Sapporo Ichiban Shio Ramen

Made By:  Sanyo Foods of America [USA]
Preparation:  Saucepan & Range
480 calories per package

Available online via Amazon

This morning, we decided it was high time we had some ramen noodles again!  This is the second product from the June Ramen Box, and even though I expressed a little bit of disappointment that a "domestic" noodle would make its way into the Box, it does seem like it could be a 'breakfast noodle' kind of thing.  We'll give it a chance.

Inside the package is a block of fairly standard looking instant ramen, a 'soup base' packet, and also an included packet of sesame seeds for garnish.  Preparation is standard for 'domestic' packet noodles; we boil 2 cups (or 500cc) of water, boil the noodles for 3 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and stir in the Soup Base.  Finally, we sprinkle the sesame seed garnish on top, and our noodles are ready to serve!

The noodles have a bit firmer texture than I might have been expecting from an "American" ramen, and the broth flavor is also a pleasant surprise.  It tastes very similar to the normal domestic 'chicken' flavor ramen broth, but seems lighter and cleaner-tasting somehow.  It actually reminds me of the broth from the Paldo Kokomen we got in the previous Box, except without the jalapeño flavor and heat.  The light sesame flavor from the seeds was a nice touch; I think with a light clean flavor like this, adding sesame oil would be too much, but the seeds work, giving the flavor a little more dimension without any extra 'heaviness.'

I have to say, I am very pleasantly surprised!  I do accept that something doesn't have to be "Americanized" just because it's made in the USA (like many of Nong Shim's noodle products that are manufactured here but are otherwise like the Korean counterparts), and it seems that Sapporo Ichiban is following that standard, at least for this product.  Especially considering that this product should be readily available for a reasonable price, I could see us getting this again.  I'd definitely choose it over the Top Ramen and Maruchan chicken flavors, since both the noodles and the broth flavor are a big step up.  Sorry for doubting you, Ramen Box! :)

Ottogi Ppushu Ppushu Noodle Snack (BBQ Flavor)

Made by:  Ottogi Ramyon Co. Ltd. [Korea]
Required to Prepare:  Large Wooden Mallet  Nothing!
205 calories per 1/2 package

Available online via Amazon (as part of variety pack)

The final product that I received in the May 2015 Ramen Box is this "Noodle Snack" from Ottogi.  Despite being--by all appearances--a package of ramen, complete with separate seasoning packet, the caped mallet boy on the package urges, "Don't boil it, Crunch it!"

Before researching this entry, I was a litle apprehensive about the idea of eating raw noodles, honestly; my mind was conjuring up an image not unlike trying to chew up raw spaghetti.  But apparently, this is a thing that people like college students have been doing for years, and Ottogi has merely legitimized the practice by making it an official product line.  (I'm guessing I dropped out of college too early to have learned of this practice in school like everyone else.)

Anyway, all we do is crush up the noodles into bite-size pieces (or smaller--I got a bit carried away I think), then open and pour in the seasoning pack and shake it up to spread the seasonings onto the crunchy noodles, then we eat them.
{Or rather, I eat them, because my sweetie immediately found the flavor revolting.}

The noodles were actually a pleasant surprise!  Far from 'uncooked pasta' texture, they are much more like those crunchy "Chow Mein Noodles" that come in a can. (Stay in school, kids!)  I rather liked the flavor; it seems like an Asian variation of the sweet barbecue flavor that most "BBQ Flavor" potato chips use; along with an overtone of sweet soy sauce, there are garlic/onion and smoked-meat notes.
In a reversal from many ramen products that list their nutrition as two servings even though they are clearly for one, this one is listed for the entire package, which turns out to be more than I would want in one sitting--I ended up saving half the package for later, so I am calling it two 205-calorie servings.

On first taste, they seemed like a novelty item that I might not buy again, but after half the package, I have to say they were starting to seem rather craveable, so depending on price, I could maybe see buying some just to have a fun snack to take to work, and I could see myself trying out the other flavors as well. :)

Paldo Cheese Ramyun

Made By:  Paldo Co. Ltd. [Korea]
Required to Prepare:  Saucepan & Range
480 calories per package

Available online via Amazon.com

Continuing the trek through the May 2015 Ramen Box, we have this Cheese Ramyun from Paldo.  The idea of cheese ramen sounds a bit odd at first, but I don't know why it would be that much different than some other kind of cheese soup (like that awesome broccoli and cheese soup from Panera Bread).  Also, we had a good experience from the domestic Cheddar Cheese Chow Noodles, so I don't know why a 'soup' version of cheese ramen woudn't work just as well.

The contents of the package are very typical of any other Korean Ramyun, with the addition of a third packet containing "Cheese Powder."  Preparation is also very typical; we boil 550ml of water, add the dry veggies and soup base, and cook for four minutes.  The soup base itself has a reddish color not unlike the other 'hot-spicy' flavor Korean products; for the sake of science, I decide to taste the broth before adding the Cheese Powder, and it is definitely a milder version of Shin Ramyun et al--very similar to the Jin Ramen Mild that also came in this month's box.  The cheese powder seems to be the same stuff that comes in a box of macaroni and cheese, and is a bit clumpy at first, but eventually I get it stirred in, at which point the noodles are ready to serve!

