In the bowl today: Sapporo Ichiban Chicken Ramen. I’m reviewing one of the most common ramen varieties you’re likely to see in the supermarket, and I’m doing it while I’m not feeling 100%, so a savory chicken soup sounds perfect right now. I had never tried Sapporo Ichiban noodles before launching the channel, but now that I have, I’m always happy with how good these noodles are for the price. I’d walked by them in grocery stores for years and never knew they were better than similarly priced noodles until I had my first bite of their original soy sauce flavor.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 127: Sapporo Ichiban Chicken RamenAuthor: Noodle Journey
Noodle Journey Episode 126: Trader Joe’s Mee Krob Snackers
Today I’m trying Trader Joe’s Mee Krob Snackers, a crispy noodle snack that takes its inspiration from the Thai dish mee krob for its sweet-and-sour profile. I do not get to Trader Joe’s often, so when I spotted these, I immediately grabbed a bag to see how well a cluster of crispy noodles works as a snack.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 126: Trader Joe’s Mee Krob SnackersNoodle Journey Episode 125: Nissin Demae XO Sauce Seafood Flavor Ramen
This one is pretty interesting and is a flavor profile I’ve never tried before: Nissin Demae XO Sauce Seafood Flavor Ramen. XO sauce is a Cantonese condiment made from dried seafood cooked with chilies, onions, and garlic (and sometimes ham). The “XO” name comes from XO Cognac, which has been colloquially adopted in China as shorthand for luxury, despite there being no cognac in the sauce. Based on that, I’m expecting a funky, salty-sweet, very seafood-forward broth with a little heat and some oil for richness.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 125: Nissin Demae XO Sauce Seafood Flavor RamenNoodle Journey Episode 124: JML Instant Noodle Artificial Mushroom Chicken Flavour
Today, I’m checking out a new-to-me Chinese noodle company called JML ( short for JinMaiLang), with their Instant Noodle Artificial Mushroom Chicken Flavour. I’m going into this one with a specific curiosity: there’s been a big swing toward artificial meat flavors in products exported to the U.S., largely because importing real-meat noodle packs is difficult under USDA rules. In practice, “meat” gets approximated with yeast extract, maltodextrin, soy protein, and similar additives – sometimes convincingly, sometimes not – so I’m treating this as a flavor exercise first and seeing where it lands.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 124: JML Instant Noodle Artificial Mushroom Chicken FlavourNoodle Journey Episode 123: Ottogi Snack Ramen
Time to review Ottogi Snack Ramen, a product that is actually marketed as a snack instead of a full meal. I’m going in wondering whether this is worth choosing over Ottogi’s full-size Jin soups I like, and what the flavor actually is. The main conceit of this product is the cooking speed – it’s a true two-minute cook time thanks to the super-thin noodles in here. I’ve seen a cup version of this as well, but I’m reviewing the pillow pack here.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 123: Ottogi Snack RamenNoodle Journey Episode 122: Samyang Tangle Bulgogi Alfredo Tangluccine
Today’s review is Samyang’s Tangle Bulgogi Alfredo Tangluccine, the first product I’ve found from their new Tangle line. Samyang is marketing Tangle as Korean-inspired pasta (“K-pasta”) that marries premium, air-dried noodles with Korean-flavored sauces in a twist on Italian pasta. The name “Tangle” comes from a Korean term for firm, elastic texture; the noodles here mimic fettuccine in width and bite, and the format aims to be a hearty one-pot fusion meal by pairing those noodles with a substantial plant-based flake packet. There’s also a Kimchi Rosé flavor in the line that I still haven’t been able to track down, so this bowl sets my baseline for what Tangle is supposed to be.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 122: Samyang Tangle Bulgogi Alfredo TangluccineNoodle Journey Episode 121: Nongshim Potato Noodle Soup
Today I’m reviewing Nongshim Potato Noodle Soup, a Nongshim variety that puts the potato starch content of the noodles front and center. While Nongshim’s noodles often include a little potato starch for chew, this recipe leans on it as a primary ingredient. Despite the name, this is not gluten-free; there is wheat gluten in the noodle. The packaging also does not make it clear what kind of broth this is, so I’m going in curious to see where the flavor lands.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 121: Nongshim Potato Noodle SoupNoodle Journey Episode 120: Lotus Foods Millet & Brown Rice Ramen with Red Miso Soup
Time to continue my Lotus Foods run with their Millet & Brown Rice Ramen with Red Miso Soup. It has been a while since I touched this brand because the white miso variety landed in my bottom five and the turmeric curry was only okay. The ingredient choices in the noodles were never the problem with this brand like you might think – it was always the flavor of the soup. I picked this one to review now because I recently saw it on a “healthiest ramen” list and I want to know if red miso, which is usually the most bold, funky of the miso varieties, finally gives Lotus Foods a broth with real character. Here’s a quick primer on miso if you’re unfamiliar: white is mild and sweet, yellow leans earthier, and red is the strongest and most pungent, the kind you often find in ramen shop miso soups.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 120: Lotus Foods Millet & Brown Rice Ramen with Red Miso SoupNoodle Journey Episode 119: Samyang Bulgogi Ramen Soup
Today’s review is Samyang’s Bulgogi Ramen Soup, and I’m happy to finally cover a new Samyang product that isn’t another Buldak flavor. Bulgogi is something you’ll find in Korean barbecue: thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and onion, sometimes with Asian pear for sweetness, then grilled or stir-fried. As a noodle bowl, that translates to those marinade flavors adapted into a soup, since bulgogi itself isn’t served as a soup.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 119: Samyang Bulgogi Ramen SoupNoodle Journey Episode 118: Maruchan Akai Kitsune Udon Noodle Soup
I’m reviewing Maruchan’s Akai Kitsune Udon Noodle Soup, a companion to the Midori no Tanuki soba I just covered. “Akai Kitsune” translates to “red fox,” which in this context refers to a bowl of udon topped with fried tofu (called “abura-age”), not anything to do with fox meat. I like the Tanuki soba a lot, so I’m going in hoping this udon version lands just as well.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 118: Maruchan Akai Kitsune Udon Noodle Soup