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. :)

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. ^_^

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.

Roxy Crab Chips

Distributed by Roxy Trading Inc. (Product of Japan)
140 calories per 1 oz. serving

Usually when I get to an asian grocery to shop for noodles, I also end up bringing home a few imported snacks and things that I can't buy locally, for novelty and variety.  These Crab Chips caught my eye, I think mainly because of the coloring of the chips; they are stark white (probably even whiter in person than the picture makes it look) with little red flecks, presumably to suggest the appearance of crab meat.

Unfortunately, the appearance is the only thing that is suggestive of crab meat--there is absolutely no detectable crab or seafood flavor whatsoever.  The flavor did seem familiar though, and it actually took me most of the way through one serving to figure out what they taste like.  So here it is:  They taste like fried wonton sheet.  You know, like those little crispy strips they give you at chinese restaurants to put in your egg drop soup?  That's just what this tastes like.  So if you happen to want a whole bag of those, except shaped like little discs and decorated like crab for some reason, you are in luck if you find a bag of these.  Otherwise, I tried them for you so you don't have to. :\

Kettle Buffalo Bleu Krinkle-Cut Potato Chips

Made By:  Kettle Foods
150 calories per 1 oz. serving (pictured)
Rating:  0_0

(available online through Kettle Online Store)

Most days when I have noodles, I usually have some chips or snacks on the side, just for a little crunch to complement the soup or soft noodles.  And, much as it is with the noodles themselves, I love trying all the different flavors I can find--the more interesting, the better, often to the bemusement of my ever-supportive fiancée.  This time, I brought home some of these Buffalo Bleu flavor Kettle chips!  I am picturing flavors of hot wings dipped in blue cheese sauce, and I am getting excited.  So let's not keep me in suspense!

Oh, that is not what I expected at all.  They're good, but the flavor definitely doesn't match the image that the name conjures up.  They are not especially spicy, and I taste vinegar, garlic, and herbs, with a hint of a 'green' pepper flavor.  Despite the powdered blue cheese in the ingredients list, I don't pick that up as a flavor at all; at most, I taste a slight sour-creamy undertone.  They remind me more of the creamy alfredo flavored chips I've had in the past, much more than anything Buffalo or Bleu.  At least the texture is as expected; they are extremely crunchy, almost to the point of being too hard--just like kettle-cooked potato chips are supposed to be.

So these kind of feel like a curveball:  In fairness, I enjoyed the flavor, but I certainly wouldn't describe it the way the package does.  My expectations have been violated.  0_0