Nissin Chow Mein Premium Teriyaki Chicken Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA
Required to Prepare:  Microwave
500 calories per package

Available online via Amazon

I'm enjoying the fact that recently my wife has had a bigger interest in sharing my ramen and instant noodles with me.  However, that means that I've had to re-think the Ramen Stash, because I had been getting just one of everything, and now I'm wanting to have two of each.  (It's also why I'm appreciating that The Ramen Box sends two each of everything.)
I bought a pair of a few different things when I was at the local Safeway, just to have some more things we could have together, and this was one of them!

This is probably actually a re-review of something I reviewed a few years back, but I've noticed that Nissin has changed the packaging so it looks like the name is now "Chow Mein Premium".  So, I'd like to see if anything besides the package has changed.  The contents had not; we still have straight-cut instant noodles, a liquid sauce, and a package of dried "Premium Ingredients."  {Note:  A second round of these, purchased a couple of weeks later, had the dried veggies loose in the package instead of in a packet, which seems to be the new format.}  Cooking directions are also still the same:  We add the dried vegetables, fill with water to the line, microwave for five minutes (I did nine minutes for two), and then stir in the sauce.

Comparing this to the description in my old review, I think this is the same product as before, just with an updated package appearance.  I will say I think I forgot how deep and enjoyable the flavor was; I was expecting something more sweet and less balanced than what the sauce actually tasted like. They earned a glowing review last time, and now four years later, I don't see why I would change that; in fact, I've managed to be pleasantly surprised by them a second time.  Especially considering the low price and easy availability of these since they are a domestic product, I would easily see myself keeping some of these around. :D

Soup it Up:  This one was probably mostly a no-brainer; we had some leftover restaurant teriyaki (mostly chicken, but some pork as well), so we added a decent portion of teriyaki meat to go with the noodles, along with some fresh green onion and some kizami shoga [pickled ginger] for some bright contrast.  It was delicious, and I could imagine us doing this (or a slight variation) every time we have teriyaki leftovers. :D

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.

Hormel Compleats Chicken Alfredo

Made By:  Hormel Foods (USA)

Tools Required:  Microwave, Sharp object

Light Meal Size (330 calories per package)

Rating:  :)

(available online through Amazon.com)

When I started this blog a few months ago, my intention was to just write reviews about instant noodles.  I really love ramen and I think it has an undeserved reputation as being unhealthy.  The thing is, I love a lot of different foods, and I love experimenting with new foods.  I also love to write, and I especially love to write about food.  So, I think it was a mistake to limit myself to just one category.  There will still be ramen reviews, of course, since I still love ramen, but there will be a wide range of other things as well.  I guess that makes the blog name sort of a misnomer, but I am okay with that.

Anyway, today I am trying one of these shelf-stable Compleats meals from Hormel; I like the idea of a convenience lunch that doesn't need to be kept frozen (one of the many reasons I like ramen for lunch, too).  At first, the idea of 'fresh' chicken in a shelf-stable product felt a bit odd, but then I reasoned that if the same stuff were in a can instead of a vacuum-sealed plastic dish no-one would give it a second thought.

Because we are heating from room temperature, preparation is very quick, too; we cut a few vent holes in the film with a sharp knife, and then microwave for 90 seconds.  The film is a bit stubborn but I finally do get it peeled off, then after a quick stir just to make sure everything is mixed around well, I am ready to try it!

The pasta is a bit soft, but not bad considering this is pretty much a canned pasta product.  I was surprised that the chicken had a nice firm texture and grain, though; it seemed like pieces of actual chicken meat instead of the chopped-and-formed stuff.  The sauce has a nicely rich and creamy flavor, but it seems a little bit thin to me--a little too thick to call it a soup, but not thick enough to cling properly to the pasta and chicken.  I resorted to dipping my crackers in it to keep from wasting most of it; otherwise I think much of the sauce would have probably gotten left in the bottom of the bowl, even if I had been eating with a fork rather than my chopsticks.  Everything here is pretty well bite-size, though, so eating the whole meal with a spoon would certainly be an option.

Despite my slight dissatisfaction with the thickness of the sauce, though, this was a very pleasant meal, and I thought the portion size was reasonable for a lunch product.  It's nice to have another non-frozen option for a quick lunch!  I would have this again, and I will certainly be trying some of the other Compleats meals as well. :)

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. :|

Simply Asia Roasted Peanut Noodle Bowl

Made By:  Simply Asia Foods (USA, imported from China)
Tools Required:  Microwave, Measuring spoon
Meal Size (510 calories per package)
Rating:  :D

Today I am going to splurge a little and indulge in some premium gourmet-type fresh noodles from the international aisle of the grocery.  These are a bit pricier than ramen, and they are marketed as being more upscale and luxurious (although they don't seem to be any healthier for you than ramen is). 

