Every month, the folks at www.exoticnoods.com send me over a box so I can show you what they’ve got going on. There’s some really great stuff in this month’s box and I’ve alkso got a coupon code for you – it’s BOOM! Use it to get a discount! Let’s see what’s in here!
Thank you to Exotic Noods for sending this along! Give em’ a look!
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It’s time for another top ten list and this time it’s The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2018 Edition! The first list debuted in 2013 – I can’t believe this is the sixth list! As always – if you are a company who would like me to review your products, please contact me via the contact link – I want to talk to you! These are my favorite instant noodle bowl selections from my over 2800 reviews to date. Let’s get started!
Here’s this year’s video presentation of The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2018 Edition.
This variety boasts a thick and chewy ramyun – a wider and flatter noodle that’s become popular in the last few years. Pairing that with a spicy soup with strong notes of grilled seafood taste – almost smoky – and vegetables/seafood and you’ve got an excellent bowl. Original review
To be honest, I’m about as surprised by this one as you might be! But make no mistake – this US domestic variety is truly amazing. The tom yum flavor is just superb along with a huge quantity of noodles. You’ll fill up and be extremely happy as you do so. Original review
The second Maruchan variety on the list and this one comes from Japan. A light and tasty shio broth is paired with a large quantity of noodles in this bowl. The inclusion of wonton – which are very good I might add – rounds everything out and becomes a delicious feast. Original review
The noodles are thick and chewy – very premium. The broth has a very rich miso flavor that had a little thickness and a nice oiliness. The vegetables and bits hydrated perfectly – nice bits of ground meat and menma float happily about and are of good quality. Original review
First, the noodles have a little bit thicker a gauge than most instant varieties. Indeed they are premium although a slight bit softer than one might expect. The broth is a sea of rich pork flavor – different than many. As a matter of fact, this really REALLY has a nice pork flavor; most pork varieties don’t have a great pork taste as the pork taste they do have get overshadowed by saltiness. The vegetables hydrated well and the pork was very good. Original review
So the noodles are broad and flat with a light chew and an excellent quantity. The broth is a tour de force of beef taste. It has a good thickness/oiliness to it as well as a good flavor. Indeed as expected, there’s a decent punch of spiciness. Indeed, the chunks of beef are of good size and quality. Moreover, the liquid with the beef in the retort pouch add depth to the broth. Finally, little rings of chilli pepper are here and there, joining the party. Original review
TTL stands for Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor and indeed there’s a sachet of rice wine in here! Add to that a big retort pouch full of decent sized chunks of chicken, good noodles and garnish, This is definitely a bowl to seek out and try. Original review
Okay so first off, this is a heavy bowl. There’s a huge retort pouch in here full of beef and beef tendon. The noodles are wide and have a great chew and the broth has a nice flavor. But the start of the show is that braised beef and tendon – it’s perfect and there’s just so much of it. Very impressive! Original review
Talk about amazing. Now, on most of these bowls, you’ll notice I’ve added my own garnishes. I don’t count them in my reviewing – everything is reviewed prior to any additions I make. This is one where I’ve added nothing and just look at it! This one had very good noodles to start off. The broth was a very thick prawn infused decadent flavor spectacle. Then there’s the little crunchy topping and the other garnish they provide and this is just amazing stuff. Wow. Floored. Original review
Wow – I’m so freaking impressed with this one. First, there are two bowls. Peel back the lid of the first bowl and add boiling water. After a short time, you poke holes in the lid and drain the liquid into the second. A sachet of soup base is added and you have a soup with lots of corn and herbs. Next, a huge sachet with chicken and vegetables boasts a great spicy green curry flavor which mixes with the noodle. A really amazing product which is unique and delicious. This is Little Cook Thailand Green Curry Instant Noodle’s second year in the number one spot in a row – congratulations! Original review
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This is one that’s been in the Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All Time lists for quite some time. It’s also now in the Gourmet Ramen Club Spicy Pack – a box that I’ve selected the varieties for! I thought it was time for a Re-Review as I’m going to be rolling out the new spicy list in early August! Let’s check out this hot one!
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add everything to 500cc boiling water and cook 3~4 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
The soup base sachet.
