What are the absolute, top of the line, fancy imported 方便面 that I can buy?

[vellocet]

I want a box of the best possible fast noodles I can buy.  What is at the top end of this category?  I imagine something imported from Japan or Korea, possibly Taiwan or Thailand or the like.  Please include Taobao or JD.com link, or to their Wechat store, or whatever.  It's for a student friend of mine who has just gotten into the dorms (because I know someone is going to ask WHY instead of actually providing helpful information).  

[道艺]

Idk about quality, my standards are a little low, but there's an imported Korean one called 三养超辣鸡面, it's super spicy, good, but a little more expensive than what I see with other brands. 

[DavyJonesLocker]

I think a crude guide would be to check 京东超市 and sort by price. The 三养超辣鸡值 seem the most expensive . 

 

[Jim]

Taiwan's President brand are pretty top-end, real chunks of meat I believe (only ever had the veg ones): https://search.yhd.com/c0-0/mbname统一（President）-b/a9404::2762-s1-v4-p1-price-d0-f0b-m1-rt0-pid-mid0-color-size-k满汉大餐/

ETA: Forgot about these self-heating things: https://item.yhd.com/100001449314.html and a hotpot: https://item.yhd.com/100000119207.html

[ChTTay]

Them’s some pricey pot noodles! 

 

Asking why is a fair question. With that...

 

Any particular reason expensive ones? ?

 

I’d be tempted to go for a hilariously large quantity myself. My friend shipped themselves a box of 100 packets of some local instant noodles once after they’d been back home for a visit. Taste of home I guess. Filling a room with instant noodles could be funny ... 

[vellocet]

See what I mean?  Someone will drop in for no other reason than to have her curiosity satisfied, and completely fail to offer any advice or contribute to the topic in any way.  

 

Thanks to Jim and Davy Jones for helpful answers! ? Those look great, I'll choose one of them.  

[somethingfunny]

海底捞 do a self-heating hotpot kit that comes with rice: https://item.jd.com/49461395692.html

 

Popular here at the moment are 螺蛳粉 - not sure how much they are in China, but they go for £4-5 a pack here: https://item.jd.com/3002166.html

[abcdefg]

If the recipient is a westerner, best avoid ones which feature beef tendon 牛筋，such as these: https://item.yhd.com/47017362762.html 

 

The reason is that although beef tendon 牛筋 is prized by Chinese, it can be pretty chewy. That texture is popular here. But most westerners will perceive it as being tough, think of it as "gristle" and just spit it out. Better to get some instant noodles which feature plain muscle meat. 

 

These for example would probably be better received. They feature only meat chunks 大肉快。https://item.yhd.com/55032838275.html    

[ChTTay]

19 hours ago, vellocet said:

See what I mean?  Someone will drop in for no other reason than to have her curiosity satisfied, and completely fail to offer any advice or contribute to the topic in any way.  

Weird. 

 

Doesn't a discussion usually involve ... questions? 

 

Otherwise isn’t it just yahoo answers?  

[phantonym]

There're honestly SO many types of instant noodles that each individual's preference can vary a lot. I usually choose instant noodles depending on if I want it with soup, the noodle texture, and lastly the flavour. I also find the texture for Korean instant noodles are usually a little chewier than instant noodles from other countries. And for a lot of really high-end Japanese instant noodles, they are usually made by famous physical ramen shops in Japan (i.e. ichiran). Personally, I can't handle any spice so my favourite ones are: 

1. Indomie (Maybe not as high-end as you wish, but it's GOOD) 
2. Tonkotsu Broth Instant Ramen (I usually prefer the black or red one, but this brand is pretty popular too) 
3. Japanese Udon ( When I want something soupy, and less oily) 
4. Yakisoba Type (I love regular Japanese yakisoba, so I like this type of instant noodles too) 
5. Taiwanese Dry Noodle  (They got a lot of flavours but I prefer the green onion one, I've also heard that the dan dan noodles one is good too) 
6. Hong Kong Nissin Instant Noodles  (Personally prefer the red, black and purple ones. Red: Sesame Oil, Black: Tonkotsu broth with black garlic oil, Purple: Tokyo Shoyu) 

Or, some other ones that I have never tried but have heard really good comments: 

1. Shin Ramen (Korean Classic I guess?) 
2. Korean Black Bean Sauce Instant Ramen (Or this brand too)  
3. Singaporean Laksa (I think is one has been ranked as the best instant noodles for quite some years?) 
4. Taiwanese Beef Noodles (This brand is also pretty famous) 

If you are gifting it to somebody else, I honestly would consider getting those gift packages to try out a lot of different ones at a time. 

 

* For the above links, I mostly got them from yhd.com but you can probably find cheaper ones on taobao or JD. 

 

Hope this helps! And please don't ask why I know that many instant noodles LOL 

[imron]

8 hours ago, phantonym said:

And please don't ask why I know that many instant noodles LOL

Why do you know that many instant noodles?

[suMMit]

https://item.jd.com/316914.html

always bring some back when i go to 武汉

[889]

Most instant noodles are fried in oil as part of the production process.

 

If health is a concern, you might look into hot-air dried instant noodles instead

 

(But if health were a concern you probably wouldn't be giving instant noodles.)

[ChTTay]

15 hours ago, phantonym said:

There're honestly SO many types of instant noodles

Have you tried 曾拌面 or Kiki拌面 from Taiwan? 

 

When I stayed in Taiwan for 2 weeks my host loved these. She made me lunch a few times with these and both excellent. Kiki is expensive on Taobao though so I’ve not had any since. 

 

@889 Many of the Taiwan “instant” noodles listed above are 非油. Actually, they seem to me to just be dried noodles but they come in portioned packets and includes sauce/seasonings. I don’t really think they’re instant in the usual sense. 

[889]

I can't speak to those particular noodles, but there certainly are hot-air dried 非油 instant noodles. Taste may be a little different if you're used to the standard oil variety.

[ChTTay]

2 hours ago, 889 said:

but there certainly are hot-air dried 非油 instant noodles.

 Yes, I’ve had these as well. I was just saying ... also the Taiwan kind is a healthier option too in addition to that kind.