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Browse all instant noodle reviews from Noodle Journey. I’ve covered hundreds of different flavors from brands like Nongshim, Samyang, Nissin, A-Sha, and more.
After a surprisingly not horrible experience with Mike’s Mighty Good Kimchi Ramen, I wanted to see what a company that actually makes decent noodles could do with the same concept. Nongshim Kimchi Noodle Soup seems like the perfect follow-up, since I’ve already made it clear how much I love both kimchi and Nongshim’s products in general. This one feels like a natural fit with their other products.
Mike's Mighty Good Craft Ramen Vegetarian Kimchi Ramen Soup is my latest attempt at revisiting this brand, which I’ve often criticized for small portions, inconvenient cooking methods, and noodles that don’t live up to their marketing ploys. I did marginally enjoy their Fried Garlic Chicken and the Spicy Miso Soup they make for Trader Joe’s, so at a friend’s urging, I’m giving another flavor a fair shake. I love kimchi, and this one has gotten some mild buzz online. Mike’s products are widely available in grocery stores across the U.S., though they usually cost $3-4 per pack, which is terribly pricey considering the small size.
Welcome to the Hall of Shame, my first-ever Bottom 5 Instant Noodles list. After reviewing hundreds of products, I’ve suffered through the bland, the boring, and the downright offensive so you don't have to. Unless you are morbidly curious, you should stay away from these five varieties.
I recently hit the milestone of 1,000 subscribers, and to celebrate, I’m finally compiling the first-ever Noodle Journey Top 10 Instant Noodles list. Over the course of this channel, I’ve reviewed a massive variety of noodles, but these ten are the absolute best-in-class for their categories, in my humble opinion. These are the varieties that blew me away when I tried them and that I keep stocked regularly in my pantry for when I’m not filming reviews. This list is in no particular order. These are simply the major varieties that are easily obtainable and represent the pinnacle of my own instant noodle universe in 2024.
Ramen Bae Spicy Garlic Mix launched on February 1, 2024, after months of teasing, and I grabbed a pack the second it became available on their site. I’ve recommended Ramen Bae countless times on Reddit whenever people ask how to spruce up their noodles, and I’ve reviewed both their Classic Seafood & Vegetables Mix and their Veggie Mix in past reviews. Both were solid products worth your attention if you like the ingredients.
Ramen Talk Tomato Meatball Noodles is a brand-new variety that hasn’t even made it to Ramen Talk’s own website yet. Ramen Talk is one of my favorite noodle companies, and I’ve covered them extensively before in Episodes 77 through 83. Six of those seven noodles were terrific, with a couple that I’d consider top-10 material. Ramen Talk doesn't like being called “instant” noodles, since their products come with real meat and toppings packaged inside. You can usually order directly from their U.S. and U.K. sites, but this one popped up first at my local Asian convenience store. I paid $5.49, which is in line with their other premium releases.
Samyang Buldak Tom Yum is hot off the presses, launching in the U.S. in January 2024. I may even be the first to do a full review of it on YouTube, since I couldn’t find any others when I filmed. While Buldak varieties pop up constantly in other countries, like Basil Cream Udon in Korea or Yakisoba in Australia, this Tom Yum flavor is, at least for now, exclusive to the U.S. market. I picked mine up from RamenMall for $1.99 a pack, though stock has been fluctuating quickly. At the time of this review, it hasn’t hit stores near me yet, but it should roll out to Asian groceries and other online sellers soon.
The Han Kitchen Budae Ramyun is the last of the three Han Kitchen products I currently have. Han Kitchen is an Australian company with noodles manufactured in South Korea for global export. You should be able to find this one online as well as in H Mart and other Asian grocery stores. This flavor is their take on budae jjigae, or Korean army stew, a dish born in the 1950s by combining American military base rations like Spam, hot dogs, baked beans, and American cheese with Korean ingredients like kimchi, rice cakes, and gochugaru. It’s a concept I really enjoy, though I know it can be polarizing.
The Han Kitchen Pocha Ramyun is the second of three products from The Han Kitchen I’m reviewing. Han Kitchen is an Australian brand owned by ByAsia, with its noodles manufactured in South Korea and now starting to show up more often in the U.S. I found a four-pack at Yamibuy for $5.99, and they’re also available in H Mart and other Asian markets. This is my first time seeing “pocha” used on a noodle product, and after some digging I learned it’s short for "pojangmacha," which means a tent or stall that sells street food in South Korea. The name doesn’t describe the flavor directly - no tents were ground into powder to make this broth - but according to Han Kitchen, this is their take on a spicy red ramyun soup in the same vein as Nongshim Shin or Ottogi Jin.
The Han Kitchen Gomtang Ramyun is a milky beef bone soup with thick, chewy Korean noodles. I’m starting a trilogy of reviews from this relative newcomer to American markets because I want these on the books as they start popping up in more places. It’s been a long time since the Paldo Premium Gomtang review back in Episode 6, so this is a good chance to see how another take on gomtang measures up.