Another one I got while in Canada for my birthday. I’m sure many folks will immediately ask ‘where did you get this’ and ‘where can I get it,’ and I’ll just say I’ve only seen this in Canada. See, they get stuff in the Vancouver area from not only the Nongshim plant here in the states but the one in Shanghai, China. Got a couple more coming down the pipe of reviews soon that hail from China. Let’s check this out!

The export sticker (click to enlarge). This was on the side of the 5-pack I got. Says pork bone seasoning, so not sure if that’s pork or not.

The back of an individual pack (click image to enlarge).

Potato noodle block!

A nice fat seasoning packet.

The soup base. It has a really nice flavor – one of the most porkflavor powders I’ve tasted.

Veggie packet.

A small array of bits.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added some baked pork chop I made last night with apple, onion and garlic salt, some sweet onion and some green onion. The noodles are thick and have a gauge not unlike Nongsdhim Shin Ramyun, however the consistency is different. They seem almost heartier. The broth is amazingly good – has a really good pork flavor I’ve not experienced at this caliber in an instant before. A little slight spice in there too. The veggies were good as well. This was a real surprise! 5.0 out of 5.0 stars .UPC bar code 6920238087014.

Here’s a commercial for this one.

The post #1042: Nongshim Potato Pork Ramyun appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

So these last two days have been crazy – so many people from Taiwan just coming in droves to the site and declaring their passion for the instant noodles of their country! You should be proud of yourselves; I’m never going to look at Taiwanese noodles the same again, that’s for sure! I’m sure I’ll be reviewing more very soon so keep your eyes on The Ramen Rater!

A quick note for new/media people: I’m GMT-7 (Pacific Daylight Time – just north of Seattle). I’m very open to doing interviews to whomever would like to – be it Taiwanese or agencies from other countries. Please contact me via this link and I will reply ASAP. Would really love the opportunity to say hello to all the deicated instant noodle fans out there!

Thank You,

- Hans Lienesch, The Ramen Rater

The post Top Ten List: The Past Two Days Have Been Amazing! appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Another from my trip to Canada for my birthday. Wow – what a past two days here! The Top Ten 2013 list came out to a clamor of Taiwanese disapproval – Taiwan didn’t make the list. But, hopefully out of it all I’ll get contacted by one of the companies in Taiwan, but so far nothing. On to other things though – that being this interesting bowl by Nongshim. This one’s made in Shanghai, China. Let’s check it out.

Very red side panels (click to enlarge).

Hey look – an included fork! A new one, too!

The noodle block.

The seasoning powder packet.

Nice and red like one would expect!

No veggie packet – this is what was in the bottom of the bowl.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added cheese, green onion, sweet onion, and sauteed beef with some mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic. The noodles were a little disappointing – had some songiness I didn’t enjoy. The quantity was good though. The broth seemed a little on the weaker side and didn’t have the ‘oomph’ that I would have expected from Shin Ramyun. Not to say it wasn’t tasty – has a nice red broth flavor as I would expect from Shin Ramyun, just not very fiery in the spiciness department. The veggies hydrated nicely and were alright. 3.25 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 6920238083016.

Making of video for Nongshim CF by T-Ara.

The post #1044: Nongshim Shin Ramyun Noodle Spicy Mushroom Flavour appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

After more than a year of pondering and reviewing since the last list, here’s the new top ten instant noodle bowls. This encompasses all instant noodle bowls reviewed up to today, June 15th, 2013. With no further adieu, the top ten instant noodle bowls of all time, 2013 edition.

10 – JFC Japanese Style Noodle Soup Curry Flavour – South Korea

Fresh udon noodles and a curry sauce that’s thick and luxuriant. If you’re in need of a curry fix, look no further! Every time I see it on a store shelf, I get this kind of warm, fuzzy feeling. Original review here

9 – Ottogi Spaghetti Ramen – South Korea

A fun bowl of noodles with thick South Korean ramyun noodles, a sweet powder and a sweet and slightly spicy spaghetti sauce. A nice twist on a classic. Original review here

8 – Little Cook Spicy Beef Flavor – Thailand

This one features firm noodles, a spicy broth with beef and curry notes and fake meat that’s surprisingly good. Myriad of different components collide together in an irresistible way. Original review here

7 – Nongshim Chapagetti Roasted Chajang Noodle – United States

Although originating in South Korea, Nongshim now makes these in Southern California. Chajang is a traditional Chinese black bean sauce that is wonderful with noodles and the nice part with this particular variety is that it’s the first I’ve seen in a bowl. What’s more, it’s easy to make and has excellent hearty flavor as well as great noodles. Original review here

