Advertisement

Our favorite instant ramen noodles

Nongshim Zha Wang are a take on the Korean-Chinese black bean noodle dish jajangmyeon.

Nongshim Zha Wang, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)  (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Tribune
Share via

Ask six Food & Dining staffers about their favorite instant ramen noodles -- and how they prepare them -- and you’ll get six divergent answers. This gallery shows the favorite brands, the finished bowls of noodles and the maker’s all-important noodle-pull shot.

Nongshim Zha Wang noodles with roasted chajang sauce plus cubed tofu, prepared by Jennifer Day, who likes to allow most or all of the broth to cook away.

Nongshim Zha Wang noodles with roasted chajang sauce plus cubed tofu, prepared by Jennifer Day, who likes to allow most or all of the broth to cook away.  (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Tribune Books editor Jennifer Day lifting her Nongshim Zha Wang instant ramen noodles with roasted chajang sauce plus cubed tofu.

Chicago Tribune Books editor Jennifer Day lifting her Nongshim Zha Wang instant ramen noodles with roasted chajang sauce plus cubed tofu.  (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)

Sapporo Ichiban chow mein, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Sapporo Ichiban chow mein, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)  (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Advertisement
Sapporo Ichiban Chow Mein noodles with butter, kimchi and American cheese, cooked by Nick Kindelsperger.

Sapporo Ichiban Chow Mein noodles with butter, kimchi and American cheese, cooked by Nick Kindelsperger.  (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Tribune Food and Dining reporter Nick Kindelsperger lifting his instant ramen Sapporo Ichiban chow mein noodles with butter, kimchi and American cheese.

Chicago Tribune Food and Dining reporter Nick Kindelsperger lifting his instant ramen Sapporo Ichiban chow mein noodles with butter, kimchi and American cheese.  (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)

Maruchan instant lunch with shrimp, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Maruchan instant lunch with shrimp, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)  (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Maruchan Instant Lunch with dried shrimp, prepared simply, right in the cup, by Bill Daley.

Maruchan Instant Lunch with dried shrimp, prepared simply, right in the cup, by Bill Daley.  (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)

Advertisement
"The preparation is very simple yet encrusted with ritual. ... No doctoring. It’s in a cup, ready to go." -- Bill Daley

“The preparation is very simple yet encrusted with ritual. ... No doctoring. It’s in a cup, ready to go.” -- Bill Daley  (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)

Indomie Mi Goreng from Indonesia, a take on the street food fried noodles.

Indomie Mi Goreng from Indonesia, a take on the street food fried noodles.  (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Indomie Mi Goreng noodles, with a fried egg, scallions and hot sauce, prepared by Grace Wong.

Indomie Mi Goreng noodles, with a fried egg, scallions and hot sauce, prepared by Grace Wong.  (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)

"The topping order doesn’t matter because in the end, I stab the egg a million times, so it breaks into a bunch of pieces, so the yolk gets everywhere." -- Grace Wong

“The topping order doesn’t matter because in the end, I stab the egg a million times, so it breaks into a bunch of pieces, so the yolk gets everywhere.” -- Grace Wong  (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)

Advertisement
Lucky Me Pancit Canton with chile-mansi flavor.

Lucky Me Pancit Canton with chile-mansi flavor.  (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Lucky Me Pancit Canton chow mein noodles, chile and calamansi flavor. (Calamansi is a Filipino lime.) Joseph Hernandez likes to squeeze in more lime juice, stir in a whole raw egg and add extra chile paste.

Lucky Me Pancit Canton chow mein noodles, chile and calamansi flavor. (Calamansi is a Filipino lime.) Joseph Hernandez likes to squeeze in more lime juice, stir in a whole raw egg and add extra chile paste.  (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)

"This is not my childhood favorite noodle. It’s my adult one for the last eight or nine years." -- Joseph Hernandez

“This is not my childhood favorite noodle. It’s my adult one for the last eight or nine years.” -- Joseph Hernandez  (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)

Nongshim Shin Ramyun, the best-selling instant ramen in South Korea.

Nongshim Shin Ramyun, the best-selling instant ramen in South Korea.  (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Advertisement
"A word of warning, my noodles are not for the faint of heart. It’s an insanely intense spicy and saline bowl designed to defibrillate me back to life." -- Louisa Chu

“A word of warning, my noodles are not for the faint of heart. It’s an insanely intense spicy and saline bowl designed to defibrillate me back to life.” -- Louisa Chu  (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)

Advertisement