Samyang Japanese Seafood Flavor Udon

Made By:  Samyang Foods Co., Ltd. [Korea]
Required to Prepare:  550cc water, Saucepan & range
500 calories per package

A happy 2013 to everyone!  This year my sweetie and I have resolved to eat healthier, and this means I plan to be eating (and reviewing!) more instant noodles.  That might sound strange to some, but trust me, compared to eating lunch at fast food restaurants, ramen is a veritable health food.  To help get on board the wagon, yesterday I finally made it down to Uwajimaya in Bellevue to stock up on noodles and asian foodstuffs.

Rather than stand about wracked with indecision from an overabundance of choices, for lunch today I just plucked a packet off the top of the new-and-improved Noodle Stash and ended up with these Japanese Seafood udon noodles from Samyang.  The package informs me that "This is the oriental style Udon Which is soft noodles and clear soup taste in addition to the fresh raw-materials."  I find it amusing and slightly ironic, since these are a dried product instead of a fresh, soft-packed udon.

Anyway, inside the package, we find our large square brick of raw-materials thick noodles, a packet of soup base, and one labeled 'flake.'  We bring 550cc (or 2-1/3 cups) of water to a boil in our saucepan, add the contents of the packets and the noodles, and cook for 5 minutes.  Transfer our noodles to a bowl, and it is time to have lunch!

The broth is actually a bit more bland than I was expecting; rather than the usual dashi-and-shoyu Japanese-style broth that I am used to from some of the other udon products, this one seemed more along the lines of the generic "Oriental" flavor that you might find in a Top Ramen.  At first I thought maybe it was a straight dashi broth, but I made a small cup of HonDashi instant broth to compare, and this product seemed to be lacking both the smokiness and the seaweed undertone.  "Clear soup taste," indeed.

The noodles, on the other hand, were a pleasant surprise; I was expecting basically a Neoguri or Chapagetti-style thick puffed noodle, but these were the best rendition of the flavor and texture of fresh udon that I've had so far from a dry product.  They're still not quite the same as fresh raw-materials udon, but I enjoyed the noodles.  Overall, while these weren't bad by any means, the broth is forgettable enough that I doubt they will be a repurchase.  :|

Newman's Own Complete Skillet Meal for Two--Chicken Parmigiana & Penne

Made By:  Newman's Own, Inc. [USA]
Required to Prepare:  Skillet and Range (or 2qt casserole and microwave)
490 calories per 1/2 package

For dinner tonight, we are looking to the freezer for one of the convenience meals I try to keep available, and we ended up choosing this Chicken Parmigiana penne pasta dish from Newman's Own to try.  I'm not sure I have the usual anecdote about how we arrived at this decision today, but I will say that, as is usual for me, I purchased this while it was on sale with a coupon, so instead of the shelf price of (I think) $8.99, I gave $4.99 for it.

Anyway, we are hungry, so let's get on to the review.  Inside the bag we find par-boiled penne pasta, frozen sauce chips, some things that look like little cubes of white cheese, and six chicken nuggets.  To prepare, we simply empty the contents of the bag into a large non-stick skillet, cover, and heat on high for 4 minutes, then on medium-high for 6 minutes while stirring occasionally.  After the ten-minute cook time advertised, everything is bubbly and hot, and the sauce has thickened nicely, which is frankly more than I was expecting based on my experiences with these bag meals.  Since it doesn't seem to need extra cook time, it looks like dinner is ready to serve!

On first taste, my partner said to me (and I agreed) that it seems to be "missing something."  The sauce seems to be a bit on the sweeter side, which is something I am not used to with a chicken parmigiana.  Another thing I am used to with chicken parmigiana is for it to actually be made with parmesan cheese, which this isn't--the little bits of cheese I saw were mozzarella, according to the ingredients list.  I try adding some shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano of my own to try to rectify this situation, which helped but didn't completely solve the issue with the sweet sauce.  The three chicken pieces we each got were very soft and the breading was quite soggy, naturally; I didn't mind them and sort of enjoyed the salt-and-pepper seasoning of the breading, but my sweetie was a bit put off by the texture.