6 – Paldo Kokomen Spicy Chicken Flavor King Cup – South Korea

Kokomen is a South Korean ramyun with a light or white broth. It’s got a chicken and jalapeno kind of flavor that’s really quite excellent. The translation from pack to bowl is exemplary, losing none of the quality. Original review here

5 – Little Cook Mushroom Vegetarian Premium Noodle – Thailand

A combination of a great quality noodle and nice broth is one thing, but they add a retort pouch with really nice vegetables that make this seem more gourmet. I’ve never been a big fan of mushrooms, but these are really quite good. Original review here

4 – Yamamoto Ponpoko Tempura Udon Fried Noodles Bowl – Japan

Thick, slightly chewy noodles and a broth with strong soy flavor. The tempura gives a satisfying crunch. Check out the original review as well to see why this one’s got a great name. Original review here

3 – Maruchan Midori No Tanuki Instant Soba Bowl – Japan

The only one from last year’s list to remain. Although it slipped out of first place, this is a seriously excellent bowl of noodles. The buckwheat noodles have a delicate crumble that works so well here and the broth is nice and rich. The disk of tempura is a real treat. Original review here

2 – FoodMon DJ-DOC Instant Ramen Rice Toppokki – South Korea

Topokki are like really thick chewy short noodles. They’re usually served with a spicy red sauce; here they join instant noodles along with the spicy sauce to make a succulent kind of Soiuth Korean lasagna-esque feast. Original review here

1 – Nissin Raoh Rich Soy Sauce Flavor – Japan

All I can say is that this stuff is epic. The noodles are extremely good and of very high quality. The broth is as rich as the name purports as well. What’s more, it comes with a slice of roast pork which hydrates well and has a very good texture and flavor. This is where it’s at! Original review here

So as you can see, a lot of new contenders this year! I hope you enjoyed the list and look forward to bringing you more as time goes by.

The post The Ramen Rater Top Ten Noodle Bowls Of All Time 2013 Edition appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Here’s one that I’ve waiting to review for a while. This is a variety specifically marketed for the summer months – cold South Korean noodles! Thought I’d consult Wikipedia to give some more information on South Korean cold noodle dishes:

Bibim guksu, a cold dish made with very thin wheat flour noodles called somyeon with added flavorings, is one of the most popular traditional noodle dishes in Korean cuisine. It is also called guksu bibim or goldong myeon, all of which literally mean “stirred noodles” or “mixed noodles”. ^[1] The dish is especially popular during summer.

There are many kinds of cold noodle dishes in Korea, including one made with cold beef broth; however, spicy cold noodles have historically been appreciated by spice-loving people in Korea and recognized internationally. What makes this dish so distinct from other cold noodle dishes from different cultures is the strong spicy flavor produced from the combination of red pepper powder, gochujang, and minced garlic, along with a sweet-and-sour flavor created by vinegar and sugar. Most spicy cold noodles are prepared with haszing duu and a slight touch of sesame oil to enhance the richness of its flavor.

Typically the dish would be prepared by stir frying diced beef, julienned pickled cucumbers, and mushrooms in sesame oil, which is all mixed together with the cooked noodles, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds and sugar. Garnishes placed on top and around the spicy noodles include hard-boiled eggs, pickled mu, dried gim strips, sliced cucumbers, and sometimes sliced Korean pear or tomato.^[1][2]

Sounds like something that’d be great today – supposed to be pretty warm! Let’s give it a try.

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Contains wheat, soybean and pollock.

Buckwheat gives these noodles their dark brown color. Usually when you order naengmyeon, another cold noodle dish, it is served at a restaurant with a pair of scissors to cut the noodles into manageable lengths – works well here as well.

The veggies and solid ingredients.

The larger bits are the Korean pear.

The chili sauce packet.

Nice color and a spicy scent.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added green onion, hard boiled egg, roast beef and a little sliced kimchi on the side. The noodles are nice – they have a chewiness you can only get from buckwheat and chillling them makes their texture tighten up – only words I can think to describe. The flavoring is great – spicy and slightly sweet – and there more than enough of the sauce to coat all the noodles. The pear is great too – chewy and flavorful. All in all quite nice! 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 031146158164.

The post #1105: Nongshim Doong Ji Authentic Korean Cold Noodles With Chili Sauce appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Cups were the second instant noodle innovation that really took the world by storm. Nissin founder Momofuku Ando of Japan decided that a cup would be a really handy way to have instant noodles on the go. His creation came to the market in 1971. Forty-two years later, the instant noodle landscape is filled with many different cup designs and contents – some all inclusive only needing hot water,m and some requiring a little more with packets – and some even with forks! Of all the varieties I’ve tried to date, here are my favorite ten.