The cheese is not actually the primary flavor of the broth, but (especially judging from the before/after tasting) it does change the complexion of the flavor quite a bit; there is a creaminess and tanginess that is added, which both counters a bit of the spiciness and seems to allow different sub-flavors to come out.  I should at least mention the noodles and vegetables, even though they are pretty much the same as in all the other Korean ramen products I've been having; the noodles are firm and flavorful, and the veggies are the usual green onion/carrot/cabbage blend.

I liked this one quite a bit as well!  I'm enjoying the more balanced flavors that I've been experiencing with the products that came in this Ramen Box; this one has the creaminess that I enjoy when I add an egg to a Korean 'hot' ramyun, but as a different variation with the extra tanginess that comes from the cheese--it's actually somewhere in between the egg and my sweetie's idea of adding sour cream to Shin Ramyun.  My opinion of Korean ramen has gone up after trying these products; I don't think I had realized there was this much variety.  I could see myself getting this one again as well! :)

Soup it Up:  The Ramen Box pamphlet suggests toppings of chopped green onions, egg, and additional cheese in the form of a slice of American.  We tried the extra cheese and green onions, along with some leftover roast ham. The extra cheese was a definite upgrade for me, taking it from a sort-of-creamy Korean-spice-flavored noodle to a sort-of-spicy cheese-flavored noodle, closer to my original expectations.  The extra green onion played nicely with the onion/garlic in the soup base, and the ham fit in perfectly because of course it did.  Ham and Cheese is a classic for a reason, right?

My sweetie did mention that she thought a soft egg could have gone well also--further experiments will clearly be necessary. ^_^

Ottogi Jin Ramen (Mild)

Made By:  Ottogi Ramyon Co. Ltd. [Korea]
Required to Prepare:  Saucepan & Range
500 calories per package

Available online through Amazon.com

Tonight I am reviewing the first of the noodles from my May Ramen Box; I decided to start with the mild one of the three, Ottogi's Mild Jin Ramen.  I noticed while looking up the Amazon link that there is also a hot version of this, so Jin Ramen is probably their trademark for the traditional-flavor Korean ramyun, like Shin Ramyun for Nong Shim.

Inside the package is the typical two packets of powder soup base and dry veggies, and a block of noodles which are the slightly thicker and rounder variety; they remind me a bit of the "udon style" noodles from Neoguri or like Samyang's dried udon.  We are actually supposed to put the vegetable flakes in the water at the beginning, before we bring it to a boil, which seems like a good idea to give them more time to rehydrate.  The vegetable packet has a more interesting mix than in a lot of other noodles; in addition to the typical green onion and cabbage, there are carrots, some wakame seaweed, dried mushrooms, and even some 'beeflike' TVP bits.  Once the 550ml of water comes to a boil, we add the soup base and noodles and cook for four minutes, then transfer to a bowl and serve!

This might be mild for a Korean Ramyun, but be warned--it is still pretty spicy compared to even the "spicy" varieties of American ramen.  That said, I think it is basically the same flavor profile as in Shin Ramyun and similar "hot-spicy" flavored ramyuns.  Since the spice level is toned down from those a little, though, I find that I taste the other layers of the flavor better in this soup; I am picking up the beef-onion base over the chili heat, which is nice.  The extra veggies like the seaweed and mushroom bits are nice as well.  The noodles have a very pleasing firm texture and a nice light flavor to them, which pairs well with the broth.

I definitely think I prefer the lighter spice in this one over the regular Shin Ramyun, I think the flavor is better balanced overall.  I'm not as sure I would place it above Shin Ramyun Black, but that might not be a fair comparison as Black is a 'premium' product that would cost more.  I'll certainly enjoy having the other package that came in the box, at least, and I could see myself buying more--as Korean ramyuns go, I rather liked this one. :)

Myojo Chukazanmai Soy Sauce Flavor

Made By:  Myojo Foods Co. [Japan]
Required to Prepare:  Water, Saucepan & Range
370 calories per package

Available online at Amazon.com

I know this blog has been woefully neglected of late, but I am still around... and more importantly to the story, my wife and I have been on a bit of a ramen kick recently.  We started by having some of my (already reviewed) favorites together, but it is time to start reviewing again!  I'm re-starting things with a very traditional product from Myojo, their Chukazanmai soy sauce (shoyu) ramen.

The package contains two soup base packets, one powdered and one liquid, and a very interesting block of dried noodles--they are not 'puffed' the way almost all instant ramen is at all; they quite hard and dense, and are much more like a dry pasta, like wavy spaghetti.  The liquid seasoning packet has concentrated soy sauce and sesame-flavored oil, and the powdered base seems to be, for want of a better description, a typical "oriental flavor" soup base.
We boil 600ml (about 2-1/2 cups) of water, then add the noodles and cook for 4 minutes.  The soup bases get mixed in at the end, either before or after we transfer the soup to our bowl, and with a quick stir we are ready to have some ramen!

