"Instant" Ramen

[Kanishka]

The few bowls of East Asian-style noodle soup we've had in our little corner of the world, at restaurants, have been highly mediocre.  I am fairly certain that it's about the broth, which is typically limp and watery.  We've made our own broth a few times when craving, but that's not always feasible.  And paradoxically, with our time here dwindling, I am craving food I can't get here more and more.  So when a friend suggested Mike's Mighty Good Craft Ramen, and I saw that I could get it on Amazon, I took the plunge.

If you think you're getting Top Ramen or Cup o' Noodles, wrong!  Mike's has none of that awful, sodium-heavy saltiness.  The three varieties I've tasted, savory miso, spicy beef, and pork tonkatsu, have been rich, earthy broths.  The noodles aren't like you'd get at a Seattle pho shop, but they are far better than the college instant ramen you remember.  The small oil packet takes the soup over the top by adding a welcome richness.  We've taken to throwing in a few elements to make a small packet into a meal -- a soft boiled egg, some homemade karaage, or maybe a sheet of dried seaweed.  I'd like to add some slow-cooked pork the next time I do up a bowl.

If you're in a noodle soup desert like we are, Mike's Mighty Good is an awesome substitute.  It's not homemade of Toki-quality ramen, but it's as close as you can get with about six minutes of prep.