Unboxing The Ramen Box: July 2015

The third Ramen Box has arrived!  This one has some pretty cool stuff in it:

Our bonus item of the month is a pair of "Stache Sticks", which is one of those silicone 'training-wheels-for-chopsticks' things, shaped like a moustache so children of all ages can use it as a clever disguise between bites.  I might have preferred something a little girlier, but we will probably use it. We also get our button-of-the-month (this one is stripey), which I'll put on last month's tote bag with the other two, and the informational pamphlet.

We have an interesting selection of noodles this month!  There is an Okinawa Soba noodle soup from Myojo, what seems to be a Korean take on Japanese udon noodle soup from Paldo, as well as some Bibim Men, also from Paldo, which are spicy noodles meant to be served cold.  Finally, for the 'fun' entry, there are packets of Just Nu:dles from Nong Shim, which are noodles with no seasoning packets, intended to be used for purposes such as making sandwiches or pizza crusts, or crushing up onto salads.

This month seems like another good value!  I'm excited to try all the products (even if I'm a little intimidated by the Bibimmen), so reviews should be forthcoming soon.  So far, The Ramen Box seems very recommendable!  :D

Sapporo Ichiban Shio Ramen

Made By:  Sanyo Foods of America [USA]
Preparation:  Saucepan & Range
480 calories per package

Available online via Amazon

This morning, we decided it was high time we had some ramen noodles again!  This is the second product from the June Ramen Box, and even though I expressed a little bit of disappointment that a "domestic" noodle would make its way into the Box, it does seem like it could be a 'breakfast noodle' kind of thing.  We'll give it a chance.

Inside the package is a block of fairly standard looking instant ramen, a 'soup base' packet, and also an included packet of sesame seeds for garnish.  Preparation is standard for 'domestic' packet noodles; we boil 2 cups (or 500cc) of water, boil the noodles for 3 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and stir in the Soup Base.  Finally, we sprinkle the sesame seed garnish on top, and our noodles are ready to serve!

The noodles have a bit firmer texture than I might have been expecting from an "American" ramen, and the broth flavor is also a pleasant surprise.  It tastes very similar to the normal domestic 'chicken' flavor ramen broth, but seems lighter and cleaner-tasting somehow.  It actually reminds me of the broth from the Paldo Kokomen we got in the previous Box, except without the jalapeño flavor and heat.  The light sesame flavor from the seeds was a nice touch; I think with a light clean flavor like this, adding sesame oil would be too much, but the seeds work, giving the flavor a little more dimension without any extra 'heaviness.'

I have to say, I am very pleasantly surprised!  I do accept that something doesn't have to be "Americanized" just because it's made in the USA (like many of Nong Shim's noodle products that are manufactured here but are otherwise like the Korean counterparts), and it seems that Sapporo Ichiban is following that standard, at least for this product.  Especially considering that this product should be readily available for a reasonable price, I could see us getting this again.  I'd definitely choose it over the Top Ramen and Maruchan chicken flavors, since both the noodles and the broth flavor are a big step up.  Sorry for doubting you, Ramen Box! :)

JML Instant Noodle Artificial Stew Beef Flavor

Made By:  Jinmailang Nissin Food Co, Ltd. [China]
Required to Prepare:  Saucepan & Range
523 calories per package

Available online via Amazon

Today we are trying the first of the products from the June 2015 Ramen Box, and we decided to start with our first Chinese noodle,* this Beef Stew flavored noodle from JML (or Jin Mai Lang).  We're also kind of testing the theory that warm beverages and/or soups can actually make you feel cooler in hot weather, since we are having record-breaking heat here in the Pacific Northwest.  (If it works, I am going to have lots of tea and ramen this summer--they aren't predicting any break in the hot and dry weather any time soon.)

The package contains a block of noodles which look maybe a little narrower and lighter in color than average, along with not two, but three packets of seasonings; there is a powder soup base, a packet of dried veggies, and the third one is a seasoning oil, in solid/paste form.  We add the contents of all three packets to 500ml of water as it is coming to a boil, then we cook our noodles in the boiling broth for 3 minutes.  The aroma is quite nice; we are definitely smelling the beef base, but also a 'Chinese' spice--I am thinking some form of the five-spice mix and some ginger.  Anyway, we transfer the completed soup to our ramen bowls, and we are ready to eat!