[Note:  the delicious oils on top of the soup caught the
camera flash in an odd way, it didn't look this weird in person.
This does show how much rich flavoring you get though!]

Well, almost ready.  It feels a bit like there is something missing, and there is--I've skipped a step in the instructions.  See, this is actually a very respectable rendition of 'real' shoyu ramen soup; the non-puffed noodles are firmer and more like fresh, and the broth has that rich sesame and soy sauce flavor.  However, a 'real' shoyu ramen would never get caught being served naked like this, which is why the last step in the instructions is:  "3.  Try adding meat, or vegetable as desired."  To start, I think the 'serving suggestion' from the front of the package, which depicts some braised pork belly along with radishes, greens, and peppers, would be delicious, but really I think it would be a fine way to use whatever meaty leftovers you had around.  Extra rotisserie chicken, roast beef, kamaboko and 6-minute eggs all sound like good things to build a bowl of ramen around.

I actually could see eating it on its own for something simple and comforting if I were under the weather, but I can definitely see that it is meant as a base for a meal soup of your own design, and I think I may try to keep a couple of packs around for just that purpose. :)

Nissin Souper Meal Picante Shrimp Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA
Required to Prepare:  Water, Microwave
580 calories per package

I've decided it is high time I have some noodles for lunch again!  So, even though the doctors are all having Jimmy Johns for lunch, instead of getting that for myself, I brought some ramen to work.  I got these Souper Meals on sale at Safeway the other day for buy-1-get-1-free, so today's lunch will be an enormous bowl of Picante Shrimp noodles!  With "Improved Flavor and Premium Straight Noodles," I don't see how we can go wrong.

There are two packets to open inside, one with dried goodies (including some tiny shrimp), and the other with a spicy-smelling soup base.  We add water to the inside line, then microwave for around 4-1/2 minutes.  We are supposed to let it stand for 2 minutes before serving; mine ended up standing a bit longer than that as work interfered for a while, and the delicious aroma of noodles permeated a good portion of the office, taunting me, until I was able to get away again and enjoy my lunch.

There seems to be even more noodles in one of these than I remember!  They have a nice soft texture, not unlike an egg noodle from a canned soup, and they absorbed the flavor of the broth well.  The broth was not dramatically spicy, but did have a nice chili-powder flavor to counterpoint the typical shrimp broth.  I definitely enjoyed this!  The portion size was a little bit ridiculous, honestly, since no-one is really going to eat the "serving size" of half the container; however, I did finish the whole thing without feeling miserable.  I'd buy them again!  :)

Oh, ramen, how I've missed you.  If grocery-store ramen hits the spot like this, I really need to get to an Asian market soon.

Safeway Select Appetizers: Chicken Empanadas, Firecrackers, and Bags of Gold

Distributed by:  Safeway, Inc.
Required to Prepare:  Oven

Chicken Empanadas:  75 calories per piece
Firecrackers:  70 calories per piece
Bags of Gold:  80 calories per piece

My sweetie and I occasionally enjoy having a "tapas" dinner of sorts, by getting a variety of these frozen appetizers and making a meal out of them.  These are the ones that we usually get; she was the one that got me started on them, and even after all manner of flitting around trying different things by the Butterfly, these are still the ones we seem to like the best.

Although the package directions give a slightly different cook time for the empanadas, I find they all turn out fine by baking at 400° for 7 minutes per side.  They can also be deep-fried, which gives them a crisper texture, but we use the oven more often, just because it seems a little easier.

The Chicken Empanadas and Firecrackers are similar; the crispy exterior is sort of like a grilled flour tortilla.  The filling of the empanadas have a distinct jalapeño and bell pepper flavor along with the chicken and cheese, and the Firecrackers have more like a pulled roast beef and nacho filling.  The Bags of Gold are the odd one out; the wrapper is thinner and lighter, more like a wonton wrap, and rather than a Mexican flavor, the spinach and cheese filling is more European in style.  Even from the oven, they do get crispy on the outside, although they are of course a bit chewier than if they were deep-fried.

We definitely enjoy them, with either prep method.  We choose them over more expensive name-brand frozen appetizers, and it's not because we are sacrificing quality for price--it's because we like these the best, and the fact that they are inexpensive is just a happy coincidence.  :)

Hormel Compleats Cafe Creations Spicy Ginger Chicken

Distributed By:  Hormel Foods, LLC

Required to Prepare:  Microwave

280 calories per package

 This shelf-stable meal had been lingering in the cabinet for a while, so when I wanted a small lunch yesterday before my shopping trip, I decided it was time to use it.  These shelf-stable "Compleats" meals do have the advantage of being extremely convenient, with their very short microwave time (as they are being heated from room temperature instead of from frozen).  One minute in the microwave plus a one-minute stand time, and my small, quick and convenient lunch is ready to eat!