I actually have to admit that I am going in to this one with a bit of trepidation, because the last time I had one of these "fancy" noodle products, it was an Annie Chun udon noodle that turned out to be one of the worst things I had ever eaten.  We'll see if this brand does any better at representing the category!

The bowl contains the pack of fresh noodles, a packet of dried vegetables, the liquid sauce, and a packet of chopped peanuts for garnish.  Oh, and a very tiny plastic fork.  I didn't try to use the fork since I eat with chopsticks anyway, but it looked kind of flimsy and undersized; I think I would recommend having a 'Plan B' for utensils in any case.

Anyway, the instructions tell us to put everything except the peanut topping (and the fork) into the bowl along with two tablespoons of water, put the lid on, and microwave for two minutes.  The lid does have a vent hole for steam, but the bowl was still very hot to handle coming out.  We stir everything together to coat the noodles, add the peanut topping, and serve!

The finished noodles have a nice, hearty aroma, and they must have absorbed the added water, because the sauce is nicely thick and rich.  The texture is firm and slightly sticky--it kind of reminds me of an overcooked spaghetti.  Not that I am saying they are bad, but they do seem a bit heavy because of it.  The sauce is tangy and garlicky, and slightly sweet; despite being a peanut sauce, it actually comes across more like a tomato-based sauce (even though there is no tomato in it).  The red flecks are actually sweet pepper, so there is no need to worry about spice heat.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this product!  The flavor was very enjoyable, and I feel like I had a nice hearty lunch.  This has me much more interested in trying the other Simply Asia products now!  I think they might even be worth their 'gourmet' price tag.  :D

Marie Callender's Home-Style Creations Classic Stroganoff

Made By:  ConAgra Foods Inc.
Tools Required:  Microwave, eating utensil(s) of choice
Light Meal size (310 calories per package)
Rating:  :b

(available online through Amazon.com)

I do realize that this is a little far afield from the products I usually review.  However, it is a shelf-stable convenience lunch, and I did eat it with chopsticks.  (Yes, I also realize I am in the tiny minority of people who would eat it that way.)  I actually don't know why I bought this, it doesn't seem like I got an especially good deal... maybe I was just looking for some variety.  In any case, this is lunch today, so Marie's stroganoff is going to get compared to instant ramen.  Hope she's ready!

We open up the package and find a tray of shelf-stable sauce and a helping of fairly plain-looking egg noodles.  We are supposed to fill the bowl to the fill line with water, and tear the label off of the lid to reveal some strainer holes and put it back on.  Then the noodles get microwaved for five minutes, and while we turn the bowl upside down over the sink to drain the noodles, we heat the sauce separately for 30 seconds.  (The instructions say to vent the corner of the film, which ended up requiring a knife to get done.)  Peel the film off the rest of the way, stir the sauce into the noodles, and it is ready to serve!

The aroma is fairly straightforward mushroom soup, except that I am smelling an odd plastic undertone for some reason.  It makes me want to not Google "plastic leaching into food."  Fortunately the food itself doesn't taste like plastic, but it really isn't that amazing either.  The noodles are similar quality to the really cheap store-brand egg noodles you find on the bottom shelf of the pasta aisle.  I greatly preferred the egg noodles in the Nissin Bowl Noodles I had, both in texture and in flavor. The sauce is basically a thick, oddly-tangy version of condensed mushroom soup; the bits of real beef and mushroom were nice, but overall it was just not that great.  When I add the fact that for the same price, I could get at least four packs of some really delicious ramen, I really can't give this any kind of positive recommendation.

Bottom line:  Not horrible, just horribly overpriced.  :b

Nissin Chow Mein Teriyaki Chicken Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA
Tools Required:  Microwave, Chopsticks
Meal Size (500 calories per package)
Rating:  :D

(available online through Amazon.com)

I am craving some teriyaki noodles today for some reason, these just sounded really good.  I know that my experience with the Teriyaki Beef flavor was less than stellar, but I am an eternal optimist and I am hoping these will hit the spot (since they are the only teriyaki flavored thing up there in the Stash right now).  I'm giving you another chance, Nissin--don't let me down, okay?