Overall, it wasn't bad, but it didn't seem especially good either, and really didn't seem to be quite as quality a product as we were expecting from Newman's.  I still have respect for the brand and will be trying some of their other offerings, but I doubt we'll get this one again. :|

Birds Eye Voila! Three Cheese Chicken

Made By:  Pinnacle Foods Group LLC  [USA]
Required to Prepare:  Covered Skillet & Range (or Microwave), 1/2c water
420 calories per 1/2 package


We worked hard today, and so I'm making a convenience meal for our dinner tonight!  In the freezer I had this Voila! Three Cheese Chicken skillet meal, which sounded pretty good, so that's what I settled on.  These Birds Eye meals are actually very economical compared to some of the other brands--I think I gave around $4 for this, so if it's good, then I expect to be trying some of the other varieties!

Inside the bag is a mélange of broccoli, corn, carrots, radiatori pasta, and chicken cubes.  I don't actually see any sauce chips; I think the sauce might be frozen onto the pasta pieces.  Anyway, this one is very simple to prepare; we dump the contents of the bag into our skillet, cover, and cook over medium-high heat for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.  After I lifted the lid, the meal was hot, but still looked watery, so I gave it a couple of extra minutes uncovered to cook down a bit, which helped things quite a bit.  I ladle it out into two dinner-size bowls, and my sweetie and I are ready to eat!

For something billed as a Three-Cheese Chicken, I do have to say that the cheese and chicken, while present, are not all that prominent.  The veggies actually seem to be the star of the show; the broccoli and carrots are very nicely firm-tender, and the carrots and corn are naturally quite sweet, to the point of making the overall dish seem a bit sweet.  The chicken pieces do have a nice texture and flavor, as does the sauce, though I wish there were a bit more of both.

On the plus side, it was a reasonably good dinner for a very reasonable price, and it has the side benefit of making you feel like you just had a really healthy meal--we definitely ate our vegetables tonight!  That said, I'm not sure it's the kind of thing I would really get excited about.  :|

MAMA Ramen Artificial Duck Flavor

Made By:  Thai President Foods, Ltd.
Required to Prepare:  Saucepan & Range, 1-1/2c water
220 calories per package


The Ramen Butterfly is back by popular demand!  Whoa, has it really been over four months since I did one of these?  I guess time flies when you get sidetracked, sometimes.  Thanks to the supportive commenter who reminded me I need to eat some noodles!

So, today I had these Artificial Duck Flavor "Oriental Non-Fried Instant Noodles" from MAMA; I figured the Thailand-style small serving was good for an afternoon snack.  I like most of MAMA's products quite a bit, but I'm also not sure what to expect from a non-fried noodle, so we'll just have to see what these are like!

Inside the package is a loosely-formed block of semi-translucent noodles, along with three flavor packets; we have a seasoning powder and a seasoning oil, along with the usual (for Thai noodles) small packet of optional chili powder.  We are supposed to bring 1-1/2 cups of water to a boil, add the noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes, and then stir in the seasoning powder--naturally, I add the entire packet of chili powder too.  The instructions tell us to put the seasoning "oil" (which is more of a paste) in the bowl and add the noodles on top, which I do, although why it matters how you add it to the soup is beyond me.  Give everything a stir, and we are ready to serve!

The main aroma I detect is of five-spice seasoning, not duck.  I wonder if that is a traditional seasoning for duck in Thailand?  In any case, the broth has a nice flavor of both duck and five-spice.  With the entire chili packet, I'd rate the heat level at around a 3/5, and of course that can be tailored to your preference by adding less or none of the packet.  The noodle texture is very different from MAMA's other noodle products; instead of being dark, firm, and flavorful, these 'non-fried' noodles are pale, quite soft, and don't seem to have much flavor of their own aside from what they pick up from the soup--a lot like the noodles in a domestic Top Ramen.  I wouldn't call them bad, exactly, but I do rather prefer the normal MAMA noodles.  Would I have them again?  Honestly, probably not, when I could probably find the same flavor with the nicer noodles for a similar calorie count.  I did like the flavor though. :|

Pagoda Express Chicken Fried Rice

Distributed By:  Schwan's Consumer Brands Inc. [Product of USA]
Required to Prepare:  Microwave Oven
680 calories per package

Last week I found myself in possession of a Safeway coupon good for $5 off any "New" frozen products.  So, of course I cruised the freezer aisles looking for "New" things to spend my coupon on!  I finally settled on three of these Pagoda Express frozen take-out style meals, and I am reviewing the first of them today!  I decided to try the Chicken Fried Rice first, as it seems like a direct competitor to the Tai Pei Chicken Fried Rice product that I've already reviewed (and enjoyed).

