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. :)

Nissin Cup Noodles Salsa Picante Chicken Flavor

Made By:  Nissin (USA)
Tools Required:  Hot Water
290 calories per package

Rating:  :)

(Available online through Amazon.com)

I still haven't made it to the store to grab a package of the Neoguri for the requested review, so for lunch today I'm going back to the Noodle Stash.  I settled on a Cup Noodles product, just since it's been a while since I did one.  I picked out this flavor because it sounded more interesting than the average chicken, beef, or shrimp versions, so it's probably time I gave it a chance!

I have to admit, one of my favorite things about Cup Noodles is that they take exactly 10 ounces of hot water to prepare--which means that if your kitchen or office breakroom has one of these Keurig single-cup coffee makers, you can make lunch straight out of the coffee machine!  Just use the 10-ounce cup setting without a K-Cup, and make sure to keep the paper lid (and your fingers) clear of the hot water stream.  Can it get more convenient than that?

Anyway, whatever source you use for your boiling water, once the cup is filled to the line, we let the noodles stand covered for three minutes, and then we are good to go.  I notice that the noodles seem to have absorbed more water than I expected--the water level has actually gone down a bit during the stand time.

The texture of the noodles is a bit different than most I've had; they are thinner and flatter, and seem more "airy" than usual, almost as if they were puffed somehow; the mouthfeel is quite a bit firmer and more pleasant than the usually-soggy Top Ramen noodles.  The broth isn't overly spicy, although it is definitely flavorful when compared to the typical American ramen flavors.  With the chile salsa flavor and almost-breadlike noodles, it reminds me a lot of a tortilla soup.  There is a sweet citrus undertone from the lime flavor, also.  The included veggies (corn, carrots, and green onion) seemed to complement the broth flavor well, too.

I liked this one quite a bit!  With the interesting flavor, the very convenient preparation, and the very budget-friendly price, this is a definite recommend and repurchase.  :)

Nissin BIG Cup Noodles Beef Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA

Tools Required:  Microwave, Spoon

Meal Size (380 calories per package)

Price:  50¢ (sale at Safeway in Woodinville)

Rating:  :b

First off, sorry for the picture quality this time around--I forgot my digital camera at home so I am down to the cellphone camera today.  I found these while doing my normal grocery shopping last week at an "introductory" price; I am a sucker for new stuff I've never seen before so in the cart they went, and I packed them for lunch today.  They are clearly not just a "BIG" version of the regular Cup Noodles, because they are advertised as "Spoonable Noodles and Soup."

There are no included packets, all the seasonings and noodles are loose in the package.  We are supposed to fill with water to the line and microwave for three minutes.  There are hot-water preparation instructions as well, but since they are labelled "Boiling Water Directions" and "Recommended Directions" I decide to go with the microwave.  After three minutes are up, I sit down to eat, only to find that the noodles are still sticky and undercooked, so I put them back in for another minute and a half or so.

The second attempt with fully cooked soup is marginally better, but still leaving quite a bit to be desired.  It is like this product isn't quite sure what it wants to be--the broth isn't the hearty western-style broth from the Nissin Bowl Noodles product, and it isn't the asian-style ramen broth either.  It actually tastes a lot like plain old beef bouillon.  The soup is also kind of plain compared to either the Bowl Noodles or Cup Noodles--the only color in it is some tiny flecks of red (sweet pepper?) and green herbs.

The biggest problem, though, is that this thing is just plain annoying to try to eat.  See, here's the thing, Nissin:  When people eat soup from a cup, they usually like to drink it--that's what the cup is for.  For instance, normally when I eat Cup Noodles, I eat the noodles with my chopsticks and sip the broth straight from the cup.  With these "Spoonable Noodles," that just doesn't work, and my spoon would have worked a lot better in a bowl instead of a cup.  I really don't get how this thing made it out of product testing.

I am starting to wonder why Nissin seems to want to distance themselves from normal Asian-style ramen with all their new offerings--if it really was a Cup Noodle but larger, that would have been way better than this weird-tasting, difficult-to-eat train wreck of a lunch.  Blech. :b

Nissin Cup Noodles Hearty Chicken Flavor

Made by:  Nissin USA
Tools Required:  Hot Water, Chopsticks (or Fork)
Light Meal Size (300 calories per package)

Rating:  :)

(available online through Amazon.com)

Noodle day again!  We're staying with the domestic noodles again for today's lunch, with our first Cup Noodle, Nissin USA's Hearty Chicken flavor.  (I actually chose the side first, and then picked these for something that would go well with Spicy Nacho flavor Doritos.  Just a little insight into the way my mind works sometimes...)

As this is a domestic cup noodle, preparation is the height of convenience; all we have to do is lift the lid, fill with boiling water, and wait.  No messing with packets, no measuring anything... just add water!  So easy, even an American can do it. :P  Three minutes later, lunch is served!

I have to admit, I am not expecting anything amazing from these, although the creamy chicken and herb aroma is pleasant.  Maybe I am giving them a break based on lowered expectations, but I am very pleasantly surprised!  The noodles are wider than standard ramen, and they are much more tender and palatable than I expected.  The flavor of the broth is quite nice as well; it is nicely rich and savory, and the chicken and herb flavorings are well-balanced.  Unlike many cup-style noodles, there are no added vegetables like peas or corn, but the flavor is nice enough to support the noodles on its own.  Most importantly, they did in fact complement the Doritos quite nicely!  I would say these are an excellent value for the price, and I will definitely be getting more of this one.  Not bad at all! :)