Brand: Nissin

It was only a matter of time before Cup Noodles made an appearance on the channel, and this one brings a bit of a twist. Rather than reviewing the familiar American grocery store staple, this is one of Nissin’s Japanese-inspired varieties sold in the USA, Cup Noodle Seafood, singular without the “s” at the end of “Noodle,” just as it’s branded in Japan. If you’ve ever wondered what sets these apart from the basic domestic offerings, you’re not alone.

Despite a rocky history with Cup Noodles in general and a lukewarm experience with Nissin Raoh Tonkotsu earlier in my reviews, this one shows promise. It’s a seafood-forward cup with real shrimp, crab, calamari, and pollock or whiting (depending on what’s available during production). That’s already a step up from the usual corn, peas, and carrots I’ve seen in other cups. It also clocks in at 1430mg of sodium (62% DV) and retails for about $1.99 online at the time of this review, making it still a budget-friendly option but not quite as cheap as the American varieties. Let’s see how it holds up in practice.

Noodles:
A little better than expected, though still nothing to write home about. These are thin, soft noodles that don’t bring much chew, but they’re not the mushy mess you might remember from your childhood. I’m not a huge fan of them, but I like them better than I remember.

• 5/10

Spiciness:
There’s no spice to speak of here, none in the broth and none in the add-ins.

• 0/10

Overall:
This cup ends up being a surprisingly strong entry despite my initial misgivings about the product line. The broth is where things shine: a savory, comforting mix of chicken and onion flavors that picks up depth from the seafood add-ins. There’s even a hint of sweetness from the cabbage that rounds everything out. It tastes fuller and more developed than I expected, and it’s not overwhelmingly salty despite the high sodium content. The real standout is the sheer quantity and variety of seafood floating around in the broth. Shrimp, crab, and squid are all represented here, and it’s far more generous than most products in this category. The noodles themselves may be middle-of-the-road, but they don’t drag the whole experience down thanks to the strength of the broth and toppings. If the noodles had more bite, this could easily be an 8 or higher, but as-is it still delivers a satisfying seafood experience.

• 7/10

Cup Noodle Seafood turned out to be a welcome surprise and a bit of a redemption for me regarding my feelings towards Cup Noodles in general. If you’re in the mood for something fast, warm, and packed with real seafood flavor, this is one worth keeping on hand.

Notes since filming: Credit where credit is due: if it wasn’t for this flavor, I’d probably never have bothered with any other Cup Noodles. I assumed this would have the same cheap salty taste as the other ones sold in America, but I was glad to be wrong. I keep this one stocked in my pantry and I’ve even bought some of the Japan-only limited-time seafood flavors because I like this one so much.