The flavor is a bit different than I had expected based on the name; the sauce is very rich, almost with a tomato-beef-stock flavor (although I don't think there is actually any tomatoes or beef in it).  The spice was noticeable but not overwhelming, which is to be expected for a mainstream product such as this.  The ginger, which I expected to be the top note in a light and crisp Thai-style flavor, instead becomes the base note in a deep and rich sauce.  Naturally the noodles are quite a bit softer than "al-dente," being in essence a canned pasta product, but I have to say I don't mind soft pasta in this context--I think it all comes together nicely, expecially with the water-chestnuts for a crispy textural aside.

I notice, though, that on the Hormel Compleats web page, this product is not listed anymore.  I think that's kind of a shame, as I rather liked it.  I don't imagine I could have singlehandedly "saved" the flavor from extinction, but if I had eaten it sooner, I might have at least been able to buy a couple more before they went away.

Now, it seems the only thing I can do is give it a posthumous happy-face. :)

Maruchan Instant Lunch Roast Chicken Flavor

Made By:  Maruchan Inc. [USA]
Required to Prepare:  Hot Water (10 oz.)
290 calories per serving

Available online through Amazon.com

It occurs to me that I have done very few reviews of cup noodles, which is kind of a shame, since I think for convenience and versatility they're really hard to beat--add some chips and some fruit on the side, and they're a really easy lunch; have them by themselves and they're a great afternoon snack.  If you have access to either a water cooler with a hot-water tap or a single-cup coffee maker that can dispense hot water, there is literally no cooking required.

This flavor used to be one of my favorites when I lived in Maruchan country [Missouri], and I hadn't found it again since moving to Nissin territory [Seattle area].  So when I found a good selection of Maruchan products at the local WinCo (for 28¢ a cup!) I had to grab a few for review!  As I mentioned above, preparation is as simple as adding 10 oz. of boiling or nearly-boiling water (to the fill line) and waiting three minutes.  Time for a noodle break!

I don't know if the noodle texture of Instant Lunch has improved, or if I just didn't remember how good they were, but I do actually prefer the noodles here to the domestic 'packet' noodles that tend to be soft and soggy.  I remember liking the broth, but I didn't remember details; it's a nice chicken-stock flavor, but with a hint of cumin that gives it a little depth.  The corn rehydrates a little better than the carrot bits, but both provide a nice little pop of sweetness to contrast the salty-savory broth.  I enjoyed it!  I think I might be having some more "cup noodle breaks" in the near future. :)

Lowrey's Bacon Curls Original Microwave Pork Rinds

Made By:  Oberto Sausage Co. [USA]
Required to Prepare:  Microwave
210 calories per package

(Available online through Amazon.com)

Due to the new work situation, I have had a bit fewer opportunities to enjoy (and thus review) ramen.  Who knew company-paid lunches could be a bad thing, right?  The reviews must go on, though, so today I will talk about low-carb snacks.

One thing I remember from my childhood is that my grandfather's favorite snack food was pork rinds.  He would usually have a bag next to his recliner, and he would share with the grandkids when we came to visit.  Maybe because of that memory, they are also a favorite snack food of mine, although I don't know if I've ever found a brand that tastes as good as what I remember him having.  So when I heard about these microwave pork rinds, made locally here in the Pacific Northwest by Oberto in Kent, WA, I knew I had to give them a try!

Preparation is both simple to anyone who's made microwave popcorn, and also slightly different.  The package cautions us to shake up the unpuffed pork rinds after unfolding the bag (to spread them out), and also has dire warnings about how it doesn't make popping noises like popcorn does and to watch the microwave like a hawk while cooking.  All I know is, with my older microwave, I can cook a bag for 2:10 and it turns out perfect every time without worrying about burning anything up.  (Your wattage may vary, naturally).  The bag inflates fully, like popcorn, but then deflates once cooking is done and the steam re-condenses--one package produces the amount pictured in the bowl.

The flavor is salty and sort of bacon-y, a lot like you would expect if you know what pork rinds taste like.  However, these will be the freshest pork rinds you've ever had; they are still snapping and crackling while you start to eat them, and I must say, fresh, hot pork rinds are a more memorable experience than cold ones out of a bag.  If you dislike the flavor of regular pork rinds, I doubt you'd like these either.  But if you do like them, I heartily recommend these, and I imagine you will have trouble going back to "pre-puffed" after tasting them. ^_^

Indomie Onion Chicken Flavour Instant Noodles

Made By:  Indofood [Indonesia]
Required to Prepare:  400ml water, saucepan & range
340 calories per serving

For today's lunch, I'm reviewing an Onion Chicken flavour ramen soup from Indomie, who is probably better known for their Mi Goreng line of non-soup noodles but who also produces a decent variety of instant noodle soups--this one sounds like it should be a nice, mild, savory flavor.  On with the review!

Inside the packet we find a block of golden ramen-style noodles, along with a pack of seasoning oil and a foil double-pack containing soup base on one side and a decent portion of chili powder on the other.  To prepare, we boil our 400ml (or 1-3/4 cups) of water, and add the noodles and cook for three minutes.  Meanwhile, we are supposed to go ahead and put the contents of the flavoring packets into our bowl, and stir them up into a paste.  When I open the soup base, I notice a celery-like aroma, and the seasoning oil has a scent not unlike french-fried onions.  Anyway, once the noodles are cooked, we pour them over our seasoning paste, stir things up, and serve!