Inside the package is a block of straight-cut "Chow Mein" noodles; a Premium Ingredients packet that looks to contain dried cabbage, mushroom, carrot, and imitation chicken; and a liquid seasoning packet.  The dried stuff goes in first, we fill the tray to the line with water, microwave for five minutes and stand for one, and then stir in the seasoning sauce.  I notice that there seems to be a lot more of the sauce than I remember from the Teriyaki Beef one, and the finished product turns out a much deeper, tastier-looking color.  The aroma is pretty good too, I am smelling the teriyaki sauce.  I am getting my hopes up!

No question, these are much better than the Teriyaki Beef ones I tried last month.  The sauce is nice and thick, the noodles are well-coated, and the flavor is deep and savory-sweet, just like I had in mind.  I don't remember there being any cabbage in the other flavor, but I don't think it matters much since I still don't taste the "Premium Ingredients."  To be fair, maybe they impart their flavor into the broth or something and contribute that way, but all I know is I don't taste much difference between the bites that have veggies and the ones that don't.  That's not a major criticism though, I thoroughly enjoyed these. 

It actually makes me want to try the Teriyaki Beef one again too, just to see if I got one with a defective sauce packet or something.  Sometimes it pays to be an optimist!  :D

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

Tai Pei Chicken Fried Rice

Made By:  Discovery Foods (USA)
Tools Required:  Cooler (for storage), Microwave, Chopsticks
Meal Size (570 calories per package)
Price:  $2.00 (sale at Woodinville Safeway)
Rating:  :D

When I started this blog a couple of months ago, I had decided that maybe I would branch out and review some things that weren't strictly "instant noodle" products, but I had pretty much decided that I would stick with things that were shelf-stable as opposed to frozen food products.  That was before I saw a sale on this nifty chinese-take-out style meal; I just had to grab one to try, and so why not share my experience?  {Tentatively, my new rule is probably more like "things that Jessie would eat with chopsticks"--which would actually include almost anything, just so you know.}

Anyway, the preparation is pretty simple on these; you put the frozen box into the microwave for five to six minutes without taking the plastic wrap off or anything, then let it stand for three to five before unwrapping, stirring, and eating.  The plastic wrap has little holes in it for steam ventilation, and it's pretty stretchy--the scissors on my little Victorinox keychain knife came in handy getting the hot package open.  The box had quite a bit of "air space" at the top (it was probably only about 3/4 full) but the package helpfully tells me that this is because frozen rice takes up more room than hot cooked rice does.

I was actually pretty impressed by the flavor of these.  Maybe this means I have been eating instant noodles a bit too often, but I enjoyed having some veggies that hadn't been dehydrated and some actual meat for a change.  The chicken was quite soft, probably from being steamed in the box, but the texture seemed okay otherwise.  The rice is flavored with soy sauce and oyster sauce, and is nicely moist but not too heavy.  This was good enough that I hope they are still on sale--I want to try the other flavors now!  :D

Maruchan Yakisoba Teriyaki Beef Flavor

Made By:  Maruchan Inc. (USA)
Tools Required:  Microwave, Chopsticks
Meal Size (520 calories per package)
Rating:  :)

(available online at Amazon.com)

Today I'm having another 'soupless' noodle; this product is the direct competitor to Nissin's Chow Mein Teriyaki Beef that I reviewed a week ago.  I was actually a bit underimpressed by that one, so we'll see if this one is an improvement.

The package contains the brick of noodles and two packets; there is a packet of dried veggies that we add before cooking, and a packet of powder seasoning that we add at the end.  The noodles themselves are the typical ramen-style thin wavy noodles, unlike the wide flat noodles in the Nissin product.  The instructions are to add water to the fill line and microwave for four minutes.  The powder seasoning seems to stir in fairly easily, and then we are ready to eat!

During cooking, there was a strong aroma of cabbage, and indeed we see that the dried veggies were mainly cabbage bits, along with some carrots, onion, and what looks like tiny mushroom pieces.  Everything rehydrated well, including the noodles; although I did see some spots where the noodles looked a bit white, I didn't notice anything that seemed undercooked as I was eating.  The sauce seemed quite a bit thicker and heartier than that of the Nissin product, and it coated the noodles nicely; the flavor was a pleasant sweet and savory taste that kind of reminded me of hoisin sauce.

At the end after I had eaten all the noodles, there was a little bit of sauce and vegetable bits left over in the tray, so I got out a spoon so I wouldn't have to waste any.  I guess that means I liked it. :)

Nissin Bowl Noodles Rich & Savory Beef Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA
Tools Required:  Microwave, Spoon
Meal Size (440 calories per package)
Rating:  :)

(available online through Amazon.com)

Today's noodle is another domestic product--what can I say, I haven't been to Uwajimaya in a while.  I'm trying out one of Nissin's "Bowl Noodles" products, which look to be a heartier offshoot of their Cup Noodles.  The package mentions that these are "Spoonable Noodles," so presumably that means we won't need chopsticks or a fork to eat these, just our spoon.  Something about the packaging makes me expect a western-style flavor, so we'll see what we have.