A deep reddish powder.
The vegetables sachet.
A nice little melange.
Finished (click to enlarge). Noodles come out very well – great chew and quite the quantity. The broth is very very spicy – and has a nice flavor to it as well. Included garnish was great. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 448436100613.
Spicy Pack endorsed by The Ramen Rater
The post Re-Review: Paldo Teumsae Ramyun appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
One of my favorite varieties has been Paldo’s Cheese Noodle – that’s a really tasty one. Well, Teumsae is one of their spiciest varieties and they mashed it up with cheese. I really want to get samples of the new ultra spicy Teumsae variety, but I can’t find it anywhere from nobody… At this point, I’m wondering if it even was produced! But it had to be… Come on. It’s hanging out somewhere! Anyways, cheese is good. It’s time to do a mukbang, so check out the video at the bottom of this review.. Let’s give this one a try!
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Unsure whether it’s meat free or not – check for yourself. To prepare, add noodle block and sachet contents (except cheese powder sachet) to 550ml boiling water and cook 3 1/2 minutes Finally, stir and sprinkle cheddar cheese powder on top and enjoy!
The large noodle block.
The soup base sachet.
Smells extremely spicy.
The vegetables sachet.
A colorful mixture.
The garnish sachet.
The cheese powder.
Finished (click to enlarge). Love the noodles – thick and chewy with that nice thin kinda gooey outermost layer. The broth was pretty good – definitely not the punch of Teumsae, that’s for sure. I know the cheese took off some of the sting, but it honestly seemed more like a spicy ramyun. The included vegetables were of good quality. Tasty with a slightly bitter back and an easy one for a spicy foods buff. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8809296884200.
The Spicy Ramen Pack Endorsed By The Ramen Rater
Watch me tame this beast!
The post #2942: Paldo Teumsae Cheddar Cheese Ramyun appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
I took a look in the closet the other day and boom – hey look a six pack of these cups! Forgot about these ! You have to understand – I have a lot of noodles to review – hard to find space for them! But here they are ready to go! Thanks to Paldo for sending them along! Let’s check out these super spicy noodles from South Korea!
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add boiling water to line and cover for 3 minutes. Drain. Stir in liquid sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).
The noodle block.
The liquid base sachet.
Smells very spicy!
Finished (click to enlarge). The noodles are thick and chewy with a ever so slight sponginess to them which is negotiable, but there./ The flavor is an extremely spicy one with a kind of sweet taste alongside. It doesn’t scream curry to me honestly, but it’s pretty tasty albeit like licking a volcano. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 648436101306.
Volcano Spicy Chicken Noodle 2 Bundle of 4pack
Watch me and Miles give this one a try!
The post #2956: Paldo Curry Volcano Chicken Noodle appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
It’s January 2019, and so it is time for the first of many Top Ten Lists. I always start the year with the latest South Korean Top ten. This list was compiled as of posting 3,058 unique reviews of instant noodles, 349 of which are South Korean. All varieties are manufactured in South Korea. If you are a company interested in having your products showcased, please drop me a line. Let’s begin!
Watch the full video presentation of this year’s Top Ten South Korean Instant Noodles Of All Time! Don’t forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel for daily videos!