The flavor of the broth is a bit less oniony than I had expected; it seems very much like a western-style chicken broth.  The noodles have a decent texture, and interestingly, while eating the noodles I do notice a taste of the fried-onion flavor from the seasoning oil--the noodles must be picking up the oil as I lift them out of the broth, and it gave them a certain complexity that I appreciated and enjoyed.  I didn't notice a lot of spice while I was eating, but once the bowl was finished I did seem to have a small chili-heat afterglow going on.

While overall I'm not sure the flavor of these is that much different than just a plain domestic-brand chicken flavored ramen, the price is really not that much different either, and for the difference I appreciated the extra complexity and intensity of flavor that these had.  Even though they're basically "just" a chicken flavor, for some reason I'm looking forward to having them again.  :)

MAMA Artificial Pa-Lo Duck Flavour Oriental Style Instant Noodles

Made By:  Thai President Foods, Ltd. [Thailand]
Required to Prepare:  12 oz. boiling water
240 calories per package

I wanted a small serving of noodles this morning as a pre-brunch snack, which is the perfect occasion to try one of these 2-ounce size Thai noodles.  I chose MAMA's Pa-Lo Duck flavor, so I can compare it to the "non-fried" duck flavor noodles I had a while back.  A cursory Google search seems to suggest that "Pa-Lo" is simply another word (the Thai word, perhaps?) for "five-spice", so I'm imagining the flavor will be at least similar.  I told you I was going to try to find the same flavor with the good noodles!

The package contains our lovely MAMA dark seasoned noodles, a packet of thick light-colored garlic-scented oil, and a double foil packet that has our soup base and the obligatory chili powder.  We add all the ingredients into a bowl, add 1-1/2 cups of boiling water, and cover and let stand for three minutes.  After a quick stir, we're ready to eat!

The noodles are definitely way better than the "non-fried" ones, with the nice firm texture that I am used to.  They might be a little less flavorful than I remember, but maybe it's not fair to compare these to noodles that have soaked in Tom Yum broth.  The broth is a bit spicier than I was expecting; I did rate the other ones at about a 3-star level, but these are probably more like a four.  Perhaps due to this, the five-spice flavor seems a little bit subtle, but it is there, along with a nice rich duck-broth base.

Overall, these were quite enjoyable, though they seemed a bit overly spicy for a morning snack.  Of course, I could probably do something about that by leaving out some or all of the chili powder, which I might actually do in the future--while I don't usually mind spice heat, it seemed a little out of place in this one.  While I still prefer the flavor of the Tom Yum varieties, I could see wanting this one again.  Oh, and of course it practically goes without saying that for only twenty extra calories per package, this one is just strictly better than the "non-fried" version. :)

Maruchan Akai Kitsune Udon

Made By:  Toyo Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. [Japan]
Required to prepare:  ~14 oz. boiling water
410 calories per serving

Available online through Amazon.com

Today is a cold, rainy day in Woodinville, WA, so a hot comfort food sounds like just what I need for a quick lunch!  I'm trying these noodles from Maruchan of Japan (who should not be confused with Maruchan USA).  Although there is english writing on the package in various places, such as the instructions and nutrition information, strangely there is no translation of the name on the package.  So, I have to resort to my extremely-limited japanese-decoding skills, and I make out the name as Akai Kitsune Udon, which seems like it would mean something like 'red fox noodles.'  Whatever they're called, I'm ready to try them, so on with the review!

The kitsune [fox] part of the name means that the noodles are topped with an abura-age, which is a seasoned fried tofu pocket thing, and which are the same thing used for making inari sushi.  Unlike other 'udon' products I've tried, these are dry noodles rather than being vacuum-packed fresh ones.  We also have a double-packet of seasonings, that has a basic-looking soup base in one side and what seems to be an extremely tiny amount of chili powder in the other.  We open the packet into the noodles, fill the bowl to the line with boiling water, close the lid, and let stand for five minutes.  Then after a quick stir we are ready to eat!

The broth is mild but quite flavorful; it has that dashi flavor that I really love, like in the Nong Shim Japanese-Style Udon.  I don't notice any sort of heat at all; if that really was chili powder in the packet, there wasn't enough of it to change anything.  The noodles are nice, but remind me more of an egg noodle than a true udon--the flavor is close but a little too rich, and the texture isn't quite right either.  Still, they are not bad by any means and accompany the broth well.  The abura-age has an interesting flavor, if you've never had one; they're mildly sweet and kind of remind me of a waffle.  It can also be a bit unwieldy to eat, especially (I would imagine) with a different implement than chopsticks--the outside crust is quite firm and tends to resist efforts to stab or cut it.  I can fold it in half and pick it up to take bites, but I'm not sure how you'd go at it with a fork or spoon.

