Ilumi Sweet Chilli Rice Noodles

I have been a bit uncertain about rice noods in the past because they can be a bit bland and chewy, but if left long enough they are fine. On the whole, given the choice, I would always go for a wheat nood than a rice nood, but, clearly, if someone has an issue with eating wheat then these gluten free noods are a decent alternative. Just remember to leave them long enough to soften. And keep the lid on so the noods say warm!

The sauce is good. There's a bit of heat, but mostly it is a savoury sweet sauce, quite tomato based, and really quite edible. Nice one.



Date: Set 2018    Score: 7

MAMA Tom Saab (Hot & Spicy) Flavour

I like the noodles in this - they absorbed the water very well, and are quite chewy and tasty with a wheaty flavour. The flavour of the sauce though is quite strong and artificial - rather overwhelming. It has some spice, but not too much as we didn't add the extra chilli powder.  We ate this with spring onion, raw mushroom and a boiled egg chopped into it. It made an OK lunch, though the chemical/artificial flavour was not that great, and we won't be knowingly eating this one again.

Score: 2

Mama's best

Yum Yum Kimchi Flavour

Made by the Wan Thai Foods company in Thailand this is a very tasty noods snack. The noodles didn't fully absorb the water, so remained a little firm, with some liquid. This is more to the Asian taste than the British, however, the overall taste and mouthfeel is very good. The flavour is sort of onion and soy sauce - mildly savoury and gentle. We ate this with spring onions, raw mushrooms and boiled egg chopped in. It makes a satisfying and tasty lunch.


Score: 7

Ilumi Singapore Style Rice Noodles

I like these rice noodles, and I like the sauce. I didn't use as much water on this one, stopping well before the line to make a thicker more British style sauce, and I liked that. This is a decent savoury sauce. I am tempted to get more of these, but in our house we are feeling increasingly uncomfortable by the amount of plastic we buy, so we prefer not to buy throwaway plastic containers.

So - nice noods, shame about the container.


Score: 7

Ilumi Tom Yum Rice Noodles

I picked up a bunch of Ilumi rice noodles from Tesco. This is the second one we've tried, and I like this. Good lemony flavours. Bright and citric.

I'm not a fan of rice noodles, but these work well, and the flavouring is fresh, and feels natural.

If it wasn't for the plastic, I might be tempted to buy more of these Tom Yum.


Score: 6

Ilumi Vietnamese Style Beef Pho Rice Noodles

I picked up a bunch of Ilumi noodles at Tesco as they are doing a deal. I was a bit reluctant as I'm getting fed up of the amount of one-off plastic we buy, but my curiosity at trying a new noods company got the better of me. 

I'm not a fan of rice noodles, but - to be fair - these were quite acceptable. Made up as directed, this is a little watery in the Asian style (Europeans like their noods to be a bit dryer and stodgy), and we wondered if we'd need spoons, but by the end there was actually very little juice left, and we simply drank that out of the cups. This is not an exciting flavour - it's mostly onion with a bit of Marmite. I was saddened to read that they used real beef extract. Why? There is no beef flavour here at all. It seems pointless and cruel to include beef extract for the sake of it. There's bits of dried veg, which work at adding a bit of texture and interest. And there's chilli (of course). It;s not too hot, so just gives a spicy warmth to the onion and Marmite water.

We thought this was quite acceptable.


Date: May 2018   Score: 5

Beef flavoured

Nissin Demae Ramen Spicy

Yeah, its spicy, and that's about it  really. Unimaginative packet of noods from the normally excellent Nissin. It's edible, and has savoury bits, and is spicy hot without burning, but there's not a lot going on to catch or hold your attention.


Score: 5

Nifty Nissin noodles

Lidl Vitasia Stir Fry Noodles Sweet & Sour

Though Lidl seem to have changed the name of their instant noodles from Vitasia to Newgate, these "straight to wok" dried noodles still use the Vitasia name.