#10: Pot Noodle Bombay Bad Boy Flavour – United Kingdom

Pot Noodle is a UK company whose plastic cups are things of legend. Their myriad of interesting flavors are always fascinating, with such greats as Sticky Rib, Jamaican Jerk and now Piri Piri. Bombay Bad boy has a nice spiciness to it from a little supplied packet. These don’t have so much of a broth, but more of a sauce or gravy. Original review here

#9: Nissin Cup Noodle Seafood Curry – Hong Kong

Since 1971, Nissin Cup Noodle has been synonymous with… Well, noodles in a cup! The noodles come out just perfectly in these. Not only that, there are copious amounts of veggies and seafood. Then there’s the flavor – a really nice Japanese curry with seafood notes – great stuff! Original review here

#8: Paldo Gomtang – South Korea

Gomtang (pronouced gohm-tahng) is a traditional South Korean soup made with brisket or oxtail. It has a rich, hearty taste that will warm your bones on a wintry day. This one has such a warm and creamy flavor and the noodles are nice and full in the ramyun style. Original review here

#7: Eat & Go    Spicy Chicken Mi Instan Cup – Indonesia

I only just had this one recently and was immediately enthralled. Contains five different seasoning packets which provide chili powder, veggies, seasoned oil and even a packet of tofu chips! Plus, you get a fork. Pure deliciousness! Original review here

#6: Ottogi Bekse Curry Myon Cup – South Korea

This little cup has some wonderful attributes. The seasoning and noodles end up nicely – the broth is thick and has a strong curry flavor and a nice spiciness. What was also very memorable was that there were potatoes in there – the only time I’ve seen potatoes in an instant noodle. A true friend for the curry fanatic! Original review here

#5: Paldo Kokomen Spicy Chicken Cup – South Korea

This is the third list this year that Paldo Kokomen has appeared on. The broth has such a great melding of the heat of jalapeno pepper and the flavor of chicken. The noodles are very good and the bits of chicken and vegetables are top notch. Original review here

#4: Seven & I Shoyu Noodle – Japan

Yes – they have 7-11 convenience store in Japan! With a great flavor and lots of vegetables and seafood, this is really a memorable cup. Strong soy sauce flavor and perfectly hydrated bits and noodles make this an all time favorite of mine. Original review here

#3: Nongshim Shin Ramyun Black Spicy Beef Cup – South Korea

First, Nongshim made Shin Ramyun which is still incredibly popular. Then they upgraded and came out with Shin Ramyun Black. Finally, Shin Black has made it into a cup – and it’s really good! Rich beef flavor and real beef along with thick ramyun noodles. Premium stuff! NOTE: Previously, this was marked as being from the United States. This one shown here was in fact manufactured in South Korea. I will be reviewing the one made in the United States at Nongshim America soon.  Original review here

#2: Nissin GooTa Demi Hamburg-Men – Japan

Another fairly recent discovery. GooTa is a high end offering from Nissin with premium ingredients. Excellent noodles, a beef and tomato inspired broth, veggies like corn and then the topper – a dehydrated hamburger patty. No joke! What’s better than the novelty of the hamburger is that it works so well with the noodles and broth. Wow. Original review here

#1: Indomie Mi Goreng Instant Cup Noodles – Indonesia

Indomie’s Mi Goreng was a variety I was enjoying long before becoming The Ramen Rater. Quality noodles coated in a spicy and sweet combination of flavors that never get old. The way you do it is you add the boiling water, steep for a few minutes, then use the supplied plastic lid which has holes to drain it. Just like the pack version, it comes with all of the standard flavor packets you’re used to and comes out just right. Original review here

The post The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodle Cups Of All Time 2013 Edition appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

This year, we’ve got some new fiery additions to this list of spicy and burning hot varieties. If you can find them, you’ll be feeling quite the burn! If you think you’ve found anything hotter or noteworthy of being on this list, please comment below or send me an email. Without further adieu, here’s the 2013 picks for the spiciest instant noodles I’ve found after 1,128 reviews!

