Detailed instant noodle reviews and ratings – watch, read, and discover your next favorite.
This Nissin Jonetz Shrimp and Salt Flavour Ramen Bowl is the fourth item from Guam in my review pile, and like the Acecook product that preceded it, it is another Don Don Donki store-exclusive product under the Jonetz brand (check out the previous review for a little info on the Jonetz branding). Now on its
A while back I had my first taste of Nissin's U.F.O. noodles in the form of the Hong Kong export version, which I was lucky enough to find at a local Asian convenience store. The other variety I picked up from that store around the same time is this Nissin U.F.O. Super Hot Chilli Flavor,
It's been a while since I took a look at one of these Nissin Cup Noodles flavors from Hong Kong, but back when I reviewed the Black Pepper Crab flavor, it ended up being one of my favorites ever. I'm very curious to see how this one goes. If you want to know how this
It's been a while since I reviewed something from Jin Mai Lang, also known as JML. I reviewed their Artificial Chicken Mushroom flavor way back when, and it did certainly deliver on both the chicken and the mushroom flavor, although the noodles weren't really the best. Here with this variety, we've got a Chinese "stewed
This Baijia Hi A'Kuan Broad Noodle Chili Oil Flavor is one of those products that caught my attention the instant I saw the packaging. The massive ribbon-like noodles pictured on the front were calling out to me, practically daring me to try them. This variety from China has been recommended to me more than once, and based on what I’ve seen from others online, this flavor in particular seems to be one of Baijia’s most popular offerings. Baijia is a Chinese company that’s been around for nearly two decades, specializing in non-fried noodles of all shapes and thicknesses. Their Hi A'Kuan series leans into premium noodle quality, and this particular flavor promises a balance of chili oil spice and vinegary tang. Between the reputation, the presentation, and my own curiosity about how broad noodles handle this type of sauce, I went into this one with high expectations.
It’s yakisoba time! For this review, I’m finally diving into the U.F.O. product line with Nissin U.F.O. Japanese Sauce Flavor, a Hong Kong export version of one of Japan’s most famous instant noodle brands. I found this at a local Asian market for $2.99, and while the original Japanese U.F.O. is hard to come by in the U.S., this version is somewhat easier to find. The name “U.F.O.” actually stands for umai, futoi, and ookii, meaning “delicious sauce, thick noodles, and large cabbage.” This export version omits pork to meet import regulations, explaining why it's easier to find in the USA.
A viewer recommendation led me to try Yumei Henan Noodle Original Soup, a Chinese instant noodle that immediately stood out to me for its wide, air-dried noodles and interesting-sounding broth ingredients. The product photos looked amazing: flat, broad noodles unlike anything I’ve had on the channel before. Henan noodle soup (Huī miàn) dates back to the Tang Dynasty, and its traditional version uses lamb bones and herbs for a light but rich broth. This export version skips the lamb but advertises an herb-forward, savory base. Yumei makes a range of foods beyond noodles, including snacks, sauces, and self-heating hot pots, though this was my first review of any of their products. There’s also a spicy version with a different vegetable mix, which I plan to track down later if this one performs well.
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 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.