To prepare, we pull back the corner of the lid a little to vent, and microwave for four minutes; then we rip the lid off, give it a stir, set the lid back on top, and microwave for another two minutes or so.  Just like that, lunch is piping hot and ready to eat!

Comparing this to the Tai Pei product, I notice that the volume doesn't seem to have cooked down as much here, and the rice is a bit less soft, probably because this product doesn't use the steaming film.  Actually, I think I prefer the texture of this product; although the rice seems a bit on the dry side, the meat is much less soft and spongy--I think the lack of steaming is probably good for the chicken.  On the other hand, I think the Tai Pei fried rice may have been a bit more flavorful; I especially noticed the baby corn pieces being very bland and watery.  That is really my only real criticism with this, though, so overall I guess I thought it was good, if not memorable.  I'd probably get it again... if I get another coupon. :|

Nong Shim Chapagetti

Made By:  Nong Shim America, Inc.
Required to Prepare:  saucepan & range, strainer,  2-1/2 cups + 3 tablespoons water
560 calories per package

Available online through Amazon.com

Today we have a pack of Nong Shim's Chapagetti for review!  This is an instant version of a very popular Korean dish called chajangmyeon, which (according to Wikipedia) consists of noodles topped with a salty black-bean paste.  They should be interesting to try!

Inside the package is a disc of the puffy-looking noodles like the ones in Nong Shim's Neoguri, along with a packet of dried 'Vegetable Mix', a packet of soup base, and a small pouch of oil.  We are supposed to boil 2-1/2 cups of water, add the noodles and veggie packet and cook for five minutes, then drain the noodles well.  We put the drained noodles in our bowl, add the oil, soup base, and 3 tablespoons of water, and stir thoroughly.  Since the soup base seemed a bit coursely ground, the stirring was easier said than done, but eventually the noodles are coated with a thick, dark sauce and are ready to serve!

The star of this show, of course, is the chajang sauce, so we'll start with that; it has a deep, nutty, almost coffee or cocoa-like flavor, and isn't nearly as salty-tasting as I expected based on the description of chajangmyeon that I read.  It definitely doesn't taste like it looks like it would taste, if that makes any sense.  The vegetable mix seems to be mainly toasted onion with some carrot and faux beef bits; they are present and accounted for but don't seem to assert themselves above the sauce that much.  The noodles are spaghetti-like in consistency (hence the "pagetti" part of the name), soft but not mushy.

I didn't find these all that exciting, but they do seem to have a comfort-food vibe going on.  Although I am a bit curious now to taste some "real" chajangmyeon to compare, I doubt if I'll be seeking them out on a regular basis. :|

Safeway Select Chicken Bacon Alfredo Pizza

Distributed by:  Safeway Inc.
Tools Required:  Oven
600 calories per 1/2 pizza

I debated with myself as to whether to include store-brand products like this one, but I decided that Safeway is a national chain, after all, and I imagine there are people who would like to know if the store-branded products can compare with the more-expensive name brands.  Now that that's settled, it's time for the Butterfly to review!

Out of the package, the pizza doesn't look too bad; there is a fairly generous sprinkling of bacon bits and cubes of white-meat chicken.  It kind of looks like there isn't much sauce, but that could just be because it's a white sauce and blends in with the crust.  I preheat the oven to 425°, fix the positioning of the chicken cubes a bit, and bake it for 13 minutes (the package says 12-14).  Let it cool for a bit, and it's time to serve!