#10: Indomie Mi Instan Mi Goreng Rasa Cabe Ijo – Indonesia

With a spicy green chilli bite, this brothless variety from Indonesia came onto the scene in 2012. It’s unique green color is fun to see and it’s flavor is top-notch. This is the only green chilli flavored instant I’ve seen to date. Original review here

#9: JML (Jinmailang) Artificial Spicy Hot Beef – China

JM also makes a Spicy Beef variety, but this one is Hot Spicy Beef. The title doesn’t lie; it’s vicious! Along with the fire is a nice hearty broth and excellent noodles. Original review here

#8: Namchow Mee Jang Sour Spicy Chicken – Thailand

I get a kick out of this one because if you don’t look closely, this looks like a happy little chicken flavor noodle bowl. Looks can be deceiving though! The broth is a fiery melding of citrus and chili pepper fire that will test your gumption. Original review here

#7: MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodle – Malaysia

This is Malaysia’s first time on any of my top ten lists. This is some really hot and fiery curry. It’s also one of the best curry instant noodles I’ve ever had. The noodles are a little thicker and the curry paste is ample. Original review here

#6: Nongshim Jinjja Jinjja Flamin’ Hot & Nutty Noodle Soup – United States

A melange of intense heat, pork broth and a peanut powder packet with little black sesame seeds. This South Korean ramyun is absolutely amazing. First in South Korea exclusively, they now produce it here in the United States as well, so it’s pretty easy to come by. Original review here

#5: Indomie Curly Noodle With Chicken & Chilli Paddi – Indonesia

A nice chicken mi goreng with a surprise. The Bird’s Eye chilli that lurks within will change your day in a second. The thing could be anywhere in a bowl – but you will definitely know when you’ve bitten into it – intense, lingering heat will ensue and bring you to your knees. Original review here

#4: emart Dare You! Habanero Jjamppong – South Korea

Extreme heat is paired with nice bit of seafood broth and lots of bits of seafood. All the fire and flavor melded together with thick ramyun noodles make it hot as well as delicious. This one comes in at 1,960 SHU (Scoville Heat Units). Original review here

#3: Paldo Teumsae Ramyun – South Korea

Another South Korean ramyun with serious kick to it. This isn’t to be trifled with!  Teumsae has restaurants in South Korea which serve up some seriously spicy fare. I really like the text undernerath the word Teumsae which reads, ‘Flavor. Culture. Human’ Original review here

#2: Samyang Foods Buldalk Bokkeummyeon – South Korea

The English translation? Hot fried chicken flavor. This one is yet another brothless variety and it really packs a punch as well as has a nice taste to it. Thick ramyun noodles round everything out nicely and will transmit the spicy sauce to your tongue. Original review here

#1: emart Dare You! Habanero Ramyun – South Korea

At 5,930 SHU, this variety tops the list for a second year in a row. I think the only way to make something hotter would be to drop in some pure capsicum oleoresin! If you like the absolutely spiciest stuff, this is for you. If not, then you’re in for some serious pain. Endure the burn! Original review here

The post The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All time 2013 Edition appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

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 over 1,100 reviews to date. With that, here’s your top ten, America!

#10: Nongshim Shin Bowl Noodle Soup

Shin Ramyun is one of the most popular instant noodles in South Korea. It’s spicy and beefy. This one here has that same great flavor and is microwaveable! A while back, they changed how they make their noodles for their line of bowls, and although they were great before, they’re even better now. Original review here

#9: Nissin Top Ramen Short Cuts Roast Chicken Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup

Nissin came out with this new line of noodles fairly recently. What’s unique about then is that they are a large box with a bag of seasoned noodles. You can use as little or as much as you like! The noodles are short and broad with a ‘comfort food’ appeal and a nice roast chicken flavor. Original review here

#8: Maruchan Bowl Hot & Spicy Shrimp Flavor Ramen Noodles With Vegetables

Maruchan has been known for a long time for their Instant Lunch line of noodles cups, but here we have something new for them – bowls! This one stood out for me – it had a ‘south of the border’ heat to it and was full of noodles of great quality. Spicy, but not so spicy most couldn’t handle it. Original review here

#7: Nissin Top Ramen Cucharealo Home-Style Picante Chicken Flavor

This is a serious fusion: the noodles are short and thin. I remember noodles kind of like these in other products when I was a kid, but always felt like I was getting way more soup than noodles. This one quells that need for more noodles – there’s plenty of them. The picante chicken flavor is excellent with notes of chili powder and cumin. Original review here

#6: Nissin Chow Mein Spicy Teriyaki Beef Flavor Chow Mein Noodles

I would have never thought that mixing teriyaki and spicy heat together would work, but it does. The combination is excellent – especially since the sauce coats everything so well. The vegetables hydrate nicely and it’s an all around great meal. Original review here

#5: Nongshim Chapagetti Roasted Chajang Noodle

Thick, slightly chewy noodles in a rich black bean sauce – excellent stuff. What’s also excellent is that you can make it in the microwave. It uses just a little water and the finished product has sucked it all up, leaving you with nice, saucy noodles. Original review here

#4: Maruchan Creamy Chicken Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup

I absolutely adore this stuff. Take your standard instant noodle and add a nice creamy chicken flavor. The broth has a really nice ‘stick to your ribs’ way about it. Whenever I’m under the weather, this is my go-to comfort noodle. Original review here

