Unif Tung-I Ramen Noodles

Name: Tung-I Variety: Chinese Beef Distributor: Unif / Uni-President Enterprises Corp. Noodle: Taiwanese ramen Flavoring: Powdered soup base with shallots and green onion + spiced oil packet Preparation: Standard Notes: Cross-cultural concept ramen

Alex:

Another Taiwanese brand, emulating Chinese flavors, borrowing Japanese packaging techniques.

This is very similar to the saimin I grew up on in Hawaii - noodles infused with palm oil that comes out in the boiling process, making the steam doughy smelling. The soup base bore a heavy similarity to Sapporo Ichiban, in that the reliance on salt for flavor was minimized, allowing the green onion to contribute meaningfully. I had almost forgotten about the spiced oil, which had a latent warming effect at the base of my tongue. ^_^ Yep, that's right, I did it. Happy noodle face. All that's missing is a slab of fried tofu or sliver of kamaboko.

1/2


Anne Marie:

I enjoyed the concept of the flavored noodles and found it added the slightest bit of interest to the Ramen. I expected it to have a spicier effect so was a tad disappointed, but had I not known or expected the flavored noodles, I likely would not have been let down. The broth itself did have a strong beef flavor, and the entire meal was certainly palateable, but I did not find the flavors refreshingly unique. I enjoyed this Ramen variety, but was not excited or blown away. Hence I found it a good basic beef flavored option.