Exotic Noods is a ramen subscription box that delivers noodles from around the world every month! You receive four or eight ramens a month, and you can choose “regular” or “no spicy.” Bonus— this box doesn't have “Exotic Noods” prominently displayed if that is something you don't want others to see 😉
There are three subscription options for this box. You can get the red pack, which will require you to cook your noodles in a pot or separate bowl, the black pack, which comes conveniently packaged and you only need to add hot water, or the green pack, which is both the red and black packs in one box.
This review is of the Red 4 Pack, $15 a month, box.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Exotic Noods
The Subscription Box: Exotic Noods
The Cost: $15 + free shipping
The Products: Four different packs of noodles from around the world
Ships To: Worldwide
Exotic Noods April 2018 Review
This box included an info sheet with more interesting tidbits about each ramen included.
Unif Tang-1 Chinese Onion Flavored Ramen
If you really like onion, this is the ramen for you (though I am not sure how you're going to find it to try it— it was incredibly difficult to find online from a reputable seller). I ate it sans toppings because according to Exotic Noods that is how those in China enjoy it, but a runny egg would have really elevated this.
Nongshim Ansung Tang Myun Spicy Miso Ramen - Buy a pack of 4 for $4.29
Third most popular ramen in South Korea, you say? I was excited to try some ramen that is popular in Asia, but I couldn't help but laugh when I saw on the packaging that this was made in the USA. The flavor was really mild and pleasant, and while it had a kick it was more than manageable. The noodles themselves were tasty and had a good texture I enjoyed.
Myojo Chukazanmai Soy Sauce Flavor Ramen - Buy a pack of 6 for $14.99
So I know that ramen like this is going to have a lot of sodium, but this little guy contains 120% of your RDV. That's not the end of the world, and since I try to eat low sodium as a whole I figured that I could splurge on a sodium bomb. Taste-wise, however, this was just too salty. Even having an egg on top didn't tame the too salty bite of this ramen. I had a few bites and called it a day. If you can get around the salt, the other flavors are mild and pleasant, but this bowl is really like salt sucker punches you in the face.
Samyang Ramen Fire Chicken Stir Fried Noodles - Buy a pack of 5 for $9.79
So I knew with Exotic Noods I would be in for an interesting time, but I did not expect to receive the noodles that inspired the Spicy Noodle Challenge. These noodles have a Scoville rating of 4,404 units— for perspective, a jalapeño has a Scoville rating around 3000 units. I enjoy spice, but I wasn't ready for a bowl of noodles hotter than eating a raw jalapeño. But Mama Hapak didn't raise a quitter, so I put my game face on and got ready. These noodles are stir-fried in the sauce after being cooked, and only a few spoonfuls of liquid went into this (I mean I guess if you like pain and suffering you could flavor all of the cooking water with this sauce). And these are HOT. The heat builds and burns, and after every bite of noodles, I took a big swig of milk. I don't even know if the milk worked because my mouth hurt regardless. I think the worst part, however, is that these noodles are delicious. These noodles bring you genuine pain but the flavor itself is super tasty. It took me 20 minutes to finish eating this small plate of ramen, and I would do it again. I would, however, probably add more noodles in the hopes of the heat being less intense. As it is, the burning in my mouth and lips lasted for well over an hour after I finished these noodles. Want to try these spicy noodles yourself? Have a glass of milk handy (dairy is better at taming heat than water), and don't do it on an empty stomach (unless you enjoy gut-bombs). I had a potato before eating these noodles and my stomach took it like a champ.
The Verdict: I had a lot of fun with my first box of Exotic Noods! I am relatively new to the ramen game, but one thing I know for sure is that my grocery stores in Baton Rouge, Louisiana don't have the best selection of ramen to try. I appreciate the extra details included on the info sheet, and I thought a good mix of products were included. This is a relatively inexpensive subscription to get and try the different noodles from around the world. Can you go to the store and find packs of ramen for 99 cents each? Probably, but this box focuses on sending out different types and flavors each month. I think this is a fun subscription if you're like me and want to try more ramen while still having some guidance!
To Wrap Up:
Can you get this box if you sign up today? Since the target ship date each month is the 5th, I believe if you sign up today you will get the May box.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $15 with free shipping and I received four packs of ramen. That breaks down to $3.75 a pack.
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What do you think of this month's Exotic Noods subscription box? Have you tried the Spicy Noodle Challenge?
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