Noodle Journey is an episodic YouTube channel dedicated to detailed and informative reviews of the instant noodle universe. This website provides a fully searchable index of every video, plus site-exclusive reviews, blog posts, and more, allowing you to find your next favorite instant noodle product. Some reviews have additional thoughts that I have added since the video was published.
Original video description:
I found out when I bought the Trader Joe’s Taiwanese noodles to review in the last video that they also carry a trio of instant ramen cups, so naturally I bought them to review as well. Anything seem odd about these to anyone else…? Watch this review for all sorts of surprises!
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Chicken flavor:
Miso flavor:
Spicy Miso flavor:
Original video description:
If you’re a Trader Joe’s fan, you might not know that they have started carrying an exclusive Taiwanese noodle kit in their stores that appears to be a direct challenger to Momofuku’s noodle packs. So I thought it was worth reviewing Trader Joe’s Squiggly Knife Cut Style Noodles with Soy and Sesame Sauce to see how it stacks up to the competition. Check out this review for all the info you need!
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Notes since filming:
Truly one of the most love-it-or-hate-it flavors I’ve ever reviewed. Either you appreciate all of the bold, fishy, beany umami this has to offer, or you think it smells like rotten feet.
I can’t tell if this is discontinued or in short supply or what. Nongshim’s USA site removed all traces of it being a current product in the middle of 2024, and it was scarce for a while, and then I saw it come back in stock at my favorite Asian market. I honestly have no idea what’s going on with this flavor, but if you spot it and you are curious about the flavor, don’t hesitate to buy it in case it really does go away.
Original video description:
Ready to take a look at one of the wildest instant noodle packs you’ve ever seen? There’s no shortage of interesting ingredients (and potential meal applications) in Nongshim’s K-Army Stew.
Links to purchase:
4-pack: https://www.yamibuy.com/en/p/nongshim-k-army-style-noddle-soup-132g-4
https://smile.amazon.com/Nongshim-K-Army-Style-Noodle-4-62oz/dp/B084RR36RJ
https://ramenmall.com/products/nongshim-k-army-stew-style-family-pack-18-6oz
Check all sellers on Amazon and don’t overpay. Also check your local Asian grocery store!
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Original video description:
After having a great experience with the super spicy Buldak Cheese, I wanted to know how one of Samyang’s newest Buldak flavors from 2022, this Quattro Cheese flavor, compares to it. Check out this review for all the details, and please excuse the orange cheese sauce that stained my fingers towards the end!
Links to purchase:
5-pack: https://www.yamibuy.com/en/p/buldak-quattro-cheese-hot-chicken-flavor-stir-fried-ramen-5-pack-x-4-76oz/1021096141
https://www.hmart.com/10010135
Bowl: https://www.yamibuy.com/en/p/buldak-quattro-cheese-hot-chicken-flavor-stir-fried-ramen-bowl-3-88oz/1021096151
Check all sellers on Amazon and don’t overpay. Also check your local Asian grocery store!
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Original video description:
Time to get back to the spicy stuff to kick off 2023! This time we’re going back to the omnipresent Buldak product line from Samyang to try their Cheese variety. There are endless debates about whether or not cheese belongs in instant noodles, so check out this review to see if this flavor works or is a flop.
Links to purchase:
5-pack: https://www.yamibuy.com/en/p/samyang-stir-fried-noodle-hot-spicy-chicken-cheese-flavor-ramen-5-packs-700g
https://www.hmart.com/10010046
https://smile.amazon.com/Samyang-Korean-Noodles-Buldak-Cheese-5Pack/dp/B07CL23WHH
Bowl: https://www.yamibuy.com/en/p/samyang-stir-fried-noodle-hot-spicy-chicken-cheese-flavor-ramen-big-bowl-105g
Check all sellers on Amazon and don’t overpay. Also check your local Asian grocery store!
