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.

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 Bowl Noodles Hot & Spicy with Shrimp

Made By:  Nissin USA
Tools Required:  Microwave, Water
420 calories per package

Rating:  :D

(available online through Amazon.com)

This week's noodle review is our first sampling of Nissin's Hot & Spicy Bowl Noodles line.  I know I've been reviewing a lot of Nissin products lately, but at least in this part of the country, they are by far the most widely available products in regular grocery stores, and I think it's worthwhile to find out which ones are worth the try.  These are described as "With Shrimp," rather than just shrimp-flavored, so I expect to see some little dried crustaceans in here.  Let's see what we've got!

Sure enough, in among our packets of add-ins is a dried goodie packet that seems to have four or five dried shrimp, along with some red peppers and lots of green onion flakes.  We also have our disc of ramen-style noodles, a packet of powdered soup base, and a Soup Booster that holds an unattractive dark, grainy, oily paste.  We empty the dried ingredients and soup base packets into the bowl, fill with water to the line, and microwave for three minutes.  Then we squeeze the contents of the Soup Booster packet into the hot soup, give it a good stir, and sit down to eat!

I am very pleasantly surprised by the texture of the noodles!  They are firm, not the least bit sticky, and have a light, clean feel and taste.  They remind me of the potato-starch noodles from in the Paldo Yukejang bowl, though that isn't listed as an ingredient.  The broth is definitely spicy and flavorful, too!  I am tasting roasted red pepper, onion, beef, and a cool herb flavor (which the ingredient list reveals to be cilantro).  It is a very hearty, almost stew-like broth; it comes across to me as a cajun-style flavor, reminiscent of a jambalaya or gumbo. 

Products like this are the reason I like to try all the different offerings of a particular manufacturer--sometimes I can find a hidden gem, even in the domestic dry soup section.  I highly recommend this one! :D

Nissin Chow Mein Chicken Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA
Tools Required:  Microwave, Water
Calories:  480 per package
Rating:  :)

(available online through Amazon.com)

Here is yet another of these Nissin Chow Mein products.  I usually keep stocked up on them; I like that they are easy to find in grocery stores, they're fairly economical, and for the most part the flavors have been pretty good.  Also, my partner likes them much better than the noodle-soup style products, so they are nice when we want to have lunch together.  Today's version is the Chicken flavor; that's a fairly generic descriptor, so I am hoping they don't turn out to be too bland.

Inside the package is a brick of Nissin's straight-cut Chow Mein noodles, a packet of dried goodies (aka. the "Premium Ingredients"), and a pack of liquid seasoning.  The dried stuff goes into the tray with the noodles, we fill to the line with tap water, and then microwave for five minutes.  If you are making two at once, as I am today, eight minutes seems to be the right number.  We let it stand for a minute, and then stir in the liquid seasoning packet, which contains a little bit of oil and a dark, rich sauce.  The finished product is very similar in appearance to the Teriyaki Chicken, but the aroma is less pronounced.

The noodles have a very good texture!  They seemed to absorb all the water better than I remember, and stay firm and not sticky.  I don't know if Nissin has actually changed anything, but I like it.  The sauce coats everything well, and has a nice rich-and-savory flavor.  I am not sure I would call it a chicken flavor, personally, I am noticing more of the soy and garlic flavors, but it is good.  Despite the similar appearance, it is distinctly different from the Teriyaki Chicken flavor--much less sweet.  As usual, the "Premium Ingredients" seem to be for color more than flavor, but that is more of an observation than a criticism, really.  I definitely enjoyed this flavor, and I am sure I will be buying more in the future! :)

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.  :|

Souped-Up Review: Nissin Chow Noodles Cheddar Cheese, Taco version

Ingredients:
Nissin Chow Noodles Cheddar Cheese flavor (originally reviewed here)
leftover taco filling
chopped bell pepper

Rating:  Worthy Option

Here we go with another Souped-Up Review!  My sweetie and I had tacos last night, and there was some of this seasoned ground beef left over.  I also had some chopped bell peppers in the fridge, and a package of Cheddar Cheese Chow Noodles, which I said in my original review seemed "like the kind of thing that could become even better with a few added ingredients."  It sounds like a match!

I considered a few different ways of assembling this meal, but the method I settled on was to just dump the taco meat and a handful of bell pepper into the container before microwaving; my thought was that this way the flavors from the taco seasoning and peppers would have a chance to blend with the noodles better.  I microwaved for the normal five minute cooking time, and by the end of the cooking cycle the kitchen smelled strongly of bell pepper.  The noodles seem to be cooked properly, so I stir in the cheese flavor and get ready to taste!

The flavor is not exactly what I was expecting, but I like it.  The taco seasoning and pepper flavors are subdued--they seem to have blended with the cheese flavor and changed it from plain cheddar to more of a nacho cheese.  The result is (in my opinion) a pretty good rendition of a cheeseburger macaroni!  It probably isn't something that I would do to these every time, but I think it is a Worthy Option for a change of pace, as well as being a pretty good way to use up leftover taco filling.  Another successful experiment!

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 Top Ramen Picante Beef Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA
Tools Required:  Saucepan & Range, Bowl, Spoon & Chopsticks
Meal Size (380 calories per package)
Price:  25¢ (sale at Safeway in Woodinville)
Rating:  :)

Well, it looks like I am back to doing lunchtime reviews from home for the time being--I managed to hurt my back and am under doctor's orders to stay home and make myself useless.  Today I'm going to try the Top Ramen Picante Beef that's been hanging around in the cabinet for a while.

Everyone already knows what to expect inside a package of Top Ramen, right?  We have a stereotypical block of instant ramen noodles and one foil packet which is simply marked "Seasoning".  We bring two cups of water to a boil, drop in the noodles and cook for three minutes, then stir in the seasoning packet and put the soup in the bowl.  I'm not sure what to call the aroma, except to say that it smells like instant ramen noodles--I am not sure the aroma changed at all after I put the seasoning in.  Anyway, the eating is more important than the smelling, I guess.

I was surprised to see that unlike the Oriental Flavor, the broth has some seasoning flecks visible in it; I see some things that look like chives, some crushed red pepper flakes, and various other tiny red and green flecks.  The noodles are of course the typical American grocery-store variety, which means that they are a bit mushy compared to the "upscale" brands.  The broth actually has a very nice flavor; it is mostly a beef broth flavor, but there is enough spice to make it seem interesting.  It doesn't really seem like a mexican flavor, though, despite using the word "Picante" in the name; it's really just a spiced-up beef ramen soup.

For a domestic ramen noodle soup, this was actually quite good.  It fits pretty well between the aggressively-spicy Korean-style noodles and the sometimes-bland American ones.  I was hoping for something that would have an interesting flavor without being too assertive, and this fit the need quite nicely.  Maybe the noodles were a bit soggy, but you can't have everything for a quarter.  I'd eat them again.  :)

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 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. :)

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 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! :)