When Shin Ramyun Black came onto the scene a few years back it was a huge hit and still is. An upgraded version of their popular shin Ramyun, it includes a sachet of Sul-Long-Tang soup base which gives an extra heartiness to the broth. Thick ramyun noodles and a spicy bite round out the scene. It took me some time to get a pack made in South Korea, a requirement of this this. Original review Get it here
Paldo’s Cheese Noodle has been on the list for awhile now and with good reason. The way the cheese intermingles with the red spicy broth is amazingly good. The noodles are nice and thick ramyun and there’s a large quantity of them. Definitely one that everyone should try – and now there’s a spicier version on the market. Original review Get it here
Nongshim Champong is a spicy seafood noodle soup. It combines what you are used to with the beefiness of a standard Korean ramyun but replaces the beef with seafood flavor. This more ‘of the sea’ variety works very well with the chewy ramyun noodle. It’s kind of like a seafood stew to be honest. Excellent when paired with seafood. Original review Get it here
Neoguri Spicy Seafood Soup is a long time favorite of many and now it’s been converted in this new version as a dry noodle, sans broth. To be honest, I like this much better – not only does it have the great flavor of Neoguri, it’s got a plethora of garnish included – featuring little pieces of fishcake with the raccoon mascot on them. Original review Get it here
To understand Paldo’s Rabokki Noodle, you have to understand tteokbokki. It’s also spelled topokki – but however you spell it, tteokbokki are thick cylindrical rice tubes that have a nice chewiness to them. They’re often paired with a thick red sauce which is spicy as well as sweet and served with fishcake, egg and other garnish. These noodles are paired with the sauce in a very tasty representation and crossover of the dish. Original review Get it here
Ottogi’s Jin series added a couple of new varieties recently, and this is my favorite of the two. During a recent trip to Taipei, I went to a restaurant called Love Instant Noodleswhere they doll up packs of instant noodles and serve them piping hot. This is the one I chose from their selection. Jjambbong is a kind of spicy stew and this one has a nice kind of grilled flavor to it, alongside the popular broader ramyun currently spreading around – great stuff! Original review Get it here
Here we have 2017’s #1 from this list and it was also on the annual The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Of All Time 2017 list. So, what’s Budae Jjigae? Well, take donated rations from US soldiers from the Korean War and mix them with the local South Korean cuisine. This interesting fusion works so well including tastes from both cultures. Original review Get it here
Ottogi also has a Budae Jjigae – and it’s my favorite of the varieties to spring onto the market in the last couple years. With bits of processed meats and other niceties, it combines with South Korean flavors into a crescendo of tasty goodness. Budae Jjigae translates to ‘troop stew’ or army stew’ as it originated from donated rations from US forces during the Korean War. Original review Get it here
This last year I’ve really fallen for Samyang Ramen – both the regular and spicy version. It’s a bit different from most South Korean varieties as they usually lean towards beef, these have a ham flavor. The thick, chewy noodles and the rich and very tasty broth bring these to this list this year, and while I type this, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Original review Get it here
With imagery heralding to days of yore, a very unique and tasty one from South Korea tops this year’s list. A thick noodle is complimented with a retort pouch (a metallic sachet) which brings a sweet and savory sauce full of real pork – really like a pulled-pork noodle. What’s surprising is that this was the first variety I’ve found with one of these from South Korea – and it was excellent. Original review Get it here
The post The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten South Korean Instant Noodles Of All Time 2019 Edition appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
Here’s one I’ve been wanting to get a hold of for a long time! These samples include the 9,413SHU Teumsae.
The post Ultra Spicy Samples From Paldo Of South Korea appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
So I’ve been getting a lot of neat samples from Paldo South Korea lately! This one’s a box with less export kind of things and more local styled varieties. Let’s check it out!
The post Paldo Local South Korean Instant Ramen Noodle Varieties appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
Sometimes it can be tough to get my little girl to cooperate with an unboxing but this time it went pretty well!
The post Even More Samples From Paldo – With Mimi! appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
I’ve been wanting to try this one for a great while. Happily, they were sent along by my new contact at Paldo! Thank you very much! This one screams mukbang to me but as some of you might know already, mukbang is something that’s getting harder and harder for me these days. I used to eat a LOT mre, and now I exercise and my diet is much more regulated. To put it bluntly, scarfing down a big block of carbs is easy when you do it more often than I do now.But of course, I’ll give it a shot.
I think this one will definitely test my spice handling; that’s another thing I haven’t done a lot of recently. Handling spicy foods seems like it’s kind of like a muscle – if you don’t exercise it at all it gets weak. Let’s give these a try!
Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, boil noodles and sachet contents in 500ml water for 3~4 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A dry sachet of soup base.
A dry sachet of vegetables.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, egg, beef sauteed in soy sauce, narutomaki, spring onion, and sesame seeds. The noodles are thick and luxuriant as always. Thicker than your average instant gauge, a hallmark of Korean noodle variants. The broth has a strong spiciness which isn’t for the casual spicy fan but for those who crave strong heat. Good flavor. Vegetable bits did well. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8801128508858.