This is not a regular instant nood, as you have to pour on hot water, then stir fry. Not the first time I've had instant noods with those instructions. It's a little fussy to cook, so is barely instant, but at the end it is a rather decent product. Chewy and pleasant noodles, and an attractive sauce. We popped some tinned mackerel in tomato sauce on top of ours, which made for a pleasant lunch.  OK - but a bit fiddly to make.


Score: 4

Mug Shot Sensations Mediterranean Pasta / Moroccan Cous Cous

We tried these two little beauts. The Moroccan Cous Cous is, of course, not a noodle dish, but it's in the Mug Shot range, which is essentially the same thing - an instant dish in a pot.

The Mediterranean Pasta sucked big time. The pasta was dull, and the sauce was insipid and dull. The little crunchy things in the plastic at the top were intended to brighten it up, but the crunchy bits soon became soggy and just made it a bloody ugly mess.  Never again!

Score: 1

The Cous Cous was quite tasty, but the seeds didn't work well. We quite enjoyed it, but would have preferred it without the seeds.

Score: 4

Symington's

Bachelors Super Noodles Bacon Flavour (cup)

Bland stodgy noodles and a sauce that tastes of bacon flavour crisps. It's edible, but it's pretty low down on the food chain.


Date: Dec 2017  Score: 3

Eet ees filthee! Bland noodles, and an artificial chemical tasting bacon. And it makes you burp up the chemical flavour for months afterwards. And your farts smell of dead pig. And your nose flattens like that of a pig. And you start masturbating in cupboards and grunting like a pig. You become a freaking streak of pig, and you go rut in the garden and make it all muddy and smelly.  Seriously, is it worth it?

Date: Lockdown April, 2020   Score: 4

Super Noodles are crap

Batchelors Super Noodles Chicken flavour (cup)

The advantage of the cups over the packets is that the cups are easier to make, and you don't have to look for a bowl to put them in (or wash up afterwards). Otherwise this is pretty much the same as the packet. It's edible, if a little bland. Taste is OK, though.


Date: Nov 2017   Score: 3

***

Super Noodles are crap

The best (and worse) 

Chicken flavour instant noodles

Batchelors Pasta 'n' Sauce Cheese & Pancetta

There's no actual pancetta or bacon in here, but there is some smoke flavouring to give that impression. It's OK. Pasta takes a little longer than they suggest to soften up, so there's a bit of crunching while you eat. And though I stopped exactly at the fill line as indicated (which is hard to do as a foam rises), the result is a little watery. It's OK, though. Use a little less water, and leave for a little longer, and it should come out edible. The flavour I liked. It's the rest of it that wasn't quite successful. I might try again.


Score: 4

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese

Everyone is getting in on the instant macaroni cheese fad. At least Kraft don't call it Mac & Cheese, but they do put an "&" in there, which is not British. I suppose we'll be soon getting spaghetti & bolognese.

Ah, I was doing some research, and this is not a British product anyway, it's a classic American product called Kraft Dinner, which has been around since 1937.

Anyway, this is like a tinned macaroni cheese, except it's in a plastic pot and can be heated up quite quickly in the microwave. Doesn't take long, and you get a product which is like a cheap tinned macaroni cheese.

It's OK, but I won't be buying another one. Well, probably not......


Score: 5

Batchelors Super Noodles BBQ Beef (cup)

It has a wonderful feelthy aroma - pure student bedsit. And you get your fork ready for a moment of pure nood porn. But,  blah, the "sauce" is actually quite wimpy and watery. Really little flavour. I poured on salt in the vain attempt to bring out the flavour. Nope. Grim sauce, and flaccid noodles. Best skip over this one in the aisle and get something either a little more upmarket or genuinely feelthy. 