The pastry-style "Pizzeria Crust" isn't too bad, although I think the Red Baron crust was better both in texture and flavor.  I think this one could have stood a little extra time in the oven to crisp up, and maybe then the texture would have compared better.  The chicken pieces have a nice "real-meat" texture and flavor and stay tender and moist, and there is a nice balance between chicken and bacon. The sauce, though, seems a bit off to me; it doesn't come across as quite rich enough to be true alfredo sauce, and especially with the black pepper sprinkling, it ends up tasting a bit more like country gravy to me--which makes the whole thing taste kind of like one of those 'breakfast' pizzas.

Overall, I think it did seem like a quality product and a decent value; it might not be quite as appealing as the name-brand Red Baron pizza I tried last time, but it wasn't bad by any means.  I will be interested to try one with a normal pizza sauce for a better comparison.  As for this particular flavor, my sweetie said she liked it, but I'm probably going to try something else next time.  :|

Marie Callender's Fresh Mixers Traditional Stuffing & Turkey

Made By:  ConAgra Foods, Inc.
Ingredients Required:  Water
300 calories per package

(available online through Amazon.com)

I think I may have mentioned before that although my partner is very understanding and supportive of my instant-noodle passion, she doesn't necessarily share it.  (Especially when it comes to things like chicken porridge.)  Since the weather is getting cooler and I imagined she would also like to have some hot, convenient lunches, I purchased a selection of shelf-stable entrees.  Of course, since I never turn down the chance to try something new and possibly write about it, I picked up two of everything so we could share.  One of my sweetie's favorites is bread stuffing, so we are trying this one first!

This is the same product line that was formerly known as "Home-Style Creations;" ConAgra seems to have changed the name to make it match their corresponding Healthy Choice product line.  Inside the package, there is an inner tray that has our turkey and gravy, and some Stove Top style dry stuffing mix.  To prepare, we fill the main tray to the line with water, replace the lid (without the protective film), and microwave for three minutes.  For fluffier dressing, I did the optional stir and extra 30 seconds as well.  Then, we vent the sauce tray, microwave that for 30 seconds, and pour it on!

The stuffing seems seasoned a bit more lightly than I am used to; by itself I think it would seem bland, but as a bed for the turkey and sauce, it works.  Texturally it is comparable to other instant stuffing products; it turned out pretty good, not soggy or dry.  The gravy isn't bad, but it's fairly unremarkable--it seems comparable to the average name-brand jar gravy.  The turkey bits are actually pretty good!  There is a decent quantity, and they are much firmer than I expected in a shelf-stable product.  Overall this wasn't bad, and it seemed very satisfying for a 300-calorie serving.  I know my first impression of this product line was less than positive, but after trying this one I am at least a little more willing to give some of the other varieties a chance. :|

Mama JokCup Instant Porridge Soup Artificial Chicken Flavor

Made By:  President Rice Products
Tools Required:  Hot Water
150 calories per package

(available online through Amazon.com)

I grabbed one of these Chicken Porridge cups when I was at Uwajimaya just because it seemed unusual enough to make an interesting review.  I've been procrastinating actually tasting it, because there is part of me that thinks it has the potential to be really bad, but I was in the mood for an afternoon snack today and this seemed an appropriate size.  Here goes nothing!

The very first line in the directions say to peel the lid back halfway, but I run into an obstacle when the lid rips instead of peeling.  Once the lid is off, I see there is a cute little soup spoon included, which wasn't mentioned anywhere on the packaging.  I also see a powdery stuff in the bottom of the cup that reminds me of instant potato flakes.  We add boiling water to the fill line and give a stir, then cover and stir again once per minute for three or four minutes.  The finished product is a sort of sickly-looking milky white broth with some herbs floating in it.  I didn't actually expect a Porridge Soup to look all that appealing, though, so I'm not too put off just yet.

The texture is a bit like a really thin Cream of Wheat cereal; I think I expected it to get a little thicker, but at least that means it is sippable--I started off using the little spoon, but eventually I decided just sipping from the cup was easier.  The flavor seems to be somewhere between a Campbell's-style chicken and rice soup, and asian egg-drop soup.  The occasional sip has a chunk of dried ginger in it, which seems out of place both texturally and flavor-wise, but other than that, it really wasn't all that bad.  I'm not sure it warrants a re-purchase unless I was on a semi-liquid diet or something, but I didn't hate it. :|

Shirakiku Ramune Drink

Distributed by:  Nishimoto Trading Co. (Product of Japan)
90 calories per bottle (6.76 oz.)

