Noodle Journey Episode 28: Paldo Bibimmen

 It’s the middle of a brutal summer heat wave at the time of this review, so I’m turning to something refreshingly different: a cold noodle dish from the always-reliable Paldo. This is my first cold noodle review, and I’m diving into a variety called bibim naengmyeon, or bibimmen for short, which features chewy noodles paired with a sweet and spicy sauce. If cold noodles aren’t your thing, the packaging does include hot prep instructions, but I stuck with the cold version to keep things authentic.

I picked this up for $6.99 at my local H Mart for a five-pack, which is a great deal if it delivers on flavor. The sodium content is moderate at 1,290 mg (53% of the daily value). The package contains Paldo’s signature potato starch-enhanced noodles and a sauce packet with sugar, gochujang, soy sauce, mustard, vegetable extracts, and apple concentrate. I believe this product is vegan, though you’ll want to double-check the ingredients list for yourself. A few bits of seaweed are also visible in the final dish but I didn’t notice them in the ingredients list.

Noodles:
These have a perfect chewy texture and benefit from the cold prep method since there’s no broth to make them soggy. The added potato starch gives them a satisfying firmness that holds up wonderfully to the sauce. They’re exactly the right thickness for this kind of dish.
• 9/10

Spiciness:
There’s just enough heat to balance the sweet and sour components without overwhelming the palate. It’s on the higher end of what I would call a mild kick, but potent enough to register if you really don’t eat spicy noodles regularly. If you can handle a typical order of General Tso’s chicken, you can definitely handle this.
• 3/10

Overall:
This is a delicious mix of sweet, spicy, and sour, with the apple and mustard flavors coming through clearly. The flavor balance is excellent; nothing dominates, and it all works together like a spicy applesauce (in a good way). The little pieces of seaweed add a slight umami note, and eating it cold gives it a refreshing quality that works surprisingly well in the summer. This is easily something I can see myself going back to throughout the season. If you want to dress it up, look up bibim naengmyeon recipes on Google or YouTube. Popular toppings include cucumber, hard-boiled egg, pear, and toasted sesame seeds. I plan to try it with cucumber next time.
• 9/10

That wraps up my first-ever cold noodle review. If you’ve got a favorite cold instant noodle or a good hack using a hot noodle variety, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. More soup and stir-fry reviews are coming soon.

Notes since filming:

Indeed, I have tried this multiple times since the original review, with hard-boiled eggs, julienned cucumber, tomato slices, and sesame seeds, and it makes for a terrific, refreshing cold noodle treat. I’ve bought this variety more times than any other cold noodle I’ve reviewed.