Umai Crate by Japan Crate focuses on bringing you Japanese-exclusive instant noodles. Each month, you'll receive 7-8 instant noodles to try, along with a bonus collectible!
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About Umai Crate
The Subscription Box: Umai Crate
The Cost: $30 a month + free shipping
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $3 off your first box
CODE: MSADD3
The Products: 7-8 Japanese-exclusive instant noodle dish + a bonus collectible
Ships to: Worldwide
Umai Crate July 2018 Review
This month’s Umai Crate booklet lists each of the ramen bowls with a small description and cooking instructions. This is always super helpful to review before and during taste testing! As usual, there is always a super fun recipe for soy boiled eggs.
Time to get cooking!
Ebi Tempura Udon
This bowl is made with seaweed and bonito which is tuna to give it a super fishy flavor. The tempura on top is shrimp flavored to add to the fish notes. If you don't like fish I would suggest staying away from this bowl, but if you are a fan then this is for you! The broth has a strong fish flavor and the tempura added a lovely crunch. The noodles were thick and rather dough like which I don't love but they paired nicely with the broth.
Kumamoto Mokkosu Ramen
This bowl, according to the monthly booklet, comes from Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture in Japan (the birthplace of pork bone ramen). This dish is meant to be dressed up with anything you can think of like an egg, onion, pork, or shrimp. The broth was extremely salty so I wouldn't want to add anything else to this dish that would also be salty. Instead, I think keeping it simple with onion and an egg would be great. I didn't love the noodles as they turned out a bit sticky and wet instead of the rich fluffy noodles that I can't get enough of.
My Friend Chige Spicy Ramen
This bowl packed a ton of heat! The noodles were filling and had a light crunch to them, great for soaking up the somewhat salty broth. I didn't notice any sweetness when I was taste testing, but after reading the monthly booklet I mentioned to my husband that the type of seaweed in this bowl should make the broth slightly sweet. He said after I mentioned it he sort of could taste it, but that could have just been since I mentioned it. Did you all taste any sweetness in the broth?
Namamisozui Long Onion
This to-go cup is just broth, but you can always add your own noodles or rice to it if you like. It could also pair nicely as a starter to a larger lunch or dinner. The broth is miso and tuna flavored which was rather interesting. It was salty while still having a somewhat bold fish flavor to it, along with hints of sweetness. The onions cut through each sip making the flavor levels that much more interesting. While I don't love these soup cups, they are always interesting to try!
Sapporo Sauce Yakisoba
I was supposed to drain the broth in this one a bit more, but my husband really loves this broth so he asked that I not pour it all out. Why did he love the sauce so much you might wonder? Well, he said that it tasted like a salty BBQ sauce! This would pair nicely with chicken or pork and that is really all it would need. The noodles were overflowing in the bowl and were so fluffy and creamy.
Tom Yum Kung
This packet was unique because they are meant to be prepared as fried noodles in a pan. All I had to do was add oil and water to a pan, then add in my noodles to cook down until soft, and then I added my sauce. The noodles were crispy and firm. The sauce flavors were filled with a light hint of lemon that cut through the big punch of spiciness. I am not certain what made the sauce taste like this but it really reminded me of a sweet and sour soup. This was really interesting!
Shio Ramen
Our last bowl was a salt ramen which is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. I have to say, this was a pretty bland packet this month. I didn't get a strong salt flavor in the broth so I think you might have to dress this one up on your own to bring the flavor. You could add bacon, onions, or an egg along with some hot sauce to really spice it up. The noodles were light and fluffy and really the shining star, but it just felt like I was eating a plain bowl of noodles.
Bonus Item - Measuring Spoon
The bonus item for the month is this measuring spoon. You could have received it in red, white, or yellow.
Verdict: This month's Umai Crate was a bit of a miss for me. It is important to note that the price has gone up $5 to $30 a month for seven ramen packets. That brings the average cost per item up a good amount to $4.29. You are still receiving the bonus item, but I feel as though they have become less exciting over the past few months as well. Given the higher monthly cost, I was a little bummed to see a to-go cup of just broth and the salt ramen that was rather underwhelming. I would love to see more variety and unique flavors each month to make that higher cost worthwhile. Now that the hot summer is breaking (I hope), it will be exciting to see what flavors they will be offering up!
To Wrap Up:
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? No, you will receive the September box.
Coupon - Use code MSA3 to save $3 off your first Japan Crate Premium, Doki Doki Crate, Umai Crate, or Kira Kira Crate
Value Breakdown: This box is $30 a month with free shipping. I received seven ramen bowls which come to an average of $4.29 per item.
Check out all of the Umai Crate Reviews to get more information on this subscription. Check out all of our Food Subscription Boxes in the Subscription Box List. Rate, review, and follow this subscription on the Umai Crate profile page.
What was your favorite bowl from the July Umai Crate?
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