I've seen these Japanese soft drinks around and really never paid much attention to them; I kind of figured they were one of those "Japanophile" fad things.  Uwajimaya had them on sale for $1 a bottle, though, so I figured what the heck, right?  They fit the theme of the blog better than some of the
things I've reviewed.

Even before tasting any of the flavors, I have the distinct impression that the selling point is the novelty packaging and not the drink--I don't think nearly as many people would give $1-$2 for less than seven ounces of soda if it didn't come in a Codd bottle, so I'll describe and review the bottle design separately first.  The bottle is sealed with a glass marble which is held against a rubber seal by the pressure in the bottle; the 'cap' on top is actually a small plunger which you use to push down on the marble, thus releasing the pressure and dropping the marble into the specially-shaped neck.  It takes a surprising amount of force to shove the marble off of the seal, and if you stop pushing before you get it all the way down, the marble pops right back up to the top and you have to start over.  Success is rewarded with a clinking noise and a puff of fizz as the marble is forcefully ejected into the drink.  I have to admit, the marble gimmick is kind of fun, albeit in a nerdy-feeling sort of way. ^_^

Now for the actual flavors...

• Pineapple is very sweet and the fruit flavor is subtle; I think it probably tastes more like pineapple-flavor Life Savers than actual pineapple.  :|
• Melon is fairly refreshing; still a little bit overly sweet, but not a bad rendition of a melon flavor otherwise. :)
• Grape is really average.  If it were poured into a glass, I don't think I could distinguish it from a store-brand grape soda.  :|
• Lychee is definitely the best of the first four I picked; it's not as syrupy as the others, and the fruit flavor is nicely well rounded, with a slight peppery finish.  I really should find a lychee fruit to sample one of these days so I can compare, but I definitely enjoyed this one. :)

So overall, I would say that my first impression (that the marble gimmick is the selling point) seems to have held true, although some of the flavors are good enough for a re-purchase.  But hey, it wouldn't be the first time I paid extra for neat packaging.  There really is something fun about the marble-neck bottles--they made me smile every time I popped one open, and that should be worth something. ^_^

Nong Shim Neoguri

Made By:  Nong Shim America
Tools Required:  Hot Water, Saucepan & Range, Bowl
515 calories per package

Rating:  :)

(available online through Amazon.com)

So a few weeks ago, I got a comment suggesting that I try Nong Shim's Neoguri.  It took me a couple of weeks to actually make a trip to the one local grocery that carries it, and then another week or so to get around to having noodles for lunch again.  Today is the day, though!

Inside the package, we have our disc of noodles, which appear to be quite a bit plumper than usual, even compared to other Nong Shim products like Shin Ramyun.  The package did describe them as "Udon Type Noodles," so they might turn out a bit different.  There is also a packet of dried veggies and a packet of powdered seasoning.  We are supposed to boil 19-1/2 ounces of water (apparently 20 ounces would be too much), then add the noodles, veggies, and soup base and cook for five minutes.  Due to the soup base being added during cooking, these will boil over much more easily than most instant ramen, so you should keep an eye on them during cooking.  Once the five minutes are up, we pour the finished soup into our bowl and get ready to eat!

The broth is quite spicy, which is to be expected from a Nong Shim product; it is comparable to their Shin Ramyun.  The flavor is described as a spicy seafood (as opposed to the spicy beef flavor in Shin Ramyun), but any seafood flavor here is unfortunately far too delicate to stand up to the heat level--which is to say that the chili powder is really the only detectable flavor.  I don't mean to be too negative though; it's not bad, just not as interesting or as balanced as some of their other flavors.  The veggie packet seems to be mostly pieces of seaweed sheet, which adds color and a bit of texture, but the high point here is definitely the noodles; they are very thick and firm, but not sticky in the least.  It's a very pleasant mouthfeel, and turns out to be much closer to the advertised "Udon Type" noodle than I would have expected from a dried noodle product.

