I was over in Virginia this week and stopped into a Safeway to see if there were any new food items I hadn’t seen before. I was rewarded with the Top Ramen Hot Pot Fusion bowls. in the American ramen aisle (yes, there are two sections in many stores, the US ones and then the “ethnic” ones that are imported).
The new line has three flavors; I picked two to try. They were around $2 a cup, so not the cheapest, but they were large bowls. They can be found in stores and online on Amazon (links below) in 6-packs.
Each cup comes with 3 packets inside: the flavor packet, the dried vegetable packet, and the liquid finishing sauce packet.
Each cup takes about 2 cups of boiling water. It calls for 5 minutes of sit time; I would double it. I would also insulate the cup.
If you are traveling and staying in a hotel or an RV, you can also microwave them—the cups are paper, not styrofoam.
Japanese Garlic Tonkotsu Pork flavor.
This is a highly seasoned broth, full of noodles. The ratio is good in the bowls. They are chewy, rather than soggy/fried.
If you want to open your sinuses and warm up your body, this is pleasantly spicy. Not too hot (it is American heat levels, not Asian), it will still be spicy enough for most people. I like the amount of vegetables in this cup, and like the other, the noodles are pleasantly chewy.
I felt the noodles were worth the cost if you like a well-flavored ramen bowl. And being paper, once empty, it is easy to flatten with your shoe and toss in your garbage bag.
~Sarah