#3: Nongshim Shin Ramyun Black Premium Noodle Soup

After twenty years of Shin Ramyun, Nongshim decided to upgrade it. Enter Shin Ramyun Black. It has a richer broth, great noodles, and an amazing packet with nice veggies and beef – yes, beef. This one has little pieces of freeze dried beef that spring to life – and have an enjoyable chew and flavor! Original review here

#2: Sapporo Ichiban Japanese Style Noodles Chow Mein

This one requires a different approach to cooking, but it really pays off in the end. The noodles are cooked in very little water, which they slurp up rather quickly. Then you stir in the flavor packet and you’ve got some exceedingly wonderful chow. The flavor is reminiscent of yakisoba sauce; kind of a Worcestershire sauce thing going on. Then the fun part – a little packet of ‘green laver’ (powdered seaweed) is supplied for you to sprinkle on top. With it or without it, this one’s worth your time to try. Original review here

#1: Nongshim Jinjja Jinjja Flamin’ Hot & Nutty Noodle Soup

For regular followers of The Ramen Rater, this should be no surprise. I have been touting the greatness of this one back when it was only produced in South Korea. Happily, they make it in southern California now. Jinjja Jinjja (translates to Really Really) is a sumptuous sojourn to flavorland. Ramyun noodles are a little thicker and a little chewier than others. Combine that with a spicy and hearty pork broth, nice veggies and a packet with black sesame seeds and peanut powder. The result is absolutely perfect. Original review here

The post The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten Instant Noodles Made In The USA Of All Time 2013 Edition appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Got a nice and hefty box in the mail!

Nongshim America sent three of my favorites (they all made the Top Ten USA list) as a thank you for recognizing their products worthy of being in the list! Thanks! Think I’ll attempt a Shin Black Ramyun Burger for Labor Day!

The post A Nice Gift From Nongshim America appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Recently, I came up with the ramyun slider. I thought since I’ve got some Shin Black on hand, why not a full-fledged ramyun burger? This recipe came out great and really wasn’t that hard to do.

The Ramen Rater’s Shin Ramyun Black Burger

• 1 Package Nongshim Shin Ramyun Black
• ground beef
• 1 egg
• 2 slices processed cheese
• frozen french fries
• cooking spray
• ketchup and mayonnaise

The noodle block. This is where our buns come from.

In this recipe, everything in the package is used. I’ve seen so many recipes for ramen burgers where the flavorings are discarded. Why waste?

Step 1: Boil a pot of water. Add the noodle block and cook for 4 minutes. Drain well. Return to pot and crack egg into it – combine with noodles. Split noodle/egg mixture into two bowls. I used one with a rounded bottom for the bun and one with a flat bottom for the lower bun (actually, the top part of a bun is called the ‘crown’ and the bottom the ‘heel!) Press the noodles down a little and then put in the fridge for a couple hours to set.

Here are the crown and heel all done and out of their bowls.

Step 2: Spray pan and cook both sides of your buns until done as you like. A nice crispness is really enjoyable, but burnt isn’t so great so just keep and eye on them and don’t flip too much – they are a little delicate.

Step 3: For the fries – use a little cooking spray on them and sprinkle liberally with the gold Sul-Long-Tang powder packet and cook.

Step 4: Empty the contents of the green package into a little bowl and add some hot water. Let sit for a minute or so which lets the veggies and other bits hydrate. Drain.

Step 5: Add ketchup and mayonnaise – I used a little more mayo than ketchup – and combin3. This will be the fry sauce as well as the sauce for the burger.

Step 6: I’m not very good at telling when meat is done, so my wife Kit cooked the patty for me! For the patty, add the entire red packet to the ground beef and combine well. Form into a patty and cook. Put the buns and burger together – add processed cheese and sauce.

Voila! Click image to enlarge). This came out really nice – the burger has a really great flavor from the red packet. I think you could switch it as well – use the red packet on the fried and the gold packet with the beef. Either way, this was really good – I hope you try it and let me know how it goes!

The post Recipe: The Ramen Rater’s Shin Ramyun Black Burger appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

You might be thinking, ‘hey – didn’t he already review this?’ Nope – I reviewed the Shin Ramyun Black cup from South Korea. This is the one that is manufactured here in the United States in Rancho Cucamonga, California.So what is this ‘Pot-au-feu’ flavor? I consulted Wikipedia and found this:

Pot-au-feu (French pronunciation: ​[pɔ.to.fø] “pot on the fire”) is a French beef stew. According to chefRaymond Blanc, pot-au-feu is “the quintessence of French family cuisine, it is the most celebrated dish in France. It honours the tables of the rich and poor alike.”^[1]

The cuts of beef and the vegetables involved vary, but a typical pot-au-feu contains:

• low-cost cuts of beef that require cooking for long periods;
• some (or several) kind of cartilaginous meat, such as oxtail and marrowbone;
• vegetables: carrots, turnips, leeks, celery, and onions;
• spices: bouquet garni, salt, black pepper and cloves.