The noodles themselves are good enough to rescue this product from a negative rating, although I can't help thinking that I wish Nong Shim offered this style of noodles with a different, more multi-dimensional broth. :|

Maruchan Yakisoba Roast Chicken Flavor

Made By:  Maruchan, Inc. (USA)
Tools Required:  Microwave, Water (around 1c)
520 calories per package

Rating:  :|

(Available online through Amazon.com)

Happy belated Fourth of July to my fellow Americans!  I know it isn't too late to mention the holiday, because people are still setting off firecrackers in my neighborhood as of just a few hours ago.  As for me, I plan to celebrate the Independence holiday week by firing up some yummy noodles!  I picked this Yakisoba noodle from Maruchan--what could be more all-American than roast chicken, right?

Inside the package, we find our ramen-style noodles and two packets; there is a dried-veggie packet that contains corn, peas, cabbage, red pepper bits, and onion flakes, and then we have our packet of powdered seasoning.  We are supposed to add the dry veggies in the space around the noodles (so they will be in the water), fill to the line, and microwave for four minutes.  After letting it stand for one minute, we remove it from the microwave, peel off the lid, and add the seasoning packet, which stirs in fairly easily.  It looks good!

The noodles are okay; I think they have a slightly softer texture than the competing Chow Mein line from Nissin, but they don't seem too mushy or sticky or anything.  The flavor is a bit sweeter than I thought it would be; I remember having had a Maruchan "Instant Lunch" cup noodle in Roast Chicken flavor, and it was a richer, heartier version of their normal Chicken flavor.  This one seems more like it's a light version of their Teriyaki flavor--like they mixed a teriyaki chicken with a savory chicken flavor.  Or maybe it's a honey-glazed chicken flavor?  It's sort of odd, actually.  The veggies do seem flavorful, but for some reason they seem to want to sink straight to the bottom instead of staying mixed into the noodles.  I tried to keep them stirred in, but I still ended up with a big pile of corn and cabbage at the end.

Don't get me wrong, the flavor wasn't bad, and these noodles were enjoyable.  However, I think most of the time, I will be choosing either a plain chicken flavor or a Teriyaki flavor, instead of this slightly unusual cross between the two. :|

FF Tom Yum Seafood Creamy Flavor

Made By:  Fashion Food Co. (Thailand)
Tools Required:  Hot water, sharp object
270 calories per package

Rating:  :)

(available through Amazon.com)

My sweetie told me I should have a "Japanese-style" breakfast this morning, which is her way of saying she's going to sleep in and I can eat noodle soup for breakfast.  I picked this Tom Yum Seafood bowl from Fashion Food, since the portion size is fairly small and I won't be ruining our 'real' breakfast later.  I've had this one in the cabinet for a while and I've been avoiding it for some reason; maybe the "Fashion Food" name gives me the feeling that the presentation took precedence over quality or something.  Anyway, this seems like the perfect time, so let's open it up and see what's in there!

I ended up needing a knife to open the shrink wrap; not a real problem but good to know if I were packing this for lunch.  (I also nearly destroyed the instructions by tearing the shrinkwrap off.)  Once we get in there, we find an inner liner that contains our dark-colored brick ramen noodles, a packet of powdered seasoning, and a packet of orange oil.  There is also a small pack of dried seafood and veggies, and another one of those silly little forks which I shall ignore.  We put all of our ingredients into the bowl, fill to the line with "bowling" water, and put the lid on for three minutes.  Once the time is up, I give it a stir, and notice that the noodles seem to resist separating out of their block shape, which is unusual.  I eventually get it all stirred up and photogenic, though.

The noodles are firm and flavorful; they are very similar in color and texture to the ramen-style noodles made by MAMA brand, also from Thailand.  The broth is significantly spicy, and unlike the MAMA products, the chili powder is not packaged separately, so there wouldn't be any good way for someone to 'tone it down' if they didn't want that much heat.  The flavor is nice, though; it seems comparable to the MAMA Shrimp Tom Yum, with the addition of the seafood bits.  One thing that might be a positive about not having the chili powder separately is that the broth does seem a little less grainy once we get down to the bottom of the bowl.