The bowl contains the noodles and one green foil packet which contains both the powdered soup base and all the dried veggies.  There is also a small white plastic packet of liquid "Soup Booster," but strangely it is packaged underneath the bowl inside the plastic outer wrap.  It seems like it would be easy to lose that, and I plan to check to make sure it is there when I buy this style in the future.  The noodles are not in a brick form, but are short pieces of loose pasta.  (Oh, maybe they were worried about the little packet getting buried in the noodles?)  They don't seem to be the same type of pasta as typical ramen at all, they look more like an egg noodle.  Anyway, we are to open the foil seasoning packet and add it to the bowl, fill to the line with water, and microwave for three minutes, then add the Soup Booster (which looked like vegetable oil with some meat grease floating in it) last.

The aroma is reminiscent of a typical Midwestern-style beef stew; the noodles softened up to about the consistency you might find in a Campbell's Chunky soup and the veggies turned out to be corn, cabbage, carrots, and green beans.  The noodles are definitely egg noodles rather than ramen, and the broth tastes much like it smells--it is a beef and onion stock, with maybe a hint of tomato sweetness along with the other vegetables. 

There is definitely nothing Asian about this product, so it's not really ramen at all; if you were expecting a heartier version of their beef Cup Noodles, I imagine it would be a disappointment, or at least a surprise.  If you go into it with the right expectations, though, it really is a pretty good bowl of beef & noodle soup.  I approve. :)

Katsuobushi Udon Japanese-Style Noodle Soup

Made By:  ChoripDong (Korea)
Tools Required:  Hot Water, Microwave, Spoon & Chopsticks
Meal Size (365 calories per package)
Rating:  ^_^
Today I am sampling another not-really-ramen asian soup, and having some udon!  This is a bowl product made by a Korean company I hadn't heard of before grabbing this, so we'll see how they stack up to the likes of the mighty Nong Shim.

Inside the bowl, there are three packets; we have the pack of fresh udon noodles, a clear packet of liquid soup base, and a foil packet of "Flake Soup" with various dehydrated goodies.  The instructions are an unusual combination of hot water and microwave preparation; we are supposed to put the noodles and liquid soup into the bowl and add boiling water to the fill line, then we put it in the microwave for three minutes.  (For those without access to both a teakettle and a microwave, there are alternate instructions which say to use cold water and then microwave for six minutes.)  Once it comes out, the instructions say to "add the enclosed flake soup to the number 3 and mix it well."  I am not sure exactly what this means, so I just dump them into the bowl and stir.

These turn out to be extremely similar to the Nong Shim Japanese-style Udon that I love so much.  The udon is a nice thick hearty texture, possibly a bit softer than the Nong Shim but very appealing.  The broth is the same seafood-and-soy savory fish stock, and even the dried add-ins are almost the same; there are green onion flakes, a few imitation seafood slices (which are smaller and less generous than in the Nong Shim product) and lots of those fish-flavored rice cereal bits.  This product also includes a few little rings of chili pepper; unfortunately, they never do rehydrate into anything and so those don't add much of anything except a textural distraction.  I actually crunched one on purpose to see if I could get any heat out of it, without any success.  Overall, though, I would say this is a worthy competitor to the Nong Shim product, and in fact the easier preparation might give this one the edge over Nong Shim's bowl Udon (but not the packet style).  I loved them!  ^_^

{Because I am an airhead, I totally forgot to take a picture of the prepared noodles before I ate them all.  I plan to grab another one of these the next time I see them at Uwajimaya, though, so I will add one the next time I have the opportunity.}

Nissin Chow Mein Beef Teriyaki Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA
Tools Required:  Microwave, Chopsticks
Large Meal Size (520 calories per package)
Rating:  :|

(available online through Amazon.com)

Today I'm having another "grocery store" domestic product, the Beef Teriyaki Chow Mein from Nissin.  These non-soup style noodles can be a nice change of pace from the soup products, and even at $1 they are a fairly economical lunch.  Let's see how they turn out!