Date: Sept 2021   Score: 2 

Ingredients
Noodles (80%) (Wheat Flour, Palm Oil, Potato Starch, Acidity Regulators (Potassium Lactate, Citric Acid), Salt, Flavour Enhancer (Monosodium Glutamate), Colour (Carotenes), Antioxidant (Tocopherol-Rich Extract), Stabiliser (Potassium Carbonate), Flour Treatment Agent (Sodium Carbonate)), Maltodextrin, Wheat Flour, Maize Starch, Flavourings (contain Milk), Dried Peas (1%), Yeast Extract, Dried Carrot (0.5%), Flavour Enhancers (Monosodium Glutamate, Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides), Onion Powder, Milk Mineral Concentrate, Salt, Colours (Plain Caramel, Paprika Extract), Thickener (Guar Gum), Thyme Extract, Acid (Citric Acid), Black Pepper Extract, Sugar, Parsley, Smoke Flavourings

The noodles are bland. The flavouring is like marmite flavoured water. This is really not a great experience. C'mon Super Noodles, pull your fingers out, and show us what you can do, rather than continue to sell crap. 

Date: Jan 2020  Score: 3 

This is the cup version of Super Noodles BBQ Beef.  It's OK, but as with the packet the noodles are mushy, and the flavouring is mostly onion. Not quite crap, and a tad better than the packet, but this is little more than edible. You can eat this, but it's not a huge enjoyment. I had expected more because the curry pot is really quite yummy.


Date: Oct 2017  Score: 4

Super Noodles are crap

Beef flavoured

Batchelors Super Noodles Curry Flavour (cup)

So Batchelors have decided to take on Pot Noodle face to face by coming out with a cup range of their Super Noodles.

I have always rather liked the Super Noodles Curry Flavour - I think it was the first of the Super Noodles to change my attitude toward them (previously I had thought all Super Noodles were crap because there was always a lot of noodle, but not much flavour). It works very well in the cup, and the recipe seems to have got even better with hints of lime and fennel.  This is a mild and flavoursome curry, and the noodles are soft. Easy to eat and very tasty in a proper British sludgy style.

I like this a lot.

Date: Oct 2017   Score: 8

Not so enthusiastic as I was three years ago.  This is a fairly bland nood. Typical flavourless Super Noodles, but in a cup, and a smaller portion than the packets. It's edible, but it's not interesting. And it's a long way from the filthy delight of a Pot Noodle.


Date: Aug 2020  Score: 4

***

Super Noodles

Best curry flavour noodles

Batchelors Pasta 'n' Sauce Mac 'n' Cheese

Tinned macaroni cheese works for me, this doesn't. It's like the Pot Noodle Mac & Cheese - it doesn't feel right, and it takes a while for the pasta to soften. The tinned stuff is edible right away, and tastes creamier and cheesier.


Score: 3

The Food Doctor Thai Style Noodle Wholesome Pot

The Food Doctor is a new company to me, though they have been around since 1999. They had a relaunch this year (2017), and have placed a range of products in a variety of outlets. I can't recall where I got this pot, nor how much it cost, but I suspect I bought it at Tesco for rather more than I normally pay. Looking on the internet, it seems that it's no longer available in Tesco, but can still be bought at Waitrose for £1.10. It is a tasty nood, with lime and coriander flavours in a creamy sweet coconut milk sauce. The noodles are a little small for my licking, but it is a very decent product. I'm not convinced by the product image or name (rather dull and off-putting). While food is about health and nutrition, it's also about tasting good, and having fun. And I'm not clear on why this pot of noodles is any healthier than any other pot of instant noodles. I don't think the price is outrageous for a tasty snack - it isn't much more than a Pot Noodle for example, but I get more fun out of a Pot Noodle than this, and when put next to serious nood makers such as Nissin, this pot feels a little lacklustre. However, decent job all in all.


Score: 7

Blue Dragon Noodle Wok Spicy Thai

Quite aggressive chilli. Few other flavours come through. Dried veg. Little in the way of noodles. Crap.


Score: 1

Batchelors Deli Box Noodles Sweet & Sour

Sweet it is, but sweet like cheap tomato ketchup. And that's what it tastes like - thin cheap tomato ketchup. Stodgy. Not good.


Score: 2

Batchelors

Tasty Bite Asian Szechuan

We found little difference between this Szechuan stodge and the Kung Pao stodge. The Kung Pao had peanuts, and this had a bit of chilli heat, but both are just stodge. Szechuan cuisine is generally quite spicy.