Overall, I liked this one quite a bit; it seemed like another nice variation on traditional Japanese noodle soup. It might not be my absolute favorite in the category, but I'll probably buy it again. :)

Nissin Demae Ramen Five Spices Artificial Beef Flavor

Made By:  Nissin Foods (Hong Kong)
Required to prepare:  Saucepan & Range, 500cc water
460 calories per package

(Available online through Amazon.com)

One thing about making the transition from unemployed to self-employed is that there are more demands on time--just because there is a lot of work to do for the business doesn't mean there's suddenly less housework to make up for it.  So where does the Ramen Butterfly turn when she wants a quick and easy lunch?  Instant noodles to the rescue!

Today's rescuer is this Five Spices Artificial Beef Flavor ramen from Nissin of Hong Kong.  For those unfamiliar, the five spices in Chinese five-spice can actually vary a little, but the main flavor note is always a cinnamon-clove-anise blend of some sort.  (It's actually not that far removed from an American pumpkin-pie spice blend.)  It's an interesting flavor, but one that can be overpowering if used irresponsibly, so we'll see how it translates into a ramen flavor.

Inside the package we find a very typical block of ramen, and two seasoning packets--a soup base, and a small amount of seasoning oil (which has kind of a french-onion thing going on).  We boil our 500cc [2-1/4 cups] of water, add the noodles and cook for three minutes, then add the flavorings and serve!

The noodles have a nicer texture than I had remembered Nissin Demae noodles being; they actually have a very pleasant mouthfeel.  The broth is a very nice balance between a beef broth and the five spice flavor; the five-spice is definitely noticeable but it isn't too strong.  Being a Nissin Demae product, there are of course no vegetables or faux-meat bits to review, but those can be a distraction as easily as they can be a feature anyway. I would have to say that out of the three Nissin Demae products I've reviewed so far, this one is probably my favorite!  I certainly wouldn't mind having this one again. :)

Ruffles Ultimate: Kickin' Jalapeño Ranch Chips & Smokehouse Bacon Dip

I have to admit, I do enjoy being one of the first to try the newest stuff, especially when it comes to food items.  I also tend to be adventurous when it comes to wanting to try all the "wild" snack flavors that come out--most of which don't end up staying on the shelf long, but hey, I was one of the ones that got to taste them.  So, that means that when I saw these new "Ultimate" Ruffles chips in the store the other day, there was no question that they were going to take a ride in my shopping cart.  I settled on the Kickin' Jalapeño Ranch flavor to try first, and I noticed that on the bag it suggested that they should be paired with the Ruffles Ultimate Smokehouse Bacon Dip, so into my cart that went as well.  I had to try the combo, right?

Ruffles Ultimate Kickin' Jalapeño Ranch Potato Chips
Made By:  Frito-Lay, Inc.
160 calories per 1 oz. serving (pictured)

The first thing I notice about the chips once I open the bag is that the shape is a little different than regular Ruffles chips; instead of the tiny "ridges" that everyone is familiar with, the shape and texture is very similar to Wavy Lay's chips, except the "waves" are a bit more angular.  I guess the sharp corners make them more edgy and cool or something.  The flavor is really quite nice!  The trend in novelty chip flavors recently had been to just make things extra spicy and call them "extreme," so I was kind of expecting something along those lines.  Instead, these are just mildly to moderately spicy, and the main flavor note is a fairly good rendition of the 'green' flavor of a jalapeño pepper.  I am pleasantly surprised!  :)

Ruffles Ultimate Smokehouse Bacon Dip
Made By:  Frito-Lay, Inc.
70 calories per 2 tbsp. serving

I'm just going to get straight to the verdict and say that the dip is another pleasant surprise!  In this case, the "Ultimate" factor seems to be the thickness of the dip; it is really rather thick, and loaded down with a generous amount of real bacon bits.  The sauce is very creamy, and seems to be somewhere between a sour cream and an alfredo-style flavor.  I actually had to warm up to it, but I think that's because of what I didn't taste more than what I did--my 'usual' is a Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix in sour cream, and I think I was used to the tartness of the buttermilk and sour cream, which is really not present in this dip.  After I got used to the flavor, though, I started really liking it on most things I tried it with, especially raw veggies like snap peas and baby carrots.  Even my sweetie, who is not really a big dipper, told me she enjoyed this.  I really only bought this because the potato chip bag told me to, but out of the two products, this one is the one that stands out to me--I don't feel like I would have to have more of the chips once the bag is gone, but I've already purchased another jar of this dip for when the first one runs out.  :D

And finally, of course, I had to try the two of them together!  I would have to say the bag was right--they do pair together very well!  The flavors seem to combine to make something new; the creamy base of the dip seems to mute the jalapeño pepper flavor a bit, which lets the underlying ranch flavor of the chip come through more.  The result is a nice balance of creamy ranch and bacon, with the jalapeño becoming the undertone.  So I guess the bottom line is, if you do get the chips to try, go ahead and get the dip to go with them and you shouldn't regret it.  And if the chips don't sound like your kind of thing, the dip is really good anyway.

