I was one of the ones commenting on this recently. Finally an answer, at least. I miss the good instant ramen…

Can you comment on the refrigerated varieties as well? I find them to be much better than instant.

The refrigerated/frozen varieties are certainly much better than the current “instant” crop, that’s for sure. At least they approach mediocre restaurant ramen, not bad for reasonably quick prep at home.

Problem is the toppings, though. It was nice to have the vac-sealed stuff, and just dump a packet of negi, shoots, and a decent slice of cha-shu in, ready to go.

I’ll try to get to some of the “nama” refrigerated ramen in the near future. I have a freezer full of the stuff lol.

Max - yea thanks! I’d noticed the anemic instant ramen selection all year, but your initial comment was what prompted me to start investigating and make a post about it! Here’s hoping the import situation will right itself in the near future…

Now I know why I can’t find Raoh anywhere!  It all makes sense now.

I’d love to hear what you think of the nama ramen selection we have here these days.

You have a very nice blog, good post…keep up the good job

No wonder! Thanks I always wondered why the GooTa Ramen was AWOL…good investigative work, rameniac.

About 6 months ago, I bought miso ramen from the airport in Tokyo. Arriving in HNL, customs confiscated my ramen, citing that it contained meat and that meat products from Japan might be contaminated with mad cow disease. When I countered that mad cow disease originated from the US and that this seemed to be a retaliatory move by the govt, the customs agent started yelling at me. He then threatened me with a $200 fine, even tho’ I didn’t know that the ramen even contained meat(label written in Japanese) and he initially had to get an interpreter to find out in the first place. Eventually he calmed down and let me get out of customs. No more ramen for me!

Actually, as a lover of instant tonkotsu ramen since it first came out, who noticed the recent and sudden disappearance of familiar selections from every single Asian market in San Diego, I was immediately suspicious that this was the same retaliation embargo from previous years happening again.  Yes—de ja vu—back then I was in disbelief upon hearing the rationale behind the restrictions.  The reasons for Japan’s trade embargo of U. S. beef products pertained to actual mad cow disease occurrence in U. S., which had a leg to stand on.  On the other hand, why is it vital for the U. S. Dept of Agriculture to prohibit the import of beef and pork derived ingredients found in instant ramen soup? It was unequivocally nothing but a childish tit for tat, an immature counterproductive measure that diminishes whatever remaining credibility this so-callled Christian nation has.  Enough bullying and playing unfair! 

Fortunately back then, it took but few months for the restrictions to be lifted.  I don’t know how long the current embargo would last but one word of advice is: STOCK UP on your favorite brand and STAND UP when it becomes an ongoing habit for govt agencies to enforce such silly restrictions which influence our choices for what we can or cannot eat in the comforts of our own home.  Enough is enough already, and we pay taxes to sustain these decision makers and feed their fat bellies?