Cooking cartilaginous meat in the stew will result in gelatin being dissolved into the broth. If the stew is allowed to cool, the broth may turn into a jelly, resulting in an interesting texture. Allowing the stew to cool also allows the removal of excess fat, which floats on the surface and solidifies.

The dish is often served with coarse salt and strong Dijonmustard, and sometimes also with gherkins pickled in vinegar.

Pot-au-feu broth may be used as a soup (often enriched with rice, pasta or toasted bread), as a base for sauces, or for cooking vegetables or pasta. Ready-to-use concentrated cubes are available to make what purports to be pot-au-feu broth when water is added.

Pot-au-feu could be a continuous affair in the past, with new ingredients added as some is used; nowadays houses do not have a permanent fire in cold weather, and the dish is cooked for a specific meal. Many countries have similar dishes with local ingredients.

A fiery pot of noodles! Very nice. Let’s have a look!

Here’s the lid (click image to enlarge). Notice the French? I got this one in Vancouver, BC from T&T Supermarket.

Here are the side panels (click image to enlarge). Contains beef.

The noodle block.

The spicy soup base sachet.

Has a nice color and spicy scent.

A second soup base sachet. What is Sul-Long-Tang? Again, I consult Wikipedia:

Seolleongtang is a Korean broth tang (soup) made from ox bones (mostly leg bones), brisket and other cuts. Seasoning is generally done at the table according to personal taste by adding salt, ground black pepper, red pepper, minced garlic, or chopped spring onions. It is a local dish of Seoul.^[1]

Seolleongtang is typically simmered over a low flame over a period of several hours to an entire day, to allow the flavor to be gradually extracted from the bones. It has a milky off-white, cloudy appearance and is normally eaten together with rice and several side dishes; the rice is sometimes added directly to the soup.^[2]

Very light color and a garlicky scent.

Here are the larger pieces I got out of the cup (they aren’t contained in a sachet). Big pieces of mushroom and green onion.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added egg, Walla Walla sweet onion and beef I sauteed with qa little garlic salt. The noodles are really quite good for a cup version. They are wide and have a nice texture and quality. The broth is excellent. It’s spicy, but not so spicy that it makes you run for something to drink (if you can’t handle the heat, slap a couple sliced of processed cheese on top of and stir it in – it’s really good that way). What’s nice about that is that you can also taste the nice flavor of beef and garlic. Finally, the included veggies are good too – they hydrate very well. Most notably, the mushrooms do really well and have a nice flavor. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 031146021857.

[AMAZONPRODUCTS asin="B00BEIKRBY"]

Here’s an awesome video about how they make the Shin Black Cup!

This is a great video about the plant tours at Nongshim America. The gentleman who gives the tour in the video gave me and my wife the same tour in May of 2012! At 2m37s you can see a picture of us on the wall from our day at Nongshim America! If you can get down there and do a plant tour, you’ll be greeted by some of the nicest people I’ve had the fortune to meet and have a really fun time! You can find out more about the plant tours here.

The post #1178: Nongshim Shin Black Spicy Pot-au-feu Flavor Premium Noodle Soup appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Here we have a Shin Ramyun cup – this one was bought in South Korea and brought back to me by Kristen W. or Arizona – thanks! Let’s check it out!

Here are the side panels (click image to enlarge). The version sold in the US contains beef, so I am assuming this one does as well.

The noodle block.

Soup base sachet.

Spicy and smells good.

Some bits of veg from the bottom of the cup.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added green onions and processed cheese. The noodles were pretty good – a little spongy. The broth was excellent though – nice spicy and rich flavor. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars.UPC bar code 8801043015714.

[AMAZONPRODUCTS asin="B000LQNK6E"]Here is the US version – looks to be about the same. [/AMAZONPRODUCTS]

My son really likes Minecraft – I’ll have to show him this!

The post #1187: Nongshim Shin Ramyun Cup (South Korean version) appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Got a box from Nongshim America today. They were stoked on the story that came out about my ramyun burger recipe. Thank you very much! Let’s see what’s inside!

Temporary tattoos!

A fan!

Neat chef hats!

They also sent a couple shirts – here are the front and back.

Finally, a big box of Shin Ramyun Black! Wow! Thank you very much!

