I know you usually associate instant noodles with these few words: cheap, quick, and delicious. Certainly, the beauty of instant noodles lies primarily in its extreme affordability and fuss-free cooking process.
But don’t you ever just get a little bored with the usual Indomie or Nissin noodles? I mean, there’s got to be days when you’re craving something a little different, no?
So, for those of you lazy bums who love the convenience of instant noodles, but at the same time, want to eat something a little fancier, here’s a list of 8 Premium Instant Noodles you can slowly munch your way through!
I must warn you, however, the fancier it is, the more expensive it gets.
1. KiKi Noodles
First popularised in Taiwan, KiKi Noodles has made waves all over Asia. Priced at $13.70 for a pack of five, this is by no means your everyday maggie mee.
These instant noodles come in two flavours, Aromatic Scallion and Szechuan Pepper. While the Szechuan Pepper has a nice fiery kick, I prefer the more fragrant Aromatic Scallion. What’s truly amazing about these instant noodles, however, is its texture.
The noodles are reminiscent of la mian (hand-pulled noodles), incredibly smooth and perfectly springy. Paired with the fragrant scallion sauce, this is truly a treat that every instant noodle-lover will appreciate!
Price: $13.70 for a pack of five
KiKi Noodles: Available at Selected Buzz Convenient Store Outlets, Singapore
2. Asakusa Yakisoba
Here’s another option for fancy dry instant noodles. The Asakusa Yakisoba ($3.25) noodles come in individual packs, cup noodle style.
To cook them, all you have to do is pour in boiling hot water from one end, then pour it out from the other once the noodles are cooked!
Much like the KiKi Noodles, the premium quality of the yakisoba is evident in its excellent texture. Firm to the bite and pleasantly chewy, these noodles were great to slurp up.
I could certainly detect that the sauce was shoyu-based, and there were hints of sesame oil, which lent a nice fragrance to the noodles. Alluringly delicious, this Asakusa Yakisoba will keep you wanting more with each bite!
Price: $3.25 per pack
Asakusa Yakisoba: Available at Meidi-Ya Supermarket, 177 River Valley Road, #B1-50 Liang Court Shopping Centre, Singapore 179030 | Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Daily) | Tel: +65 6339 1111 | Website
3. Myojo Ippeichan Yakisoba (Mentaiko-flavoured)
You can’t really go wrong with mentaiko, can you? This mentaiko yakisoba from Myojo is quite unlike any other and it’s guaranteed to satisfy your deepest Japanese food cravings.
For this, the cooking process is similar to the Asakusa Yakisoba. After noodles are cooked to optimum springy-ness, you’re supposed to mix in a sauce, before drizzling the mentaiko mayo over in whatever creative manner you desire. Mix everything together and you’ll get an ultra delicious bowl of noodles.
Thin and springy, the noodles paired perfectly well with the light, but very fragrant sauce. The mentaiko flavour was rather prominent, but not in a way that made the dish cloying. I particularly enjoyed the spice, as it gave the noodles a nice kick!
Fuss-free, easy to eat, and incredibly delicious, this should definitely be on your list of must-trys (if you haven’t already)!
Price: $3.90 per pack
Myojo Ippeichan Yakisoba: Available at Meidi-Ya Supermarket, 177 River Valley Road, #B1-50 Liang Court Shopping Centre, Singapore 179030 | Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Daily) | Tel: +65 6339 1111 | Website
4. Marutai Kumamoto Tonkotsu Ramen
This one’s for those who really want to feel fancy. Here we have the Marutai Kumamoto Tonkotsu Ramen, which is basically ramen noodles in a pork-based broth, infused with mayu black garlic oil.
Okay, ignore the fact that I didn’t have chashu slices, or a lava egg, or bamboo shoot. But doesn’t this look like a pretty legit bowl of ramen? Bet you couldn’t tell the difference from the look alone, if this had come with the appropriate ramen toppings.
Taste-wise & texture wise, this bowl of ramen was quite impressive! The tonkotsu broth was thick and had a collagen-rich quality to it. I could detect a decent umami flavour, and I rather enjoyed the fragrance of the garlic oil.
The noodles were of an excellent texture and, in my opinion, comparable to legitimate decent-quality ramen noodles.
Price: $5.20 for one pack (two servings)
Marutai Kumamoto Tonkotsu Ramen: Available at Meidi-Ya Supermarket, 177 River Valley Road, #B1-50 Liang Court Shopping Centre, Singapore 179030 | Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Daily) | Tel: +65 6339 1111 | Website
5. Itsuki Spicy Miso Tonkotsu Ramen
Forgive me for the clear biasness towards Japanese instant noodles; you must admit that the Japanese are far ahead of anyone else when it comes to producing delicious instant ramen.
This one is for those who like their food a little spicy. With a thick, and very red broth, this spicy miso tonkoutsu ramen is sure to set your mouth on fire.
The ramen noodles, once again, were firm to the bite and incredibly springy. The rich, umami-filled broth clung to the noodles in between strands, making this perfect to slurp up!
Price: $7.30 per pack (one serving)
Itsuki Spicy Miso Tonkotsu Ramen: Available at Meidi-Ya Supermarket, 177 River Valley Road, #B1-50 Liang Court Shopping Centre, Singapore 179030 | Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Daily) | Tel: +65 6339 1111 | Website
6. Ippudo Instant Tonkotsu Ramen
I don’t think you can get any fancier than this. It’s literally Ippudo ramen in a box. Of course, it comes with quite a hefty price tag – it’s $11.90 per box, and each box only contains a single serving.
The ramen noodles were very thin, and the texture was reminiscent of good-quality wanton noodles. Thick and full of umami, the pork broth will make you feel as if you’re in an Ippudo restaurant getting the real deal.
Price: $11.90 per box
Ippudo Instant Tonkotsu Ramen: Available at Oosh! Noosh! Fashionable Food, 50 Jurong Gateway Road, Jem Shopping Centre,#B1-35, Singapore 608549 | Opening Hours: 10.30am – 10pm (Daily)
7. Nongshim Neoguri Spicy Seafood Noodles
These raccoon-themed Korean noodles are absolutely adorable!
This particular version of their spicy seafood noodles comes complete with raccoon fishcakes – I don’t mean actual raccoon meat; it’s fishcake with a raccoon character printed on it.
These instant noodles have got to be one of my favourites on this list. The noodles were delightfully chewy, providing an enjoyable mouthfeel. The seasoning was both sweet and savoury, and I liked the little bit of heat that it had.
I’d honestly eat this any day, even though it doesn’t come cheap.
Price: $12.40 for a pack of four
Nongshim Neoguri Spicy Seafood Noodles: Shine Korea Supermarket, Various Outlets | Website
8. Prima Taste Laksa Noodles
On a list of premium instant noodles, there is no question that this Singaporean classic deserves a place.
Those who have eaten it say that it tastes very much like the actual thing. It’s perfect if you’re ever craving a bowl of hot, steaming, spicy laksa (as I often do), but you’re just too lazy to get out of your house!
Price: $10.95 for a pack of four
Prima Taste Laksa Noodles: Available at most supermarkets
