View Full Version : A better Ramen
Mouser999
03-19-2019, 10:15
Suggestions for ramen better than Maruchan , please.
trailmercury
03-19-2019, 10:29
Suggestions for ramen better than Maruchan , please.
A restaurant in Japan?
Mouser999
03-19-2019, 10:41
Big help there
grubbster
03-19-2019, 10:50
Rather than trying to find one that will suit you, I would recommend "creating" your own. I take the cheap ramen and open the package and put the noodles in a zip lock. Then I add the stuff I like. I buy freeze dried or dehydrated vegetable and meats and add them to the bag. I use part of the "flavor packet" but not all because that makes it too salty for me.
FreeGoldRush
03-19-2019, 10:50
Trying to avoid MSG? Ramen seems to be a minefield of ingredients that don't help with our hiking. Wish I could eat it, because it tastes good.
Mouser999
03-19-2019, 10:53
Looking for a better brand. Dont really like the Maruchan
Looking for a better brand. Dont really like the Maruchan
Shin ramyun, stuffs awesome, but only if you like spiciness...
Edit: has msg as well, keep that in mind
Lotus brand. Good for you. Bad for your wallet. Find an Asian market. Try the Korean brands.
There’s a website that reviews Ramen. Google knows.
Wayne
Traillium
03-19-2019, 11:29
Rather than trying to find one that will suit you, I would recommend "creating" your own. I take the cheap ramen and open the package and put the noodles in a zip lock. Then I add the stuff I like. I buy freeze dried or dehydrated vegetable and meats and add them to the bag. I use part of the "flavor packet" but not all because that makes it too salty for me.
This! I also use dried soup packages such as Jamaican styles to add to the noodles. And quality TVP from Bob’s Mills.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The Ramen Rater
https://www.theramenrater.com
Wayne
Just Tom
03-19-2019, 13:21
Lotus brand. Good for you. Bad for your wallet. Find an Asian market. Try the Korean brands.
There’s a website that reviews Ramen. Google knows.
Wayne
Available at Costco for a much better price point, if you are a member. We buy this because my son has food allergies and it being plain is a big help in that regard.
HooKooDooKu
03-19-2019, 14:13
To reduce pack volume, go to a local oriental grocery store and buy some Soman noodles. These are packaged like spaghetti (strait strips). Use a vacuum sealer and the package will be tight and strong to withstand breakage.
Example (https://www.amazon.com/Hime-Dried-Somen-Noodles-28-21-Ounce/dp/B007W0D0LM)
Available at Costco for a much better price point, if you are a member. We buy this because my son has food allergies and it being plain is a big help in that regard.
Interesting. I’ve only seen Lotus Ramen in better supermarkets.
For folks like me, Costco may as well be on the moon. Or actually 100+ miles away in the DFW area.
I am partial to the Japanese noodles made in Australia and sold in east Texas. I’ll dredge up the brand name.
HAKUBAKU Noodles
http://www.hakubaku.com.au/en/
Wayne
Five Tango
03-19-2019, 17:01
Thai Kitchen makes some good noodles but they have only 190 calories to the package.
Thai Kitchen makes some good noodles but they have only 190 calories to the package.
Noodles are noodles. Only carbs.
You need fortifications for the noodles.
Bacon, salami, pepperoni, cheese, Ghee, olive oil, etc. Chocolate for desert.
Wayne
W8lkinUSA
03-19-2019, 18:31
Growing up eating instant ramen, Maruchan is the worst I've had merely due to curiosity. First off, go to an Asian store and purchase two to four bags of anything interesting.
I grew up in Mama pork. A friend introduced me to Nissin Top Ramen cup of noodles which are great, but Nissin bags aren't the same. Mama shrimp (not creamy) has become a staple. Indomie Migoreng (not spicy) is my second staple.
beefsmack
03-19-2019, 18:41
Is this the Lotus ramen referred to I assume? How does the price compare to Costco?
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=lotus+ramen&crid=36YSIE6AXMFJ2&sprefix=lotus+ra%2Caps%2C200&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8
Noodles are noodles. Only carbs.
Lots of Ramen noodles are fried, and have tons of fat. Others are baked, and have less (or no) added fat.
Lots of Ramen noodles are fried, and have tons of fat. Others are baked, and have less (or no) added fat.
I'm no expert on Ramen. I only seem to find the carb noodles.
Wayne
Is this the Lotus ramen referred to I assume? How does the price compare to Costco?