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It’s no secret that I eat a lot of instant noodles. Last year alone, I did 320 new reviews! I’m often asked, “when you aren’t reviewing, what instant noodles do you like to eat?” South Korean ramyun is the answer. In 1963, instant noodles were first introduced to South Korea as ‘ramyun.’ People were a little confused at first; they thought it was a textile! They also weren’t super keen on it being chicken flavored; South Koreans prefer rich beef flavors as opposed to lighter poultry tastes. With a little tweaking, the spicy rich beef noodles synonymous with ramyun were born.  The thick noodles, rich broth and spiciness keep me coming back for more. This list contains my favorites from the 1272 reviews I’ve done thus far. They are all made in South Korea, and many will be hard to find in the United States, if not impossible. With that, here’s my list.

#10: Paldo Cucumber Bibim Men

Regular Bibim Men is quite good, but this has a little extra something. It is a cold variety, great for the summer months and delivers a spiciness and slight sweetness. The cucumber bits hydrate and end up crunchy and refreshing. Original review here

#9: Ottogi Bekse Curry Myon

I’m a big fan of curries from all over the world.  We start with thick ramyun noodles. The broth is rich and luxuriant with a nice deep curry flavor. The little potato pieces (a rarity in the instant noodle realm) are very welcome and give it a little extra comfort food appeal. Original review here

#8: Paldo Namja Ramyun

A spicy premium ramyun variety. The noodles are thick and chewy and the broth has beef, chicken and garlic components. Namja translates to “men’s” or “guy’s.” Strong stuff and quite good. Original review here

#7: Samyang Foods Buldalk Bokkeummyeon

This spicy fried chicken flavored broth-free variety means business! It’s on the Top Ten Spiciest list from 2013 and it really packs a punch! Great noodles and great flavor. Comes with sesame seeds and seaweed as a garnish. Original review here

#6: Paldo Rabokki

Rabokki is a cross between ramyun and ttebokki. Ttebokki is a populat dish which features tube shaped chewy pasta made from rice and usually a thick spicy sauce. Basically, this is ramyun with a ttebokki sauce – and it’s really good! Wish they’d bring this one to the United States! Original review here

#5: HoMyeonDang Premium Noodle House Crab Jjampong

This is a very premium and fancy variety. The noodles are very good with a premium feel to them. The broth has a rich crab flavor augmented with a little sesame oil which gives it a little extra heartiness. The vegetable and crab piece mix rounds it out masterfully. Original review here

#4: Paldo Kko Kko Myun

This one is like a bowl of candy to me. We start with nice quality noodles, and then the broth takes over. The broth has a kind of chicken and jalapeno flavor to it. The flavors play off of each other quite nicely and deliver both a strong bite as well as a mellow comfort food flavor in one bowl. The vegetable packet includes little chicken pieces. Original review here

#3: Paldo Cheese Noodle

I really like cheese added to ramyun. This one already has a cheese flavor packet with it – perfect! It’s got a spicy broth which is pretty common of South Korean instant ramyun, but once you add the cheese powder packet, the broth takes on a different tack. It softens the blow of the heat yet maintains a balance where the one doesn’t completely overwhelm the other. Original review here

#2: Samyang Foods Baked Noodle Maesaengyitangmyun

Samyang Foods celebrated it’s 50th anniversary in 2013 – they originally introduced ramyun to South Korea in 1963 (people originally thought it was a textile). They decided to make a new baked noodle line for 2013 as something new. The result is a rich creamy broth with a twist. Maesaengyi is almost like a woven seaweed thread. It is fine and wispy and breaks apart in the broth and gives the broth an added ‘from the sea’ kind of taste, slightly reminiscent of a chowder. The baked noodles smell and taste quite nice. Original review here

#1 Nongshim Jinjja Jinjja Ramyun

This is the fourth time in a different top ten list. Jinjja Jinjja is absolutely wonderful stuff. The noodles are quite nice to begin with – classic gauge and chew. The broth has a strong spiciness couples with a pork flavor. To finish things off, there’s a packet of peanut powder with black sesame seeds. Jinjja Jinjja translates to Really Really – and I really really think this is excellent stuff! Original review here

The post The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten South Korean Instant Noodles Of All Time 2014 Edition appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

The FedEx truck pulled up and the guy ran over and gave me this envelope – what’s inside?

A nice mini blotter calendar! I like this also since it’s the perfect size for a mousepad too! Thanks to everyone over at Nongshim America!

The post A Gift From Nongshim America! appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Seems like it’s been a while since I’ve reviewed something from Nongshim. Well, let’s check out this one – and it’s kimchi flavor!