I did enjoy this one, although I can't help thinking the fancy bowl and fork were wasted on me.  Since the purchase price of these is roughly triple that of the MAMA packet-style product, I think that one would get the nod from me over this one.  :|

Tai Pei Orange Chicken

Made By:  Discovery Foods (USA)
Tools Required:  Microwave, Knife/Scissors
Meal Size (525 calories per package)
Rating:  :)

(complete information at official website)

For today's lunch, I am going to reach outside the instant-noodle category again and try another one of these Tai Pei frozen take-out-style entrees.  I really liked the first one I tried, so I am looking forward to giving this one a go!

Like the other Tai Pei box, preparation is extremely simple, though one should always read the directions before unwrapping things!  These are designed to be microwaved with the plastic wrap still on, so that it steams properly.  The instructions say to microwave 3-4 minutes in a 1200W oven; my machine is a little less than that, so I give it 4-1/2 minutes, then let it stand for a few minutes as directed.  I use my sharp object (a paring knife) to remove the film, give the contents a stir, and get ready to eat!

The box ends up only around half to two-thirds full; one of the box flaps tells us this is because the contents cook down to a smaller volume as they defrost and steam.  The sauce is nicely thick and is plentiful enough to coat everything evenly, and there is a generous quantity of vegetables and breaded chicken pieces along with our steamed rice.

Some of the components seem better suited for the steaming process than others, of course; the vegetables are quite nice--crisp, flavorful, and fresh-looking.  The chicken pieces don't fare so well... the meat is very soft, and the breading is soggy.  Their flavor is okay, but the texture definitely isn't comparable to real take-out.  The sauce is sweet, but no more so than I expected from an orange chicken sauce; it does have a good hearty flavor instead of just seeming like flavored corn syrup.

For a frozen convenience lunch, I didn't think this was bad at all.  The portion size seemed generous, the flavors were nice, and the crisp vegetables prevented the overall texture from seeming too mushy.  Not spectacular, mind you, but I'll probably end up buying it again. :|

Nissin Souper Meal Chicken Flavor with Vegetable Medley

Made By:  Nissin USA
Tools Required:  Microwave, Spoon & Chopsticks
Large Meal Size (580 calories per package)
Rating:  :)

(available online through buyasianfoods.com)

For today's review, I will be sampling one of Nissin USA's "Souper Meal" products.  As near as I can tell, the marketing strategy here seems to be the same as with those Hungry-Man frozen dinners, or the Burger King Triple Whopper with Cheese--that is, that we understand that manly men have manly hunger and so we are going to provide curiously large portions of food designed to satisfy a curiously large appetite.  When I think of it that way, it almost seems like a challenge; I may be a girly girl instead of a manly man, but my chopsticks and I are ready to take this thing on!

The bowl has three included seasoning packets along with the noodles:  there is a powdered soup base and a packet of dehydrated stuff which I presume is the promised "Vegetable Medley," and then there is a pack of liquid seasoning labelled "Finishing Touch" which appears to contain soy sauce and some kind of oil.  We add the first two packets to the bowl, fill with lots of water, and microwave uncovered for four-and-a-half minutes; then, right before serving, we add the Finishing Touch, which may be the corniest name for a flavor packet ever.  The noodles don't appear to have cooked completely evenly, some of them are more glassy-looking than others, but at least none of them seem undercooked.  I also notice a lot of herb flecks throughout, and our Vegetable Medley looks to be corn, cabbage, carrots, and maybe some mushrooms (although those might be the artificial chicken bits instead).

The broth has a nice hearty chicken and herb flavor; as far as ramen products go, it might be one of the better chicken broths I've tried.  The noodles are all right, I guess; they are a little firmer than what one would expect from a Top Ramen, but they don't seem to have a lot of substance either.  Overall, I would rate them as pleasant, though the phrase "quantity over quality" seems to come to mind.

