Buldak (불닥) and other noodles

Ranking §

In order, the best first, are the Samyang Buldak Ramen flavors worth mentioning.

1. Quatro Cheese - Divine condescension of food. This is S-Tier. Doesn’t get better than this. Also can be divisive among people who are not cheese lovers. They’re wrong in their judgement.

   • Cheese - It’s not Quatro Cheese. I put this here so you wouldn’t get it by accident instead of the real stuff.

2. Carbonara - Bit of cheese, bit of creaminess. This is nice. Probably the most widely popular flavor, and for a good reason.

   • Cream Carbonara - More creamy, less spicy, same flavor. My wife’s favorite.

3. Rosé - This one came out of nowhere for me, it is shockingly tasty. It’s also sweeter than other flavors. If you’ve had Rosé Tteokbokki, then you know what to expect. I’m tempted to rank it higher, but I’m satisfied to consider it a part of the trifecta of Buldak flavors.

4. Original - This is the base flavor used in all their other flavors. So good, so versatile. Enjoy.

   • Stew type - Basically the same, but more brothy.

5. Jjajang - Black Bean flavor. “Bean flavor, the heck?” you may say. You underestimate the power of beans. It’s warm and comforting like snuggling a large Labrador.

6. Tomato - It’s nice. I like it. That’s about it.

7. Yakisoba - This is all that I wanted it to be. Yakisoba (Japanese BBQ) with some HEAT. I don’t if this is seasonal or what, but I’ve only ever found it twice. H Mart had it for a limited time recently so you bet I stocked up.

8. 2x Spicy - Save this for a challenge night with other people. It’ll make your heart race and you’ll get booger snakes. Normally the level of spice should equal the level of flavor. The level of spice is 2x that of flavor here.

9. Tom Yum - Thai curry with lime. It’s nice! Also very mild in terms of heat.

10. Taco - This suffers from the same problem as Curry (see below). There’s taco flavor, but not enough of it. Bearing that in mind it is very tasty. You could top this with lettuce, cheese, or tomatoes and it’d hit the spot; if your spot is craving a Buldak taco.

11. Habanero Lime - This seems to have been made for the western market. And I get it, it definitely appeals to me. Great “switch things up” flavor. Tastes exactly how it sounds.

12. Curry - This is good. But, it’s only partially committed to the curry flavor so you may be disappointed. It’s like the La Croix of Curry.

The literal worst §

1. Corn

Haven’t tried §

1. Kimchi - People seem to like this. My palette is not yet attuned. Will report back later.
2. All the other obscure ones

Good luck finding these §

1. Light - Low calorie, less spicy.
2. 3x Spicy - Heaven have mercy upon your body.
3. Topokki - Oh what I’d give to try this.

There are many more, most discontinued and experimental, or not exported.

How to eat them §

Three ways, in no particular order. Each delicious.

• As instructed on the back of the package.
• With Creamed Tuna
  • Basically just mayo with tuna, like you’re making a tuna sandwich. Then add whatever you have: garlic or onion, salt, pepper, dark soy sauce, sririacha
  • Mix that all up, and plop it onto the prepared noodles (cooked and sauce mixed already) and then mix it in.
  • You can top with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
• Japanese Ramen style
  • During the last 30-60 seconds of boiling your noodles, plop in an egg or two to poach them.
  • Retain enough water for a broth.
  • Top with green onions, carrots, toasted sesame seeds, seaweed sheets, and any other vegetables.

Other noodles §

Here are other noodles that range from “pretty good” to “that’s about perfect”.

• Indomie Mi Goreng - These are fried Indonesian noodles, so they can’t technically be called ramen. There’s a regular kind, and a spicy kind, and some other variants. They are all equally good. I recommend the spicy kind (it doesn’t hold a torch to Buldak heat, so don’t worry about it) or the BBQ. These are about perfect. They pair well with egg and vegetables. You could probably slide in some beef or ham too.

• Jin Ramyun - Standard (and delicious) Korean noodles, without heat. Delicious.

• Shin Ramyun - They’re alright. To be frank, it tastes a lot like top ramen, but spicy.

• Shin Toomba - This is Korea’s take on Italian noodles. They did a good job, but have the same problem as Curry Buldak. They’re not fully committed to the flavor. I’d recommend topping with some Parmesan and basil like it show on the packaging.

• Shin Soon - This is a veggie noodle dish. Honestly, it’s excellent. I’m happy to announce that you can go meat free for this meal and feel happy inside.