Ramen: Not Just for Broke Drunks

Published on Friday, May 20, 2011, by James Norton / Edit Post

Annie Chun's Ramen House

Annie Chun's Ramen House

I Paid: $1.99 per 4.7- to 4.9-ounce package (prices may vary by region)

Taste: 4 stars

Marketing: 4 stars

In recent years, America has caught on to what other countries (most notably, Japan) have known for many, many years: Ramen need not only be the meal of last resort for hung-over, bankrupt college students. It can feature toothsome, satisfying noodles, richly flavored broth, and high-quality ingredients. On the first two counts, Annie Chun's new line of Ramen House meal kits scores reasonably well; you're on your own when it comes to anything beyond noodles and broth, though.

Ramen House offers three flavors: Soy Ginger Ramen, Spicy Chicken Ramen, and Spring Vegetable Ramen. The first had a distinct ginger kick; the second, a mild but perceptible heat; the third, a pleasant spinachy-carroty vegetal undernote. In all cases, the kits contain a sealed plastic packet of precooked, plump noodles that just need to be warmed in boiling water or the microwave, and a packet of liquidy bouillon that, similarly, is combined by the home chef with a cup of water to create the broth.

Like normal Cup Noodles cheap-o ramen, Annie Chun's Ramen House benefits greatly from add-ons and mix-ins: I tried mine with soy-maple marinated chicken, an egg, a shot of hot sauce, and various other bits and bobs and found that something approximating a full meal could be created. And unlike typical low-grade ramen, the broth wasn't harshly salty, nor were the noodles limp and tasteless.

The big question, however, comes down to value. If you can get two or three cheap ramen kits for a buck (or two), is it worth scaling up to $2 a kit for Annie Chun's? For college kids on a bender, probably not. For those of us who want to revisit the ease and flexibility of ramen with a bit less salt and more pleasing texture and flavor, yeah, probably so.

James Norton edits the Upper Midwestern food journal Heavy Table. He's also the coauthor of a book on Wisconsin's master cheesemakers. For his Supertaster Daily videos, he samples offerings from supermarket aisles and fast-food menus. (Click here to see all of James's previous Supertaster work.) You can follow him on Twitter and fan him on Facebook.

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POST A COMMENT |9 Comments

COMMENT

  • What's the best way to add an egg? Raw? Cooked?

  • Hey James, What does your marketing rating include? Annie Chuns is a packaging nightmare. Carboard overlay, plastic (perhaps compostable) bowl, and even more plastic inside - sealed pouches, cut open and tossed into the bin. You - no "WE" need to consider packaging in our review of all potential purchases. Yum on the ramen though. :)

  • I grew up with Tung-I ramen. A huge step up from the standard one flavor packet Nissin Top Ramen. My favorite is the Chinese onion flavor. Just add an egg and you have a satisfying meal. Lately, I've been enjoying the MAMA brand Thai ramens. The flavor is amazing. The Tom Kha Kai flavor is fantastic.

  • Does the raw ramen soak up the vinaigrette and become soft?

  • I love "souping" up ramen. I add my own mushroom broth, ginger, chopped garlic, sauteed veggies, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, and sesame oil. It is so yummy.

  • Yah, I rarely use the salt *cough* er, 'seasoning' packet except as TMKAD suggested. Homemade chicken stock, cooked chicken or pork, frozen peas and corn make a good start. Some better packaged ramen is showing up but unfortunately people don't seem willing to pay more ...

  • Even cheap ramen can make for a good meal. I like to saute mushrooms, onions, garlic, shredded cabbage and/or mung sprouts, and chicken with a pinch of the seasoning packet, cook the ramen in the seasoning but discard most of the extra broth (and most of the sodium). Very simple, very quick, very tasty meal.

  • As a boutique caterer and chef, I am always looking for fun food. We use RAW broken RAMEN over this favorite summer salad.

    Boston or Butterleaf lettuce
    Fresh orange segments
    shredded jicama
    Spicy Wasabi peas
    Topped with RAW RAMEN NOODLES
    and a miso vinaigrette to boot.

    It pairs so perfectly with bbq and the outdoors. This salad always gets rave reviews and maybe it's because of within...+READ

    As a boutique caterer and chef, I am always looking for fun food. We use RAW broken RAMEN over this favorite summer salad.

    Boston or Butterleaf lettuce
    Fresh orange segments
    shredded jicama
    Spicy Wasabi peas
    Topped with RAW RAMEN NOODLES
    and a miso vinaigrette to boot.

    It pairs so perfectly with bbq and the outdoors. This salad always gets rave reviews and maybe it's because of within a very grown-up salad lies a sense of reminiscence awakened. With the wasabi peas joining in to rekinddle a rebelliousness in each of us who were also once, poor college kids, living on 6 ramens for a buck. We've grown up, I love that RAMEN has grown up with us:)-COLLAPSE

  • definitely try your ramen noodles with an egg...sort of an egg drop soup. and chopped up spinach. makes it feel more like a real meal. even when you are not hung-over.