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Original video description:
Have you watched all of the Marutai Local Series reviews and are still not sure what to buy? Watch this video, where I summarize and break down all the varieties, rank them, and pick my favorite.
Links to purchase the 7-pack of the Kyushu varieties:
https://smile.amazon.com/Marutai-whole-eating-Kyushu-1345g/dp/B00K2UK2MY
Check all sellers on Amazon and don’t overpay. Also check your local Asian grocery store!
Original video description:
Day 12, the final day of our Marutai Marathon leading up to Christmas! This is Marutai’s Kagoshima Kurobuta Tonkotsu Ramen, which uses a special extract from kurobuta pork and some charred green onions to flavor the broth. Watch the review to see how this stacks up!
Links to purchase:
https://www.yamibuy.com/en/p/kagoshima-black-pig-pork-bones-ramen-2servings-185g
https://meccha-japan.com/en/cup-noodles/44307-cup-noodles-kagoshima-tonkotsu-ramen-ajiyokatai-marutai.html (Bowl Version)
https://smile.amazon.com/Marutai-Speciality-Kagoshima-Berkshire-Tonkotsu/dp/B0725X5N78
Check all sellers on Amazon and don’t overpay. Also check your local Asian grocery store!
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Notes since filming:
I’ve been hard-pressed to find something that satisfies my craving for garlic quite like this one. Such a great balance between flavor, quality, and value. There’s a reason this was my favorite variety for a long time.
Original video description:
Day 11 of the Merry Marutai Marathon! This seems to be the most popular of the Marutai flavors according to just about everyone on the Internet, so check out this review to see if it lives up to the hype!
Links to purchase:
https://www.yamibuy.com/en/p/kumamoto-instant-noodle-186g
https://meccha-japan.com/en/cup-noodles/44277-cup-noodles-kumamoto-tonkotsu-ramen-ajiyokatai-marutai.html (Bowl Version)
https://smile.amazon.com/MARUTAI-Kumamoto-Tonkotsu-Non-fried-chopsticks/dp/B07DN1RP16
https://smile.amazon.com/MARUTAI-Kumamoto-Tonkotsu-Non-fried-servings/dp/B01HI50NTW
Check all sellers on Amazon and don’t overpay. Also check your local Asian grocery store!
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Notes since filming:
Possibly one of the most impressively unique flavors in the entire instant ramen world. If you like pork and lemons, you’ve gotta try this. I have a friend who routinely cleans out Yamibuy’s inventory whenever this comes back in stock, so blame him if you have a hard time finding it!
Original video description:
Day 10 of our Marutai Marathon leading up to Christmas! This is probably the wildest tonkotsu flavor you’ve ever seen: Marutai’s Setouchi Lemon Tonkotsu Ramen. Does this odd flavor combination work or is it Marutai’s first misfire?
Links to purchase:
https://www.yamibuy.com/en/p/marutai/1021093601
https://meccha-japan.com/en/instant-noodles/44302-instant-noodles-setouchi-lemon-tonkotsu-ramen-marutai.html
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VWHSDR6
Check all sellers on Amazon and don’t overpay. Also check your local Asian grocery store!
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Notes since filming:
Fun fact: This is one of the few times where I had to go back and reshoot almost the entire review. I still don’t know exactly what I did (maybe it was a defective liquid sachet?), but something got messed up when I cooked this variety and it came out bland and almost flavorless. I thought, based on the stellar experiences I had with the previous varieties, that something wasn’t quite right. Turns out I was right to second-guess myself, and on the second attempt this flavor turned out absolutely delicious.
Original video description:
Day 9 of our Marutai Marathon leading up to Christmas! Today’s review is a shoyu (soy sauce) broth from Hokkaido, but if you think this is just going to be just an ordinary soy broth, you don’t know Marutai!
Links to purchase:
https://www.yamibuy.com/en/p/japanese-instant-noodles-soy-bean-flavor-212g
Check all sellers on Amazon and don’t overpay. Also check your local Asian grocery store!
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