Noodle Journey Episode 144: Ramen Talk Tomato Meatball Noodles

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.

Right now, a few Asian vendors online are calling this different things: Meatball Tomato Ramen, Tomato Bisque Ramen, even “Three and a Half Tomato Ramen.” So you may have to do some creative Googling to order this online. Inside are Ramen Talk’s excellent wheat noodles with their trademark wheaty texture, a pouch of beef-based meatballs (four in total), a tomato broth pouch, and a garnish packet with green onions and sesame seeds. The meatballs came packaged together with hidden corn and tomato chunks, which was a pleasant surprise since they weren’t visible at first.

When cooked, the broth was hearty and tomato-rich, the presentation looked close to the package photo, and the aroma reminded me of Ramen Talk’s Tomato Tonkotsu flavor, though here it of course looks like a soup version of spaghetti and meatballs.

Noodles:
Terrifically chewy with an outstanding wheat texture, just like in every other Ramen Talk product I’ve reviewed. They cling to the broth perfectly.
• 10/10

Spiciness:
No spice at all in this broth. It’s mellow, tomato-forward, and approachable for everyone.
• 0/10

Overall:
The broth is essentially the same base as the Tomato Tonkotsu variety as I suspected, and it’s just as excellent here. You’ve got a deep, rich tomato flavor with a salty, comforting backbone and just a touch of sweetness and acidity. The included tomato chunks bring extra tartness and body, tasting almost fresh despite being shelf-stable. Corn, which I often criticize, works perfectly in this context, adding sweetness and crunch without distracting. The onions are plentiful and solid for being freeze-dried, while the sesame seeds add a nice bit of contrasting crunch. But the meatballs are the star here. While I can’t definitively confirm they’re beef, they taste well-seasoned with a firm, smooth texture and no mushiness. They’re far better than most meat inclusions I’ve had in instant noodles. Compared to the Tomato Tonkotsu, which I gave a 9/10 largely because of its somewhat lackluster chashu, this one improves on the concept with higher-quality and better toppings overall. The result is an Asian/Italian fusion that feels unique and absolutely works. I have no complaints here. This is a complete, hearty product that I’ll be buying again.
• 10/10

Notes since filming:

As I write this, the Tomato Meatball flavor still hasn’t found its way to Ramen Talk’s website, yet I can still find it in S Mart stores where I live. So weird. I can’t imagine this flavor wouldn’t sell well online.

And a further note since the last note: Ramen Talk’s website appears to be completely devoid of products nowadays, and this flavor never made it there for sale. What a shame.