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=lotus+ramen&crid=36YSIE6AXMFJ2&sprefix=lotus+ra%2Caps%2C200&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8
Yes, that's the Lotus Organic Ramen that I have purchased (quite awhile ago) both in Tyler, Texas and at Earth Fare in Boone, NC. $2.00, + or -, was the price I remember. Similar to the Amazon prices.
I looked at Costco Online & found nothing for Lotus Ramen.
Chapagetti Noodles are the best tasting ramen I have tried. It's not easy to find. I reduced the water to make a spaghetti sauce consistency. I enjoyed it.
http://www.nongshimusa.com/homev2/our-products/meal-noodle/chapagetti-2/
Wayne
W8lkinUSA
03-19-2019, 19:52
To reduce pack volume, go to a local oriental grocery store and buy some Soman noodles. These are packaged like spaghetti (strait strips). Use a vacuum sealer and the package will be tight and strong to withstand breakage.
Example (https://www.amazon.com/Hime-Dried-Somen-Noodles-28-21-Ounce/dp/B007W0D0LM)
I'll second this. Gallon-sized freezer ziploc bags probably work fine for backpacking storage.
I've been slowly transitioning to buckwheat noodles with excess Mama seasoning packets as I work on my own recipe for variety. While not nearly as good as instant ramen, it's supposedly healthier.
W8lkinUSA
03-19-2019, 19:58
This was found at my local Asian market. Probably costs $8-16 and tastes fine if not overcooked.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190319/1a7029e57056f22f071fc22cc11ac9b7.jpg
EDIT:
While on the topic of noodles, here's something fun.
http://countryandahalf.com/japanese-noodles/
http://countryandahalf.com/korean-noodles/
There's no hard fast rules for noodles. Why not use Italian noodles with Asian seasoning packets if you prefer the flavor of Italian noodles?
oldwetherman
03-19-2019, 20:47
Wow! I always thought all ramen was pretty much the same. I've got to get more in touch with my taste buds!
Alligator
03-19-2019, 23:44
Simply Asia brand Japenese ramen noodles. It is a box of 4 bricks of ramen. The noodles are plain so you can add your bouillon and veggies plus whatever else you like. I'm pretty certain I got the box at Walmart.
I'm really liking Better than Bouillon brand seasoning bases. They come in a jar.
The Ramen Rater
https://www.theramenrater.com
Wayne
He rates mostly based on taste. hard to find most of his pics other than at Asian stores.
Other brands offered here are easier to find and aren't just so heavily rated on taste.
Be mindful of the spice packet of some cheaper brands as they're mostly off the charts sodium, some sugar and other cheapest ingredients.
You could get better or different by throwing the spice packets away and spicing up yourself. I like doing that with Edwards&Sons freeze dried miso packets. Tons of ways you can go with Ramen. Might consider arame or wakame seaweed which reconstitutes fast(crumbled sheets of Nori can work as well, if you go this way there's soy sauce Nori so you can get that flavor and salt without carrying separate soy sauce packets), some dried shiitakes(found even in Dollar Stores), green onions, PB or a nut butter, seed butter like tahini from sesame seed(I buy in a can transferring to a squeeze tube), chili or sesame seed oil, some sesame seeds, dried shrimp, sprouts or greens, etc . You might mix with broccoli slaw and some peanuts or almond slices and PB too. add chunked chicken if that's yo thang.
Interesting. I’ve only seen Lotus Ramen in better supermarkets.
For folks like me, Costco may as well be on the moon. Or actually 100+ miles away in the DFW area.
I am partial to the Japanese noodles made in Australia and sold in east Texas. I’ll dredge up the brand name.
HAKUBAKU Noodles
http://www.hakubaku.com.au/en/
Wayne
Target carries Lotus as well as some Wally Worlds.
Costco has good prices on bulk packaged Lotus ramen. Lotus has noodles made from buckwheat, millet,..
Target carries Lotus as well as some Wally Worlds.
Remember where I am. One supermarket might have 2-3 flavors of Lotus products on the shelf. But. The soba and udon Noodles are nearby. Along with SE Asian rice noodles that cook “instantly”. I won’t starve in the woods.
I will investigate Target. However, they are off the beaten path for me.
Wayne
get on your pony and get outta the sticks pony express to a store :)
SOBA buckwheat(Gluten free) noodles are like $2-3 even in the TX train forest area
get on your pony and get outta the sticks pony express to a store :)
SOBA buckwheat(Gluten free) noodles are like $2-3 even in the TX train forest area
I know that. They are in the fridge. We’ll think of something nice to do with them.
We like the Sticks.
Wayne
Just Tom
03-20-2019, 08:31
Is this the Lotus ramen referred to I assume? How does the price compare to Costco?