The side panels (click image to enlarge). Contains beef.

Detail of the lid (click image to enlarge). To prepare, open lid halfway, add contents of sachet, add boiling water to line and re-cover for 3 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

The noodle block.

Soup base sachet.

Soup base powder.

Vegetables and pieces of kamaboko.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added cheese, kimchi, sauteed thin sliced beef, green onion and egg. The noodles are good – thicker gauge than most cup varieties and a very comfort food feel. The broth is tasty and not extremely spicy. Does have a kimchi flavor to it. The veggies hydrate well and the kamaboko when hydrated was actually some of the nest I’ve had in an instant. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 031146271238.

A great recipe for making your own kimchi at home!

The post #1283: Nongshim Oolongmen Kimchi Cup Noodle Soup Mix appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

Yesterday I saw the FedEx truck coming around the corner through the patio door window. They stopped. What’s nice is that the guy just parks and comes up to the window these days. Let’s see what inside!

Hey rad! So these are two new ones for sale in the US that are made in South Korea. On the left is the Soon Veggie Ramyun – vegan friendly ramyun. On the right, they’ve brought back the Garlic Teriyaki Udon! Sweet! Really looking forward to trying these brand new products that will be able to be got here in the US. Thank you very much!

The post Product Samples From Nongshim USA! appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

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.

The back of the package (click image to enlarge). Contains tuna. To prepare, put the contents of the noodle pouch into the supplied bowl. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Add contents of flake and paste sachets and combine. Enjoy!

The fresh udon noodle pouch.

Soup paste sachet.

Less of a paste, more of a sauce.

The dry ingredient sachet.

Interesting stuff!

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added thin sliced beef, pineapple, garlic and shredded colby jack cheese. The noodles were great – excellent chewiness and nice wide udon gauge. The flavor was quite good – sweet and coated everything. It is hard to not compare this to the older version; the older version was a little better in my opinion. The cheese powder was so good with it, however it added so much sodium that it left me very sleepy. What I like about this version is that you can add whatever kind of cheese you like or none at all. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 031146016341.

While the noodles in this review are made in South Korea, many of the varieties we get here in the USA are made in the USA. Nongshim USA is in Rancho Cucamonga, California! Here’s a tour of their plant – a tour I was very fortunate to take in 2012.

The post #1290: Nongshim Sain Sain Garlic Teriyaki Fresh Cooked Udon Pasta appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

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.

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). This is Vegan friendly. To prepare, boil 500ml water and add noodles and sachet contents. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes stirring every once in a while. Eat!

The noodle block.

Soup base sachet.

A light powder with a nice scent.

The vegetable sachet.

A colorful mix.

Prep, prep, prep… We hit the local Boo Han Market nearby for vegetables last night. All sorts of things I’d never seen before – green onions the size of leeks! Huge bags of peeled garlic! Something called Gobo that looked like a spear for impaling someone! I also was hunting for tofu and found this extra firm ‘tofu cutlet’ which looked pretty good.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added enormous green onion, sweet onion, Fresno pepper, white mushroom, baby bok choy and fried tofu cutlet. The noodles are perfect – nice ramyun gauge and texture I enjoy thoroughly. The broth is very good – especially for a vegetarian skewed variety. Usually I find anything vegetarian to have this, well, funk to it. This doesn’t have that. It’s very reminiscent of Shin Ramyun, yet a little less spicy. Add to it the fact that it isn’t as heavy; while the broth is very rich and tastes very good, it seems somewhat fresher and light. The hydrated veggies did pretty well. All in all, I’m quite impressed – best Vegan instant ever. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 031146022823.

I’m not sure what they’re conversing about, but it’s pretty interesting!

The post #1308: Nongshim Soon Veggie Noodle Soup appeared first on The Ramen Rater.

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!

Here are the side panels (click image to enlarge). Contains beef.

Detail of the lid (click image to enlarge). To prepare in the microwave, remove lid and empty the sachet contents into the cup. Add room temperature water to the inside line and microwave for 3 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

The noodle block.

The single soup base sachet.

A nice fluffy beef scented powder.

The vegetables are already in the cup. Here are some of them.

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added some thin sliced sukiyaki beef. The noodles have a decent gauge and instead of being round like most ramyun, they are flat. They have a light chewiness and are soft. The broth has a very nice and rich beef flavor and is indeed creamy. The vegetables were nice – especially the slices of garlic that hydrated perfectly. A great stick-to-your-ribsy kind of noodle soup. 4.25 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 031146025947.

A neat video showing how Shin Ramyun Black cups are made!

The post #1366: Nongshim Sir Long Tang Creamy Beef Noodle Soup appeared first on The Ramen Rater.