Teumsae Ramen(빨계떡) Bag- 4.23 Oz 5 Packs
Watch me cook on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!
Watch me burn on Spicy Noodle Mukbang!
The post #3311: Paldo Teumsae Ramen (9,413 SHU) – South Korea appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
I’ve had quite a few kimchi flavor ramen varieties over the years. Hell, I used to have a huge jar of kimchi in the fridge all the time when I first started doing reviews – I’d eat tons of it. It’s good stuff and lots of evidence supporting that it’s one of those ‘superfoods’ that promote health.
My wife likes kimchi except for the spiciness, but that’s as far as it goes. It’s hard to put a finger on anyone in my close group of friends that have anything to say other than yuck, which I find surprising; I love kimchi! Anyways, let’s give this one a try!
Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add everything to 500ml water and boil for 3 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A dry sachet of soup base.
A dry sachet of vegetables.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added stir fry beef, processed cheese, black sesame seeds, eg yolk, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, and spring onion. The noodles are just a tad thinner than their usual inclusions. They embrace the broth well, which has a bright and tangy kimchi flavor which was quite inviting. Included vegetables were very standard. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 648436101436.
Teumsae Ramen(빨계떡) Bag- 4.23 Oz 5 Packs
Watch me cook on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!
The post #3368: Paldo Mr. Kimchi Kimchi Ramen – South Korea appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
Here’s an export variety from Paldo. The other day I tried out the Mr. Kimchi with broth – this one has no broth. Sounds good – let’s hit it!
Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, boil noodles and vegetables sachet for 3 1/2 minutes. Drain. Add 2 tablespoons (30ml water). Add liquid sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A wet sauce sachet.
A dry vegetables sachet.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added egg, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, sesame seed, spring onion, and fried onion. Noodles are thick and chewy, the hallmark of Korean style instants. The sauce is absolutely delicious – a tangy and spicy and sweet melange wrapped together with the inclusion of kimchi which is everywhere and well hydrated. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 648436101474.
Teumsae Ramen(빨계떡) Bag- 4.23 Oz 5 Packs
Watch me cook on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!
The post #3379: Paldo Mr. Kimchi Stirfried Kimchi Ramen – South Korea appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
I’ve known about Paldo for a long time however never have I seen this one before. Paldo was kind enough to send some local variants I found on their website! Let’s check this bowl out and give it a try!
Detail of the lid (click to enlarge). Unsure whether it contains meat – check for yourself. To prepare, add boiling water to line as well as the dry sachet contents. Set retort pouch on top and cover for 3 minutes. Finally, add in retort pouch contents, stir, and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A dry sachet of powder base.
A dry vegetables sachet.
A retort pouch!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, sesame seed, pepper flake, and spring onion. Noodles initially needed a little more time to hydrate but ended up nicely. The broth has a nice spicy level and flavor – tangy and savory. Very impressed with the taste of this one – lots of vegetable in that retort pouch made it very tasty. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8801128508162.
Teumsae Ramen(빨계떡) Bag- 4.23 Oz 5 Packs
Watch me cook on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!
The post #3388: Paldo Big 3 Instant Ramen Bowl – South Korea appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
Okay so this is the local South Korean version of this variety. I’ve had it before as an export. Let’s see if it’s any different!
Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Contains seafood. To prepare, add flake and sauce sachets to 550ml water and bring to a boil. Add in noodle block and cook 5 minutes. Add in oil sachet. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A wet base sachet.
The dry vegetables sachet.
A wet sachet of garnishing oil.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, raw egg, shrimp, Sichuan pepper powder, crab stick, spring onion, and fish ball. Noodles are great – very thick and chewy – almost udon byst just bot quite. The broth has an exquisite grilled seafood taste to it – especially after the garnish oil is added. We should bathe in this oil! 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8809296883180.
Teumsae Ramen(빨계떡) Bag- 4.23 Oz 5 Packs
Watch me cook on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!
The post #3429: Paldo Bul Jjamppong – South Korea appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
Kimchi is really great stuff – and it’s not just cabbage. There’s lots of different vegetables that can be kimchi – radish kimchi is my favorite. Now I want some Korean BBQ! Okay, okay – let’s give this one a try.
