Maruchan Gold Soy Sauce Ramen Review - Noodle Journey Episode 34
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Maruchan Gold Soy Sauce Ramen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 34

I'm following up on my review of Maruchan Gold Spicy Miso with the only other variety in the Gold line currently available in the US: Maruchan Gold Soy Sauce Ramen. I’m curious if this could become my new favorite shoyu-based noodle soup. The non-premium version of this would be the blue pillow packs - the ones that said "Oriental" flavor for an oddly long time before they changed it to "Soy Sauce" flavor. I've had that one a long, long time ago, never for a proper review, but I do remember not coming away super impressed.

Maruchan Gold Spicy Miso Ramen Review - Noodle Journey Episode 33
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Maruchan Gold Spicy Miso Ramen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 33

Today, I’m trying out Maruchan Gold Spicy Miso Ramen, which marks the first review of a Maruchan product if you can believe it. While the company is known for their budget-friendly options, this "Gold" line aims to be their premium entry, positioned as a counterpart to Nissin’s Raoh series. It’s labeled as "Craft Ramen" and sold in sleek, reflective packaging, priced around $2 per pack at some supermarkets, although it tends to be a bit harder to find than Nissin Raoh from my experience.

Ottogi Jin Ramen Spicy Review - Noodle Journey Episode 32
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Ottogi Jin Ramen Spicy Review | Noodle Journey Episode 32

In this review, I'm checking out the counterpart to the last review, this time trying Ottogi Jin Ramen Spicy. This is the counterpart to the Mild variant I reviewed in the previous episode, and while the core formula is nearly identical, the spice level promises a different experience. If you haven’t checked out the last review yet, go do so first, since there’s some overlap between the two reviews.

Ottogi Jin Ramen Mild Review - Noodle Journey Episode 31
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Ottogi Jin Ramen Mild Review | Noodle Journey Episode 31

In this review, I'm taking a look at Ottogi Jin Ramen Mild, a red chili soup from Ottogi, a brand I haven’t featured before despite their long history in the instant noodle world. This is (obviously) the mild version of their famous ramyun, which offers a more approachable alternative in terms of spice compared to things like Nongshim Shin Ramyun or Paldo Namja, but still belongs to the same family of savory Korean red chili broths.

Samyang Buldak Jjajang Ramen Review - Noodle Journey Episode 30
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Samyang Buldak Jjajang Ramen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 30

Samyang returns to the spotlight in this review with their spicy twist on a Korean favorite: Samyang Buldak Jjajang Ramen. For those unfamiliar, jjajang is a Korean adaptation of Chinese black bean sauce, which is a thick, earthy, and slightly sweet sauce that I’ve only recently started exploring. My first exposure was through Nongshim’s Chapagetti, but this version promises a much more intense experience thanks to Samyang’s trademark Buldak heat.

Myojo Shio Tonkotsu Ramen Review - Noodle Journey Episode 29
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Myojo Shio Tonkotsu Ramen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 29

This review marks a first for me: a review of a frozen instant noodle product. Everything prior has been shelf-stable, but this one, Myojo Shio Tonkotsu Ramen, comes straight from the chilled section of my local H Mart. With two servings per pack and a price of $5.99, it's a $3 bowl of fresh ramen, which is remarkably affordable compared to premium instant varieties like Ichiran. This is a Japanese product from Myojo, a brand known among noodle enthusiasts and often praised on Reddit for its quality.

Paldo Bibimmen Review - Noodle Journey Episode 28
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Paldo Bibimmen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 28

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 an always-reliable company, Paldo Bibimmen. 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.

Snapdragon Miso Ramen Review - Noodle Journey Episode 27
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Snapdragon Miso Ramen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 27

This review continues the Snapdragon saga, this time with their Snapdragon Miso Ramen, a "Sapporo-style" miso broth. Following up on last episode’s dismal tonkotsu review, I'm bracing myself for disappointment again, but trying to remain impartial. I paid $3.19 for this cup at my local supermarket at the time of this review. It’s microwavable and contains the same cup format as before, claiming
"rich, vibrant, mouth-watering umami flavor."

Snapdragon Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen Review - Noodle Journey Episode 26
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Snapdragon Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 26

This review features my first-ever encounter with a Snapdragon product, a brand I wasn’t familiar with before spotting it at my local Acme. I paid $3.19 for this Snapdragon Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen cup, which is more than any other cup product I’ve reviewed so far. Snapdragon markets itself as delivering premium street food flavor, but this price tag is tough to justify unless it really delivers. This brand also offers other flavors like miso, curry, and pho in mainstream US grocery chains, and I've heard very good things about their pho in particular. Let's see how this goes!

Nongshim Neoguri Review - Noodle Journey Episode 25
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Nongshim Neoguri Review | Noodle Journey Episode 25

For this 25th review milestone, I wanted to do something a little special. I had originally planned to review the Korean import of Nongshim Neoguri, a spicy seafood ramyun with thick udon-style noodles. But while prepping for the shoot, I noticed a twist: my local Wegmans carried a version manufactured in the US, while the one I had bought online was manufactured in Korea for export to the US. That might sound like a small difference, but the ingredients told a very different story.