies. The name “Smoko” itself is Australian slang for a short break from work. The company’s characters are based on food, animals, and other adorable concepts, with popular characters including Tayto Potato, Pearl Boba, and Lil B Dumpling’
Another one from James of Lakeside, California – thanks again! Ribs… Hmmm. I guess we will find out. This could go different ways.
Here’s another one from James of Lakeside, California. This an interesting one – he sent a bunch by this brand. These are made in Vietnam for the US market and say ‘made with Korea technology.’ Curious how they are. Let’s find out.
Another one that came from the big advent calendar Nissin Germany sent – thanks again! These cups and packs have been a lot of fun! Let’s cook!
After going to the dollar store in search of something – which I found – I was on my way home and passed by a little free food pantry. People just put food in there and you just take it out. I found this one in there. I have put plenty of noodles in there in the past, so when I find something, I feel happy to abscond with it. I’m happy to not have to pay for a multipack of these, so thank you random donor. I’ll put some cool stuff in there shortly. Let’s cook this…
Here’s something new that arrived in a refrigerated pack from Myojo USA – thank you very much! It’s hard. I always want to embellish a bowl of tonkotsu with egg and chashu, fish cake, you know… But although I’m guess they’d all compliment this, I want to keep it on the plant-based side of things. This is a refrigerated section item and should be able to be found at the store in the United States. Anyways, let’s give it a try!
Very rarely have I found instant pho that I’ve enjoyed. Like twice. But maybe this will be a third time. We shall see.
Here’s a variety that I found in one of MiauMall’s Nakama Noodles subscription boxes! Inside, they have 8-10 different varieties from Japan! If you’d like to get one, don’t forget to use the coupon code THERAMENRATER for a discount! Let’s see what they had to say about this one – “We love yakisoba, and while it can be found all over Japan, one of our noodle staff has fond memories of eating this by the ocean at summer festivals. This yakisoba features a traditional yakisoba sauce with tons of flavor and tasty chicken soup to enjoy on the side!”
It’s been an interesting go in these past few reviews! A couple trips to less frequented local shops for the local people have yielded a lot of varieties I’ve not seen before as well as those I’ve not reviewed in well over a decade. This one’s a never tried comer from north of here. Let’s give it a go.
Here’s something not seen before – a bowl from the folks at Mom’s Dry Noodle! Not only that, it’s got a pop-top – you’ll see that below. Let’s give this soup with scallop a try!
Think I found this one at 99 Ranch Market. I’ve had a few Lanzhou beef noodle instant varieties before. Let’s see how this stacks up.
Found this recently when visiting Uwajimaya in Bellevue, Washington. I went there to get some fish cake – narutomaki and kamaboko- and surprisingly found this. I don’t usually find much there that I’m interested in by way of ramen, but this time was fortuitous. Let’s give it a try.
Our local store sells these for $4 each. I thought this was a little high and then I went to a different store and they were $2 which seemed a bit more reasonable. These are the popular bowls Nongshim has been producing and selling for years – I have seen them be made! It’s a very impressive process, with lots of little interesting things. One is a machine that checks each and every bowl to see if say a screw from the machinery fell into a bowl – they don’t. It’s pretty neat stuff. Most people are really into the whole deal with making noodles, but I find it fascinating. Let’s cook one of these up.
Here’s one that came in a Zenpop.jp box – use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a groovy discount!
Here’s one that came in a recent box from Exotic Noods! Exotic Noods delivers monthly boxes with instant noodles varieties from around the world. Go check ’em out and use the coupon code THERAMENRATER for a discount!
A couple of days ago, we went to Renton, Washington. There’s a Uwajimaya there (where I got the narutomaki and kamaboko from previous reviews) and a store called Sierra Fish & Pets.
This came out of an Exotic Noods subscription box – one of many interesting and unique varieties from around the world they put in there. Use the coupon code THERAMENRATER at checkout for a discount!
This one came from Exotic Noods! Exotic Noods has great monthly subscription boxes with products from around the world. Worth a look! Use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a discount!
Here’s one that came via Exotic Noods – check ’em out and use coupon code THERAMENRATER for a discount!
This looks like a fancy one – it came in a 5am Ramen subscription box! Check em out at www.instantramen.jp and use the coupon code THERAMENRATER for a discount!
I first found Baixiang products up in Richmond, BC a number of years ago. Good stuff – always like to try new ones they make. A reader mentioned this one – I’d seen it before, and I’d thought I’d bought the chicken one and the pork one, but instead I’d gotten two pork ones. Well, when asked if I’d tried it I decided to grab the chicken one. Only one pack this time though. Let’s check it out!
Here’s another one of these neat cups sent by Nissin Foods Deutschland! Thanks again! Let’s check it out.
Pork bone soup is a particular favorite of mine – whether it be creamy tonkotsu or something more like this, I’m usually quite partial to these styled varieties. Let’s see what this one from China holds in store.
