Detailed instant noodle reviews and ratings – watch, read, and discover your next favorite.
Ramen Talk continues to impress with its premium, shelf-stable ramen kits that go beyond the typical instant noodle experience. This time, I’m digging into Ramen Talk Tonkotsu Ramen, which comes with a pretty wild inclusion: a full slice of pork belly. I’ve reviewed some heavy hitters in the tonkotsu category before, so I’m eager to see how this one stacks up against the likes of Marutai, Myojo, and even Ichiran.
This time, I’m continuing my exploration of the premium lineup from Ramen Talk with their Ramen Talk Tom Yum "Goong" flavor... sort of (more on that below). I recommend checking out the previous review of their Golden Sour Beef Soup first, since I go over a lot of background on the company there. But for the uninitiated: Ramen Talk is a Chinese instant noodle company that takes pride in using real whole ingredients, which they freeze-dry and pack alongside their sun-dried noodles. Everything you see on the packaging is in the product - yes, even the seafood.
This review kicks off a small marathon with Ramen Talk Golden Sour Beef Noodle Soup. Ramen Talk is a little-known Chinese company, and the name is derived from their Chinese name, Lamianshuo, which translates to "Ramen Talk" or "Ramen Explain." They’re bringing something new (at least to me) to the instant noodle scene: restaurant-style bowls with artisanal noodles, real meat and fresh-like toppings, all shelf-stable and packed into a single serving bag. I first stumbled across their products at a store called S Mart in the greater Philadelphia area and couldn’t believe my eyes. I bought this particular variety, brought it home, cooked it, took one bite, and I knew I had to order the full lineup and review them all for you. This is a brand that deserves your attention in the premium noodle space.
I’m wrapping up my reviews of Prima Taste’s lineup for now, or at least the ones currently available in my area. This time, I’m diving into Prima Taste Chili Crab LaMian, which along with the Singapore Curry and Laksa flavors I’ve previously scored at a perfect 10, seems to be the only other flavor that gets exported to the USA. But unlike those soup-based varieties, this one is a dry noodle, served with a sauce and oil packet instead of broth. It's a different style altogether.
I’m revisiting a flavor I tried a long time ago: Nongshim 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/
I'm reviewing a Malaysian product today that’s been called one of the best instant noodles in the world: MyKuali 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.
I'm checking out a somewhat different flavor, Paldo 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.
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.
I'm back with Nongshim Tonkotsu Ramen with Kuromayu, this time from one of my favorite South Korean brands! 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.
I’m continuing with the phở reviews with Mama 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.