Yamachan Shoyu Ramen

Made By:  Nippon Trends Food Service (Product of USA)
Required to Prepare:  Saucepan & Range, Boiling Water
360 calories per package

While I was browsing the aisles at Uwajimaya Bellevue on my last visit, I found a section of fresh noodles in the refrigerated section, away from the extensive dry-goods instant noodle aisle.  Since they are fresh and need to be refrigerated, they obviously have a shorter shelf-life than the 'normal' dry ramen, so I just picked up one to try this time.

Inside the package there is a styrofoam tray that holds the pack of fresh noodles, and a little foil packet of liquid soup base.  To prepare, we need to boil water in both our saucepan and our teakettle; we add the noodles to the saucepan and cook for 1-1/2 minutes (or 2-1/2 minutes if frozen), and meanwhile we mix 1-1/4 cups of boiling water with the soup base in our bowl.  Once the noodles are cooked, we drain them and add them to the bowl, and the noodles are ready to serve!

The noodles have a wonderful texture, much more like "real" restaurant ramen than the dry ramen everyone is used to.  The broth tastes a bit different than I was expecting from a shoyu broth; there is a strong taste of sesame oil which really overpowers the other flavors.  Overall, the soup is kind of plain, honestly, but I don't hold that against it, because it's clearly meant as a base for you to add your own ingredients (much like restaurant ramen).  So, although I think it is just okay on its own (and I felt obligated to review it that way), I am definitely looking forward to having it again--and adding my own green onion, crab stick, boiled egg, and other nifty ingredients to make this into a really awesome bowl of "real" ramen.  :)

Nong Shim Shin Ramyun BLACK

Made By:  Nong Shim America Inc.
Required to Prepare:  Water, saucepan & range (or bowl and microwave)
560 calories per package

Available online through Amazon.com

So, it's been a while... did y'all miss me?

Today I finally tried a package of the infamous "Shin Ramyun Black" by Nong Shim.  The infamy, by the way, stems from the fact that Nong Shim of Korea got hit with a false-advertising fine for stating that their new Shin Ramyun Black was nutritionally "the perfect food."  I was unaware of all the controversy when I purchased them (although I do find it amusing), and honestly I'm much more interested to see how the flavor compares to Shin Ramyun 'Red'.  So, on with the review!

Inside the package is a disk of noodles that looks just like the ones in normal Shin Ramyun, along with three packets; there is a "Beef and Vegetable Mix" which has the usual dried veggies but also some dehydrated beef chips including some dried mushrooms, a plain "Soup Base," and something called a "Sul-Long-Tang Soup Base" which is apparently a bone soup of some sort.  We boil 550cc [2-1/3 cups] of water, then add everything to the pot and cook for five minutes.  Then we just transfer the soup to our bowl and serve!

The broth is very creamy-looking, and the little chunks of beef mushrooms are easily visible.  Like the other Shin Ramyun, the noodles have a nice texture, and are flavorful from cooking in the soup broth.  The broth itself has the expected spiciness, although it does seem to be a bit milder than regular Shin Ramyun... maybe the creaminess from the Sul-Long-Tang stuff is toning it down a bit.  There is a much deeper beef broth flavor here than in the normal Shin Ramyun, too.  The rehydrated mushroom pieces stay a bit tough and don't seem to have a lot of flavor on their own, but I'm imagining they've contributed their flavor into the broth instead, and it's not like they really detract or anything.  It seems a bit more "premium" than adding powder mushroom extract, anyway.

I think I may have actually enjoyed the flavor of these more than regular Shin Ramyun; the extra flavors from the beef bone extract seemed to provide some welcome complexity to help the flavor not be quite so one-sided.  However, the premium price on these makes the question of value a bit harder to answer... but I will say that I'm more interested in having this product again than I am the regular Shin Ramyun.  :)

Soup it Up:  Most times we enjoy this soup, we do add a soft egg to it, to balance the spice level with a bit of richness and creaminess.  There's no huge need to add other items because of the 'premium' nature of the included add-ins, but some thin slices of beef could be a thing.
Also, my wife decided to try adding some sour cream to hers, as a different variation to 'cool down' the spice, and I thought that was a worthy option as well, the sourness brings forward a different set of flavors than with the ultra-creamy egg yolk.

{5/15/15 edit: I've recently realized that what I had thought were strange little pieces of beef were actually mushrooms.  They make much more sense to me now. ^_^; }

Nissin Demae Ramen Satay Flavor

Made By:  Nissin Foods Co., Ltd. (Hong Kong)
Tools Required:  Saucepan & Range, Bowl & Utensils
480 calories per package

Available online through Amazon.com

Sometimes I think I must be more adventurous when I am shopping than I am when I am deciding what to eat.  I picked up this Satay flavor noodle when I was at Uwajimaya a couple of months ago, and I've been avoiding it in the pantry ever since.  It's probably because my first experience with a satay flavor noodle was less than stellar, but it does make me wonder why I bought it in the first place if I wasn't going to eat it.  But today I am feeling adventurous, so eat it I shall!