Inside the package, we find a brick of not-quite-ramen-style noodles; they are flat instead of wavy, and look to be a bit thicker than the average.  There is also a packet of dried "Premium Ingredients" and a "Liquid Seasoning" packet.  I am a little surprised not to find a powdered seasoning packet inside, but the directions don't mention one, so there's really not supposed to be one, I don't guess.  We empty the dried goodies into the tray with the noodles, add a bit of water up to the fill line, and microwave for five minutes; after cooking, we stir in the liquid seasoning, which does have the advantage of stirring in much more easily than some of the powdered ones.  Time to eat!

The noodles do stay a nice texture and are cooked evenly (which is never a given with this particular style of packaging).  The dried bits turned out to be carrots, onions, green onion, and imitation beef bits, which rehydrated acceptably well though the carrots still look a bit shriveled.  Unfortunately, I can't say there was much of anything in the "Premium Ingredients" that contributed much to the flavor, I think they are mainly for show.  The sauce is quite thin and has  a very light, almost watered-down flavor; I think it could have been better if the sauce was a bit thicker and more hearty.  I guess maybe that means I would have preferred a powdered seasoning?  Oh well.

Anyway, I'm not going to say these were bad, just pretty average.  I would probably consider getting it again if it were still on sale, but I imagine I would be more likely to try the other flavors and brands first. :|

Nissin Chow Noodles Cheddar Cheese Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA
Tools Required:  Microwave, Chopsticks (or Fork)
Meal Size (460 calories per package)
Rating:  :)

(available online through Amazon.com)

Today I'm going with a 'non-asian' flavor and having some pasta and cheese!  Ramen is a comfort food for me, and mac & cheese is pretty much the universal comfort food, so this should have the ability to make anyone happy, right?

We remove the outer wrap and pull back the paper lid of the tray, and find a good-sized brick of fettucine-like flat noodles, along with a single foil packet of seasoning powder.  All we have to do is fill the tray to the line with water, replace the lid as best we can (these never really close once you've opened them) and then heat in the microwave for five minutes.  Oh, right, we have to stir in the powder at the end too, which turns out to be easier said than done.  After around two minutes' worth of stirring, though, I finally get it to look like all the noodles are coated with cheese sauce, although there are still some clumps of seasoning here and there.  Time to give them a sample!

The texture of the noodles is fairly uniformly al-dente, which is good; some of these microwavable "Chow Mein" style noodles can stay a bit undercooked where the noodles stick up above the waterline, but these don't seem to have that problem.  They do seem to clump together a lot, but I can't tell if that's because the noodles themselves are sticky, or if the cheese flavoring is gluing them together.  The flavor is nicely cheesy, rich but not too sharp; I would compare it to a Kraft Macaroni and Cheese flavor, except maybe a little more savory (which is probably due to the dose of MSG that these have in them).

These were a nice change of pace from the "usual" ramen flavors, and despite the difficulty in blending the cheese powder, they still seemed easy to prepare.  And, they seem like the kind of thing that could become even better with a few added ingredients, so I am looking forward to having this again in the future.  :)

Nissin Chow Noodles Tomato Basil Flavor

Made by:  Nissin USA
Tools Required:  Water, Microwave, Chopsticks (or Fork)
Meal Size (500 calories per package)

Rating:  :D

(available online through Amazon.com)

Today's selection is a change of pace from the asian-style flavors that have been reviewed so far.  Although she is extremely supportive of my noodle habit, my partner does not actually share my passion, so normally when we are home together, we eat other things.  She does enjoy italian-style pasta, though, so when I found these tomato-basil Chow Noodles, I picked up two just in case, and today she agreed to give them a try with me!

Included in the tray are the brick of wide, fettucini-style "ramen" noodles, along with three packets; there is a clear "Premium Ingredients" packet with dehydrated tomato and onion, a "Powdered Seasoning" packet, and a "Liquid Seasoning packet.  These are designed for microwave preparation, so those are the only instructions printed on the package; we are supposed to add the Premium Ingredients and fill with water to the line, microwave for five minutes, then stir in the other seasonings.  Because I was cooking two, I modified the instructions and put them in together for eight minutes, and they turned out perfectly cooked.  It took a bit of effort to get the seasonings to coat the noodles evenly, but after an extended stirring, we are ready to eat!

The consistency of the noodles is pleasant; they are maybe a little more tender than an al dente, but not off-putting.  The flavor is quite nice!  They have a strong, bright tomato flavor without seeming heavy, which is complemented by a nice balance of herbs, garlic, and onion.  I would choose these over a frozen pasta entrée any day, and definitely over canned pastas.  For the second opinion, my sweetie said she would definitely enjoy having these again, and I think she might be a little more excited about trying the other flavor now too.  These get a unanimous "happy face" from the Ramen Butterfly household. :D