The broth does have a rather nice flavor!  I am not sure I would completely agree with the Ramen Box brochure that this is 'not spicy', as it does have a little heat to it, but then again it is probably milder than the "Mild" Korean ramyuns that we sampled last month.  Rather, the chili flavor is part of a larger seasoning blend, which I doubt I can describe other than to say it's a pretty good instant version of Chinese beef stew like I might get from a Chinese restaurant.  The noodles are a little thinner and a bit softer than in a typical ramen, but it seems to fit here; it's not that they are 'soggy', just that they are a different type of noodle.

My wife even commented on the cabbage from the dried veggie packet; we were impressed that they seemed to actually retain some cabbage flavor, unlike what we are used to from other products' "Premium Ingredients." We were wondering to ourselves if this product might use actual dried Bok Choy cabbage instead of normal Western cabbage.  There's no way for me to know if that's true or not, but we do know we both really enjoyed this!  Next time I am off shopping for some instant noodles, I might keep an eye out for other JML products to see if they are all as enjoyable as this one. :D

*Technically, I have reviewed a couple of other products that were manufactured in China, but they were domestic brand names and made for the United States market, so to me those don't count for the 'China' category.

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

Unboxing the Ramen Box: June 2015

The next Ramen Box has arrived!

This one included two each of three more types of instant noodles, plus two packages of another 'noodle snack' product.  I wonder if that is going to be the standard assortment for them?  We also received a "The Ramen Box" tote bag, which is kind of neat, and a matching Ramen Box button, along with the obligatory information pamphlet.

Unlike last month, which seemed to have a Korea theme going on, I'm not sure there is a connecting thread to these products; this month, the included products are:

Ottogi Sesame Ramen [Korea]
Sapporo Ichiban Shio Ramen [USA]
JML Stew Beef Flavor Instant Noodle [China]
GGE Wheat Crackers Original Flavor [Taiwan]

(The above list will be updated with links as reviews become available.)

I do have to say, I am a little bit disappointed at the inclusion of the Sapporo Ichiban, which the pamphlet claims is of Japanese origin, but which states clearly on the package that it is a domestic product and which is readily available in most grocery stores around here.*  Then again, it's not like I've actually reviewed it yet, so once again The Ramen Box has provided four new-to-me products for the Ramen Butterfly to review.  I'm looking forward to going through them!

{*:  I'm also considering the possibility that I am just spoiled by being a Seattleite, and that it isn't quite as readily available elsewhere.}

Menraku Japanese Curry "Udon"

Made By:  Hikari Miso Co. Ltd. [Japan]
Required to Prepare:  Hot Water
340 calories per package

Available online via AsianFoodGrocer

One of the perks of my job is that I don't get a lunch hour.

No, really, it's kind of a perk, because in trade for having to be present and on-call through lunch, the company buys all my work lunches (along with providing lunch for the examining doctors). Occasionally, though, there is a day where none of the doctors want to order lunch--and rather than make a delivery order just for myself, I try to keep a (company-purchased) stash of bowl noodles and yakisoba-style 'tray' noodles in the cabinet for such occasions.

Anyway, I recently had the opportunity to try Menraku's Japanese Curry "Udon" for lunch at work.  The bowl has the standard two packets (soup base and dried veggies) and some wide, thick instant style noodles.  To prepare, we empty the packets into the bowl, fill up to the fill line with boiling water, and stand for five minutes.  Then after a quick stir, the noodles are ready to eat!

I am glad that Menraku put the word "Udon" in quotation marks on the package, as if they know they're using the term loosely, because these noodles are almost completely unlike any 'real' udon I've experienced.  It's almost as if they're overcooked and undercooked at the same time; they seem a bit soggy, but are also sticky and gummy.  I know it's not fair to compare them to 'fresh' vacuum-packed udon, but Samyang has already proven to me that it's possible to do a dry udon that is reminiscent of the fresh ones.
The noodles did seem to get more pleasant the longer they sat in the broth, but I think that was just that they were transforming from sticky+soggy to just plain soggy.

The broth doesn't save this one either; it has a hint of the proper Japanese curry flavor, but it seems very bland and watered down compared to other curry noodles I've tried--Ottogi's Bekse Curry Myon was way better, and even the 'cheap' Nissin Demae ones were more satisfying.  There isn't even any fun inclusions in the vegetable packet like the potato bits in the Ottogi one.
Unpleasant noodles and mediocre broth adds up to a bowl I won't be buying again, and I'll probably avoid any more of Menraku's quote-unquote "udon" as well.  :\

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. :)