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=lotus+ramen&crid=36YSIE6AXMFJ2&sprefix=lotus+ra%2Caps%2C200&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8Yes, my Costco has them in 12 brick packages only. I don't have a receipt laying around, but I think it is in the 9 dollar ballpark. Which is much cheaper than I saw at the grocery store for the same brand.
Sent from my G8441 using Tapatalk
Sapporo Ichiban. A Japanese roommate in college introduced me to the brand. Thirty years later I still go through a case per month. My kids eat the dry, noodle blocks as snacks as they are so good. Somewhat exspensive compared to other ramen brands but, for the premium price you'll get great noodles.
https://www.amazon.com/Sapporo-Ichiban-Ramen-Noodles-Original/dp/B00N3K2I7C/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_325_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=AD2SG6XGKAFZC9PXX3ZT
Here is a more credible review: https://www.seriouseats.com/2013/09/taste-test-instant-ramen-chicken-flavored.html
Good Luck
Sapporo Ichiban. A Japanese roommate in college introduced me to the brand. Thirty years later I still go through a case per month. My kids eat the dry, noodle blocks as snacks as they are so good. Somewhat exspensive compared to other ramen brands but, for the premium price you'll get great noodles.
https://www.amazon.com/Sapporo-Ichiban-Ramen-Noodles-Original/dp/B00N3K2I7C/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_325_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=AD2SG6XGKAFZC9PXX3ZT
Here is a more credible review: https://www.seriouseats.com/2013/09/taste-test-instant-ramen-chicken-flavored.html
Good Luck
PS- I pay $ 0.79 per package at a local asian market but it sells for $1.25 per pack at the local supermarket. Even at the higher price, it is worth giving it a try.
Yes, my Costco has them in 12 brick packages only. I don't have a receipt laying around, but I think it is in the 9 dollar ballpark. Which is much cheaper than I saw at the grocery store for the same brand.
Sent from my G8441 using Tapatalk
I checked Costco Online. No luck for the Lotus brand. You must live where ramen is popular.
No worries. I can buy a few locally from time to time.
In the meantime, I'm stocking up on Pad Thai from Backpacker's Pantry and Good To-Go. I scored a Backpacker's Pantry Pad Thai 2 serving meal today at Walmart.
Wayne
Megapixel
03-20-2019, 22:24
Mike's Mighty Craft Ramen is out of this world. Fried Garlic is unreal, as is the Kimchi flavor.
I checked Costco Online. No luck for the Lotus brand. You must live where ramen is popular.
No worries. I can buy a few locally from time to time.
In the meantime, I'm stocking up on Pad Thai from Backpacker's Pantry and Good To-Go. I scored a Backpacker's Pantry Pad Thai 2 serving meal today at Walmart.
Wayne
See, getting out of the sticks to a Walmart can provide opportunities for finding food. Who knew? :D
Now, go back to the Bat Cave in the sticks and enjoy the food. Who knew? What a country.
W8lkinUSA
03-21-2019, 04:44
I checked Costco Online. No luck for the Lotus brand. You must live where ramen is popular.
No worries. I can buy a few locally from time to time.
In the meantime, I'm stocking up on Pad Thai from Backpacker's Pantry and Good To-Go. I scored a Backpacker's Pantry Pad Thai 2 serving meal today at Walmart.
Wayne
Backcountry's Pantry has a bunch of discounts at the moment. I've just purchased an inordinate amount of stuff at ~30% off which includes my 20% first order discount and free shipping. Most of my order was originally 72% [off without discounts], but I reckon I had a total 70-75% savings with discounts.
Backcountry's Pantry has a bunch of discounts at the moment. I've just purchased an inordinate amount of stuff at ~30% off which includes my 20% first order discount and free shipping. Most of my order was originally 72% [off without discounts], but I reckon I had a total 70-75% savings with discounts.
Thanks for the news!
Alas, I have more backpacking meals than I am allowed to keep in the pantry. :eek: :)
If I ever use up my current inventory, I'll remember that Backpacker's Pantry runs online deals!
Cheers!
Wayne
Two Tents
03-21-2019, 08:02
Indomie BBQ chicken is yum. You do the ramen noodles as usual but then drain and mix the five packs of seasoning and it makes a tangy, slightly sticky and sweet bowl of noodles
The bigger Oriental markets have an entire isle with nothing but noodles, soups and ramen
Sarcasm the elf
03-21-2019, 09:41
This is by far my favorite, although it is rice noodles and not wheat noodles.
44901
Odd Man Out
03-21-2019, 13:52
Sapporo Ichiban is better than average. It translates from Japanese as "Sapporo's Number One". Sapporo has historically been a big ramen town. I lived there in 1971 and there was a ramen shop on just about every corner, so the marketing strategy to associate with that city makes sense (at least to their Japanese buyers). Of course it's still instant ramen, but I will pay extra to get it. Around where I live it is available in most major grocery stores, but in the Asian food aisle, not with regular cheap ramen which is often found in the soup aisle. I have seen other brands of instant noodle soup in the Asian food aisle but not tried them. I would assume they are all probably better than the cheap crap.
I finally know what ichiban means.
For the win Alex, How do you say Dyneema Composite Fiber in Japanese?
Slo-go'en
03-21-2019, 16:46
Why not just use egg noodles? They cook quick and are probably much better for you then Ramen. Your throwing out the chemical flavor pack anyway. Add some butter and cheese and maybe a pack of tuna would make a decent meal.
Out of the fire into the firing pan?
Mother Natures Son
03-21-2019, 19:21
I just made a delivery to the local Ramen plant (no, they don't sell to the public, no matter what). The better Ramen you find in the ethnic markets and the plain old stuff that rolls off the line is made all in the same plant. The only difference is the spice pack and the lack of MSG. A better alternative is to take your leftovers from your favorite Chinese restaurant and dry them. Nothing like a yummy bowl of Szechuan Beef!
W8lkinUSA
03-21-2019, 19:46
The bigger Oriental markets have an entire isle with nothing but noodles, soups and ramen
That's right. Nothing, but boxes of noodles. There should also be an isle with individual noodle packs before one commits to an entire box.
This is by far my favorite, although it is rice noodles and not wheat noodles.
Less carbohydrates are great when not in the trail.
A better alternative is to take your leftovers from your favorite Chinese restaurant and dry them. Nothing like a yummy bowl of Szechuan Beef!
What a great idea!! General Tzo's chicken is my preference though.
TexasBob
03-21-2019, 21:49
Wow! I always thought all ramen was pretty much the same. I've got to get more in touch with my taste buds!
I have tried several brands from an Asian market including some of those mentioned and I guess I am no gourmet because frankly there wasn't much difference in the noodles themselves. The difference to me was in the flavor packets. I just go with what is in the grocery store and add some butter and only about half the flavor pack.
I just made a delivery to the local Ramen plant (no, they don't sell to the public, no matter what). The better Ramen you find in the ethnic markets and the plain old stuff that rolls off the line is made all in the same plant. The only difference is the spice pack and the lack of MSG. A better alternative is to take your leftovers from your favorite Chinese restaurant and dry them. Nothing like a yummy bowl of Szechuan Beef!
Ford has made the $15 k Fiesta which, I will not go there, and $3,ooo,ooo Shelby GR- 1 Concepts.
I just made a delivery to the local Ramen plant (no, they don't sell to the public, no matter what). The better Ramen you find in the ethnic markets and the plain old stuff that rolls off the line is made all in the same plant. The only difference is the spice pack and the lack of MSG. A better alternative is to take your leftovers from your favorite Chinese restaurant and dry them. Nothing like a yummy bowl of Szechuan Beef!
Generalization. Had a Chinese neighbor and have Asian acquaintances, many in Hawaii, some of whom are owners of ethnic based restaurants and med large ethnic based grocery stores who said said differently. I've went shopping with them or had them walk me through their Asian grocery stores to translate ingredients list and the ingredient list of the noodles themselves are not all the same. As an ingredient list reader not knowing Korean, Chinese , Japanese, etc is why I will not buy noodles that aren't in English unless I have them with me to translate.
W8lkinUSA
03-22-2019, 00:10
I have tried several brands from an Asian market including some of those mentioned and I guess I am no gourmet because frankly there wasn't much difference in the noodles themselves. The difference to me was in the flavor packets. I just go with what is in the grocery store and add some butter and only about half the flavor pack.
Ramen, itself, has few differences, but its thickness changes the flavor profile due to noodle-to-seasoning ratio.
Most people will only need half the seasoning packet. That's why you can always leave the remainder in a jar for use with soba or udon noodles.
Looking for a better brand. Dont really like the Maruchan
I like the nissin brand & they are one of the less expensive brands. My main concern is the sodium content as some brands really overdo it. The portion is a little smaller but it’s made in Japan and I like it
If the packaged spice mixture is omitted, or used sparingly, is that where most of the sodium is?
Conversely, if you’re hiking big miles day after day, aren’t electrolytes a good thing?