Score: 3

Tasty Bite Asian Kung Pao

Easy to make, but not hugely satisfying. It's a bit of a mess really. Mostly dull stodge with some sugar. There's nothing genuinely flavoursome about it. You can eat it, but it's not the most pleasant snack you'll eat. Kung Pao is normally made with chicken, but this one is made with peanuts.

Score: 3

John West Creations Salmon With Giant Couscous & Lentils Harisso Spices

There is something pleasantly Moroccan tasting about this one. Like the Wild Rice & Lentils, it tastes fresh and wholesome, with a fascinating range of flavours and textures. A real treat to have now and again.

Score: 9

John West Creations Salmon With Wild Rice & Lentils Honey & Ginger

In the Noodle Bar household we don't always have noodles for lunch - sometimes we have a pub lunch, sometimes we have a sandwich, sometimes we have a soup, sometimes we have an instant packet of food that is not noodle based, like those Indian foil packets - they're nice. I picked these John West Creations up yesterday, and we tried them along with the Giant Couscous & Lentils pack. Very nice. It tastes like real food. It tastes fresh. There's a lot of flavours, and lots of things going on. There's texture and flavour, and something interesting going on. Really quick and easy to make. Much quicker than noodles. You can even eat them cold.

I really liked this Wild Rice. I loved the hints of garlic and ginger, and the sweetness of the honey. And I like the texture of the rice.  A very pleasant experience. The downside is that they cost £2 a packet.


Score: 10

Bachelors Super Noodles Fiery Vindaloo

If I can eat these then so can you. Super Noodles are no longer crap, they are now officially pretty decent. This is a warm and spicy job, but it aint vicious - you can eat these and still walk, talk, and shit.  There are noodles, there is flavour. Easy to make, and no dogs were harmed.


Score: 4

Super Noodles

Best curry flavour noodles

Tasty Bite Asian Toasted Sesame

We tried this side by side with the same company's Asian Pad Thai. We both preferred the Pad Thai. There is little actual sesame flavour - its mainly a vague savoury taste, a little dry, with some vegetable pieces more for vague texture than real flavour. It's  OK - I mean, it's edible, but that that interesting or yummy. You can eat it without complaint, but you don't derive much pleasure from it.

Score: 4/5

Instructions and ingredients

Tasty Bite Asian Pad Thai

I'd not seen these before, and they were on offer at my local Tesco, so I grabbed a few. Made in India in the form of those sealed Indian meals, except that these are non-Indian Asian dishes. I like the idea. You simply open the packet slightly, heat in the microwave for 60 seconds (actually needs longer as that doesn't quite get it warm enough, and then eat. Quicker and easier than the traditional dried instant noods, but also more expensive. Of the two we tried today I liked this one the most. It had a pleasant but vague savoury / tomato paste flavour with little pieces of vegetable and peanuts for texture and variety.  But we weren't overly impressed - certainly not enough to buy them again. Edible, but not that yummy. And while being moist, the overall impression was that it would benefit from more moisture.

Imported by Preferred Brands Ltd.  the Tasty Bites company was formed in 1995.

Score: 5

Nissin Demae Ramen Tokyo Soy Sauce

This is pretty close to perfection.  Easy to make. Delicious noodles, and a great flavour. And its all veggie. Nice one.

Score: 8

Nifty Nissin noodles

Ko-Lee Go Noodles Roast Chicken Flavour

This is pretty much perfection. Fairly easy to make, though it's hard to tell how much water to add, as the markings are on the outside of the cup, and you can't tell where the water level is inside as it is concealed by the noodles themselves - you are supposed to be able to do a snack and a soup version - mine sort of ended up somewhere in between! Anyway, fairly quick and easy to make, soft, tasty noodles, and a lovely roasty savoury flavour that is veggie. There's even little bits of veg and peas in it to give some texture and variety. Bang on. I love this.


Score: 9

Kohlico

The best Chicken flavour instant noodles