Video Reviews | Noodle Journey

by Noodle Journey - March 25, 2023August 5, 2025

Noodle Journey Episode 75: Nongshim Ansung Noodle Soup

I’m revisiting a flavor I tried a long time ago: Nongshim’s Ansung Noodle Soup, also known as Ansungtangmyun. Back then, I wasn’t in serious reviewer mode, so this time I’m taking a closer look. Despite its lower prominence compared to Shin, this one is still easy to find in stores like Wegmans or online for around $5 to $10 per 4-pack. The name “Ansung” refers to the small Korean city where this recipe originated, and the import version usually bears the original Korean name instead. According to Nongshim, this is a mildly spicy miso soup with beef extract and shiitake mushrooms, and it definitely piqued my curiosity. Read all about the history of Ansungtangmyun here: https://nongshimusa.com/homev2/our-products/meal-noodle/ansungtangmyun/

by Noodle Journey - March 18, 2023August 5, 2025

Noodle Journey Episode 74: MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodle

I’m reviewing a Malaysian product today that’s been called one of the best instant noodles in the world: MyKuali’s Penang White Curry. David Chang named it his top pick several years back, The Ramen Rater has given it high praise, and it’s been at the top of several “best of” lists. I had to hunt this one down, and while it was hard to find at first, I later spotted it at my local Asian market after overpaying for it online. So if you’re in the US, keep an eye out locally before shelling out for a third-party Amazon seller.

by Noodle Journey - March 11, 2023August 5, 2025

Noodle Journey Episode 73: Paldo Kokomen

I’m checking out a somewhat different flavor from Paldo with this Kokomen, a clean and spicy chicken noodle soup that’s a little more interesting than your average chicken broth. I don’t usually go out of my way to review plain chicken soups, because they tend to be a bit boring, but this one has an interesting backstory and flavor profile. Kokomen was the result of an amateur cooking contest in South Korea back in 2011, and the recipe became so popular that Paldo turned it into an instant noodle product.

by Noodle Journey - March 4, 2023August 5, 2025

Noodle Journey Episode 72: Paldo Bul Nak

I’m reviewing my first octopus-flavored product: Paldo Bul Nak. Not to be confused with Samyang’s Buldak, this Korean noodle combines a buldak-style sweet and spicy sauce with actual powdered octopus. And yes, it’s real octopus, not just flavoring. In Korean, “bul” means fire and “nakji” means octopus, so this is literally “hot octopus.” Expect heat.

by Noodle Journey - February 25, 2023August 5, 2025

Noodle Journey Episode 71: Nongshim Tonkotsu Ramen with Kuromayu (Black Garlic Oil)

I’m back with another tonkotsu ramen, this time from one of my favorite South Korean brands, Nongshim. While tonkotsu is traditionally a Japanese pork bone broth, here we’ve got a Korean company making their interpretation of it with this Kuromayu (black garlic oil) variety. For anyone unfamiliar, kuromayu is made by charring garlic in sesame oil, giving it a deep, bitter, smoky flavor that’s common in tonkotsu ramen, with the word “kuro” literally translating to “black.” This isn’t the same as fermented black garlic (which is also a valid ramen topper if you so desire), but rather has a different flavor profile.

by Noodle Journey - February 18, 2023August 5, 2025

Noodle Journey Episode 70: Mama Phở Gà

I’m continuing the phở series with Mama’s Phở Gà, the chicken counterpart to the Phở Bò I reviewed last time. If you’re unfamiliar with phở, check out that review first – I covered the basics there and want to keep this one more focused. This bowl shares the same spice blend and artificial garnish flavors as the beef version, but swaps in a lighter artificial chicken-style broth.

by Noodle Journey - February 15, 2023August 5, 2025

Noodle Journey Episode 69: Mama Phở Bò

I’m finally reviewing an instant phở product after nearly 70 reviews: Mama’s Phở Bò, a Vietnamese-style beef rice noodle soup. For those unfamiliar, phở is a noodle soup made with rice noodles, savory bone broth, and customizable fresh toppings like bean sprouts, Thai basil, chili peppers, and, unfortunately for me, cilantro (although I omit that part when I’m eating phở at a restaurant.

by Noodle Journey - February 11, 2023August 5, 2025

Noodle Journey Episode 68: Ottogi Sesame Ramen

I’m checking out a fairly unique Korean ramen today: Ottogi’s Sesame Flavor Ramen. Unlike most instant noodles that merely contain trace sesame, this one puts it front and center as its defining flavor. And despite how prolific Korean instant noodles are, this is the only widely available one that openly markets itself as “sesame ramen” (that I am aware of, anyway). Dandan noodles use sesame paste, but those are Chinese; Nissin has a sesame ramen, but it’s Japanese. Ottogi seems to have the Korean sesame ramen space to itself, which makes this an interesting instant noodle entry.

by Noodle Journey - February 4, 2023August 5, 2025

Noodle Journey Episode 67: Sapporo Ichiban Chow Mein

I’m reviewing a viewer-recommended pack today: Sapporo Ichiban’s Chow Mein, which is a misnomer since this is actually yakisoba. You’ll spot “Chow Mein” on the packaging in English, but the Japanese text phonetically spells “Yakisoba,” and the ingredients back that up. It includes Worcestershire-style seasoning (minus the anchovies), which is a hallmark of yakisoba, not chow mein. The terms get used interchangeably in American contexts, but this is squarely a Japanese-style stir-fry noodle.

by Noodle Journey - January 28, 2023August 5, 2025

Noodle Journey Episode 66: Paldo Jjajangmen

After enjoying several spicy black bean noodles like Samyang Buldak Jjajang and Nongshim’s Angry Chapaguri, I’m shifting gears and reviewing Paldo’s basic, non-spicy Jjajangmen. This one seems to be the go-to option for folks who want a rich black bean sauce without the heat. It’s widely available in 4-packs for $6–$10 online or at local Asian grocery stores, but be careful of price gouging on Amazon. According to Reddit, this version is often considered superior to Chapagetti due to its rich sauce and substantial veggie content. And with a 7-ounce pack weight, this is one of the heaviest instant noodles I’ve ever reviewed, most of that coming from a seriously chunky liquid sauce packet.