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, fill to line with boiling water and let steep for 3 1/2 minutes. Drain. Add in wet sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).
The noodle block.
A wet sachet.
Loose bits from the bottom of the bowl.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added beef sauteed with a little soy sauce, spring onion, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, and black sesame seed,. Noodles were nice and plump with zero sponginess. Flavor worked perfectly with them – flavor was a sweet and tangy kimchi sauce, flecked sporadically with kimchi. It prodded a strong flavor profile which hit all the right notes for me. Very impressed. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 648436101498.
Teumsae Ramen(빨계떡) Bag- 4.23 Oz 5 Packs
Watch me cook on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!
The post #3442: Paldo Mr. Kimchi Stirfried Kimchi Ramen – South Korea appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
Okay so recently I reviewed and mukbang-ified the Paldo Teumsae version that was sold in South Korea. This time around it’s the same SHU on the package but most certainly for Japan. Let’s see how i rates!
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add everything to a pot of 500ml boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
A large noodle block.
A dry sachet of powder soup base.
A dry sachet of vegetables.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added lemon, lime, and orange slices, sesame seeds, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, Habanero togarashi, chili oil, and spring onion. The noodles are really quite nice – thick and chewy ones that cradle the soup well. The soup is a seriously spicy monster seething wih flavor. Just like the South Korean version – 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 8809296880301.
Teumsae Ramen(빨계떡) Bag- 4.23 Oz 5 Packs
Watch me cook on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!
The post #3452: Paldo Teumsae (9,413SHU) – Japan appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
This is a longstanding favorite of mine and probably the first cold noodle I came in contact with. First time I had it I wasn’t so sure, but over time it definitely grew on me. This is usually enjoyed in the summer months, but seeing as the folks at Paldo sent it to me recently, I’d give it a go right now. Let’s cook it up!
Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, boil noodles in a pot of water for 3 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water. and drain. Add in sachet contents. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
The lone wet sauce sachet.
Finished (click to enlarge). I deleted the regular ‘finished’ pic on accident – I need to get more sleep… Added bamboo shoots, egg, spring onion, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, and chili oil. Noodles come out nicely and have a great tooth served chilled. The flavor is a hot and spicy, sweet and savory hit – definitely a lot hotter than I remember and it seems my ability to handle heat has greatly diminished over the last few months. But I still enjoy it. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8809296884842.
Watch me cook on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!
The post #3460: Paldo Bibimmen (35th Anniversary Edition) – South Korea appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
Thus far, I’ve been quite pleased with all the different Mr. Kimchi varieties – soups and dry noodles. This is the cup, so I’m guessing it should be about the same as the dry noodle pack and bowl. Let’s find out.
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add boiling water to line for 3 minutes. Drain. Add in sauce sachet. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).
The noodle block.
Loose dehydrated kimchi from the cup.
The wet sachet of sauce.
Finished (click to enlarge). Noodles seemed like they could’ve used a little more than the three minutes – a little spongy there. The flavor was really nice though – bright and tangy kimchi with some sweetness. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 648436101504.
Teumsae Ramen(빨계떡) Bag- 4.23 Oz 5 Packs
Watch me cook on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!
The post #3475: Paldo Mr. Kimchi Stirfried Kimchi Ramen Cup – South Korea appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
Okay so yes – these are mad ein South Korea. They’re made for the French market though. I recently reviewed the spicy flavor variety and made this one in the past and shared with daughter Miriam and really liked it as well. Let’s crack it open and give it a go!
Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Unsure if it contains meat – check for yourself. To prepare, add noodles and sachet contents to 400ml boiling water. Boil 2 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
A dry sachet of soup base powder.
A dry sachet of garnish.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, spring onion, egg, sesame seed, beef sauteed with soy sauce, and Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chilli Crisp. Noodles have a light chew and a grabby backbone. Broth satisfies both the saltiness and savory tests with a nice beef taste. Included vegetable flake was of good quality. 4.25 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8801128542616.
Teumsae Ramen(빨계떡) Bag- 4.23 Oz 5 Packs
Watch me cook on Instant Noodle Recipe Time!
The post #3483: Mr. Min Original Korean Ramen Beef Flavor – France appeared first on The Ramen Rater.