Pork rib flavor, eh? I think I tried this one previously but prepared it incorrectly (hey, it happens – I’m not perfect). By previously I am thinking at least five years if not seven… I think it’s time for a new number and a revisit, don’t you?
First things first – this is big. The noodle blocks are physically really big. I’ll let you watch the episode of Instant Noodle Recipe Time below so you can understand more fully. But E-Fu – let’s look on Wikipedia for more info –
Here’s one fro Jame in Lakeside, CA – thanks again! This is an interesting one – oatmeal soup? Hmm!
Good morning! I’m getting this post ready at 2am. I actually shot the pictures around 1am. Did 18 miles of walking yesterday and so when my buddy Matt decided to play with his Google Nest device and call me at 11:50pm and wake me up and alerted me to a bad leg cramp about o catch fire I ended up staying up. I’ll sleep tonight… Anyways, yeah – been a while since some pho – fingers crossed. Let’s give it a go!
I really love Taiwan. I have been through Taiwan a couple times and visited a couple times. If you’ve never been, go. That’s all I have to say on the matter. It’s a neat place with so many different things going on. Let’s try this one!
Here’s the last of the Aloha! bowls. I figured I’d just run through them and then tomorrow a last one from the last box from Samyang. Let’s give this kimchi variety a try.
Alright so this one is made in Singapore, but it’s made for the Hong Kong market. It’s funny how products are made elsewhere for other countries, right? Well, you honestly should be used to it by now – Take the myriad of products in your home. If you have a Big Mouth Billy Bass on the wall, it’s made in China. Singing bass don’t seem like something very popular in China – could be wrong but who knows. Anyways, let’s crack this open and see what we have.
The second of the Fitmee varieties sent by Empire International – thanks again! I sampled the first a couple days ago and was very impressed – it was a kind of buldak dry version that was pretty good and only 150 calories! This one has a soto flavor and is – get this – only 60 calories! What’s soto? Here’s some info from Wikipedia –
Another one from my trips to Chin World up in Richmond, BC. Remember kids, if you’re coming from the states, bring your Canadian cash because they’re not going to take your cards or exchange your greenbacks for ya! Really interested in how this one’s going to be – last one I tried wasn’t too shabby from this brand so let’s take a look!
Today, we’ve got a nice one from Taiwan’s Wu-Mu. This is a newer variety that uses wide gauge noodles for a soup – something I find really interesting and not done nearly enough. Although these noodles are absolutely excellent in a dry noodle (without broth) setting, I think in soup they really excel too. Let’s see how these end up!
Here’s one I found over at Waroeng Jajanan, the amazing Indonesian store on 99 in Edmonds. If you’re in Washington state and interested in anything Indonesian entering your stomach, go there. Trust me on this.
One of the waning few I dragged back from Taiwan with me from my 2017 trip! This is a fascinating variety – it’s one that has a soup and a noodle. Wait, how? What?
This is one that was sent to me by the Butlers from Illinois – thanks again! They got this and a few other varieties during a trip to Italy. Ajinomoto is the company that is best known for producing MSG. Check out the video at the bottom. This variety hails from Poland actually – kind of a surprise! Let’s crack it open and see what a Polish shoyu is like!
Found this one among others up at FoodyWorld in Richmond, B. I just can’t get enough of Canada – it’s such a nice place with nice people and nice everything. This one looked fascinating – let’s check it out.
It kind of confuses me on this one – I mean, yeah, it says ‘the original’ and doesn’t really say that there’s been a recipe change. But there has – now there’s no MSG and no artificial flavors., plus a reduction in sodium. These aren’t bad things at all of course, but I’m just kind of left wondering – so shouldn’t it say new and improved instead of ‘the original?’ Anyways, let’s see what’s in this, one of the Vegetarian varieties in the Top Ramen range.
Here’s another neat one from Zenpop.JP. Thank you! So Zenpop has all sorts of monthly boxes including ramen boxes. Nine instant ramen in one box for a good price – check ’em out and use coupon code RAMENRATER at checkout for a discount! Here’s what they had to say about this one –
Yesterday, I needed a new pair of pants. I’m not into ultra fashionable stuff – like paying $100 for jeans, so we went to Walmart. Walmart is an interesting place – you’ll see some interesting people there – especially at the one in Lynnwood, Washington. When we got out of the car, there was the sound of some guy at the other side of the parking lot screaming obscenities at someone or some thing – unsure. But that was entertaining. In the store, we g ot to see a lady with a very small dog barking at everyone and every thing ( apparently, if you have an ’emotional support’ dog you can bring it with you, but this dog needed emotional support and was definitely not providing it for anyone). I did get some new pants, and they were extremely cheap. $16 for pants. It’s been a while since we’ve been to Walmart so I thought a trip down the domestic instant noodle aisle might be in order. Surprisingly, they had a very small amount of them, however they did have this pack. Creamy Chicken has been one of my absolute favorites for a very, very long time. I am curious to see whether or not they’ve changed the recipe as that seems to be a popular thing to do in the US instant noodle market right now. Let’s crack open this new package design and give it a try!
