This was a big one for me. Prima Taste’s Singapore Curry LaMian comes highly recommended across the internet, especially by Hans The Ramen Rater, and I’ve been looking forward to trying it ever since I started this channel. This is also my first time reviewing a lamian-style noodle, which is traditionally a hand-stretched Chinese wheat noodle known for its thickness and chew. Between the packaging, reputation, and size of the noodle block, expectations were pretty high going in.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 15: Prima Taste Singapore Curry LaMianBefore we get into the rest of this review, let’s talk about how I handle curry. I’m a supertaster, which means I can isolate specific ingredients in a dish easily, sometimes too easily. It took a long time for me to get used to eating curry, not because of the heat, but because of a few ingredients that trigger what I call “red alert” when they’re too dominant. Cumin is the main offender, along with sage, anise, and cloves. Raw cilantro also doesn’t agree with me, but coriander seed is fine for some reason I don’t understand. Over time, I trained myself to tolerate these spices when they’re balanced well with others like cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, and the aforementioned coriander seed, and now I genuinely enjoy curry when it’s well blended. But if some unimaginative chef decides to use cumin as the only flavor in the dish, we’re going to have a problem. So, while I hoped this curry wouldn’t lean too hard on the red flag spices, I’m also going in with a fully objective perspective.
At the time of review, this 4-pack cost me $10.99 at my local Asian grocery store, which was right around the going rate online. That works out to under $3 a pack, and considering the portion size and quality, that’s a fair price. It does contain shrimp paste and coconut milk, so it’s not vegetarian, and the sodium content is a fairly high 1900mg (83% DV) per bag, which is listed as two servings, but let’s be real: you’re going to eat this whole thing if you have a decent appetite. Cooking this involves simmering the curry paste and powder mix packets in water while boiling the noodles for a full 7 minutes, which is a longer cook time than most instant options, but hopefully worth the wait.
Noodles:
Outstanding. Thick, chewy, substantial, and easily the best round instant noodles I’ve had to date. They hold up spectacularly in the broth and feel restaurant-quality straight out of the bag.
• 10/10
Spiciness:
There’s definitely heat here, thanks to the chili pepper in the ingredients, but it’s well-managed. The coconut milk tempers it nicely. It hits on the first bite and then backs off. Comparable to a medium-spice curry from a restaurant.
• 4.5/10
Overall:
This is about as close to perfection as instant curry noodles get. The broth is rich, layered, and terrifically balanced. Every spice in the curry powder pulls its weight without overwhelming the others, and despite my usual sensitivity to things like cumin, nothing jumped out or felt off. The broth is creamy thanks to the coconut milk but not overly sweet, and the mouthfeel is silky without being greasy. I also have to say that the presentation is excellent; the noodles look premium, and the broth has a deep, appetizing color. Even without add-ins, this felt like a complete meal, but I’m already thinking about ways to dress it up in future bowls. This wasn’t just good, it was perfect.
• 10/10
Notes since filming: My first perfect score! Yeah, I know that long diatribe about being a supertaster was probably boring to 98% of you. For the 2% that did power through for the whole thing, thank you. I talked about it because the supertaster thing is an important factor into my reviews. I credit this flavor with getting me to love curry 24/7, because I was still a little iffy on it before this review. This one is still a regular favorite in my household.
Fun sidenote – I had a commenter (since deleted) at one point tell me that they acknowledged that supertasters were real but that I sounded like an pretentious asshole by bringing it up. Quite a flex.
