Detailed instant noodle reviews and ratings – watch, read, and discover your next favorite.
One of the things I love about ordering noodles from Japan is seeing what limited-edition flavors Nissin comes out with every couple of months. This Nissin Cup Noodle Three Cheese Chicken Paitan caught my eye one of the last times I ordered from Japanese-snacks-republic.com, and I knew I had to have it. Since this is a limited-edition flavor, read on to see if I think this is something you should order ASAP.
Read more: Review: Nissin Cup Noodle Three Cheese Chicken Paitan
One of the benefits of doing reviews here on the site is I can churn out reviews of limited-time products much more quickly than if I had to schedule time to film and edit for the YouTube channel. So with that in mind, I’m checking out the first of many limited-time Cup Noodle products from Nissin right here for your reading pleasure, with this Nissin Cup Noodle BIG Butter Chicken Curry. Oh yes, and it comes in the “BIG” Cup Noodle size only.
Read more: Review: Nissin Cup Noodle BIG Butter Chicken CurryOriginal video description:
As we celebrate not only the end of 2024 but of the channel reaching 2,000 subscribers, I bring you one of the craziest instant ramen cups I’ve ever seen. You read the thumbnail correctly: Nissin made a fish and yuzu salt broth flavored with actual pufferfish as part of their Raoh product line. How does a potentially poisonous fish taste in a ramen cup? You’ll have to watch the review to find out.
Scores:
Notes since filming:
Shortly after filming, Japanese Snacks Republic sold out of all three of these flavors completely. I would love to believe that was because of me!
Unfortunately, the best of these three, the Chicken Supreme Sauce flavor, seems to be in dwindling supply already if it’s not completely gone. Which really stinks because it is my favorite Cup Noodle flavor of all time at this point.
Original video description:
I couldn’t wait to get into these new Cup Noodles I got from Japan. This is a trio of French-inspired flavors in Cup Noodle form: Lobster Bisque, Sea Bream & Scallop Bouillabaisse, and Chicken Supreme Sauce Truffle flavors. Watch the video to learn all about these flavors and which ones are worth buying!
Scores: Lobster Bisque flavor:
Sea Bream and Scallop Bouillabaisse flavor:
Chicken with Supreme Sauce flavor:
Nissin Geki Fiery Hot Chicken Flavor is finally hitting US shelves, marking the debut of Nissin’s chili-infused Geki line for the American market. Manufactured at Nissin’s California facility, this product isn’t just a repackaged version of the Indian or Indonesian releases (Geki’s original marketing region), but rather it’s a new recipe designed specifically for current US trends. The idea is straightforward yet ambitious: chili flakes are fried directly into the noodles during production, creating a built-in heat source rather than relying entirely on the seasoning packet. It’s a clever concept and one that even Samyang, the company behind Buldak, hasn’t attempted. Given the timing and the marketing, it’s clear that Nissin wants this to stand as its answer to the Buldak craze.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 169: Nissin Geki Fiery Hot Chicken Flavor NoodlesIt’s yakisoba time! For this review, I’m finally diving into the U.F.O. product line with Nissin U.F.O. Japanese Sauce Flavor, a Hong Kong export version of one of Japan’s most famous instant noodle brands. I found this at a local Asian market for $2.99, and while the original Japanese U.F.O. is hard to come by in the U.S., this version is somewhat easier to find. The name “U.F.O.” actually stands for umai, futoi, and ookii, meaning “delicious sauce, thick noodles, and large cabbage.” This export version omits pork to meet import regulations, explaining why it’s easier to find in the USA.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 167: Nissin U.F.O. Japanese Sauce YakisobaIt’s not April Fool’s Day, but Nissin has once again gone completely off the rails. The new Nissin Cup Noodles Campfire S’mores Ramen is very real, and somehow even more absurd than it sounds. Coming from the same brand that gave us Pumpkin Spice, Breakfast, and Everything Bagel Cup Noodles, this dessert-themed entry takes the concept of novelty flavors to an entirely new level. As Nissin Japan launches a classy blowfish flavor, here in the US we’re stuck with marshmallow and chocolate noodles. The audacity is impressive, but the concept itself already feels like a dare, or even worse: something to get social media all abuzz.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 161: Nissin Cup Noodles Campfire S’mores RamenToday I’m covering the full set of Nissin Hot & Spicy Fire Wok Bowls: Sizzlin’ Rich Pork, Scorchin’ Sesame Shrimp, Molten Chili Chicken, and Volcanic Mongolian Beef. These aren’t part of the regular Hot & Spicy line, but while they use what I think is the same noodle base, they come with their own unique Fire Sauce recipes for extra heat. Each bowl aims for “restaurant-level” stir-fry flavor (Nissin’s words, not mine) straight from the microwave, which sounds ambitious for a $2 cup of noodles. I’m testing them from mildest to hottest to see if any of them deserve a spot in your pantry.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 159: Nissin Hot & Spicy Fire Wok BowlsThis might be the most important noodle I’ll ever review. Nissin Chikin Ramen (spelled “Chikin” intentionally, not as a typo) is the original instant noodle, first released in Japan in 1958 by Momofuku Ando. At the time, postwar Japan was facing food shortages, and the U.S. was supplying wheat flour to help feed the country. Bread wasn’t popular, so Ando set out to turn wheat into noodles that could last without refrigeration. His breakthrough came when he saw his wife frying tempura and realized that oil could be used to dehydrate noodles instantly. That discovery led to the world’s first flash-fried, shelf-stable noodle, and the birth of instant ramen itself, in the form of this Chikin Ramen.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 155: Nissin Chikin RamenIt must be April again, because Nissin has released yet another offbeat Cup Noodles flavor that sounds like a prank but isn’t. This time it’s Nissin Cup Noodles Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese, part of their growing list of limited-edition experiments like Pumpkin Spice and Breakfast Cup Noodles. Both of those turned out better than expected, so this one had me curious. I love everything bagel seasoning and cream cheese, just not necessarily together with noodles.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 152: Nissin Cup Noodles Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese