Shin Ramyun - Gourmet Spicy Noodle Soup

After I bemoaned the complete lack of spiciness in the Sriracha ramen I tried recently, a friend recommended I try Shin Ramyun (thanks, Cindy!).  Not to ruin the ending, but I was not disappointed.

Ramyun is Korean for "ramen".

Shin Ramyun is made by Nongshim and is the most popular instant noodle in South Korea.  It's exported all over the world from plants in South Korea, China and the United States.  The version I'm eating was manufactured in the U.S.

Shin Ramyun is a big step up in quality compared to the average $0.25/package ramen that's a daily staple of so many American dorm-dwellers and stoners and the price tag reflects that.  I found a four-pack at a nearby Wal-Mart for under $4.00, but you can expect to pay over a dollar per pack at most stores.

The noodles come in a cute bowl- and pot-friendly round puck unlike the usual square blocks of cheap noodles we all know so well.  Along with the usual soup/seasoning powder is a separate pack of dehydrated vegetables and beef.

When cooked, the noodles are springy and have a really nice texture.  The beef-based broth has a rich, deep flavor and you can see little beads of fat shimmering on the surface. 

And compared to the weak, apologetic heat of most "spicy" foods on the American market, this product has a really respectable heat to it.  I find it by no means overpowering, but it builds up nicely as you eat it.  You definitely know you're eating something intentionally spicy.

When my wife first tasted some of from my bowl, she said she could barely taste any flavor in the broth except for spicy.  But later, she asked for a serving of her own and made "yum" noises all the way through.

Of course, I'm a savage garbage person who craves even more heat, so I usually add some Sriracha and a dash of whatever habañero-based sauce I'm in the mood for at the moment, as well as some accoutrements such as sliced onion, peas and an egg.

...plus some sliced roast beef.  Why not?  I'm fat.

I highly recommend Shin Ramyun.  I've already gone back to buy more and my second round of it is already gone.  I'm probably consuming too much sodium, honestly.