Speaking of the quantity, I think I would say that the portion is probably a bit larger than it needs to be--out of curiosity, I measured the empty bowl once I was done eating, and learned that I had just eaten over three cups of soup.  On the other hand, I really didn't have any trouble finishing the whole thing, so maybe it isn't that unreasonable after all.  I will probably steer toward more sensible portions most of the time, but I imagine for someone with an extra-hearty appetite, this could be just the thing. :|

Nissin Top Ramen Shrimp Flavor

Made By:  Nissin Foods (USA)
Tools Required:  Saucepan & Range, Bowl, Spoon & Chopsticks
Meal Size (380 calories per package)
Rating:  :|

(available online through Amazon.com)

I was noticing that the past few posts have all been the "Souped-Up" re-reviews instead of actually reviewing new products... I think it is probably time I did a few actual product reviews here.  Today's selection is probably not unfamiliar to most of the reading audience, but I do think it is important to make sure I cover the basics along with the 'fun' stuff.  So, today I am having the very budget-conscious Top Ramen, in Shrimp flavor.  Let's see how it stacks up!

Inside the pack is our brick of ramen noodles, and a singular foil packet of seasoning labelled "Shrimp Flavor."  We bring two cups of water to a boil and add the noodles for three minutes, then stir in the seasoning at the end.  As I am pouring the finished soup into the bowl, I notice a promising savory seafood aroma.  The appearance, though, is a little less enticing; we have some glassy-looking noodles in a very plain-looking broth.  Well, time to give them a try!

The noodles are, as expected, normal grocery-store-style American ramen, which is to say the texture is quite soft and slightly sticky.  I try not to think of them as inferior, but they do seem like a totally different type of pasta than the noodles from the 'international' section.  What flavor the broth does have isn't bad, but it seems a bit watery and bland.

I think I am going to have to re-iterate what I said in my review of the Oriental Flavor Top Ramen:  There is certainly nothing offensive about the flavor of these--nothing strong or spicy that could possibly upset a stomach, so if I were feeling under the weather, I would probably reach for these to have a nice warm feel-good lunch.  For the most part, though, I would prefer a little more flavor.  These aren't bad, but they really aren't that interesting either.  :|

MAMA Phở Bò Án liêñ

Made By:  Thai President Foods (Thailand)
Tools Required:  Hot Water, Bowl w/ Lid, Spoon & Chopsticks
Snack Size (210 calories per package)
Rating:  :)

(available online through buyasianfoods.com)

Today I am trying the instant (Án liêñ) version of a dish that I had never heard of prior to moving to the Seattle area, and that seems to be incredibly popular here--there are dozens of restaurants devoted to serving Vietnamese Phở, which is a rice noodle soup.  Phở Bò simply means "beef Phở."  I have had the privilege of eating in a couple of different Phở restaurants now, so I am ready to see how the home version stacks up!

Inside the packet is our bundle of rice noodles, which seem wider and flatter than traditional Phở noodles.  There are also two soup base packets, one with powdered seasoning and one with a lumpy yellow oil of some sort.  The noodles and packet contents go into our bowl along with 1-1/2 cups of boiling water, and stand covered for three minutes.  Upon lifting the makeshift lid, I am greeted with the distinctive aroma of phở broth!  For those who haven't tried it, the broth in phở is not a typical onion-based beef broth, it is much more herbal in flavor and aroma.  It certainly looks good, so let's see how it tastes!

The noodles do seem a little bit lackluster; they are very soft and seem to clump together.  They do have the same flavor as real bánh phở, which is to say that they are both rice noodles, but the texture is a little off.  The broth, on the other hand, is quite nice; I am having a little bit of difficulty coming up with how to describe the flavor, other than to say it isn't a bad rendition of a phở broth.

Like most Thai instant noodle products, the portion size is quite small.  I am actually under the impression that these aren't necessarily meant to be eaten "plain," though--phở is generally served with a variety of meat, herbs, and sauces, so the flavor can be tailored to the individual.  I am anxious to try these with the same treatment:  some roast beef, sriracha and hoisin sauces, and maybe even some basil and bean sprouts; adding all that would turn them into a pretty decent meal size.  Anyway, if I am wanting to "soup them up" with the same treatment as restaurant phở, that must mean I thought they were okay.  :|