Wayne
Na is only one electrolyte. Those spice packets often contain more than Na.
Cheap Ramen is cheap highly processed nutritionally dismal industrialized factory food. It's 9 cts retail a package in bulk for the cheapest brands and versions. What is the "food" quality of something like that?
Of all things we waste money on we're going to try to recoup it with 9 ct "dinners." :datz
Odd Man Out
03-24-2019, 22:17
I finally know what ichiban means.
For the win Alex, How do you say Dyneema Composite Fiber in Japanese?
Dainima Kamupasetu ???
Japanese only has 5 vowel sounds: a (as in law), i (as in bee), u (as in moo), e (as in bed), o (as in mow)
You can combine vowels to create a diphthong: ai (as in eye) or ei (as in hey)
These rules can get your Dainima for Dyneema.
However, in Japanese, every syllable must end with a vowel sound (except n which can be used at the end of a syllable) and many consonants are different or missing. This creates real problems with words like composite and fiber because they have syllables ending in M, T and R sounds, and there is no Fi. Plus T and R are pretty different. Most commonly, when converting an English Word into a Japanese word, they will add an extra vowel at the end of the syllable, hence the extra u's. This could give us Kamupasetu for Composite, but there might be other options. For Fiber, we're screwed as there is no F sound in Japanese, except for Fu (as in Fuji), although it is not really pronounced quite the same in Japanese.
One of the better known Japanese words that is a transliteration of English is Aisukurimu (Ice Cream).
When writing Japanese words that have been borrowed from another language, they will be spelled with the Katakana alphabet. Japanese has three alphabets. Kanji are symbolic characters borrowed from Chinese (and usually having the same meaning). The Japanese and Chinese languages are completely unrelated so people from these two countries could not understand each other at all if talking to each other, but curiously they could communicate by writing. Japanese also has two phonetic alphabets where each character represents a vowel or a syllable (a consonant/vowel combination) plus the character n. The Hirigana alphabet is used for writing Japanese words and the Katakana alphabet is used for writing foreign words.
So:
Dyneema Composite Fiber
Dainima Kamupasetu ????
ダイニマ カムパセツ ????
In case you were wondering, I lived in Japan for seven month when I was 12 years old so I studied all this for the first half of 7th grade. I used to be able to read Hirigana but never really learned how to speak Japanese. Now I can only remember a few words, and count.
W8lkinUSA
03-25-2019, 03:31
Cheap Ramen is cheap highly processed nutritionally dismal industrialized factory food.
^^THIS.. That's why I've been eating Buckwheat Noodles with leftover seasoning as well as my seasoning creations.
Anyways, all this ramen talk got me to the Asian Market for a Ramen Haul of unfamiliar items. Looking forward to this week. This is my kind of March Madness. :-D
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190325/7e2affadb118ee7f007afcba25858b11.jpg
W8lkinUSA
03-29-2019, 09:50
Just an FYI.
After haven eaten two packs of Sapporo with nearly all the seasoning back to back, I discovered that each seasoning packet had 1500-2000 mg of sodium!! I even drank nearly all the "broth" of the first bowl. Yikes!
Thankfully, the two packs of Indomie with 1.25 seasoning packets at ~800 mg sodium per pack wasn't as bad; I could've used only one packet though.
^^THIS.. That's why I've been eating Buckwheat Noodles with leftover seasoning as well as my seasoning creations.
Anyways, all this ramen talk got me to the Asian Market for a Ramen Haul of unfamiliar items. Looking forward to this week. This is my kind of March Madness. :-D
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190325/7e2affadb118ee7f007afcba25858b11.jpg
That’s the one I like, Sapporo. I mistakenly said Nissin earlier [emoji20] I’ve tried a lot of them over the years and I used to live in Japan in the late 80’s
W8lkinUSA
04-03-2019, 21:53
That’s the one I like, Sapporo. I mistakenly said Nissin earlier [emoji20] I’ve tried a lot of them over the years and I used to live in Japan in the late 80’s
Sapporo was good. I even drank all the broth from the first bag -- original flavor. I didn't drink all the broth from the second bag -- chicken flavor -- during taste testing.
Afterwards, I read the nutritional facts and discovered that I had just consumed a total ~2400 mg of sodium in one sitting (only 25% from bag #2 since I didn't drink the broth)! :-/
If you haven't tried Nissin, I'd recommend Nissin Cup Noodles over the Top Ramen bags. Perhaps, I was addicted to the Styrofoam flavor in the early nineties, but I digress. Hahahaha
https://nissinfoods.com/products/cup-noodles