I was actually a little bit surprised to find two flavor packets included--all the other Nissin products of this style I've seen only had one.  The first is the expected "soup base" packet, and the other is labelled "seasoning sauce" and seems to have some sort of liquid inside.  We boil 500ml (or 2-1/4 cups) of water in our saucepan, add the noodles and cook for three minutes, then add the packets last.  The Seasoning Sauce packet ended up having a grainy brown paste in it, which resisted coming out of the packet; I ended up just tossing the packet in the soup and swishing it around with my chopsticks to get the stuff out.  Anyway, after transferring the soup to a bowl, lunch is ready!

I didn't have to be so worried about trying these; the broth is much less one-dimensional than I remembered from the Mi Goreng Satay.  There is still a strong nutty flavor, but it is much less sweet, and it balances with an undertone that is along the lines of five-spice beef.  While not spicy in terms of chili heat, there is a lot of interesting spice flavors present.  The noodles themselves don't really excite me, but at least they aren't as mushy as the US style.  I am very pleasantly surprised!  I definitely wouldn't mind having these again, and I might not even wait quite so long to eat them next time. :)

Red Baron Classic Crust Special Deluxe Pizza

Distributed by:  Schwan's Consumer Brands, Inc.
Tools Required:  Oven
750 calories per 1/2 pizza

We had something "quick and easy" for dinner last night, and settled on this Red Baron pizza that I had picked up on sale at Safeway last week.  Even at regular price, this brand is fairly economical compared to some of the more "gourmet" brands like DiGiorno's or Freschetta.  So I'm hoping it turns out to be good!

The toppings sounded good, anyway; this is their Special Deluxe Pizza, which says it has "Two Cheeses, Sausage, Mushrooms, Pepperoni, Black Olives, Green & Red Peppers, and Onions."  (The two cheeses happen to be mozzarella and cheddar, for the record.)  Out of the box, the toppings actually seem to be distributed fairly well, though I did fuss with the pepperoni pieces a bit to eliminate any overlapping ones.  We preheat our oven to 400°, then stick the pizza in straight on the rack and bake it for 19 minutes or so.  I was happy to see that no cheese or toppings dripped onto the oven floor, a common downfall with on-the-rack pizza cooking, so it scores a few points there.  Although the box doesn't specifically say to, I let it cool for about five minutes before cutting.  Dinner is served!

There is a generous portion of cheese(s) included, and although the toppings aren't piled high and deep, there is definitely enough to give a good flavor.  I especially enjoyed the sweet bits of onion and mushroom, but all the flavors blended nicely.  I actually really liked the flavor of the sauce, too; it is slightly sweet, but not too sweet, and definitely not too tangy or spicy like I have had with some other products.  I really enjoyed the texture of the crust!  It is nicely crispy on the bottom without being hard and crusty, and is sort of pastry-like, with a rich buttery flavor.  I have to say I like it better than most of the fancy-pantsy "Rising Crust" products I've tried in the past--those have a habit of coming out too dry and sort of bitter (probably from the rising agent).  I am impressed, especially considering the economical price!  I'll definitely be letting the Red Baron cook for me again sometime. :)

Ottogi Bekse Curry Myon

Made By:  Ottogi Ramyun Co. Ltd. (Korea)
Tools Required:  Saucepan & Range
420 calories per package

Next up, I found another curry flavored ramen to try!  This one is made by Ottogi, a company I hadn't previously heard of.  They must be fairly well established in Korea, though, since they have their own U.S. distribution branch.  Unfortunately for them, the main thing that stands out for me looking at the package is their logo--to me the little face looks like a creepy disturbing version of Maruchan's logo.

Trademarked creepiness aside, though, I think the product seems promising; I am looking forward to another curry noodle! Inside the package is a block of noodles that look strangely puffed or aerated, a packet of dehydrated veggies, and a packet of powder soup base.  We add the dried vegetables to 2-1/4 cups of water in our saucepan and bring to a boil, then add the soup base and noodles and cook for four minutes.  As soon as I add the soup base packet, the aroma tells me what kind of curry I am going to be sampling--it smells just like the Japanese-style S&B Golden Curry.  I transfer it to a bowl, and get ready to try it!

The broth has a wonderful flavor of Japanese curry, with flavors of curry spice, onion, and potato.  It is significantly spicier than even the 'Hot' S&B mix, which must be the Korean influence--they don't make many Ramyuns that aren't hot and spicy.  Unfortunately, the noodles are lackluster; they became quite soggy and don't seem all that flavorful.  I greatly prefer the texture of the noodles from Myojo, Nong Shim, or MAMA.  The vegetables, while not that plentiful, are very nice, though.  The onion bits rehydrated nicely and retained a lot of flavor, and the little white squares that I assumed were tofu bits before cooking turned out to be little chunks of potato, which I thought was a very nice touch for a Japanese curry flavor.

Thanks to the broth and the veggies, I definitely enjoyed this soup, though I do wish there had been a more generous helping of those nifty green onion and potato pieces.  The noodles held it back from being amazing, but I would have it again. :)